signagelive.com - Digital Signage Blog

RGB Communications the exclusive UK and Ireland Distributor of the signagelive web-based Digital Signage platform is offering new resellers the opportunity to purchase a signagelive player HD complete with 1 year licence for an amazing price of £600. The offer is limited to one signagelive player HD per reseller and has been subsidised by Remote Media the manufacturer of signagelive in a show of support to AV and IT resellers looking to move into the fast growing Digital Signage sector.

To find out more about this offer contact the RGB signagelive team on 0844 8800 765 or email sales@rgbcomms.co.uk

To find out more about signagelive visit www.signagelive.com

Download signagelive player HD spec sheet.

In the last blog entry we touched upon how to improve the RSS Ticker Appearance for signagelive. The next tip for our users shows how to ensure the best possible running performance on your device.

The following tip will ensure that signagelive runs as smooth as possible on both boot-up and throughout continuous running.

#2 – Optimize the Virtual Memory Setting

Due to different types of media you can implement, we would advise you with any dedicated signagelive device settings you alter your Virtual Memory Settings to give you the best performance. By default this setting is set to a Custom Size, which is dependant on the amount of RAM installed on the device. However, if the device you are using is only used just for signagelive then we would suggest you set this to be System Managed Size. This will allow the memory allocation of the device to be system handled.

Remote Media are appointing Worldwide Distributors and Strategic Partners for signagelive^® the award winning Digital Signage platform providing the simplest and most cost effective solution for management of multi-site Digital Signage networks.

signagelive^® is NOT available direct from Remote Media and only available through our loyal and enthusiastic network for business partners who meet the following criteria:

1.    Distributors – we are keen to establish Distributors across the world who can market and sell the signagelive^® platform to market through AV/IT resellers.

We a particularly keen to work with Samsung Partners/Distributors with our Samsung upgrade offering.

2.    Strategic Partners – a select band of companies who we will work with directly to assist them to build a Digital Media business to add to their existing and established business. A prime example is Retail where we work with companies who utilise signagelive^® as a core platform for their Digital Media proposition within Retail. In addition, we work directly with Outdoor and Ambient Media companies to incorporate signagelive^® into their Digital Media strategy.

3.    Powered by signagelive^® – working with hardware manufacturers to incorporate signagelive^® within their hardware platforms to enable them to obtain increased sales in the Digital Signage sector.

Samsung are a great example of this and we are looking to work with other hardware vendors to achieve a combined solution.  

As a Distributor or Strategic Partner of signagelive^® you will benefit from:   

1.    signagelive^® is the only true Software as a Service (SaaS) platform. We do not need a user to download any software to administer their network, it’s all done in the browser.

2.    Zero onsite setup and configuration, simply connect to the Internet and it works.

3.     Unique Mobile Data proposition compatible with GPRS, 3G and HSDPA networks worldwide. Every ‘dot and dash’ transferred across the Mobile data network is monitored and reported to prevent over usage and ensure the user stays within their agreed data bundle.

4.    Comprehensive live diagnostics, dashboards, alerts for all connected devices.

5.    Extensive compliance reporting from device uptime through to media asset playback.

6.    Designed using open standards to enable integration with third party platforms, including; Media Sales, Media Management, Asset Tracking.

7.    Very cost effective.

Contact us to arrange a demonstration and discuss becoming a business partner

Hopefully you are now all aware that the signagelive blog has introduced a FAQ section; which covers all installation, hardware and software related queries.

With that in mind, don’t forget that we are always interested in hearing customer thoughts and opinions on how we can make signagelive a better product for every user.

So please feel free take a moment to let us know of any questions and our Support Team will respond to as soon as possible.

With signagelive we are frequently asked if there are additional tips and tricks a user can implement to get the most out of the software. Therefore to keep everybody informed we will be providing readers with weekly tips and tricks on how they too can optimize their usage of the software..

This Week - #1 Improve the RSS Ticker Appearance
This week’s first tip will improve the quality of your RSS Feed with layout presentations, making the appearance look smoother and less jagged on the screen.

1 - Click the Start Button and select the Settings option.
2 - Select the Control Panel and double click the System icon.
3 - Click on the Advanced Tab (System Properties Window).
4 - Click the Settings Button (within Performance section area)
5 - Select the Visual Effects Tab.
6 - Choose the “Adjust for best performance” tick box.
7 - Select the Custom tick-box.
8 - Then tick option - “Smooth Edges of Screen Fonts“.
9 - Click the Apply Button and you’re done.

Next Week - Improving signagelive’s bootup performance.

To coincide with the recent client software release; there have been several significant changes to the signagelive user manual. Therefore, please take some time to familiarise yourself with the new features and how you can begin to implement these into your own network.

Here’s a headstart to where you will find some the new features being covered within the new manual -

signagelive Alerts - Page 13
signagelive Custom RSS Feeds - Page 23
signagelive Widgets - Page 41
signagelive Reporting - Page 49

If you have a question left unanswered by the signagelive manual, then don’t hesitate to contact support@remotemedia.co.uk and we’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Firstly, let me introduce myself, my name is Marc Benson and I am the lead developer of the signagelive platform. It’s not often as developers we get to take our head out of the code and communicate our thoughts about features directly to our users so this is quite an exciting opportunity for me. I’m hoping this will be a regular feature, so please check back to the blog (and look for my posts) for pre-release details on updates to signagelive and general thoughts/discussions around the more technical elements of signagelive and digital signage – remember this is straight from the horse’s mouth!!

If you have any comments/questions/topic requests please leave a comment at the end of this post.

The eagle eyed signagelive user among you will have noticed that a new release went live a few weeks ago (30th June to be precise), let me take this opportunity to give you an overview of 3 of the new features (and sorry for such a long post!!). Should you require any further information please refer to the signagelive user manual, or contact support@remotemedia.co.uk.

So let’s dive straight in:

1. Widgets

As you know signagelive is a Web 2.0 application using the latest technologies, one of these innovations are widgets, you may have seen similar implementations if you use Windows Vista, Mac OS X or iGoogle. A widget is a lightweight, single purpose/function application that complements the environment you are using, such as a calculator in the Vista Sidebar. We currently have four widgets available for use in signagelive:

• Analogue Clock

• Digital ‘Flip’ Clock

• Localised Weather

• Vertical Rss Scroller

They are available within the layout designer and can be used by simply dragging and dropping onto your layout. Each widget is customisable so that you can change background colours, font colours, font size so it is able to complement to your layout.

Naturally we are looking to expand the number of widgets that are available over the coming months, so if you have any that you would like included we would be happy to hear from you, please leave a comment at the end of the post, or drop us an email at support@signagelive.com.

2. Impression Logging

An impression is a complete playback of a media asset for either the time specified in the playlist or its complete duration, in the case of a movie/flash file.

There are four modes of impression logging:

The impression logging mode is managed on a single device basis, within the ‘Reporting’ tab (renamed the ‘Log Files’ tab). There is also a summary of the last seven days of logging.

Within the Reporting section there are three impression reports:

3. Reporting

A new first class menu item has been added to signagelive → Reporting. It has two sub menus ‘Standard’ and ‘Custom’. Standard contains all of the free reports, and custom will contain any reports specific to a user that they have paid extra for – please contact Sales or support if you have a requirement you wish to discuss.

Hopefully all of the reports are self explanatory, they mainly re-present data already available within signagelive but in a print friendly format, however there are some additions.

When a report is selected you will be shown a options dialog, (if available) you can select various filter options such as media asset, device etc and/or a date range.

None of the filter options are required, those that are selected will be appended to the report population criteria and logically ‘ANDed’ (give me a shout if you don’t know the implication if this). It is also possible to sort reports by the pre configured ‘Sort Orders’.

When viewing a report, there is a Print icon in the top left that will allow the user to print the page.

In some cases the standard reports may not be able to display all of the data returned (limitation of the html delivery), so the user will be told to export the data and download a CSV file. They can do this by selecting the ‘Export’ button from the Report Options dialog, and then click the link of the export file to download it.

Thanks for taking the timeout, as mentioned above please check back to the blog for further updates and information on features. Please leave a comment (even just to say hi – we don’t get out much being locking a dark room cutting code!!) as I would love to hear your feedback on signagelive and how we as a development team can improve it for you.

With signagelive being a web based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) platform, we are often asked where are the signagelive servers located?

Understandably the question is an important one, but the answer is a simple one; in a secure managed data centre.  UK Fast (http://www.ukfast.net) our appointed hosting company have won the ISPA Awards for 4 years running.  It is critically important to Remote Media that the signagelive servers are in the most reliable, resilient and stable environment possible to maintain an uninterrupted service as our business depends on it.

The pictures below show the home of one of the signagelive servers:

So why do we locate our signagelive servers off-site in a data centre?

- Real support 24/7/365
- Self healing network with 100% connectivity guarantee
- Managed security solutions
- Microsoft and Red Hat expertise
- Deliverable SLA
- Scalability
- State of the art UK data centres
- People focus in technology
- Award winning solutions for all businesses
- Incredible quality at low cost which makes our signagelive solution the most cost effective available today

It is not just companies like us that use these environments, our signagelive servers share the same facilities such as Tesco, Coca-Cola, Sainsbury, Orange, KPMG, Sky and the NHS to name a few.

Please contact us for further information.

Posted by:

Kevin Goldsmith
Head of Global Retail & Media Strategy

Remote media are looking for an experienced programmer to join our small team in developing our multi award winning digital signage product signagelive. signagelive is a software as a service digital signage application (find out more at www.signagelive.com).

Remote media was established in 1994 and works with a predominately blue chip customer base.

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate programming skills with the .net environment and web 2.0 development.

We work with a whole range of latest technology and leading edge software to constantly evolve our offering, this will afford the successful candidate a great opportunity to learn new skills on the job.

If you are interested in applying for this position please email jobs@remotemedia.co.uk

posted by:

David Street
Co-founder and COO

Samsung and Remote Media have collaborated to provide a signagelive® USBCard automatic update to the DXN series of 40” to 82” LCD/PC devices providing a comprehensive Software as a Service (SaaS) Digital Signage solution.

The upgrade is supplied on a USB Card and when inserted into any DXN it will automatically uninstall the Samsung MagicNet software, install signagelive® and present a registration page where the user can add their unique signagelive® network code and site details. Once the details are entered the device will connect to the signagelive® servers over the Internet, confirm validity of the network code and availability of a licence and then issue a unique signagelive® serial number to the device. For larger projects this process is automated so that devices are pre-configured with a network code so that the device automatically attaches to signagelive® once it is connected to the Internet.

Once successfully attached to signagelive® the device will automatically update any preloaded playlists, media, log-files and signagelive software/codecs and start running the required media.

The upgrade will be available in the UK & Ireland through RGB Communications, plus all Samsung UK Distributors and will be available from Samsung Distributors throughout the world. In addition, Remote Media’s Global Strategic Partners will be able to purchase the combined Samsung DXN and signagelive® bundle directly from Remote Media.

Samsung and Remote Media will be co-marketing and co-exhibiting the signagelive® DXN proposition over the coming months.

Further information and images can be found at:­ http://www.signagelive.com/samsung

posted by:

Kevin Goldsmith
Head of Global Retail & Media Strategy