Digital Signage Connection

Black Box has introduced MediaFlyer EXPRESS, a sub-$1,000 platform that enables businesses to more easily set up digital signage to increase sales and improve communications with customers.

A combination hardware/hosted solution, MediaFlyer EXPRESS gives users everything they need to get started except for the display. The kit includes a compact player that installs at the screen and a subscription to the MediaFlyer website where content is uploaded to and managed via a browser.

Through the system’s drag-and-drop interface, the average office manager or business owner can set up a layout, upload and place content in multiple zones, and schedule presentations to play at specific times.

“People are increasingly looking for products that are intuitive to use and provide a rewarding user experience,” said Gina Dickson, digital signage product manager for Black Box, Lawrence, Pa. “MediaFlyer EXPRESS provides this while delivering all the features and functions you need to run professional-caliber digital signage.”

Users can choose from the preloaded screen layouts or easily create their own. The layout editing interface enables a user to divide the screen into two or more areas for showing different content and set up a ticker or text crawl at the bottom.

“What’s nice is you don’t need a lot of technical or creative expertise to set up and use MediaFlyer EXPRESS,” Dickson explained. “Simply drop in a PowerPoint or Flickr slideshow next to your logo, add an RSS or a Twitter feed and a video, and in no time at all you can have signage that rivals that of a big box store.”

There is no software to load on the player, and content resides on the Web. Also, because everything is configured through a browser, signage administrators can more easily share the job of content management with others, including those at other sites. All licensing is per player, so businesses can add as many users as they like without incurring additional costs.

The player supports 1080p resolutions and has outputs for both HDMI and DVI-I video (adaptable to VGA with the included adapter). In addition to Gigabit-speed network cable connections, the player supports 802.11b/g wireless connectivity for use in areas without wired Ethernet connections.

According to Dixon, MediaFlyer EXPRESS’s simple setup is ideal for integrators and resellers, particularly those seeking a turnkey digital signage product that integrates well into any customer environment. “There’s little you have to do to sell it,” she said. “Plus, in most situations, there’s no need for any IT staff to be involved in its installation. For this reason, it’s perfect for installers who are more comfortable with AV and home theater technology than computer networking.”