White Paper
Cost Ramifications of Player
Placement in Digital Signage Networks
Executive Summary
Maximizing Return On Investment (ROI) from digital signage networks necessitates
optimizing screen placement to ensure the largest number of people are exposed to the
greatest amount of content. Less understood is the importance of media player positioning.
As intricate PC-based IT devices, media players are susceptible to numerous dangers which
can significantly affect their Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Situating your players at
screen in the public area makes them difficult to service and exposes them to multiple
environmental hazards, thus lowering their Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF). Using
extension technology to safely store your media players in a back room ensures your IT
investment is protected in an environmentally controlled setting which maintains their
MTBF and places them in a location where they can easily be serviced and maintained.
Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
Table of Contents
Executive Summary ............................................................................1
Table of Contents...............................................................................2
Display devices and Media Players in Digital Signage Networks ......................3
Display devices Placement .................................................................. 3
Media Player Placement ..................................................................... 3
The Central Component of Digital Signage Networks ................................... 3
Media Player Placement Options ............................................................3
Player at Screen Technology ................................................................ 3
Player in Back Room Technology ........................................................... 3
Benefits of Player at Screen..................................................................4
Challenges of Player at Screen ..............................................................4
The Public Arena .............................................................................. 4
Access to Players at Screen ................................................................. 5
Maintaining, Servicing and Upgrading .................................................. 5
High Service Costs.......................................................................... 5
Security Problems .......................................................................... 5
Player Reliability.............................................................................. 6
MTBF ......................................................................................... 6
Short Lifecycle ................................................................................ 6
Tower Based Players ......................................................................... 6
Benefits of Back Room Placement ..........................................................7
Back Rooms .................................................................................... 7
Access to Players in Back Rooms ........................................................... 8
Maintaining, Servicing and Upgrading .................................................. 8
Low Service Costs .......................................................................... 8
Solid Security ............................................................................... 8
Extension System Reliability ................................................................ 9
MTBF ......................................................................................... 9
Resistance to Heat ......................................................................... 9
Long Lifecycle ............................................................................... 10
Tower Based Players ....................................................................... 10
Challenges of Player in Back Room ....................................................... 10
Maintenance Costs Comparison ............................................................ 11
The Minicom Solution ........................................................................ 12
DS Vision™ 3000 Extension and Distribution System................................... 12
Conclusion...................................................................................... 13
About Minicom Advanced Systems ........................................................ 14
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Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
Display devices and Media Players in Digital Signage Networks
Display device Placement
A major factor in the design of any digital signage network is display device placement.
According to Dale Smith of Peerless Industries, “All the well intentioned design work,
beautiful display devices and high powered content that money can buy are rendered
ineffective if placed in a poor location.” A screen which can not be properly seen by the
public renders the entire digital signage network investment useless. To properly place
screens in a digital signage network a long list of requirements must first be met. The
screens must be located in a public area, be clearly visible, located in a dwell zone and be
non-obstructive. In addition, distance from the viewer must be determined so that the
screen will not appear too big or too small and safety factors must also be taken into
consideration. On top of all this, a number of natural and man made barriers to placement
must be overcome before the screens can be installed. These include security cameras,
distant power sources, glare from sunlight, etc. Only if you successfully meet all these
placement challenges will your digital signage system allow optimal screen spotting and
provide maximum results.
Media Player Placement
In contrast to display devices, media players apparently have a wide choice of placement
options. Since the media players need not be seen by the public, as the screens do, they
seemingly can be placed anywhere in the public or private arenas. A closer look, however,
reveals that media players have their own set of placement requirements that are at least
as rigorous as those governing screens. While screen placement mainly affects the
effectiveness of your message delivery, player placement, in contrast, is mainly a Total
Cost of Ownership (TCO) consideration.
The Central Component of Digital Signage Networks
The central component of any digital signage network is the media player. It is the media
player which plays the content so it can be viewed by the general public. Since this mission
critical piece of equipment is in essence a computer and as such a delicate IT device, it
must be properly guarded and maintained.
Media Player Placement Options
Modern digital signage networks primarily follow two types of installations regarding the
placement of the media player – at the screen or in a back room used for storing the
company’s IT related devices. Each application works differently and has different
repercussions for the reliability, access and security of your media players and therefore
for the TCO of your digital signage network
Player at Screen Technology
In “Player at Screen” systems the media player is mounted directly on to the display
device. The media players receive their content from a central content server via a
standard IP based network and then transmit the content directly to the display device.
This method places your IT equipment in the public space where customers and passerby
are located, exposing your equipment to a potentially hostile environment and making
them hard to reach.
Player in Back Room Technology
Multimedia hardware extension systems use broadcaster/transmitter and receiver units to
transmit video, audio and control (serial) signals from a remote media player to single or
multiple display devices over dedicated CATx cable. Using this technology, media players
can be removed from the screens, up to 600m/2000ft if necessary, and placed in a safe
back room environment.
Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
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Benefits of Player at Screen
Player at screen topology is suitable for applications where screens are easily accessible,
with or without an existing network infrastructure. This infrastructure can be used to
transmit content from the central player to the players at screen. Player at screen
applications also use less hardware than the other options. Both these benefits help reduce
hardware and installation costs and simplify set up. The initial outlay in a player at screen
application is therefore lower than the competing options. However, as will be seen, as
time progresses the TCO of a player at screen application becomes more costly than player
in back room applications.
Another instance when player at screen topology is beneficial is when back room locations
such as offices or closets may be difficult to guard from access by unauthorized personnel.
Challenges of Player at Screen
The Public Arena
Due to their location, players at screen are situated in the public arena. As an uncontrolled
and unmonitored environment, the public arena presents a number of hazards to your IT
devices. These include everything from heat and cold to people and dust. All these have
repercussions on the TCO of your media players and digital signage network.
Work Environment for Player at Screen
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Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
Access to Players at Screen
Maintaining, Servicing and Upgrading
When you need to maintain, service or upgrade your media players be prepared for a
headache. Since the players are attached to the screens they are usually located either
high up in the air or sandwiched between the screen and a wall. To reach a ceiling
mounted player you will typically need a ladder. To work on the player you will first
have to remove the mounts and brackets and then the players themselves. Then you
will have to take the players to a table and attach them to a screen, mouse and
keyboard. After you have reprogrammed the player you will need to reattach the
players to the screens with their brackets and mounts. If you replace the players with
newer ones, you may very well have to change the mounts and brackets as well.
High Service Costs
Due to their location in the public space, servicing players at screen in many retail and
public spaces is problematic. If a player at screen malfunctions in the middle of the
day, in a retail environment, you can not simply take out a ladder and bring in a
repairman for an hour or two to fix it in front of your customers. Nor can you simply
shut down the store to service it. Instead you most often must wait until after store
hours: early in the morning, late at night or on weekends. At these times service costs
are generally more expensive and can reach double or triple regular rates.
Security Problems
Depending on location, placing your media players in the public space can expose them
to additional security problems such as vandalism and theft. This may necessitate
taking extra measures to protect your investment that could more easily have been
accomplished by placing your players in a remote protected space.
Work Environment Comparison
Work Environment for Player at Screen
Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
Work Environment for Player in Back Room
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Player Reliability
MTBF
What is the expected lifetime of a media player before it is exposed to the unprotected
environment of the public space? MTBF stands for mean time between failures and is
the standard measure of product reliability under optimal conditions. MTBF is
calculated in hours. As intricate PC based devices, media players have a relatively low
MTBF. The MTBF of a standard PC is 30,000 hours or 3.4 years. Proprietary players at
screen are typically more robust than the standard PC and can reach an MTBF of 50,000
hours.
The above MTBF figures are calculated under optimal conditions. According to Blue Max
Technology, “Stressing a component beyond normal usage conditions may reduce the
actual MTBF to a point below the ‘predicted MTBF’. Generally, reliability decreases as
temperature increases, so components that are operated in warm environments with
poor airflow will tend to have a lower MTBF than those operated in cool environments
with good air flow.” According to Military & Aerospace Technology, “For every 10ºC you
increase temperatures on electronics, your MTBF will be cut in half, so the hotter the
electronics get, the lower the MTBF.”
Since they are located in the public space, your media players are already in a non
temperature controlled environment. Place them up near the ceiling where heat rises
and you are increasing their temperature. Place them next to warm Plasma/LCD/LED
screens and you are further increasing their temperature. All this reduces MTBF and
makes your media players more susceptible to breakdowns.
The increased frequency of player on screen breakdowns leads to a direct loss of
revenue for ad based digital signage network operators. When a screen is down,
advertising revenues from that screen are lost, resulting in potential contractual
problems.
Short Lifecycle
The lifespan of your components is a major factor in calculating TCO. In your digital
signage network, screens are typically the most time resistant components with lifecycles
of 3-5 years. Media players have shorter life spans and typically last between 2-3 years.
Content management software tends to be the most volatile, with a major revision
occurring approximately every 18 - 24 months.
Since the lifecycle of software can be half of that of the media players it is likely that you
may have to upgrade the software in your players at least once in their lifetime. This
presents a potential problem for players at screen. Standard PC’s are upgradeable but can
not be screen mounted. Players at screen are typically proprietary devices and may be
difficult to upgrade to take advantage of new software features. In essence, this reduces
the lifecycle of your media players to that of the software. The possibility of early
replacement of the player makes it a costly option.
Tower Based Players
One trend in the digital signage market is to employ larger media players comprising
multiple graphic cards and supporting more and richer content. These larger servers are
currently used in approximately 10% of digital signage applications and the percentage is
growing. For these types of applications player at screen technology can not be employed
because, due to their large size, the players can not be attached to the screens.
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Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
Benefits of Back Room Placement
Back Rooms
Using content extension technology media players can be extended from the display
devices and placed in a remote location far from the public space. A back room or server
room, because it is designed specifically for storage, provides an ideal location to house
your media players. Since they are located in a back room you do not need to disturb your
customers to access them. The temperature controlled environment keeps your players
from overheating and dust free. These factors help maintain the player and keep it from
breaking down. Storage is also easy in a back room. A single 1x1m server rack can hold 10
media players. The racks are specially designed for easy access – making maintenance,
service and upgrading simple.
Work Environment for Player in Back Room
Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
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Access to Players in Back Rooms
Maintaining, Servicing and Upgrading
Maintaining, servicing and upgrading your media players is easy in a back room server
rack. The players in the rack are simple to access. If you need to upgrade or service
multiple players at once, the task takes minutes instead of hours, because all the
players are situated in the same location.
Low Service Costs
Service costs with extension technology are kept low as the players can be easily
accessed during regular working hours. If a problem crops up you can fix it
immediately. You do not need to wait until after store hours when service costs are
double or triple to service your players as you would with player at screen.
Solid Security
By placing your media players in a back room you avoid the security dangers created by
leaving your players in the public space. The back room is typically locked and access is
restricted to authorized personnel only.
Maintenance Comparison
Maintenance with Player at Screen
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Maintenance with Player in Back Room
Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
Extension System Reliability
MTBF
As described above, the MTBF of a standard PC is 30,000 hours or 50,000 hours for the
more robust players at screen. In contrast, content extension systems which are
designed specifically for the rigorous public environments of digital signage networks,
have much longer MTBFs. Generally speaking the MTBF of an extension system is
approximately twice as resilient as the standard media player. The MTBF of an
extension system is typically 100,000 hours or over 11 years.
Resistance to Heat
Since they are located in an environmentally controlled setting, media players using
extension technology are not exposed to extreme temperatures which lower their
MTBFs as are players at screen. The back room therefore helps maintain the maximum
possible lifetime for your players.
MTBF Comparison Table
Standard Media Player
Player at Screen
Extension System Receiver
MTBF (hours)
30,000
50,000
100,000
MTBF Comparison Chart (thousands of hours)
100
80
Extension
System
60
40
20
Player at
screen
Standard
Media
Payer
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Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
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Long Lifecycle
While the lifecycle of a player at screen is typically 2-3 years the lifecycle of an extension
system is significantly longer, somewhere between 4-6 years. The longer lifecycle means
you need to replace them less frequently which translates into significant TCO savings for
your digital signage network and also saves you the time and effort of replacement.
Lifecycle Comparison (months)
60
Player in
Back Room
Technology
50
40
30
20
Player at
Screen
Technology
10
0
Tower Based Players
In contrast to player at screen, the popular new large players pose no problem for back
room deployment. There they can easily be fitted in a rack. If you need outsized players or
there is the possibility that you may want to upgrade to outsized players in the future your
only choice is extension technology.
Challenges of Player in Back Room
While players in back rooms are safer and easier to access than players at screen, the
extension technology required to put the players in the back room may require a slightly
higher outlay initially than player at screen technology. This is because extension systems
have more hardware requirements. This initial cost imbalance is more than offset by the
TCO of an extension system.
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Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
Maintenance Costs Comparison
On Site Technician Maintenance
Cost Comparison for Player at Screen Vs. Player in Back Room Over Three Year Period
Player at
Screen
Player in
Back Room
Service Rate
Visit Length
2 hours
Number of Service
Visits in Three Years
6
Overtime $100/h*
Regular $50/h*
Total
$1200
1 hour
3
$150
*Estimated
On average, player at screen maintenance is eight times more expensive than player in
back room maintenance.
Savings with Player in Back Room vs. Player at Screen Over Three Year Period
15
10
Savings ($1000)
5
.
.
0
0
5
10
15
Num ber of Screens
Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
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The Minicom Solution
DS Vision™ 3000 Extension and Distribution System
The DS Vision™ 3000 is the most comprehensive A/V extension system on the market. It
extends high-definition video and stereo-audio from a media player, over CATx cable, to
display devices located up to 600m/2000ft away. Not only does the DS Vision™ 3000
extend, it also distributes, sending content from a single media player to multiple screens.
The DS Vision™ 3000 packs a 3-in-1 punch – audio and video broadcasting and serial
management channels all in one box. Broadcasting is in high definition video at 1080p,
1920x1080@60Hz. It also is the only system on the market to include fully bi-directional
RS-232 communication. This enables you to not only send a command but also query the
screen and get a response such as whether your screens are on or off and how long they
have been operating.
The DS Vision™ 3000 provides:
•
600m/2000ft range – longest on the market
•
Three-in-one system: video, audio, serial
•
Distributes content to hundreds of screens
•
High Definition broadcasting
•
Stereo audio
•
Full player-to-screen management
•
Bi-directional RS-232 control
o Query & power on/off remote screens
o Simplified control via screen grouping function
o Electronic video tuning – save/export settings
o DDC support
Standard VESA mounting
•
3 year warranty
o
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Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
Conclusion
Player placement has significant repercussions on a number of factors related to server
upkeep and maintenance. By placing the media player at the screen in an uncontrolled
environment you expose it to a number of environmental and security hazards and make it
difficult for service people to access. By placing your media players in a backroom you
ensure they are located in a secure, temperature-controlled environment, where they can
easily be serviced.
Overall Comparison Player at Screen Vs. Player in Back Room
Technology
Minicom’s
Solution
Alternative
Solution
Player in
Backroom
Player at
Screen
Long Life Cycle
High MTBF
Fully Accessible
Controllable
Environment
Securable
Leverages Existing
IP Infrastructure
Substantial Service
Cost Savings
Reduced Total Cost
of Ownership
Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems
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About Minicom Advanced Systems
Minicom is an innovative manufacturer of distribution and extension solutions that
provide the Digital Signage Last Mile™ player-to-screens stage of connectivity for
Digital Signage system networks. The company also manufactures KVM server and
computer management solutions that facilitate control in enterprise and corporate
IT environments. Minicom is an Intel Capital portfolio company and was recently
named a Deloitte Technology Fast 500 company, a testament to the success of its
technological innovations in generating company growth. Founded in 1988,
Minicom has an international presence in over 70 countries, with headquarters in
Israel and regional offices in North America and Europe.
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Copyright © 2008 Minicom Advanced Systems