Introduction

Advertising continuously makes a leap to keep pace with the modern world. From conventional signs and solutions, advertising has gone digital, with digital signage continuously generating popularity and diversifying to make its presence felt in both public and private spaces. Axiomtek leads the digital signage revolution by offering solutions aimed at helping its customers efficiently broadcast dynamic digital content to target audience. Today, our digital signage platforms help deliver its customers’ content via transportation services such as public transportation buses.

As this advertising platform is a 24/7 non-stop service, Axiomtek knows the importance of uninterrupted service to effectively deliver their customers’ communications goals. Ensuring that their digital signage platform runs smoothly allows their customers to reach out to their audiences whenever and wherever. Without compromising on the quality and efficiency of its digital signage platforms, Axiomtek partnered with Intel to build highly reliable and performance-driven digital signage systems to its target markets.

Customer Background

The customers are the largest transit advertising light box vendor in Taiwan and Chung Hwa Telco. Co. Ltd., the largest telecommunications company in the country. These clients provide content to their respective customers/passengers that include: (1) location-based service such as information on shopping malls and restaurants; (2) advertisement on brands and services such as clothing brands; and real-time news and updates on typhoon, earthquake and rainfall.

Prior to adopting Axiomtek’s digital signage system, these clients used a RISC-based infrastructure. The limitations of this infrastructure made it difficult for these clients to make smooth connectivity to current communication technologies such as WiFi and 3G. These communication technologies are imperative in ensuring realtime updates on the content delivered by the digital signage system. Apart from this problem, RISC-based platform was not reliable enough to meet power supply issues head on. As power supply on buses can be unstable, this poses shock and vibration risks on the digital signage system. On top of that, the old platform did not come with failure recovery mechanism that would allow the digital signage system to continue running smoothly in case system failure risks occur.

Application

Through discussions with customers, we have identified the locations where the digital signage equipment will be located: behind the seat of the bus driver and in the middle of the bus. Only one embedded PC was needed for the two-display output. In addition to having the capacity to update the content easily, the embedded PC also enables reporting the system’s power, communication and device status. All lost connections can be detected and reported instantly. Plus, the administrator is able to remotely update the system and control the system through the 3G network. 

System Configuration

Axiomtek’s 21.5-inch digital signage platform, OFP921-834, helps the operator manages display content easily! Utilizing the Intel® Core™2 Duo platform to power the digital signage system, We were able to build a reliable solution that met power supply issues. As the Intel solution has embedded long lifetime support, the OFP921-834-CHT provided high uptime in device usage and was able to recover from any system failure such as shock. The OFP921-834-CHT utilizing Intel based solution is able to communicate with the server via 3G network. The video and banner contents are downloaded from the 3G network of the embedded vehicle PC. The embedded video system utilizes CAT5 to deliver the content from the embedded PC to the two displays. DVI from the display player PC enters into the video transmitter which then delivers the signal via the CAT5 to the other display, where it is converted to a video signal and then displayed on the screen. The video distribution system offers high-quality video.

OFP921-834
21.5” Full HD Digital Signage System For Bus PC

• 21.5” LED LCD – Full HD 1920 x 1080P
• Intel® Core™2 Due E4300 1.8 GHz
• DVI over CAT5 long distance dual display
• Supports VESA mount and special snap rings
• Wide range DC power input
• Built-in GPS and 3.5G module

Why Axiomtek

• Utilizing the Intel® Core™2 Duo platform to build a reliable solution that met power supply issues
• Utilizing Intel-based solution to be able to communicate with the server via 3G network
• High uptime in device usage with low maintenance support and better total cost of ownership
• Reliability and long lifetime support
• Good customer relationship and great technical support