Services

Media Ingestion

Content Management

Content Distribution

Consultancy

The subject handling media is likely to be far more complex than you initially appreciate. Innov8 Solutions already many years of real experience in this area and have found that the management of the network is key to the success of a Digital Signage network.

There are four main services that Innov8 Solutions offers.

                          
          

Media Ingestion

Innov8 Solutions are able to receive media content in many different types of format and medium. We are able to encode media that is presented on Beta tape, CD, DVD and can re-encode MPEG-1 and MPEG-2.
Content is quality checked to make sure its meets customers requirements.

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Content Management

Once content has been ingested, Innov8 Solutions archive it and present it to our operations team ready for scheduling and programming according to the play-list agreed with the customer. We generally use the Scala Software suite for the Programming (design) and Broadcasting of content. The Scala software suite is extremely comprehensive and considered the industry standard.

Innov8 Solutions provide a fully comprehensive Content Management Service consisting of the following main services:

• Content Ingest
• Content Management
• Content Distribution
• Provision of Online Reporting

Innov8 Solutions receive media content from the content provider associated with the a project where, upon receipt, the appropriate Ingestion processes is carried out such as video tape to digital file encoding, media conversion and audio dubbing.

Innov8 are issued “play lists” that are typically developed and agreed by client and content producers. On receipt of the play list, Innov8 create the play lists and introduce all associated items of media into the network for scheduled delivery to the remote Play Out Devices (PODs)

Innov8 take responsibility for play list creation. This creation involves the following basic steps:

• Review and confirm the integrity of the issued play list before scripting occurs
• Confirm all required media is present including raw media such as MPEG and JPEG media files plus any associated text files whose text may be used as part of the display.
• Create the play list, being aware that media may have specific valid date/time ranges where content can be enabled or killed dependant on time. Also ensure that any conditional playback criteria have been included e.g. only play this content on this screen if a certain criteria is met.
• Play list author reviews complete play back to confirm the content is of the appropriate quality, volume levels are at the correct levels and consistent and that play back follows the schedule according to the play list.
• Content and play back script/s are published and distributed via the network to the Innov8 and content producers co-located test Play Out Device (POD) where a ‘sign off’ process will occur before final publishing to the Network Manager in preparation for distribution.

                                 The Scala Designer environment with example script

Innov8 distribute all content/media and associated play back scripts from their central Scala Network Manager. The instruction to distribute media is known as a ‘job’. Innov8 have a high level of distribution control via the market leading Scala Software. Options available are:

• To send to a single, group or all PODs
• To send single or groups of media files within a single ‘job’
• To issue other management ‘jobs’ such as remote upgrades to POD software without the need for a site visit and content deletion for expired content.
• To schedule a future time/date for the triggering of a ‘job’ (e.g. large content distribution normally occurs during the night)
• The Network Manager can ‘poll’ 3rd party external files and distribute on change. This feature is typically used for the automatic transmission of new and weather data.

When a job has been sent, Innov8 review the status reports that return from the remote PODs to confirm that delivery is 100 % successful. In the rare case that delivery is not complete, Innov8 will take the appropriate steps to ensure content is delivered to those PODs.

The Scala Network Manager Example screen

The Scala Network Manager receives ‘health’ information where the POD indicates any problems it may be encountering with play back. If, for example, a piece of content is not present, then Innov8 will see a detailed error message from that POD and react very quickly to resolve the problem.

Additionally, the Network Manager receives/retrieves log information that details exactly what the POD has been playing. This is known as ‘billing’ information as it is traditionally used as proof of play for invoicing purposes. The billing log files indicate three main items:

1. What played
2. Where it played
3. What time it played (start and stop)

The billing files are inserted into a database and Innov8 can provide a web based interface with selection controls in order that reports can be generated.

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Content Distribution

Innov8 is process driven which is important as it increases efficiency. This is especially important when working through the delivery cycle.

Content Programming

As part of the Scala software suite, there is a Design server. Innov8 use this in many ways but the two fundamental functions are:

1. Create the play list
2. To actually create content

Content can simply be added to a straight forward play list e.g. there are 15 different pieces of content in MPEG2 format all playing sequentially. In reality, these play lists can become quite complex when there are different ‘zones’ and different groups of sites.

Content Upload

Once all play lists and Content have been created, they are ‘published’ (uploaded) to the Network Manager. Once there, Innov8 have a console that allows it to create distribution ‘jobs’ that will push the content into the network and towards the POD’s. Jobs can be scheduled and also configured to pull data in from outside agencies and distribute if changed. This is often used for news and weather feeds and makes news updates completely automatic.

Distribution Trigger

Distribution jobs can be triggered manually (immediate), scheduled for a future time or configured to distribute on content change (news feeds etc).

Package Receipt

With a Unicast delivery technology such as ADSL, a package will be specifically addressed to a POD, in which case it simply unpacks the content, moves it into the correct file structure location and if required, restarts play back to display the new play list.

Multicast delivery suggests all sites receive the same content but content may only be destined to group of PODs. Within the Scala package is an address list. When a POD unpacks the data, it checks to see if ti has been addressed. If not, then it deletes the package and carries on with its existing play list. If it is addressed, it implements the content and restarts play back.

Feedback

If a POD is addressed in a job/package, then it does three things on receipt:

1. Sends a message to the Network Manager to say it has received the new package (but has not implemented it).
2. Implements the package.
3. Sends a second message to the Network Manager to confirm successful implantation.

As part of Innov8’s Content Management service, Innov8 monitors the job delivery and reacts to any issues that may occur so this feedback is very useful.

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Consultancy

Innov8 Solutions offers full Consultancy service for design and implementation of the Hardware and Software systems for digital signage solutions.

Some Key areas we cover are:

• We work closely with the client and the advertising agency to ascertain the most appropriate quantities, types, sizes and locations of screens to maximise return-on-investment and revenue.
• Networks of this nature can often be program management nightmares. We can advise and manage the complete implementation for you.
• Consider the requirements of the client and their customers and ensure that screens are located in practical and useful positions.
• Analyse the security of screens and associated hardware to ensure that they are out of reach to customers and visitors.
• We consider the servicing and maintenance requirements of the screens to ensure that our service engineers have safe access and can utilise on-site access equipment where possible.
   

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