Feb. 11, 2002 - Scala® Launches InfoChannel® 3
Dynamic Signage Software Includes Powerful, New Network Management, Broadcasting and Authoring Functions
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 11 - Scala, Inc., a leading international developer of broadcast multimedia software and service solutions for dynamic signage, television and web applications, today launched its third-generation software platform for large-scale dynamic signage networks.
The InfoChannel 3 (IC3) product suite incorporates state-of-the-art features that facilitate the rapid creation, deployment and monitoring of digital information across broadband transmission networks to dynamic displays. Scala dynamic signage solutions are in use in diverse environments including Store 24 convenience stores, the Hollywood & Highland retail/entertainment complex in Los Angeles and Best Buy consumer electronics stores.
"Our product suite is the industry's only complete software infrastructure for building dynamic signage networks," said Jeff Porter, Scala president and chief executive officer. "Quite simply this means it is all you need from content creation and scripting to network management and monitoring. Our software architecture is robust and scalable as proven by the fact that we have two Scala-driven networks with over 1,000 screens in operation. Because we provide this end-to-end capability, our partners and end customers are free to concentrate fully on their content and not reinventing the wheel in infrastructure," Porter added.
Product Suite
The IC3 solution builds on Scala's history of powerful, engaging, yet easy-to-use software. The new platform consists of five components: Designer 3; InfoChannel Network Manager 3; Player 3; InfoChannel Broadcast Server3; and InfoChannel Reporter 3.
InfoChannel Designer 3 features an intuitive interface - improved and streamlined in IC3 -- that is easy to learn and use. New features added to make the software even friendlier include a multiple-level undo feature, grid and layout guides to help line up objects on a page and spell checking in nine different languages. Multiple new creative elements have been added such as background designs, additional type fonts, alpha-transparency, text crawl and new wipes. These ease-of-use and creative features help to maintain the high standards of simplicity and engaging content for which Scala has become known.
Creative excellence and ease-of-use, however, are of little value in the absence of a robust capability to manage and distribute content. InfoChannel Network Manager 3 is the means to assure quality and accountability throughout the distribution process.
Among the capabilities this new product provides is support for multiple authoring stations - more than one person working on the same script at the same time -- allowing more content to be produced, scheduled, broadcast and verified sooner, which delivers a high ROI. The new software employs a "pull" as well as a "push" approach to distributing content to players. This enables multiple players to receive content at the same time, rather than serially. It also gives users the flexibility to schedule updates at particular times of the day if they choose.
In addition, Scala has separated design and broadcasting components that were previously combined in a single application in its predecessor product IC200. This frees design stations to resume the design process immediately after publishing to the InfoChannel Network rather than being tied up in the broadcasting process. A new network-monitoring feature automatically alerts the administrator to problems anywhere in the network. No longer tied to a specific console, the administrator can now access and control the network from anywhere using a Web browser.
InfoChannel Player 3 incorporates a powerful, new feature that enables pinpoint, automated scripting for a new level of effectiveness. Specifically, the player incorporates Windows® Script Host, which manages popular languages such as JavaScript and VBScript, to seamlessly and automatically interface with other systems. For example, the player could be tied in to a store's inventory system to automatically pull out-of-stock items from the screen content and substitute them with other items. Additional player improvements include support for MP3 audio, as well as the ability to now play MPEG2 files without the need for additional hardware on the PC, helping to lower the cost of the target system.
InfoChannel Broadcast Server 3 allows users to broadcast multimedia content to hundreds or thousands of sites. The broadcast system makes content distribution easy to manage for large installations and allows multiple players to be addressed with a single transmission. It is designed to support several network architectures including satellite and IP multicast. It also enables producers to segment the network so individualized programming can be targeted to individual players or groups of players within the network. A confirmation feature assures that data has been received and is being correctly displayed.
InfoChannel Reporter 3 enables local management to easily create and update multimedia messages on their InfoChannel system using a standard networked PC. With Reporter's Windows-based template interface, anyone in an organization can become a news editor with minimal time and training. Templates can be customized to meet the needs of any corporate communications, advertising, school, or cable TV network.
Many Scala clients have expressed an interest in obtaining Scala's help in design, and even operation of their systems and networks. To that end Scala has formed a new division, Broadcast Media Services, to provide such assistance, particularly on very large-scale deployments.
The company believes that this service offering aspect of its business will become increasingly important in the future, in keeping with the global trend toward outsourcing. The range of services that the company will provide includes: production and training; project management; scripting and custom integration; network monitoring and management; and creative resources such as its extensive art library. As part of this service offering Scala is able to coordinate the booking of advertising by day part, geography, demographics, and many other differentiating factors.
"We have built a robust, network-centric architecture from our very origins that emphasizes reliability and scalability," said Peter Cherna, Scala's vice president of Engineering. "IC3 builds on these core values and delivers new capabilities that will enable our clients to enhance their operations as never before. The time is ripe for businesses such as retailers to leverage the existing network infrastructure that so many of them already have, not just to improve productivity but also to drive incremental sales as well as entirely new revenue streams. The Scala software architecture enables them to do so with maximum efficiency, reliability and flexibility. This is an exciting time for our industry and for our company. We see dramatic growth in digital dynamic signage in the coming years," Cherna added.
Scala is collaborating with EDR Corporation in support of a new network for Best Buy, the leading consumer electronics retailer. Commenting on that application, Peter Vrettas, president of EDR said: "Anybody can write code to move MPEG files from point A to point B. The ability to do it 100% reliably, always on/always up, is a whole different class. We put Scala through its paces. It proved to be the most robust, flexible and well documented software out there. It also had many unique features that no one else had.
"Our core competency is about creating rich media content for broadcasting and narrowcasting. We produce programming that is designed to influence and entertain, to make something happen. We don't want to have to think about the delivery process. But, we do want to know that our programming is running consistently and with high quality. Scala gives us that confidence," he added.
"The convergence of abundant, low-cost bandwidth, declining costs of plasma and other large, high-impact displays, and ever more powerful low-cost PCs will stimulate dramatic growth in the application of dynamic digital displays," said Norman McLeod, associate director, CAP Ventures. "We call this market space 'narrowcasting in public spaces'. For retailers, these new display systems can both improve sales productivity and generate new revenue from vendor advertising.
"For brand managers and advertisers the opportunity to place their messages directly into the shopping environment should not be missed, especially as in-home TV audiences continue to fragment. Scala's new product suite, incorporating content creation, management and distribution is an excellent tool for realizing the potential of dynamic digital signage at a time when the hardware infrastructure is really clicking into place," McLeod concluded.
Availability and Pricing
The InfoChannel 3 product suite is available now. Pricing ranges from $1,200 to $24,000 and up depending on individual module.
About Scala, Inc.
Scala is the leading international developer of multimedia software content and technology solutions for dynamic signage, television and web applications. Scala software enables users to create and broadcast rich media productions via satellite or the Internet to dynamic signage and computer-based displays. Thousands of retailers, corporations, advertisers, cable television operators, educators and consumers use Scala's product suite. Through its global distribution network, Scala offers complete software, content and technology solutions and services to the exploding dynamic signage market. Scala is headquartered in Exton, Pa., near Philadelphia, with offices throughout the United States and Europe. More information on the company can be found at www.scala.com.
