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May 31, 2007 - Scala InfoChannel 5 Release 2 Now Available
Exton, PA. (PRWEB) May 31, 2007 -- Scala, Inc., the world's leading provider of digital signage software, announced today that Scala InfoChannel 5, Release 2 is now available. This new release includes many new features to help meet customer demands.
Release 2 adds even more functionality to the successful InfoChannel 5 product line. InfoChannel 5, Release 2 further extends the benefits and ROI of digital signage networks around the world. InfoChannel 5, Release 2 will be showcased for the first time at InfoComm in June. It includes new features and functionality including added network scalability, buttons, triggers, translations, the TV Tuner EX Module in addition to other EX Modules, and many other additions.
Network scalability is always a key issue in large digital signage networks. Release 2 has improved on the already exceptional scalability of InfoChannel 5 by offering internal optimization, advanced settings for configuring InfoChannel Players and InfoChannel networks, support for Squid cache servers, and the ability to multi-select InfoChannel Players and properties at once.
Buttons are a key feature in any interactive script, allowing input from the audience to direct the display content. The new buttons functionality in InfoChannel 5 builds on the proven functionality in InfoChannel 3 offering push buttons, toggle buttons, and radio buttons.
Support for triggers has been added to the new release. Triggers signal a Player to switch to a designated playlist based on an outside event that can be monitored by serial inputs, custom hardware DLLs, file drops, XML files on the web, web services, etc. For example, if a kiosk for charitable donations was running Scala InfoChannel with triggers enabled, when a customer drops a coin into a slot, the ScalaScript can be triggered to change to run a script that says "Thanks for your donation!" If a mall suddenly has an emergency message that needs to be displayed, by simply dropping a file in a specific location the current script can be interrupted and the emergency message played. Triggers can be used in many different ways to help customize ScalaScripts and make the messages even more targeted to the audience.
Several EX Modules have been added to Release 2 including the CORIOgen EX Module, Queue EX Module, Video Control EX Module, and the Weather EX Module. EX Modules are optional pieces of software that can be added on to the InfoChannel Content Manager, InfoChannel Designer, and Player to add specific functionality. The newly added EX Modules bring InfoChannel 3 code forward to InfoChannel 5 giving users the ability to customize their Scala InfoChannel networks to meet specific needs.
The TV Tuner EX Module was also added to Release 2. This popular EX Module supports analog TV capture hardware and webcams so that live TV feeds can be inserted into digital signage content to help capture and keep viewer attention. The InfoChannel 5 TV Tuner EX Module supports a wide range of hardware and has a high frame-rate and image quality. The TV Tuner EX Module includes de-interlacer to fix "shredding" of interlaced source images. The new EX Module also supports multiple devices at once, and using a single device on both channels of a two-channel Player which will reduce hardware costs. Now using live TV as part of digital signage content is even easier.
InfoChannel 5, Release 2 now offers all applications translated into Spanish, French, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional) and Korean. The application has been available in Japanese and English since Release 1. In addition, InfoChannel Content Manager is also available in German. In addition to the multiple language user interface, users can create content in an wider range of languages, including Western (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Swedish, Portuguese, Icelandic, etc.), Central European (Hungarian, Czech, Slavic, etc.), Turkish, Cyrillic (Russian, Serbian, Ukrainian, etc.), Japanese, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.
Some additional features were also added to this release. Release 2 includes improved Python support libraries and simplified support of HTTPS connections to InfoChannel Content Manager. The InfoChannel Content Manager DVD includes Postgres database version 8.2.4. InfoChannel Player metadata now appears as variables in Scala Script for easier use. New 9x16 aspect ratio (portrait) demos and templates have been added to the library, along with new clipart for buttons. In addition to all of the new features and functionalities listed above, InfoChannel 5, Release 2 includes more than 200 product changes and enhancements to help meet customer needs.
"Release 2 includes numerous game changing features like TV Tuner and enhanced scalability. The engineering team works very closely with our customers to monitor their needs on a regular basis," commented Peter Cherna, Vice President of Engineering at Scala, Inc. "As always, we will continue to work to evolve InfoChannel to continue to exceed customer needs."
Upon the announcement of the availability of Release 2, Gerard Bucas, CEO of Scala, Inc. stated, "InfoChannel 5 has been widely accepted in the marketplace and this new release will only go to further extend that acceptance. The engineering team has done a tremendous job and I applaud their efforts."
About Scala
Founded in 1987, Scala pioneered the Digital Signage industry and today remains the world's largest provider of software for creating digital signage networks, driving more screens than all competitors combined. The company's InfoChannel product line is used for dynamic digital media networks in retail, education, entertainment, government and other industries for diverse applications such as Retail Advertising networks (Retail Signage TV), Corporate Communications (Employee TV), Digital Billboards, Digital Menu Boards, Digital Posters, Community Access channels (Cable TV), Hotel lobby signage and information channels, Gas Pump "toppers", Convention Center Signage, Interactive touch-screens and Kiosks, etc. The Company's cutting-edge InfoChannel software platform powers thousands of digital signs around the world including the digital signage networks of Rabobank, IKEA, Bloomberg, Burger King, T-Mobile, Virgin MegaStore, EuroDisney, Kiwi, McDonalds, Warner ! Brothers, Santiago Airport, Ericsson, The Life Channel, Rikstoto, FuelCast, Repsol, Shell, NorgesGruppen, The Wall Street Journal Office Network and many more. Scala is today headquartered near Philadelphia, PA and has wholly-owned subsidiaries in The Netherlands, France, Norway, and Japan with a direct presence in a number of other locations and countries. Scala's products are primarily sold through an international network of Scala Certified Partners. More information is available at www.scala.com.
Press Contact:
Dick Trask
Director of Public Relations
Scala, Inc.
610-363-3350
