Gene Ornstead

From interactive whiteboards, to HD projectors, to PCs and tablets, technology in the classroom is nothing new. But an innovative method of teaching that brings technology out of the classroom and into the home is gaining ground in many schools across the country. This new teaching model is called the “Flipped Classroom” and it utilizes quick, online teacher-created videos that students typically watch after school, at home. If students don’t have a computer or an online connection at home, they can access lessons at public libraries or stay after school to watch the online lessons. Traditional “homework” is then worked on with the teacher the next day in the classroom.

By delivering instruction online and out of class, and bringing homework into the classroom, this “flipped” methodology benefits students and teachers in a number of ways.

By watching lectures at home, students can go at their own pace, take notes, and write down any questions they may have from the lecture. Students can even rewind lectures to memorize and master certain lessons. In the classroom, teachers now have more time to spend helping students 1 on 1. As a result of this 1 on 1 interaction, teachers can revisit concepts that students may not have understood at home, teachers can answer each student’s questions individually, and student frustration is minimized.

In addition, extra class time is also used to do labs or interactive activities that help to further illustrate the lessons. In short, a creative and collaborative learning environment is fostered within the classroom where teacher-student relationships are much stronger when compared to those of traditional teaching methods. Ultimately, schools that have adopted a “Flipped Classroom” methodology report higher test scores and decreased behavior problems amongst their students.

What do you think about the “Flipped Classroom” methodology? Let us know here on the blog.

Corporate names and trademarks stated herein are the property of their respective companies. Copyright© 2013 ViewSonic Corporation. All rights reserved.

 

Digital signage is most often associated with corporate advertising; however, more and more schools and universities are utilizing the technology in a much different way. For many campuses, digital signage has proved to be a simple and efficient way of communicating emergency notifications.

One such educational institution is West Virginia University. In the wake of the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007, WVU’s administration felt it was increasingly important to have an emergency notification solution on campus. By 2013, WVU had deployed nearly 120 digital signs, all ready to display emergency alerts, in addition to daily school updates. These displays were installed in key locations such as reception desks and cafeterias in various dorms, on platforms of the school’s monorail system, and outside of the basketball arena.

Since WVU’s digital signs are connected to media players, any content or information can be easily pushed to the displays over the campus LAN. In the event of any emergency, quickly getting information to the appropriate people is crucial. And in the event of an emergency, whether for weather alerts, earthquake warnings, or potential attacks, digital signage can offer an effective way of quickly communicating messages across a campus within a matter of seconds.

As seen in the case of West Virginia University, digital signage can be used for much more than just retail advertising, displaying a restaurant’s menu items, or broadcasting brand-specific messaging on video walls. Whether for K-12 schools or higher education institutions, digital signs can keep students and staff informed of important school information, as well as during emergency situations. For more information WVU’s digital signage installation, click here.

Does your school or campus utilize digital signage? Let us know here on the blog.

 

Corporate names and trademarks stated herein are the property of their respective companies. Copyright^© 2013 ViewSonic Corporation. All rights reserved.

 

ViewSonic brings innovation and style to Digital Signage Expo 2013. Visit us at Booth #224 to see our newest digital signage solutions designed to deliver impactful visual imaging for all your business signage needs. Among the dazzling new products we’ll be showcasing are our sleek EP03r ePoster series, our ultra-narrow bezel CDX4650-L LED and our stunning 84” multi-touch 4K Ultra HD display. here

 

The EP03r ePoster series feature amazing resolution, a built-in media player, and multiple video inputs for easy integration and configuration - all within the slimmest ID yet. An edge-to-edge glass faceplate with curved corner styling creates a differentiating and eye-catching look. This display is ideal in retail settings, banks and universities. Click here to learn more.

 

The 46-inch CDX4650-L is a high bright, Full HD, ultra-narrow LED commercial display with an Intel® OPS slot, to easily integrate with any OPS-compatible media player. Optimized for video walls, menu and transportation boards, the CDX4650-L features up to a 10x10 tilting feature and is perfect for 24/7 commercial display applications. Click here to learn more.

 

Our 4K Ultra HD display provides stunning color and clarity with glorious, immersive images. This display is perfect for scientific imaging, GIS mapping, as well as high traffic areas such as transportation hubs, business centers, hospitals, retail environments, or anywhere that touch applications are required. here

 

See all of our slim, sexy and innovative signage at DSE Booth #224. Not attending? Take a virtual tour here. Which is your favorite? Tell us on the blog.

 

Corporate names and trademarks stated herein are the property of their respective companies. Copyright© 2013 ViewSonic Corporation. All rights reserved.

 

 

Digital signage solution with facial recognition capabilities are being made possible with recent advancements in cameras, processing power and application software. Facial recognition is a turn-key solution that shifts customer engagements from static to proactive, helping retailers interact in a way never before possible. “Sense of sight” intelligence allows a digital sign to extract visual data to gauge the audiences’ gender and age, and associate the results with an advertisement designed for that specific audience. This helps retailers not only deliver more targeted messaging but also translates to a more pleasurable customer experience, longer dwell time and increased engagement.

A South Korean company, SK Telecom, has launched a digital signage solution with facial recognition in a shopping mall in Korea across twenty-six digital signage displays strategically placed at various locations throughout the mall. In preparation for the launch, SK Telecom included 5,000 facial images and an additional 1,000 pieces of key facial features (facial shape, wrinkles, and distance between eyes) associated with age and sex identification in the control pool.  The company plans to spend three to six months to collect traffic volume and pattern information before approaching advertisers to customize ads based on sex and gender.

Intel also launched Intel® Audience Impression Metrics Suite (Intel® AIM Suite) for digital signage solutions; it integrates three intelligent software programs to deliver  impression metrics: Intel® AIM View collects audience demographic data, detects content viewed and viewing duration; Intel® AIM Analytics analyzes the data into a granular level and outputs into easy to understand graphs/charts and CSV formats; Intel® AIM Manage is a sensor management system that remotely manages the operation via the cloud. In addition, to protecting audience privacy, AIM Suite does not record facial images or personal information about the viewer.

Facial recognition technology helps advertisers (from automotive to cosmetics industries) generate more ROI from affectively communicating specific messages within target audiences. ViewSonic is excited about this trend and will continue to evaluate its market potential as it gains momentum. For more information on digital signage solutions, click here. Have additional questions on the best display for you? Ask us on the blog.

Corporate names and trademarks stated herein are the property of their respective companies. Copyright^© 2012 ViewSonic Corporation. All rights reserved.

As we multitask our way through our busy day, why not grocery-shop as we wait for the subway or train? This is what drove Tesco and Peapod to provide virtual grocery stores aimed at on-the-go commuters.

Virtual Grocery Stores are large displays (bill boards or digital signage display) with life sized pictures of common grocery items. Below each item, there is a unique QR barcode associated with the product for shoppers to purchase on the spot with their smartphones and schedule deliveries.

Tesco (South Korea and UK) and Peapod (US) have deployed these virtual grocery stores at public transit hubs like at the airports, subways/train stations, and bus stops, where tens of thousands of commuters gather, to deliver convenient grocery shopping between wait times. Tesco in South Korea and Peapod in US have adopted the static billboard platform, while Tesco in UK deployed interactive digital signage  for a cleaner look and smaller footprint.

According to Tesco, mobile revenue has more than doubled in the past 12 months. Interactive Media in Retail Group projects mobile commerce (m-commerce) to make up around 15% of all online sales by the end of 2012. In addition, a Nielsen survey found that 61% of respondents already use the internet to shop for groceries and one quarter of them plans to purchase groceries online in the next 6 months.

Is the virtual grocery store the next frontier to food shopping for our families in this digital era? We think so. So many commodities are already being purchased online; the virtual grocery store will be one more convent way to tackle our daily to-do list on-the-go and free up our time. We anticipate the static billboard to be upgraded to interactive digital signage very soon as this solution is a much more efficient way to deploy, mange, and lower TCO for business owners.

Have more questions on the right digital signage solution for your business? Learn more from this link here or ask us here on the blog.

Corporate names and trademarks stated herein are the property of their respective companies. Copyright^© 2012 ViewSonic Corporation. All rights reserved.

Digital signage solutions provide excellent revenue and margin opportunities for VARs who target the restaurant or QSR vertical. Nowadays, the VAR can benefit by selling signage as a total solution. This is due to the fact that there is margin opportunity in the hardware, installation, potential network configuration, service, and in some cases, content development.

The opportunity for digital signage sales has grown tremendously, and is broader than ever before. Here are just a few of the ways that your customers may be looking to implement these solutions:



Restaurants: We are especially seeing an increase in signage adoption rates by restaurant customers as prices come down and ease of use and simplicity increases. The most common restaurant application is the presentation of menu selections combined with government required nutritional information. This information can be updated in real-time with the use of simple digital signage content management solutions. In addition, promotional information can be added in the case of seasonal menu changes.

Employee training: New opportunities are becoming available with the use of network digital signage in the back office for employee training. Training content can be sent over the internet (WAN) for use by individual restaurant location. This adds benefits to the restaurant owners with lower insurance rates as well as provides the VAR another area of possible margin income.

Retail: Another growing opportunity as the prices and solutions become more affordable is retail. We are seeing smaller screen deployments as consumer information is moving closer to the display case. We have seen this at the POS cash out for some time, for example. We are also beginning to see smaller screen deployments such as 10-, 22-, and 32-inch in retail locations advertising product highlights and benefits. VARs can again benefit by targeting the retail signage vertical with a total solution that consists of screen, content management, network solutions — wired and wireless, and installation services. There are a category of VARs we call systems integrators that specialize in this kind of new business.

While these are the key areas driving today’s digital signage adoption, with the emerging array of add-on solutions (such as integrated mobile device credit card process and audience demography video analytics), the possibilities of digital signage are endless. To learn more about digital signage solutions, read here. How has digital signage helped to grow your business? What are your experiences with POP? Share with us here on the blog.

Corporate names and trademarks stated herein are the property of their respective companies. Copyright^© 2012 ViewSonic Corporation. All rights reserved.

 

The face of digital signage is rapidly changing, and its advancements in technology are pushing progression right along. Have you heard the term Open Pluggable Specification (OPS)? OPS architecture ties the digital signage ecosystem together with standardized interoperable hardware interface to drive effective component design, development and simplified integration complexity for lower implementation, deployment and management costs. An initiative from Intel®, OPS is a new technology concept that emerged about a year ago.

 



The OPS architecture modularizes the development of digital signage display panels and media players, thereby minimizing the implementation time for installation and eliminating other system complexities. While this clean solution ultimately benefits the integrator and end users, so far, only a few companies have adopted OPS technology. This is likely because people are accustomed to using an external media player (or PC) to run their media content on the signage display. Until the integrators and end users become more and more familiar with the benefits of OPS and industry demand increases, we believe it will still take some time before manufacturers and display OEMs adopt this new standard. However, with a company like Intel serving as the driving force behind this technology, things look very hopeful. Intel has launched multiple scalable intelligent software applications to enhance OPS display capabilities, such as Active Management Technology (AMT), Audience Impression Metrics Suite (AIM), Anonymous Video Analytics (AVA) and Near-Field Communication (NFC).

 

Will OPS architecture adaptation become successful? Only time will tell, but we believe in the benefits it provides. To learn more about ViewSonic’s OPS-enabled touch digital signage solutions in 42”, 46” and 65” sizes, click here. Have questions about what digital signage solutions are easiest for your business to maintain and upgrade? Ask us here on our blog.

InfoComm 2012 has come to a close on Friday, June 15. Three days seemed hardly enough time for anyone to cover the entire show floor, with such a wide array of new products being showcased. For those AV professionals and enthusiasts who didn’t get a chance to visit InfoComm, we’ve highlighted some of the noteworthy technology trends below.

 

When it comes to projection, Laser/LED hybrid illumination technology was the hottest topic around the Pro AV industry. This new technology breakthrough enables the projector to manipulate light and images without using the lamp or a color wheel. This results in more saturated color at a reduced cost all while being environmentally friendly.

 

From a display perspective, touch capabilities are on a fast growth curve. It seems like anyone with a display in their booth had a touch-enabled offering. ViewSonic was no stranger to this trend, showcasing several touch-enabled devices including the eBeam Edge^® technology, which turns any display into a touch device.

 

Interactivity is made possible with the latest plug and play solutions that will change the way retailers develop and manage content. As delivering engaging content becomes even quicker and easier, retailers will be able to engage customers like never before.

 

Want to learn more about ViewSonic’s technology advancements from the show? Click here to visit our tradeshow landing page. What innovative solutions did you notice at the show? Share your thoughts with us.

 

 

 

Corporate names and trademarks stated herein are the property of their respective companies. Copyright^© 2012 ViewSonic Corporation. All rights reserved.

 

Digital signage can bring many benefits to your business. But for small- to mid-sized business that know little about putting an effective digital signage strategy in place, this can seem like a complicated and expensive solution. To dispel some of the myths about signage solution implementation, we’ve put together this guide to assist businesses in making the move to a more digital environment:

• Myth 1: The System Will Be Complex: Installing a dynamic digital signage system doesn’t have to be complex. Content files can either be manually loaded or connected via a LAN (network) connection utilizing a media player for a multiple display environment. Or you can upload files you’d like to display using a mobile storage device, such as a USB thumb drive plugged into the media player. Many commercial displays also feature built-in USB ports, making it easy to transfer content or play photo slideshows directly from a USB drive.

• Myth 2: I Can’t Build The Content: Fear of the unknown may be holding you back. If you can create a PowerPoint slide or build a playlist of your favorite audio files, you have the necessary skills for operating a digital signage system. With today’s easy-to-use software programs like our Signage Manager Express, delivering digital media content can be simple. Look for a program that offers Windows compatibility so it will easily run on your PC or laptop. Also look for software that comes with pre-made templates with multiple screen zones. Templates make it easy to build your content, and different screen zones allow you to display different types of content at the same time – for example, to upsell offerings by advertising companion products.

• Myth 3: It’s Too Expensive: The cost of installing a dynamic digital signage solution is surprisingly low. The return on your investment can be easily justified, especially if you have been printing backlit signs. Depending on the environment, you can utilize cost effective monitors, commercial TVs or full commercial displays. Screen sizes can range from 10” to 65” or larger. A high performance, network capable, full HD display with video media player can be attained for under $500. In some cases, media players come bundled with the necessary software offering users a complete turn-key solution.

Still concerned about going digital or have we eliminated your fears? Has your business already taken the first steps to implementing digital signboards? Share your story with us about the benefits you’ve seen.

Want to learn more about the various factors that must be considered prior to deploying a digital signage installation? Take a read over our new “Getting Started with Digital Signage” white paper.

Corporate names and trademarks stated herein are the property of their respective companies. Copyright^© 2012 ViewSonic Corporation. All rights reserved.

Do you know the difference between a consumer and a professional TV? They’re both just big displays right? Wrong. When it comes to business displays, there’s actually quite a difference to the extensive control features offered. For instance, these new models feature USB cloning making it easy to manage internal programming and content duplication. It’s these features that make professional monitor with HDTV compatibility products ideal for public areas requiring automated controls such as restaurants, sports bars, business lobbies and hospitality environments.

 

Giving our customers a set of commercial solutions at competitive consumer price points, we are pleased to announce our brand new Professional HD Display Series of business TVs. Ranging in size from 19”- 65”, our new commercial TVs pair the latest in “edge white” LED panel technology with advanced control functionalities, including user programmability, automated control, duplication and custom calibration.

 

These VESA mount compatible professional HDTVs deliver brilliant image clarity and high contrast with saturated colors, in addition to versatile connectivity options to help you run your business (including DVI compatible HDMI input, PC, traditional RCA composite and YPbPr component video connectors). Across our larger 27”-65” models, we also have integrated further automated control programmability features like RS232 and IR inputs, as well as front panel lockout, volume limitation, active inputs on power up and programmable channel range.

 

To learn more about these new professional HDTVs, check out today’s Press Release here. Have questions about what features you need for your specific business display needs? Ask us here on the blog.

Recent advancements in display technologies have made their mark on the television viewing experience. It’s hard to believe just how far we’ve come since only a few decades ago during the times of black and white TV. Over the years, TV sets have become larger in size, while becoming slimmer and sleeker in profile and overall appearance. Paired with display advancements such as a Full HD picture, “smart” Internet connections and LED backlighting, TV has never been more exciting – for both commercial applications, such as the hospitality industry and sports bars, as well as home entertainment.

 

However, with this new TV technology comes more inputs and hookup ports. For someone that’s not up on the latest technology, all these new shapes and types of connectors can be quite confusing. We think a recent New York Times article did an excellent job decoding today’s 21^st Century television with easy-to-understand descriptions and useful corresponding pictures to help you feel confident in hooking up your new television:

 

1. USB:  A data connection, often used to connect a wireless “dongle” that can get your TV onto your home’s Wi-Fi network. Once that’s in place, your TV can become a “smart TV,” pulling in Internet content (Netflix, Facebook) that you can access directly on the screen.

 

2. Optical Audio:  Also known as Toslink, this standard uses fiber optic cables to transmit high-quality audio from the display to a soundbar, home theater system or an amplifier. Some audio components have moved to the HDMI standard, but there are still many products old and new that use this cable.

 

3. HDMI:  The current standard for high-definition video and audio connections. HDMI cables carry high-definition video and surround-sound audio in one cable. The content is transmitted digitally, so there’s little to no signal degradation, even over long distances.

 

4. Component:  Before HDMI, this was the only way to send high-definition video from a device to a display. Component cables are divided into three plugs — red, green and blue — each carrying a part of the video signal. Component cables are video-only, so you still need an audio connection to hear anything. HDMI is rapidly replacing this standard.

 

5. Composite:  The most basic — and lowest in fidelity — video connection. Good for connecting older equipment like camcorders or game consoles that lack the newer, more capable standards. Composite video is often located next to stereo outputs (not to be confused with Component plugs).

 

6. Audio Out:  Also known as RCA jacks, these ubiquitous ports are either red or white, to represent the left and right channels of a stereo signal. They provide low-fidelity audio connections, in that they do not support surround sound.

 

7. LAN or Ethernet:  A connector that looks like a telephone cable, but is a little bigger. Used to connect to wired local area networks (aka “a home network”), the LAN jack is what you would use if you did not have Wi-Fi.

 

8. Ex Link:  Available on some TVs, the ex link connection allows you to adjust the angle of certain wall-mounted TVs by using your existing TV’s remote control.

 

 

9. Antenna In:  Also known as a coaxial cable connection. This threaded connection is used to attach an external antenna (to receive over-the-air broadcast signals) or, sometimes, a cable set-top box. Modern set-top boxes usually have HDMI or component connections for a higher-quality connection between devices, so it is unlikely you would use this port.

 

10. PC In:  Also known as a VGA connector, this is a way to connect a laptop or other personal computer to a television. This connection is video only, so you would need to set up an additional audio connection to hear whatever was coming out of your computer.

 

Did your TV set up confuse you? Would this guide have helped you keep all the new technology straight? Or are you planning to put this article to use in an upcoming television installation? Tell us about it here on the blog.

 

Images Sourced from:  http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/03/21/technology/personaltech/hooking-up-a-new-tv-which-cable-goes-where.html