Everything You Need to Know about the Different Display Interfaces

Posted on: April 28, 2020

 

Digital Display InterfaceThere are many digital display options available today. Whether you require a display for your military operations or for your commercial building, it’s important to find the device that meets your unique performance requirements.

When looking for the right digital display, many people tend to focus on the size, screen brightness, and resolution; however, those are just a few factors you need to keep in mind.

One feature that is paramount to how your display will function is its interface. The display interface controls how your digital display exchanges information with peripheral devices, such as memory devices, workstations, and special equipment.

Here’s what you need to know about the different display interfaces and how you can find the right digital display technology for your needs.

Digital Display Technology

What exactly is a digital display and how does it work?

Essentially, all digital displays are made up of many rows and columns of pixels that are driven by a controller that transmits information to each pixel. This information controls the brightness and colour needed to make up the image on the screen.

Depending on the device, some pixels are light-emitting diodes (such as in LEDs), while others act as a shutter that let in light from a backlight.

The image information is stored in the memory array and the information is transmitted to the display through the display interface.

It is the job of the display interface to essentially communicate all information between various components (e.g. the memory array and the screen) and peripheral objects (e.g. a tablet and a memory storage device).

While all display interfaces function similarly, how they communicate information varies greatly from one interface to another.

Types of Display Interfaces

There are various display interfaces to choose from. Here are some of the advantages and disadvantages of popular display interfaces available on the market.

Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI)

Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) is a synchronous serial communication interface, meaning it allows for data to be sent and received in both directions, on the same line. It’s best used for short distances for small, low-resolution displays such as small LCDs.

Other popular devices that utilize SPI include memory chips, data storage devices, sensors, microprocessors, and printers.

SPI allows the serial exchange of data between two devices by using a master, which controls various devices. Since each device has its own slave connection, the master can interface with multiple devices independently. Because of this, SPI requires numerous pins between devices since each slave attached to the master system needs an additional chip select I/O pin on the master.

One of the biggest benefits of this interface is that there is no protocol overhead, meaning the transmission can run at very high speeds—faster than I2C and other display interfaces. It is also rather easy to set up, has bandwidth capabilities of up to 10mb/second, simpler wiring compared to parallel interfaces, and longer cables.

Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C)

Inter-Integrated Circuit, also known as I-squared (I2), uses a multi-master, multi-save, singe-ended serial computer bus system to connect to small, low-speed devices like micro-controllers, A/D and D/A converters, I/O interfaces, and other simple PC peripherals.

I2C has a bandwidth capability of up to 400 KB/second or 1 MB/second and allows for easy communication between components on the same circuit board.

Much like SPI, I2C only works for short distances, uses a synchronous serial port, and works well with smaller LCDs; however, it can also support up to 1008 slaves, has four pins, and only needs two wires, unlike SPI or other digital displays.

Some of the main benefits of I2C are that it consumes a low amount of energy and is resistant to noise. It can also handle usage in a broad range of temperatures and is easy to use/troubleshoot.

RGB (Red Green Blue)

RGB is used to interface with medium to large colour displays by sending 8 bits of data for each colour (Red, Green, and Blue). It can drive much larger displays at video frame rates of 60Hz and up.

RGB display interfaces have bandwidth capabilities of up to 1.2 GB/second. They also have a high performance and a low cost overall.

That said, RBG requires numerous pins (up to 29 pins for 8 bits of colour) and expensive connectors. There is also the possibility of the RBG causing electrical noise since it consists of fast edges on multiple wires, which could be a problem for systems that include wireless modules.

Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS)

A popular choice for large LCDs and peripherals that need high bandwidth, Low-Voltage Differential Signaling (LVDS) is used for displaying high-resolution graphics, high-speed videos, and video camera data transfers because of its fast data transmission and low voltage.

It has a bandwidth of up to 3.125 GB/second and it can operate with low power, yet still provide high speeds.

LVDS transmits little interference, which makes it great for systems that include wireless transmitters and require little noise disruptions. It works for larger displays that must operate in harsh environments and, due to its low heat dissipation, it has a longer battery life compared to other display interfaces.

The technology is commonly used for LCD TVs, industrial cameras, notebooks and tablets, printers, cellphones, and communication systems. It is also used often for commercial and military digital displays, as well aerospace applications.

Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI)

Mobile Industry Processor Interface (MIPI) is a rather new technology that has gained popularity in recent years among mobile and wearable technology developers. Used primarily for cellphone displays, there are several versions of MIPI and it can be adapted to fit the needs of various industries such as PCs and other consumer applications.

MIPI provides a streamlined upgrade path from I2C and has a bandwidth of 6 GB/second.

Although it has a complex protocol and driver software, it also has both high-speed and low-speed power modes and can read back data from the display at lower rates.

Which Is the Best Display Technology for You?

Choosing the best display interface for your needs depends heavily on the type of application and the environment you plan to use it in.

There is no one-size-fits-all “best” digital display on the market. Each has it’s own advantages and disadvantages. When choosing the right interface for your business needs, consider the following factors:

  • How much data do you need?
  • How many colours do you need to display?
  • What is your budget?
  • How will it connect to your current electronics system?

Nauticomp Inc. is one of the leading experts in designing and manufacturing digital display technology that’s specifically designed to engage more customers on an industrywide basis. Retail, restaurant, gaming, Marine Corps, and military operations have all benefited from our high-end products. Contact us today to learn more!

Top 6 Factors to Consider when Designing Displays for Outdoor Use

Posted on: March 5, 2020

Designing Displays for Outdoor UseOutdoor digital displays can significantly boost your advertising ROI by allowing you to promote key brand messaging effectively, efficiently, and across a broad marketing spectrum. In order for your digital display advertising campaigns to be successful however, you need to be careful when selecting the right monitors and display configurations for the job. There are a number of different factors including the industry you work in, the regional locations of your ads, as well as the target demographic you’re trying to reach that should be taken into consideration.

When shopping around for state-of-the-art digital technology, you need to also think about the type of brand messaging that your organization is trying to convey. Whether you’re on the cutting edge of advanced digital technology or you’re in a completely unrelated field, you need to make sure that your brand messaging is on point and comes across as clearly as possible to your target audiences.

With that in mind, here are six factors to consider when purchasing or designing custom digital displays for your business.

Weather Conditions Across Different Regional Locations

Since we’re talking about outdoor digital displays, one of the top features you need to think about is whether they’re durable enough to withstand a wide range of weather and climate conditions. Consider the areas in which your digital displays will be installed.

Are they going to be installed in tropical climates or cold, snowy areas? Weather and climate conditions play a huge role in determining the types of features your custom digital display will require. These include:

  • Sunlight readability
  • Dustproof
  • Waterproof
  • Heat protection
  • Freeze protection

Keep in mind that the placement of the displays also matters. For instance, if the display is meant to advertise your brand overlooking a highway overpass, you want to make sure that it’s angled in such a way where every motorist passing by can safely read the advertisement without distracting from their driving. In some cases, outdoor displays can be impeded by weather conditions like fog, heavy rain, or snow if they’re not properly angled or equipped with the appropriate features.

Ask about Warranty Limits

These days, even the most state-of-the-art technological displays are only made to last a certain number of years before part replacements and repairs start adding up to the point where it makes more sense to simply replace the entire display. Display technology is a massive undertaking and investment for your business. As such, it’s important to inquire about warranty terms and conditions.

The first question you should ask is, how long is the warranty? The second question is, what exactly is included in the warranty limits? Gaining a clear understanding of your warranty limits can help you determine the types of display features you need and it also helps you outline a more accurate and useful digital display budget for your business.

Does It Have a Touch Sensor?

Touch sensors are practically a necessity for every modern day outdoor digital display. Capacitive touch sensor technology allows you to install a multitude of digital displays in various types of climates without worrying about damaging the internal mechanisms of the displays themselves.

Also, these types of digital displays can easily be manually or remotely operated regardless of exposure to the elements including wind, rain, snow, ice, and sleet. All of the electronic components and mechanisms are safeguarded by the thick cover-glass that’s strongly secured in place to by optical bonding to prevent leaks while still allowing for touch operations.

Interactive displays, which are growing in popularity by the day, are captivating and have the capacity to compel any and all passersby to engage and immerse themselves in your clever marketing campaign.

Cover Glass Finish

Since these digital displays are made to be used by the public, one of the most important features you should be looking for is the cover-glass finish. Cover-glass is intended to protect the internal mechanisms of the display by preventing external damages like cracking. Outdoor digital displays should be built to withstand harsh weather conditions as well as rough usage equally.

After all, you can’t control the manner in which your target audience or the general public actually interacts with your displays. And you certainly don’t want to be responsible for having to repair or replace them more frequently than absolutely necessary. A strong cover-glass finish should be able to withstand almost anything and everything that’s thrown at it including inclement weather, vandalism, and mishandling.

Optical Bonding Technology

State-of-the-art outdoor digital displays are composed of many different layers, all of which play an important role in presenting viewers with content. These layers include:

  • Polarizers
  • Touch sensors
  • Display cells
  • Cover-glass

Some of these layers can be bonded together by a clear binding agent that also leaves small gaps of air between each layer. The purpose of these gaps and this bonding is to allow the distribution of external light from the sun or other sources to be reflected rather than absorbed so that the display contrast will be better controlled and reduced.

Modern optical bonding involves applying an adhesive with a refractive index that matches that of the glass onto the surface that’s going to be bonded. Once the layer of glass is placed onto the surface, the adhesive is automatically activated by a combination of UV light, heating, and some pressure.

What Technological Enhancements Are Available?

Innovative technological enhancements are constantly being developed and released to the point that you might purchase a custom-designed display and a new one might already be in development by the time you receive and install your order. When it comes to purchasing new digital technology or displays the key is to understand what features are currently available and how those features are essential to helping you reach your business and marketing objectives.

If you need help determining which technological features are absolutely necessary and worthwhile investments for your business, then you should consult a manufacturer directly.

Considered one of North America’s leading designers, developers, and manufacturers of high-end digital displays, Nauticomp Inc. provides businesses within all industries custom displays that consist of the exact features they’re looking for. Contact us today to learn more or to place an order.

How to Build a Solid Digital Signage Content Strategy

Posted on: February 10, 2020

Digital signage is one of the most effective modern advertising tools that businesses can use to get their brand messaging and product information in front of the eyes of their target audiences. Statistics show that consumers are 400% more likely to become engaged with digital displays and advertising as opposed to conventional static advertising methods. Interactive and moving digital displays have the capacity to capture and keep people’s attention as they’re passing by in public places. But it’s not enough to simply purchase and occupy the ad space.

You need to constantly create new, exciting, and engaging content that entices and impresses your target audience. To accomplish this goal, you need to come up with a dynamic and creative content strategy that’s always changing and not only keeping up with the most recent trends but also anticipating and staying ahead of them. If you want your brand to be at the forefront of advertising innovation in your field, then you need to be an industry disruptor by regularly creating and releasing fun and memorable content.

Why You Should Invest in a Dynamic Digital Signage Content Strategy

Creating unique conceptual digital signage content to help capture and retain the attention of your target audience is challenging, but the end result is well worth it. Investing in creative digital marketing tactics can help boost your ROI and your overall bottom line. Along with getting your brand name and message out there, memorable digital advertisements also have massive selling power.

Where static signs tend to fade into the background, digital advertisements tend to be far more dynamic due to their unmatched visual and interactive appeal. In many cases, digital advertisements physically draw your audience in, making it impossible for passersby to ignore them.

Paired with a high-end digital signage system, the right content strategy can help put your advertising efforts over the top. But there’s a lot of elaborate planning involved and it might not necessarily happen overnight.

Here are a few tips to help you build a solid digital signage content strategy that’ll not only help your brand get noticed, but that’ll also help establish a loyal fan base and expand your reach.

Clearly Define and Outline Your Goals and Objectives

What is your organization trying to accomplish with your digital signage initiatives? How will you go about effectively reaching those goals? Before you go ahead and install digital displays throughout your various business locations, you need to have a clear and precise brand message in mind that you want to be associated with and representative of your business.

Without a clearly defined and well-worded brand message, it’s easy for consumers to lose sight of what you’re trying to sell and advertising to them. A good content strategy should consist of a strong brand message that customers can easily relate to, understand, and associate with your brand.

Once you’ve determined what you want to communicate to your target audience and prospective demographics, the next step is to set a content strategy and communication budget that can help you achieve those goals.

Set Your Brand Apart From Your Competitors

Digital displays present your brand with a unique opportunity to differentiate yourself from your competitors. What features and attributes does your organization possess that makes you stand out from your competitors? This is important information to have in your arsenal so that you can effectively communicate to your target audience why they should support your business instead of others in your field.

An in-depth content strategy should include your brand’s core values and put them on full display at all times. Of course, the nature of your industry is constantly evolving and your brand messaging should evolve with it. That’s why conventional static advertisements no longer suffice to represent modern businesses. A digital signage system gives you the ability to make automatic changes as needed, but you should carefully think about what type of messaging you want displayed, which is where a concrete content strategy comes into play.

Tell Your Audience Who You Are

Generally speaking, consumers find it easier to support an organization they recognize instead of some large faceless corporation or conglomerate. One of the most important aspects of creating a brand image through a well-thought out content strategy is telling your target audience who you are as an organization.

An effective way of accomplishing this is by introducing your audience to your team to introduce them to the faces behind your organization. Associating familiar faces with a business helps make it easier for customers to relate to your brand and encourages them to support you more. Digital signage can help you tell your brand’s story in real time and give personal perspectives of what it’s like to work for your business. This personal take is important because it can help you reach out to a much wider niche audience that takes pride in supporting local businesses.

Plan a Well-Timed Content Strategy

Consider the time of year when planning out your content strategy. Are there any well-known or widely celebrated holidays coming up? Of course, there are always the big holidays like Christmas, New Year’s Eve/Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Thanksgiving that are all excellent advertising opportunities for every business.

But try to think outside the box to make your brand stand out even more. Are there any specifically location-based or regional holidays or events that you should be aware of? Research each location your business is in and try to speak directly to the unique sensibilities of the locals there.

Digital signage offers your brand unparalleled opportunities to flex your creative muscles, so you can have a little bit of fun with it and make it more engaging for your local target audiences as well. Don’t shy away from clever tongue-in-cheek slogans or bold and bright colours, images, and interactive displays.

Nauticomp Inc. is one of the leading designers and manufacturers of custom digital display systems that are ideal for indoor and outdoor use. We build digital displays for a wide range of industries including military, Marines, retail, hospitality, restaurants, and even medical facilities. Contact us today to learn more!

How to Measure the ROI of Your Digital Signage Systems

Posted on: January 10, 2020

NauticompThere are a lot of benefits to integrating modern digital signage systems into your daily business operations. Digital signage boosts your advertising efforts and helps you reach out to a much wider audience than traditional static advertisements. From extensive wayfinding solutions to interactive displays and memorable marketing outreach, digital signage provides a strong platform for you to reach your customers in innovative ways. But how do you measure the impact digital signage has on your business objectives? How do you know if it’s actually working in your favour and helping achieve the results you want?

Although there’s no universal indicator or one-size-fits-all metric to help you determine if digital signage is having a significantly positive impact on your business, there are certain steps you can take to maximize its benefits. Keep reading to learn more.

Define What Your Business Objectives Are

As with any new business concepts, the first thing you have to do is clearly define and outline your business objectives. Every business has unique goals that they hope to reach within a given timeframe—just make sure that your goals and timeframe are both reasonable. When used to its full potential, digital signage can help you achieve the vast array of business objectives including boosting productivity, efficiency, sales, and information delivery to the appropriate parties.

Whether you’re interested in communicating more effectively on a companywide or interdepartmental level or you want to establish more engaging and interactive communications with your customers, digital signage can help achieve all of these goals on a minimal or massive scale. In order for this technique to be successful, though, you have to know what you want to accomplish before purchasing and setting up the technology, so that you can ensure it’s used in a practical, meaningful, and impactful way that benefits your business.

Defining your goals ahead of time also give you the ability to aptly plan how and where you’re going to incorporate digital displays throughout your organization. Having a clearly outlined plan of action in place minimizes spending and reduces the margin of error significantly. Additionally, it helps to do in-depth market research to guarantee that this is the right step for your business.

Analyze and Understand ROI and ROO Data

ROI stands for “return on investment”, whereas ROO stands for “return on objective”. These are two vastly different concepts that are both closely intertwined and also closely tie into the abovementioned notion of defining your business goals.

Measuring ROI is fairly easy. Simply subtract the initial cost of the investment from the gains of said investment. This basic principle can be applied to pretty much any business expenditure. The resulting figure represents your quarterly or annual earnings or losses as a direct result of your investment.

When it comes to technology, the ROI should be measured over a long period of time to get an accurate reading. It can take weeks or even months before you start noticing favourable results or break even.

Overall, though, you’ll find that the cost of designing, printing, and manufacturing static paper advertisements far surpasses the cost of managing and maintaining a state-of-the-art digital signage system for your organization. The cost saving benefits and future proof design of modern digital displays are where the real ROI and ROO can be seen. This is clearly summed up as the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)—the cost of owning and maintaining a product or system.

Other financial and time-saving benefits include freeing up your staff members from having to handle common situations or inquiries that can easily be addressed through digital displays that are prominently set up throughout your organization. Digital signage can be used to display important information like wayfinding directories, answers to frequently asked questions about your organization or industry, statistical data, and any other information your customers and employees might find useful.

Identify Which Metrics Are Worth Measuring

As mentioned in the previous section, most businesses tend to focus on financial returns, which makes a lot of sense. However, ROO is equally important and valuable in the sense that reaching your business objectives and maximizing processing productivity directly and indirectly helps to boost your finances. Digital displays enhance efficiency levels in more ways than you can imagine, most notably by delivering fast results in a vast array of areas.

Many retail employees find them useful because they can easily look up products, check inventory listings, and find the answers to customers’ questions in a matter of seconds by simply inputting information into the system. Customers usually love this fast return because they not only get the solution they’re looking for, but it’s delivered expediently with minimal inconvenience. You can measure customer satisfaction levels by asking them to submit feedback either by reviewing your business online or in whatever way you see fit.

Easily Set Up and Manage Digital Displays

Automation is no longer just the wave of the future. It’s already here and it’s only getting increasingly advanced by the day. Though many people have expressed their grievances with certain forms of automation in the retail industry such as self-checkout kiosks, the reality is that these machines are popping up pretty much everywhere and people are using them at high volumes. Interactive displays are everywhere and the great thing about them is that they allow business owners to easily update, edit, revise, or completely override their existing brand messaging at a moment’s notice without having to go through a middleperson.

The days of creating a design and waiting days or weeks for the printers to deliver and install the latest static advertisements are over.

Nauticomp Inc. is at the forefront of cutting edge technology that allows business owners to install and manage state-of-the-art digital display systems throughout their organizations. Through high-end crystal clear and responsive displays, you can boost your investment returns and encourage your customers to continue supporting your business. Contact us today to place your order or learn about our products and services.

Digital Signage Systems: Useful Technological Features to Boost Your Business Practices

Posted on: December 12, 2019

 

Digital Signage SystemsDigital signage and displays have infiltrated the advertising industry and taken over pretty much every aspect of the market. Many public places including shopping malls, bus terminals, sports stadiums, and even community centres use digital displays to get various messages across to passersby and consumers. Whether they’re interactive touchscreens, static digital displays, or large full-scale videos, digital signage and advertising has the capability to elevate your business.

If you’re going to apply digital signage to your advertising campaign, you need to have a basic understanding of how it works. Keep reading to learn all about the inner workings of digital signage and display systems, so that you can aptly apply them to your business.

What Are the Components of Digital Signage?

Digital signage and displays are attention-grabbing and informative by design. Consumers are inevitably drawn to the bright lights, dynamic images, and the words on the screen. But there’s a lot of extra planning and forethought that goes into creating effective and affordable digital ad campaigns that are guaranteed to increase your return on investment. Anyone can slap together a heavily branded PowerPoint display that showcases your company logo and slogans. Utilizing the following essential components of digital signage, however, can really help put your marketing campaign over the top and make you a force to be reckoned with in your industry.

Uniquely Branded Content That Speaks to Your Audience

Installing state-of-the-art dynamic technology to advertise your brand is a great way to capture people’s attention. Once you’ve attracted people to your brand, you need to find ways of keeping them interested. Displaying informative and relevant content to consumers can help you achieve that goal. Content should be completely unique, timely, and speak to your target audience in a way that nothing they’ve ever seen before has.

The type of content that’s displayed in your digital signage should be memorable enough to become ingrained in the minds of consumers so that they’ll think of your brand in specific circumstances or when making product and service recommendations to people. Incorporating your brand sigil, signature colours, logo, and related slogans throughout the ad campaign will help set you apart from your competition.

Use a Digital Content Management System

One of the most important components that sets digital displays apart from their traditional static counterparts is the fact that advertisers now have greater control over the content they produce. Not only can you create, edit, and replace unique content for your brand, but you can also come up with an automated schedule for when the content is to be released to the public. A content management system (CMS) is a type of software that allows you to manage your content and schedule it so that it’s automatically delivered to playback devices which then relay the advertisements to strategically located digital displays.

You also have complete control over which specific digital displays will feature certain ads. To that end, you can create multiple versions of the same ad and alter them as needed according to the sensibilities of the regions in which the ads are being shown.

Digital Signage Media Players

Media players are the devices that are used to display the content or media you’ve created. Playback software stores the advertising content and then delivers it to various displays based on the settings you’ve implemented. You have the option of automating the content and scheduling it so that it appears on all of the digital screens you’ve installed or only a select number of them at different times.

This technology is particularly helpful for businesses that are poised to break into new markets either on a domestic or international basis. Media players can either be connected to your main wireless sharing network or a mainframe computer depending on your setup.

Digital Signage Hardware

The hardware consists of the individual digital displays themselves that are connected to each other and the main operating system through a wireless network. Hardware consists of the actual infrastructure that makes the whole advertising schema physically possible. Digital displays are usually made up of rugged LED, LCD, or flat screen monitors that are conveniently and strategically placed in areas that are within people’s natural eye line.

The goal is to make the screens as naturally visible as possible to attract more potential consumers over to them. Creating and installing dynamic interactive digital displays is an effective way to draw in large crowds. Seeing others interacting with a display and being able to play around with or alter the onscreen modules drums up a lot of curiosity from passersby. The more interactive your digital display is the more dynamic and unique the experience becomes for users.

In-Depth Detailed Infrastructure

Infrastructure essentially consists of all the behind-the-scenes manual and physical components that bring together a digital signage display. From network connections to wall mounts, and cables, infrastructure includes a wide range of peripheral devices that ultimately make the entire digital advertising experience come to life. Peripherals deliver the content directly from the main device or computer on which it’s stored directly to the individual digital display screens that are installed in various locations.

To ensure that the system works and everything goes off without a hitch, each component from the main computer right down to the most miniscule cable must be exactly in place and they all need to be in excellent working condition. But infrastructure can also be wireless. Social media, internet connections, Wi-Fi networks, live web pages, and live streams all count as digital infrastructure that allows for the accurate and timely delivery of relevant key brand messaging to consumers.

Nauticomp Inc. is one of the world’s most renowned and leading designers and manufacturers of state-of-the-art digital displays. We specialize in providing custom-designed digital signage systems and displays across a wide array of business sectors including restaurant and hospitality, medical facilities, gaming and entertainment, Marine Corps, and the military. To learn more about our products or to place an order, please contact us today!

Digital Signage Solutions for Banks and Financial Institutions

Posted on: December 6, 2019

NauticompThere’s no denying that every industry in the modern world can stand to benefit from incorporating digital signage and displays in their day-to-day operations. Banks and financial institutions in particular can improve their overall employee and customer service experiences by simply investing in state-of-the-art digital displays. From high-end security and monitoring systems to increased digital efficiency, there are plenty of excellent uses digital displays in financial institutions.

Here are the top five digital signage solutions for banks and financial institutions:

More Attentive Employee Engagement

Positive and attentive employee engagement is a key player in the level and quality of customer service financial institutions are able to deliver. State-of-the-art digital signage and displays can help keep your employees well informed about any and all policy changes, account modifications, and new promotions that your bank is offering so that they can better serve your customers.

Improving Customer Engagement while They Wait

These days, going to the bank already feels like an inconvenient burden for many people. With the advent of online banking, most people tend to use the Internet or apps to electronically perform their banking tasks to avoid long wait times. But, for those few times when people do have to physically go to the bank to sort out issues with their accounts or fill out paperwork, they don’t want to feel like they’re waiting a long time for their turn. Installing strategically placed digital displays in waiting areas not only keeps customers entertained and distracts them from the fact that they’re waiting, but it also presents excellent marketing opportunities for financial institutions to advertise new products or programs.

Updated Informative Bank Info Boards

Much like digital menu boards at fast food restaurants, digital signage plays a pivotal role in relaying important information to banking customers. Through the use of high-tech dynamic digital displays, it’s easier than ever for financial institutions to keep their customers well informed about necessary banking information at minimal cost.

Increased Brand Recognition

Through strategic marketing, financial institutions can use digital signage and displays both inside and outside their establishments to help build or strengthen brand recognition. This is a crucial tool for new or small scale banks that need to build up their clientele. Creating catchy taglines and easily recognizable logos are a great way to make your institution stand out in the minds of your customers while also spreading your brand message.

Dynamic Emergency Response Tools

Emergencies like natural disasters, inclement weather conditions, break-ins, and holdups can happen unexpectedly. Digital displays keep your employees and customers informed of unfolding situations while also providing useful safety tips and weather warnings so that they can stay up to date with the necessary information.

Nauticomp Inc. designs and manufactures state-of-the-art digital displays that are custom-tailored to the needs of each industry and business. Our high-end displays are equipped with a range of unique features like infrared lighting, sunlight readability, and waterproof capabilities to help them withstand both indoor and outdoor use. Contact us today to learn more or to place an order.

 

6 Uses for Digital Signage in the Human Resources Industry

Posted on: November 4, 2019
Nauticomp Digital Signage
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Digital signage is an instrumental technological tool that companies can use to help improve a wide range of their activities. From communicating vital information to employees to updating customers on upcoming promotions to advertising job openings and so much more, digital displays have become ingrained in pretty much every aspect of how we do business. Human Resources, in particular, can greatly benefit from successfully incorporating digital displays in their everyday usage to help improve their departmental operations.

Here are six ways that Human Resources departments can use digital signage to help increase company morale through more effective communication.

Establish a More Cohesive Company Culture

Aside from hiring new employees and helping them get settled in their new work environment, human resources specialists are also responsible for listening to and understanding the needs of their workers. Keeping the lines of communication between upper management and lower-level employees wide open is a great way to establish greater mutual trust and improve company morale in the process. Not only will employees feel more connected to their coworkers and managers, but they’ll also feel more valued by the company.

Using digital signage to make special announcements keeps everyone in the loop equally while also saving the company a lot of time and money that would otherwise be spent on constantly producing handwritten notes (which are unprofessional) or static signs (which can be costly to replace on a regular basis).

Advertising Job Openings

Exhibiting job postings on digital displays that are strategically and conveniently located throughout your company premises is a great way to advertise new job postings, especially if you’re looking to hire internally before accepting external applications. Alerting existing employees to newly vacant positions is also a great way to boost employee and company morale because it gives valued employees a chance to progress within the company. Opportunities for upward mobility are highly revered in most industries where people are determined to build strong careers rather than simply work a dead-end job.

Human Resources departments can also use digital displays to ask for employee referrals, which have been proven to render high-quality candidate applications. Most employees aren’t willing to risk putting their professional reputations on the line for potential candidates that aren’t worthwhile, so you can typically trust the judgement of the people who already work for you.

Display Company and Industry Safety Standards

Safety standards education and training is an ongoing endeavour for every small or major corporation. But it can be expensive to constantly update and maintain comprehensive safety standards from printing new brochures and other materials to providing your employees with the most up-to-date information. Displaying company and industry safety standards on digital signage that’s easily accessible at their workstations is by far the most effective and cost-efficient way to go about it.

Digital displays can easily be updated as new information becomes available and you won’t have to hire someone to manually change out safety procedural signs or provide training sessions. Your employees can refer to the digital displays to find all of the pertinent safety information they require to aptly perform their jobs. If they have any further questions or concerns, you can include contact information at the bottom of the screen so they can ask the appropriate personnel.

This is especially important in loud and busy work environments where there are a lot of heavy machinery constantly operating and it can be hard or impossible for workers to hear safety announcements over the public announcement system.

Announce Awards and Accolades

Another great way to incorporate digital signage in your company culture with the intent of boosting employee morale is to announce awards and accolades. This can include companywide achievements such as hitting or surpassing sales goals or even personal employee accomplishments and recognitions like Employee of the Month awards. Recognizing employees for the hard work that they do can make them feel good about themselves and their future with the company. Aside from making a livable wage and having a comprehensive benefits package, employees want to feel valued and that the work they do matters. In some cases, seeing the achievements of coworkers prominently displayed throughout the workplace can even motivate other employees to work harder and be more productive to help the company meet its goals. It’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.

Keep Employees Informed about Health and Wellness Initiatives and Policy Updates

Sending out companywide e-mails or office memos every time there’s a policy change or health and wellness update can be time and cost-prohibitive, especially if you have more than one office location to consider. Modern digital signage systems allow you to automatically make and schedule announcements so that they’re all displayed at specific times. The best part is that everyone on the premises can have access to this new information without you having to manually input it every single time. Content can easily be changed as often as you need it to be with a multitude of applicable display options.

Improve Meeting Scheduling Protocols

The process of planning a large company or group meeting or conference can be quite stressful, but advertising the meeting time and place on a digital display for everyone to see can make it a lot easier. Unless the meeting only involves a select number of people, displaying the details of the meeting on a digital display ensures that everyone can see it. At the bottom of the display, you can even ask your employees to spread the word about the meeting to their coworkers in case anyone was off work that day and missed the announcement. Showcasing meeting times and locations on digital displays also lets people know when certain meeting rooms are occupied so they know not to book an event on that specific day.

Nauticomp Inc. is proud to provide high-end digital displays to businesses across a wide range of industries. Our custom displays are specially designed and constructed to withstand all kinds of work environments, weather conditions, and usage, as well as indoor and outdoor usage. Contact us today to learn about our products or to place an order.

 

 

Top 5 Benefits of Using Digital Signage in Schools

Posted on: October 21, 2019
Digital Signage by Nauticomp
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Traditional teaching methods are, for the most part, becoming virtually ineffective and obsolete in today’s digital media-focused world. As a result, educators across the board are being forced to find new and innovative ways of incorporating the latest technology, particularly digital signage and displays into their curriculums and teaching methods. So, what does this mean for the future of education in conjunction with technological advancements? Keep reading to learn about the top five benefits of using digital signage in schools and how it can benefit your children’s education.

Encourages a More Dynamic Learning Experience

Most kids these days learn how to use a digital device from such an early age that their level of comfort and expertise with technology has far exceeded that of the average adult. It used to be that parents had to educate their children on how to use tablets and cellphones. But over the past twenty or so years, the tables have slowly turned. Keeping that in mind, it’s important for educators to arm themselves with the latest technological advancements—digital displays—in order to appeal to modern students. Overhead projectors and low-quality PowerPoint presentations are now relics of the past and simply don’t cut it anymore. Educators must create more engaging and diverse content using advanced technological skills to keep students interested in learning.

Improves Information Absorption

Another important benefit of incorporating digital displays in the classroom is the ability to circulate information more effectively and at an accelerated rate than ever before. Modern students have a vast knowledge database—the Internet—at their disposal and are therefore capable of understanding and digesting new information more easily than their predecessors. Installing a network of digital displays throughout large classrooms in particular, like in a university setting, can facilitate the transfer of information from the educator’s platform to each and every single student regardless of how close or far back they’re sitting.

Instills Effective Safety Procedures

In the event of an emergency, digital signage can actually save lives by informing all school personnel about natural disasters, security breaches, power outages, and any other potentially dangerous situations. Additionally, digital displays located throughout the school premises can also be linked to a vast network that also allows students and educators to receive important notifications and updates directly on their mobile devices.

Features Cost-Effective Announcement Solutions

By that same token, implementing campus-wide advanced digital signage initiatives also enables both the student body and school staff to always be informed about and reminded of school-related events including dances, sporting events, extracurricular activities, and so much more. Broadcasting these types of events on a regular basis has been proven to help increase attendance by spreading mass awareness.

Incorporates Advertisements for Additional Revenue

It’s no secret that the public school system is massively underfunded and often has to rely on unconventional means like holding charity events, car washes, or bake sales to increase funding. While these are all excellent initiatives, additional revenue is always a bonus and that’s where digital signage can be a saving grace. Schools can turn a profit by selling premium digital advertising space to local businesses. It’s a win-win situation for all parties involved.

Nauticomp Inc. is one of the leading manufacturers of high-end digital displays. Our custom-designed touchscreen and traditional monitors can be equipped with a number of desirable features like infrared lighting and waterproof design that are perfect for both indoor and outdoor use. Contact us today to learn more!

How Digital Signage Systems Can Be Used in Hospitals

Posted on: October 9, 2019

 

iStock.com/peterspiro
iStock.com/peterspiro

Innovative digital signage, displays, and monitors have successfully infiltrated a number of major industries including retail, gaming, transportation, education, telecommunications, pharmaceutical, and many more. But one industry that’s only really beginning to scratch the surface of digital signage is the healthcare sector.

There are a lot of known benefits to incorporating modern technology into the healthcare system, many of which can improve and streamline daily operations for better accuracy, efficiency, and resourcefulness. Here are just a few examples of how digital displays are game changers in hospital settings:

Enhanced Wayfinding Solutions

Most hospitals are like giant confusing mazes, even for the staff that spend most of their time there. Times of emergencies can be especially stressful for patients and their visitors and their anxiety is only heightened if they have a hard time finding the right division or room. While hospitals have always been equipped with stationary directories that include physician names, titles, and room numbers, these directories are incapable of providing actual directions in real time, which is often very useful for patients and visitors.

Digital wayfinding directories change all of that. In their most advanced forms, hospital visitors can actually type in the information they’re looking for and they’ll be presented with a digital map that directs them to the exact location they’re looking for. These step-by-step directions along with the digital map can also be sent directly to their mobile devices for continued navigational convenience.

Patient Room Interactivity

Another beneficial use for digital displays in hospitals is patient room interactivity and dynamic engagement. What this means is that patients have the ability to communicate in real-time with hospital staff even if they’re not actually in the same room.

Digital technology acts as an effective replacement for traditional whiteboards, which need to be manually updated regularly, in the patients’ rooms. These digital displays exhibit pertinent and detailed information about each patient’s condition as a means of promoting patient education and providing them with the resources to remain fully informed about their condition.

Examination and treatment results and schedules can also be automatically updated in this system for the convenience of the patients and hospital staff who need constant easy access to it.

Access to Digital Hospital Information Boards

Whether you’re a patient or visiting someone, very little experiences are more tedious than being forced to sit impatiently in a hospital waiting room awaiting test or treatment results. Sitting there, watching the clock ticking, even just a few minutes can feel like an eternity—especially if you’re feeling anxious about the reason for the hospital visit. Hospitals typically provide some form of entertainment like toys for children, reading material, and muted televisions to help occupy the time.

New developments, however, illustrate that people need more mental stimulation in these types of situations. Digital information boards are a great solution because they can provide the escapism that many people in hospital waiting rooms crave. First, they showcase the exact time so people know how long they’ve been waiting. Second, they provide up-to-the-minute updates as well as news, weather, and sporting reports. Third, important messages like emergency warnings or Amber Alerts can also be prominently displayed on these screens throughout the hospital. Lastly, these screens can be used as important educational resources for patients and visitors by displaying hospital staff profiles and relevant healthcare facts or information.

Digital Displays Are Excellent Emergency Response Tools

To elaborate further on how digital displays can be useful emergency response and navigational tools in the event of an urgent situation, relevant instructions and information can be displayed on them as needed. For instance, if a natural disaster like an earthquake or flooding occurs, then hospital staff can quickly turn on the emergency feature on the mainframe to alert everyone in the building of the imminent danger as well as the appropriate safety precautions that should be taken.

On that note, these displays can also be used to make important announcements in the event of an abducted child or missing person in the area.

Capacity for Real-Time Communication

Going back to the scenario of people waiting in hospital waiting rooms to hear about medical treatment results or surgical updates for their friend or family member, digital displays can actually be used to provide that information in real time. This technology has been instrumental in alleviating anxiety levels in waiting rooms and it also eases some pressure for hospital staff who are conditioned and accustomed to dealing with stressed out family and friends of patients.

Cafeteria Digital Menu Boards

Digital menu boards aren’t just for fast food chains and coffee shops. They’re also making their way into hospital cafeterias and lounges as well, allowing patients, visitors, and hospital staff equal opportunity to purchase quick and convenient meals. This can also help increase hospital efficiency since most nurses, doctors, and administrators often don’t have time to take long lunch breaks or go somewhere offsite.

Efficient and Accurate Patient Registration

Paper registration forms are slowly but surely becoming a relic of the past as an increasing number of hospitals and medical facilities are adopting digital patient registration. Patient registration can be done on a tablet or at a digital kiosk. There are numerous benefits to implementing this method. It streamlines administrative workflow by eliminating the need for staff to manually enter patient information into the system. And, it also minimizes the risk of inaccuracy, which has been prevalent in the past, due to misspellings, grammatical errors, illegible handwriting, and human error among other factors.

Nauticomp Inc. is one of the leading digital signage and display manufacturing and distribution companies in North America. Our displays have been instrumental in countless military and Marines operations, but are also currently being used in other sectors including retail, restaurant and hospitality, and healthcare. To learn more about how our digital applications can help improve hospital operations and objectives, contact us.

Everything You Need to Know about the Types of Screen Resolutions

Posted on: September 6, 2019

 Naut iCompScreen resolution technology has come a long way in the past 50 years or so. In the past, television featured interlaced scans that had lines that were easily visible the closer you sat to the screen. Nowadays, modern technology has allowed users to have a lot more options when it comes to configuring digital display options on mobile devices, television screens, laptops, computers, tablets, and any other devices they’re using. Different types of screen resolutions are available to help users achieve the ultimate viewing experience that they prefer. And, as technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace, new and better image quality resolutions are constantly in the works and ready for public consumption.

With that said, here are some of the most current types of screen resolutions that you should know about.

Video Graphics Array (VGA)

VGA was first released in 1987 by IBM as part of their PS/2 line of computers. Since its initial inception, VGA has taken on a few different meanings in recent years and is characterized by its 640×480 resolution. It also refers to the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector and the analog computer display standard. Currently, it’s used for high-definition resolutions of 1080p or higher.

Super Video Graphics Array (SVGA)

Developed in 1988 (just one year after IBM introduced VGA) by NEC Home Electronics, SVGA was an improvement on its predecessor. It increased graphics display resolutions by up to 36%, which amounted to 800×600 pixels. SVGA was designed to be compatible with the IBM PC and eventually replace VGA.

Extended Graphics Array (XGA)

If you’re not sure what XGA looks like, you’ve definitely seen it before. Most modern laptop computers—around 80% of the current market—use XGA, which is an LCD display that exhibits 1024×768 resolutions. Sizes range from 15.1 inches to 10.4 inches.  

Super Extended Graphics Array (SXGA+)

As the name suggests, SXGA+ is an extension or modified version of XGA. With a 1400×1050 resolution, this screen is designed specifically and exclusively to accommodate laptop computers. It also has a much higher display accuracy than its predecessor thanks its compatibility with the horizontal and vertical dot pitch that all standard-sized laptop computers have.

Quantum Extended Graphics Array (QXGA)

QXGA has a resolution of 2048×1536. This particular display mode is commonly used by graphics designers, computer engineers, and other users who require or prefer exact image details when using various programs for specific projects. It’s also ideal for users who use their devices to watch online videos.

Ultra Extended Graphics Array (UXGA)

With a resolution of 1600×21200, UXGA is also used by computer programmers, editors, and designers who require high definition and crystal clear images. It’s commonly used for watching TV shows, movies, and other forms of media or entertainment online to ensure an exceptional viewing quality.

Wide Video Graphics Array (WVGA)

WVGA is a much wider version of the standard VGA. It has a resolution of 800×480.

Wide Extended Graphics Array (WXGA)

With a resolution of 1280×800, WXGA is an extended and wider version of the standard XGA that’s used for most modern laptops. It has an aspect ratio (the image projection in proportion to the width and height of an image as it appears on the screen) 16:10 so that the size of the screen can be expanded.

Wide Super Extended Graphics Array Plus (WSXGA+)

Like WXGA, WSXGA+ is also a display mode that’s meant to be an improved version of the standard XGA, except it has a screen resolution of 1440×900 with an aspect ratio of 15:10, which makes it more compatible with smaller screens.

Wide Super Extended Graphics Array (WSXGA)

WSXGA is basically a widescreen version of the original WXGA featuring a screen resolution of 1680×1050 with 32-bit pixels. It’s most commonly applied to wide screen LCD displays that are 15.4 inches diagonally.

Wide Ultra Video Graphics Array (WUVGA)

Although it’s rarely used in technological applications, WUVGA has an aspect ratio of 4:3 and display resolution of 1920×1200 in its most advanced format. The reason it’s rarely used in technological applications is because of how expensive this formatting is.

Wide Quad Extended Graphics Array (WQXGA)

WQXGA has a screen resolution of 2560×1600 with 16:10 aspect ratio and the graphics consist of about 4.1 million pixels. As a result, WQXGA needs extremely high bandwidth and processing power to support its high pixel quantity. Monitors that are equipped with WQXGA also need dual-link DVI-capable cables and other devices that support a vertical resolution of 40Hz.

Quarter High Definition (qHD)

qHD has become the standard display mode for modern high-end smartphones and certain gaming consoles. With a 960×540 resolution coupled with a 16:9 aspect ratio, qHD accounts for a quarter of 1080p’s screen resolution, but it still packs a powerful punch for mobile devices.

720p

This is considered the lowest possible standard in HD screening and is often used for minimal tasks like watching videos on YouTube. It has a screen resolution of 1280×720. The 720 numeral stands for the number of horizontal lines that make up the complete raster. The lowercase p indicates the progressive scanning capabilities where each line is visible from the top of the screen in the image raster.

1080p

Also known as full HDTV, ultra-HD, and true HDTV, 1080p is a display mode that’s applied to most modern television screens as it has a far superior picture quality compared to 720p. It has a screen resolution of 1920×1080, which indicates that there are 1080 vertical scans that occur right before the viewers’ eyes.

2K, 4K, 8K

While most modern flat screen televisions boast a 4K standard resolution, electronic companies are also starting to adapt an 8K display mode. What does this mean? The K in all these abbreviations stands for “kilo”, meaning “thousand”. 2K, which is the standard used for most commercial movie screen projectors and high-end mobile devices, has a screen resolution of 2560×1440. 4K has a resolution of 4096×2160 and is also used for some high-end mobile devices. 8K, which has a resolution of 7680×4320 and is considered to be the highest screen resolution that humans can view. It’s also projected to be the next reigning champion of screen resolution standards as the technology continues to evolve.

As one of the leading designers, manufacturers, and distributors of high-end military and commercial-grade displays in North America, Nauticomp Inc. is at the forefront of this technological renaissance. We build and deliver high-end monitors and displays that are customized to meet the needs and daily operations of our customers. Contact us today to learn more or to place your order!