Harris Corporation, an international communications and information technology company, showcased the latest enhancements to its comprehensive digital out-of-home (DOOH) solution at Digital Signage Expo 2010.

“2010 is a foundational year for digital signage,” said Denise MacDonell, director and general manager for digital signage, Harris Broadcast Communications. “We believe the industry will see significant progress made in advertising-funded, out-of-home network deployments for sports, QSR, retail, transit and other verticals. 

“This is largely due to improved technology for content targeting and placement,” said MacDonell. “Harris digital signage solutions allow businesses to merge compelling content with profitable, scalable, out-of-home networks that create real revenue-generating opportunities.”

Harris out-of-home network solutions enable users to ingest, schedule and distribute dynamic, targeted content. At Digital Signage Expo, Harris exhibited new features for its InfoCaster digital signage system and Punctuate business and advertising management software. The company also displayed InfoCaster-powered content through a variety of fresh and innovative exhibits — both at the Harris stand and elsewhere on the exhibit floor. 

For the first time, the Digital Signage Expo exhibit floor featured a “digital entrance,” comprising multiple screens to inform, entertain and connect with attendees. The InfoCaster system powered live video feeds and interactive elements from the exhibit floor. Harris worked with CRI, a global experiential marketing and branding firm, to produce content throughout the show.

The Harris booth also featured InfoCaster-powered content in a number of ways, including via Christie MicroTiles, which produce a virtually seamless canvas with bright images, a wide color palette and an unlimited number of super-fine pixels. Content providers Met|Hodder and St. Joseph Content/Alchemy were also on hand to demonstrate InfoCaster content through retail and QSR-themed simulations. Other InfoCaster demonstrations showcased themed content for hospitality and casino/gaming scenarios.

Here are the new features Harris introduced in its InfoCaster and Punctuate systems:

InfoCaster

Harris introduced three new InfoCaster hardware platforms that deliver smaller, more cost-efficient form factors for compact installations, yet are packed with power and functionality.  The new designs range from tabletop mount (DS500, with a single HDMI output) to rack/wall-mount versions (the DS1100 with dual DVI outputs and the 2RU DS4100 model with quad-channel outputs). New software features include enhanced support for media playout over IPTV and mobile DTV delivery platforms — including the Harris MPH ATSC mobile DTV solution.  Other new software features include audio and video synchronization and automated capabilities for column resizing, screen transitions and audio leveling.  Support for Windows Vista/Windows 7 is also included.

Punctuate

Visitors to the booth saw the latest evolution of the Punctuate business management software, which was designed specifically to optimize and target content across digital out-of-home networks. New enhancements to the Punctuate software offer support for sellable items through InfoCaster inventory creation and a scalable architecture that targets and schedules content across thousands of players. Punctuate also now includes an enhanced capacity to view, track, sell, schedule and bill for advertising in both video and still screen regions, and improved reporting functionality that delivers detailed campaign performance and confirmation reports.