For those unfamiliar with electronic digital signage, purchasing a media player is just one more step in a long line of technical purchases and can seem like a daunting task. In simple terms, the media player is the computer that runs your digital signage content.With the various features, software packages and power sizes of each media player, there is plenty to consider. But with a little research, you can find the right media player for your shop and provide a valuable service for your customers.

CHOOSING A MEDIA PLAYER
When choosing a media player, you need to decide whether you want to purchase the hardware and software separately or get an all-inclusive unit, which includes preloaded software, says Steve Acquista, director of digital signage for Black Box Corporation. For beginners, though, Acquista recommends an all-inclusive media player because it eases the learning curve.

“The guess work has been taken out of the equation, so you’re not looking at what piece of hardware do I need to optimally run the software if it’s purchased separately,” Acquista says. “Plus, from a technical support standpoint, you’re better off having one company support both sides of the equation, rather than buying software from somebody and the hardware from somebody else.”

With many electronic digital installations, the media player can be located in close proximity to the display device. Photo courtesy Black Box

With an all-inclusive media player, you also don’t have to purchase the licensing because it’s typically already included, Acquista says.

However, if you do purchase the software separately, be sure to choose a robust product that is designed to handle digital signage, suggests Mike Zmuda, director of business development for NEC. Zmuda has seen some sign shops try to use Microsoft Power Point, but it causes the system to crash because it’s not designed to be used as electronic digital signage.

“Some people think they can use Power Point for digital signage, which would let them use a fairly low powered PC,” Zmuda says. “But, truthfully, Microsoft has acknowledged Power Point is not made to run 24/7/365. It has a fault in it called memory leakage, and it does crash after a couple of days. Power Point just wasn’t designed to be digital signage. It was designed to be used for presentations that last a couple of hours.”

In addition to software, don’t skimp on the media player’s graphic chip and CPU memory space, Zmuda says. The graphic chip drives the resolution of the screen, and the CPU memory space is needed to adequately run the media player. NEC recommends buying a media player with at least two gigabytes of RAM.

STORING A MEDIA PLAYER
Media players can be stored either with the display or at a remote location. Typically, the media player location is dependent on the customer’s preference, Zmuda says, but there are certain cases when you should store the device with the display and other instances where a remote location works better.

A single media player can power many electronic digital signage display devices. Photos courtesy NEC

“In some cases, it makes a lot of sense to have the PC mounted or the media mounted right behind the monitor,” Zmuda says. “It’s just easier to service because you have everything right there. In other cases, due to lengths of runs and environmental situations, it may be better to have the PC located remotely, but the farther away you get from the monitor you run into more costly cabling or external devices that need to be able to drive the video. From a cost standpoint, a lot of customers would rather keep the PC close to the monitor because it’s a less expensive methodology.”

Airports, for example, are ideal for a remotely housed media player, Zmuda says. The monitors tend to be high in the air, and servicing the media player in that environment can be difficult. Fast food restaurants, on the other hand, typically prefer for the media player to be housed behind the screen, which makes for a clean installation.

Both Acquista and Zmuda agree digital media players typically have a shelf life of three to five years, and proper maintenance ensures a unit lasts. Be sure to keep your media player in a well-ventilated area, and regularly clean the device to avoid dust build up, which can quickly cause problems.

“Dust is the big culprit to lead to the demise of the PC because it coats the pieces, and by that it insulates them from being able to cool effectively,” Zmuda says.

CONNECTIONS
Media players come in many varieties, and can be hooked up to your electronic digital signage network in different ways. The most common connections are Cat 5 cabling, RCA cables or wireless networking. If your media player is located in a remote location, a wireless connection may be the best method to use. However, this requires the setup of a wireless network, which is an extra step in the process. If you have only one screen or projector, a wireless network may be overkill. If you only have one screen and the media player is located in close proximity to the display device, cabling may be a preferred connection method.

MEDIA PLAYERS GOING FORWARD
Each year, digital signage grows in popularity, and Acquista expects that trend to continue, especially given the amount of money that can be saved by using these systems. With the lower costs, digital media players are an option for sign shops looking to reduce costs.

“In the long run, digital signage will actually be cheaper,” Acquista says. “If you think of the typical situation where a business has to put in tons of signage, they have a limited shelf life, so they may use them for a given campaign and then they throw them away. But you have to consider the amount of energy and resources involved in delivering and distributing printed media to the client. Fuel costs have been going up. Ink costs have gone up. Energy costs have gone up overall. It’s more expensive to print and distribute posters and printed material, so that’s contributing greatly to the transition to digital signage.”

Of course, printed media still plays a significant role in the signage market and will always have its place; however, more applications, such as fast food restaurant menus, are being replaced by digital media players.

Most know that some of the printing they’re doing will become obsolete, and they’re going to have to migrate into something that’s more dynamic,” Acquista says. “Their clients are also asking them about it, so we know there’s a high level of interest in digital signage. It’s definitely the wave of the future.”