Digital menu boards and arrays of small and large plasma screens that convey dedicated audiovisual marketing information about available products and menu items are quickly becoming the preferred way for fast food and quick service restaurants to (QSR) to market their products and provide information to customers. This overview is designed to help new and potential users of this rapidly developing technology understand the equipment used in Digital Signage Networks (DSNs)..

What is a digital signage network?

A digital sign, or digital signage, is one or more LCD or plasma screens that are connected to a dedicated network that display the marketing messages of a QSR on what is known as a “narrowcast” channel. (Restricted broadcast, as opposed to broadcast, in the sense that the wireless frequencies over which the signals are transmitted are higher and are not used for public broadcasts, i.e. TV or radio.) The network can be hosted inside a restaurant or it can be located off-site. and controlled remotely from that external location. Like the Internet we interact with every day, the DSN transmits messages and images from a central computer to restaurant menu boards.

The hardware (plasma displays, monitors, players, and peripherals) and network connections that make up a DSN are discussed below. Some or all of the software, i.e., network operating systems, digital advertising software, and marketing programming and content, may be separately produced and/or managed by the larger users, but typically They create and provide it themselves. digital signage company providing the hardware.

DSN screens

When selecting displays, you should keep in mind the differences between commercial and consumer products. The LCD or plasma TV that you have at home is not the same as what you need for your restaurant.

QSR screens are used for considerably longer periods than those used in a home. As a result, a longer shelf life is needed. The life expectancy of a consumer display is estimated to be around 50,000 hours, which will last many years for the typical home movie watcher. For QSRs, many of which operate close to 24 hours a day, if not continuously, that lifetime is not long enough.

LCD or plasma displays that are designed for the consumer market are equipped with connections to suit their intended use: watching TV or movies, playing games, etc. They lack the computer entries that a DSN requires.

Orientation is another factor to consider. For watching movies, landscape orientation is the norm. On a QSR, portrait orientation may be required to fit a screen to a specific location or to fit a certain type of message. Only commercial grade displays can be changed in orientation.

Cost is another factor with screens. The price of large LCD screens is coming down, making them more competitive with plasma. Still, the initial costs of installing an entire LCD or plasma menu board can be overwhelming for a small business. To mitigate costs, some small restaurants are opting for a mix of static and digital menu boards, a solution that allows them to reap the benefits of digital signage while keeping costs in check.

DSN Media Players

The other hardware consideration is the media player. A media player is the computer used to create and store digital menu board content. According to IndustryTradePaper, digital signage todayThere are three main considerations for media players:

solid state vs. spinning disk drive – Solid state players have no moving parts. Spinning drives move and require proper ventilation and fans, factors that are important when deciding where to locate your media player.

future growth – As you develop your DSN, you need to know that your media player can handle future changes in technology and the increased volume of data being created and stored.

one or more players – Smaller locations tend to have a media player to control output on multiple screens. The advantage? With a single mainframe, there is only one piece of hardware to maintain. On the other hand, if there is only one central computer, a failure means downtime for the digital menu board. More computers means you have a backup in case one machine fails. Be sure to weigh this consideration carefully when setting up your network and looking for a robust hardware system. System downtime can have significant revenue implications due to lost customer efficiencies and marketing advantages that digital signage provides in the first place.

connectivity

Broadband Internet access has made it possible for DSN media players to work with wireless connectivity.

Unlike the old dial-up methods of accessing the Internet, narrowcasting does not require a phone line. Narrowband access means that a QSR can use a wireless router, connected to the media player, to send menu board content to a variety of screens in the restaurant.

For restaurants whose digital menu content is controlled remotely, cellular networks can be used to transmit the data from the central location to local menu boards.

Learn more

With continuing advances in technology, the hardware in a digital signage network is becoming more cost-effective to obtain and easier to use. Technology seems to be proliferating almost exponentially. Look around you, visit other QSR outlets and ask management and staff how their system is working for them. See if you can talk to the person in charge of handling the digital signage itself and interact with the digital signage provider. See if they have technical expertise and if they get the support they need, when they need it from their provider. Once you’re familiar with the different configurations available and want to learn more about implementing a digital menu board system in your restaurant, talk to a vendor with experience in the QSR industry. Ask questions. If you don’t have a technical background yourself, don’t be put off by the ‘technical’ nature and feel of the systems, the easier the system to use the better obviously, but the best digital signage providers should be able to set up your restaurant with hardware and software that you can easily manage with your help.