DT Research Brings Performance and Reliability to Digital Billboards

Windows Embedded Builds Customer ConnectionsDigital billboards are one of the hottest electronic communications and advertising

applications in the global marketplace today. Businesses across industry and the

globe are leveraging this technology to inform and attract diverse audiences, from

shoppers to employees and travelers, in compelling and measurable ways. DT

Research Inc., a leading manufacturer of digital signage solutions, leverages Microsoft

Windows Embedded technology to deliver high-performance digital billboard systems

that enable organizations, such as airports, to effectively communicate with the right

audience at the right place at the right time.

”We used the Windows Embedded platform to develop WebDT SA3000, an industry-leading digital billboard system which provides high-speed processing performance and powerful multimedia capabilities. It has an innovative thermal design, featuring low power consumption and high durability, making WebDT SA3000 a preeminent digital billboard product.”Dr. Daw Tsai, President of DT Research, Inc.

OverviewCountry or Region: ChinaIndustry: High Tech and Electronics Manufacturing

Customer ProfileDT Research, Inc., manufactures and delivers industrial grade high-performance IT equipment, including digital signage solutions, to a variety of industries worldwide.

Business SituationDT Research needed a high performance, reliable embedded operating system to build an efficient and low cost digital billboard system for a variety of vertical markets, including the airport industry.

SolutionDT Research is currently using Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 7 to run its WebDT Digital Signage Systems.

Benefits Performance and reliability Fast time to market Targeted advertising and

communications Rich user experience

SituationDT Research, Inc. (DTR) manufactures industrial-grade high-performance IT equipment and teams with global partners and distributors to provide application solutions to vertical markets. In addition to digital signage technology, DTR offers mobile tablets, compact information systems, and display-integrated information systems. DTR is headquartered in San Jose, California, operates offices in China and Taiwan and has more than 200 employees worldwide.

The company’s WebDT products include a range of modular devices; desktop integrated display systems; embedded computing wireless tablet PCs; digital signage systems; integrated hardware and software with display screens; as well as plug-and-play hardware devices that support digital billboard applications. DTR’s WebDT digital signage products include content management software, which is intuitive and easy to use and allows instant device control via a local computer or a remote network.

DTR’s WebDT products are based on the Microsoft Windows Embedded platform offering stability, high compatibility and customized flexibility. These products are in wide use within education, retail, healthcare, manufacturing, transportation, hospitality and finance markets.

Digital Billboards: Momentum and OpportunityDespite a challenging economy, the digital billboard market has maintained strong growth and adoption of the technology is an ongoing trend. Today, its value as a communication and marketing tool–for reaching the right audience at the right time at the right place–is being realized across industries, worldwide. For example, organizations in healthcare, transportation and education as well as manufacturing, retail and advertising are leveraging digital billboards to effectively market and inform their respective communities and target buyers.

Seizing the opportunity to innovate, DTR took an active approach to develop digital billboards for the airport industry in China. The approach took into account the needs of its transportation industry partners as well as specific characteristics of China’s

airport facilities. Main goals were to enable multiple airports in the country to control and broadcast advertising content on the billboards independently as well as provide each networked airport with the ability to play the same content synchronously across multiple terminals. Challenges included device size and display space limitations.

Detailed requirements for the airport facilities included:

Simplified architecture: Manage thousands of play points via a central server as well as deploy environment-suitable networks, both wired and wireless, across airports.

Synchronous play: Simultaneously play content on multiple screens in an area of an airport.

Streamlined management: Manage players independently; remotely monitor the working status of signage players; display unique or the same content at airports.

SolutionTo meet the partner and environmental requirements, DTR first conducted research on various embedded operating systems (OS) available within the marketplace, taking into account both development and marketability factors. The company subsequently chose Microsoft embedded technology to build its WebDT Digital Signage System for various transportation industries. The company is currently using Windows Embedded Standard 7. The OS offers developers a high performance and highly reliable platform, with easy-to-use development tools, that is compatible with a broad range of hardware and software and services.

Using Windows Embedded, the company recently implemented successful digital signage projects on Shanghai’s Nanjing Road and at the Taipei Bus Station. Previously, DTR implemented its Windows Embedded-based solution within the Beijing Capital International Airport digital signage network, now including more than 3,000 units in 30 airports. The Windows Embedded Standard platform enabled:

WebDT SA3000

Fast time to market: Windows Embedded Standard 7 helped to accelerate product development. From conception to delivery, development time required only 12 weeks.

High system stability and security: Continuous OS power-off (e.g., 500 times) will not damage the operating system, and the OS does not require re-boot testing, which can speed up booting.

Reduced OS footprint and faster booting: Windows Embedded Standard 7 enabled a run-time system image size of less than 500MB, including player software. Also, developers can remove unnecessary components and optimize their systems according to specific business needs.

Extensive compatibility: Offering extensive software and hardware compatibility, the Microsoft platform can support many multi-media formats, and is fully compatible with Windows 32 applications and more than 10,000 individual feature components. With more than 450 drivers, it can achieve compatibility with ever-growing equipment hardware and peripherals.

DTR determined that the Microsoft operating system is particularly suitable for developing digital signage systems, and corresponding solutions, for the transportation industry primarily because so many developers are familiar and skilled with Windows platform development and because the Microsoft platform features high security and flexible manageability.

The company chose Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 7 to support its WebDT Digital Signage System and corresponding solutions. These include: WebDT Signage Appliance players; LCD-integrated players; and remote monitoring and management capabilities for both the players and content with WebDT Content Manager software.

DTR’s WebDT Digital Signage System Based on Microsoft embedded technology, DTR’s WebDT Digital Signage System and corresponding solutions, deliver numerous valuable features and capabilities. Some highlights of the DTR solutions are:

Group management of multi-site and multi-room features permits the development of different play strategies and content for different groups.

Emergency spots allows for timely play of information in cases of emergency, e.g., details on adverse weather or traffic conditions, etc.

Player power management enablestimely and regular power-on and power-off functionality for players and optional LCD screens, lengthening the life cycle of players and LCD screens as well as improving stability and lowering maintenance costs.

Player status monitoring lets users effectively monitor the signage player software and hardware status as well as specify pre-loaded contents for each player in order to cope with the abnormal playing status.

High system security includes anti-virus-equipped signage players which permits encryption of system files. If a file is suffering from a virus, these players will be restored normally if restarted. Also, the system server can include hardware firewalls and anti-virus software.

Remote updates of the operating system, eBIOS, software and patches.

Digital multi-screen: WebDT Multi Screen Appliances offer efficient applications of compelling visual displays and menu boards, and can support a maximum 16 multi-screens. The signage players can support multiple screens and multi-menu display modes.

Success in transportation industryDTR’s successful implementations of its WebDT Digital Signage System for Beijing Capital International Airport, as well as other projects, have demonstrated that the solution can be effectively deployed in wired, wireless LAN and WAN environments and according to the following configuration:

System architecture: Following a three-leveled architecture of servers, edge servers and players, the signage players are synchronous with edge servers and the

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edge servers are synchronous with the server, achieving simultaneous play of all content in nationwide airports.

Load balancing: The WebDT Content Manager and Database Server are installed on one server, but one or more Publish Servers can also be equipped, if needed. Each Publish Server can manage 600 players, and the server load can be managed by adopting load balancing and four-layer interaction.

Content management: The WebDT Content Management Server adopts organization and group management design so that players can be registered to different groups and organizations for effective management and in order to play different content in different airports.

Reliability: The system incorporates security measures such as encrypted transmission of servers and players as well as player write protection to ensure secure control of the broadcast media content. In addition, the server software can remotely monitor the working status of players.

With the DTR solution in place, system engineers at the Taipei Bus Station digital signage project were able to quickly and easily configure the products and play content based on the unique business and application needs of each facility. Remote management of the solution has also proved a success and has won high praise from the engineers.

BenefitsHaving adopted Windows Embedded Standard 7 for the WebDT Digital Signage System, DTR and its transportation industry partners have achieved their desired business goals. And, the resulting advantages to these partners are impressive. Advertisers and travelers are also benefitting from DTR’s new airport digital signage solution.

Advertisers benefit in many ways. Overall, the solution supports the creation of unique and targeted marketing content, and provides broad exposure as well as new business opportunities to attract audiences at the key time and place.

Because the WebDT Digital Signage System can provide comprehensive coverage of airport departure areas, for both domestic and international airlines, advertisers gain practically 100% visibility in this environment. In addition, the system’s monitoring capabilities allow advertisers to quickly change their strategies to deliver more accurately targeted advertisements on the fly. With its built-in professional content management software and device management software tools, advertisers can remotely control content playlists and hardware devices as well as provide active monitoring to facilitate tracking and report production, helping to minimize the operating costs.

Ultimately, travelers gain a new, entertaining and informative experience while at the airport. With the WebDT Digital Signage System, airports can provide travelers with convenient, fast and helpful services presented via rich, compelling content.

Keywords: Retail & Hospitality; Digital Signage

Windows EmbeddedWindows Embedded is a high-performance and highly reliable platform used by innovative OEMs to deliver devices that stand out through rich user experiences and seamless connections to the world of Windows. The Windows Embedded family of products includes Windows Embedded CE, Windows Embedded Standard, Windows Embedded Enterprise, Windows Embedded POSReady, Windows Embedded Server and Windows Embedded Automotive.

For more information visit:

www.microsoft.com/embedded

For More InformationFor more information about Microsoft products and services, call the Microsoft Sales Information Center at (800) 426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft Canada Information Centre at (877) 568-2495. Customers who are deaf or hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800) 892-5234 in the United States or (905) 568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50 United States and Canada, please contact your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access information using the World Wide Web, go to: www.microsoft.com

For more information about DT Research, Inc. products and services, call or visit the Web site at: http://www.dtresearch.com/

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Document published November 2010

Software and Services Windows Embedded Standard 7 Windows Embedded Standard 2009 WebDT Content Manager software

Hardware WebDT SA3000