Scala

Scala Digital Signage & Ad Management Products

By combining digital and traditional signage systems, Scala has become the world’s first connected signage company, offering the leading platform for content creation, management and distribution in digital signage networks, and the first unified platform for advertising management of both traditional and digital signage networks.

Connected signage networks are comprised of many types of signage including digital signage, billboards, transit signage, street furniture, truckside signage, place-based signage, and more. Advertising management of all of these types of signage is centrally monitored and administrated in a connected signage network. The content distribution and scheduling is also managed centrally in digital signage environments.

Connected Signage Network

Content Manager

Managing your digital signage content can be challenging, but with the state-of-the-art content management, planning and scheduling tools included in Scala Content Manager, management and control of your network is both improved and simplified - reducing the resources required to control and maintain your network. Template support, plan-based content distribution, timetables, and playlists - keep you in control of your network from wherever you are in the world, from any Internet-connected computer.

Content Manager is a server-based application that lets you schedule and manage the transmissions of multimedia content to hundreds, even thousands of digital signage displays, from any Internet-connected computer. Advertising, news, training or virtually any other visual communication can be easily distributed to Scala Players via any standard Windows-based network. Content created using Designer, Template Composer, or industry standard applications can either be routed to the intended Players automatically or per your plan.

Content Manager Key Features

Easy to Use Interface – Navigate quickly and easily with an intuitive and friendly web-based user interface. The user interface makes extensive use of context menus, rich web-interfaces with drag and drop features, and more.

Templates – User driven content templates make it easy for a busy employee to rapidly create great looking displays by simply adding their own pictures and text. Your design team can create templates in Designer using variable data fields that authorized users can later populate and preview through the Content Manager interface.

Media Management - Organize your content by file type, categories and metadata so everything is easy to find.

Playlists – Create playlists of Scala scripts, messages, videos, Flash, or static images using the web-based interface in Content Manager.

Schedules – Define and edit playlist time slots with a simple graphical view. With variable recurrence patterns and start/end dates, scheduling your content couldn’t be easier.

Emergency Messages – Messages can be set to override the display specific times or when external events occur such as emergencies.

Smart Playlists – Use player metadata to customize your content dynamically at each point of playback.

Approvals – Approve content before media can be played. Selected users will receive an email when an approval is required.

Workgroups – Manage access to content for different departments so each group only sees the messages they are supposed to.

Smart Content Distribution – Content is delivered automatically with each player intelligently picking only the files that are new or have changed.

Multiple Independent Frames – Easily create multiple frames within a display with each frame playing independent content.

Multi-channel Support – Run two entirely separate channels from a single player, immediately reducing your hardware, OS licensing, and administration costs.

Audio Control – Create audio-only channels or play background music that can be automatically ducked when video with its own audio plays.

Reliable and Scalable – Easy to start small and scale up. Field-proven reliability with more networks installed than any competitor.

Communicate Your Way – Both Terrestrial & Satellite (multicast) IP-based communication carriers are supported.

Better Compatibility – Content Manager is compatible with proxies and ACNS, and can deliver content over HTTP/HTTPS via IPv4 or IPv6 to meet most IT security requirements.

Database Backend – Choose the server and database that works best in your environment. Supported databases include MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server and PostgreSQL.

Player Options – Choose the playback devices that best suit your needs, from a full-featured PC to media appliance or digital picture frame.

Player Management – Group Players by criteria (geography, demographics, etc.), set playback options and select content to play.

Network Monitoring – Check the status of your network with Player Health Monitoring.

Maintenance Scheduling – Conduct remote maintenance tasks such as reboot, send and retrieve files or install Scala updates. Tasks can be scheduled to execute at specific times with minimal disruption to your digital signage network.

Web Services – Access to underlying software "engines" for anyone who wants to develop their own customized front-end to control content delivery or access. And Content Manager is not just great for custom front-ends, but it also is useful for integration into many other processes and applications of the enterprise.

Permission-based User Roles – Users can be assigned different access rights for improved security and workflow.

Designer

Scala Designer is the fastest, most cost-effective solution for creating truly dynamic content for digital signage. You can author professional media in an attention-grabbing environment for virtually any type of display by incorporating your existing media files into a ScalaScript. From retail dynamic signage to government and education to business communications, Designer gives you more creative control of your content with flexibility and real-time edits not offered by video production. Designer helps you create great content that can be more efficient to send and store than using video. While your Scala network does not require that your content come from Designer, it is the best way to create rich, professional content that can be changed quickly and easily without sacrificing any attention-grabbing appeal.

Designer Key Features

Use Your Favorite Tools – Feel free to use your favorite video and image creation tools for complete productions, or as elements you can enhance with Designer to create rich, dynamic content that can be changed quickly and easily without sacrificing any attention-grabbing appeal.

Photoshop Plug-in – Designer comes with a plug-in for Adobe Photoshop that lets you create your layout in Photoshop and export to Designer where you can add timing, transitions and interactivity.

Aggregation of Different Media Formats – Designer composites a large variety of image, video and audio file formats without file conversion or re-rendering on the server side.

Image: BMP, JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF
Video: AVI, SWF, MPG, WMV, H.264
Sound: WAV, MP3

Make it Dynamic – Seamlessly combine text, graphics, sound and video into broadcast-quality multimedia. Preview exactly how it will appear, even full-screen.

Forget Re-rendering – Designer doesn't re-render your videos or other content, giving you more creative control over the final playback quality. Playback is rendered live and on the fly with the original media formats unaltered, yet composited, layered, and sequenced as instructed from Designer and Content Manager.

Amazing Transitions – Designer lets you take advantage of hundreds of smooth, full-screen effects and transitions built into the Scala playback engine.

Live Playback – Incorporate live Windows Streaming Video or Adobe Flash content.

Layout – Compose more attractive and distinctive screens with element alignment tools, grids and guides.

Talk Your Language – Create your content in dozens of languages with support for most international writing systems (including European languages, Asian languages, Arabic, Hebrew, and more).

Design Versatility – Design for landscape, portrait or video walls. Content can be auto-rotated and scaled to perfectly fit your displays.

Crawl Around – Add data-driven text crawls with controllable direction and speed.

Fully Stocked – Scala Designer comes with a plethora of clip art, stock images, templates, backgrounds, and stock video to help bring your content alive.

Template Design – Design great templates and keep your look clean and consistent while letting any internet user easily add content and text with template creation via the Template Composer EX Module in Content Manager.

Go Interactive – Design interactive content with interactive buttons, variables and branching for kiosks or other applications.

Easy Customization – Many interactive applications can be authored right in Scala's easy to navigate, graphical interface.

Optional Scripting – Programmers can dive into the ScalaScript language or use supported Windows Scripting languages such as VBScript, JavaScript or Python.

Authoring Amenities – Designer comes with plenty of other useful authoring features such as undo, spell check, printing, collect files and exporting.

EX Modules – Optional add-ons to control switchers, video playback hardware and other devices.

Publish Your Work – When complete, publish your content to Scala Content Manager where it is scheduled and distributed to Scala Players.

Player

Scala Player provides stable, reliable multimedia playback for virtually any environment including entertainment, retail, government, finance, and education. Users can create content using Designer or other industry-standard applications, and distribute it to Scala Players using Content Manager (and Broadcast Server for satellite/multicast). The Player will continuously run and update the content on dynamic signage displays according to the plan set in place from the Content Manager. Plasmas, TVs, kiosks, text, graphics, sound, and video can be dynamically scheduled and customized at each Player location.

Digital Signage - Player Key Features

Does What It’s Told – Stable and reliable playback 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Superior Playback – Scala's playback technology delivers smooth sub-pixel motion without distracting choppy, stutters.

Only What I Need – When you make changes to your content, Player will only download changes to the script, not the entire content.

Report Back Immediately – Players communicate with Content Manager to track Player health and log events for ad billing or other reporting.

Plays Well with Others – Windows Script Host Support enables seamless interface between Player and other systems/data using JavaScript, Python or VBScript.

Let’s Go To The Video – Supports Windows Streaming Video or live video inputs with additional EX Module and corresponding hardware.

Interactivity – Plays either self-running media or interactive content with a touchscreen.

Which Way is Up? – Native support for many widescreen displays and auto-rotation on portrait screens.

Sound On – Audio-only Players are an option with Scala if you’re looking to manage both visual and audio messaging.

Keep the Light On – If your network connection goes down, Player keeps playing using store and forward technology.

Choose Your Platform – Player licensing options are available for a wide variety of hardware from the very basic to the most advanced.

Scala Digital Signage Player Hardware Options

Regardless of size or budget, there's a Scala digital signage solution that's priced right for any company. Through Scala’s constant innovation efforts, we now offer an extended range of digital signage solutions to companies regardless of their budget. Now, Scala will allow more businesses and industries to see firsthand the benefits of digital signage without breaking the bank. You can start small, see the success of your network, and grow from there.

IAdea Photo Frames – IAdea Frames run on a Scala network and connect to a Content Manager, giving you great content management and inexpensive hardware with an integrated display.

IAdea Standard Definition Appliances – The IAdea media appliances offer video, still images, and sound in an embedded appliance configuration. Several models are available, including Standard Definition (DVD quality) and High Definition versions.

IAdea High Definition Appliances – The IAdea HD appliance have all the features of the SD appliance but will the added ability to run HD content.

Ultra Low Cost PCs – Scala’s performance enhancements have made our software compatible with less expensive hardware – saving you money.

PCs – This is the player with all the bells and whistles. The PC model on the Scala 5 platform will meet and exceed all your digital signage expectations.

While these platforms demonstrate the ability to maximize digital signage in a variety of ways, they also let you keep your freedom without limiting your business into one type of network. You can use multiple platforms at one time and it’s very common and practical to move between platforms. You may want to upgrade your platform as costs come down or you may find a business need to migrate to other tiers.

EX Modules

Scala products have many modules that come included in our products. These are pieces of software that you can turn on or off in your products. Scala EX Modules are optional pieces of software that can be purchased to add to your Scala Content Manager, Designer, and Player to get specific functionality. Modules are included in the products, but EX Modules are sold separately.

Scala Designer & Scala Player EX Modules

Control virtually any device accessible by computers at the point of playback. These are plugins developed specifically for the below hardware. Plus, Scala comes with a freeform editor allowing anyone to program their own RS-232 serial devices.

TV Tuner EX Module - Insert live video feeds full screen or in a window.

CORIOgen EX Module - Convert a VGA signal to a TV signal.

Weather EX Module - Show real-time weather data at the point of playback.

Video Control EX Module - Use RS-232 controlled switchers to flip between video feeds.

Queue EX Module - Integrate a queuing system into your digital signage network.

Local Verification EX Module - Verify your Player’s software without connecting to the Internet

Scala Content Manager EX Modules

Template Composer EX Module - Template Composer EX is an optional Scala Content Manager EX Module, which will be sold separately. Templates can be created in Scala Designer, allowing the creative content designers (graphics artists) to create the “look and feel” of a channel. From the Scala Content Manager web front end, any user can fill in forms that drive the predefined templates from Scala Designer. No additional software needs to be installed on the users desktop since the forms can be filled in from any Internet-connect computer. Data-driven content templates allow even your least design-savvy employee to create great looking displays.

Publish Automation EX Module - Publish Automation EX Module is an optional Scala Content Manager EX Module, which allows third party applications to control changes to the Scala network. Connecting third party tools to your Scala network gives you added flexibility and wide range of additional services to choose from.

Playback Audit EX Module - Each Scala Player reports a playlog of ads that ran on the Player. These playlogs are XML based, allowing us to support the new POPAI standard and other third party applications (e.g.: DS-IQ). The Playback Audit EX Module offers simplified generation of proof-of-playback affidavits, saving you time and eliminating costly delays in extracting detailed billing information from your Scala network.

Broadcast Server - Broadcast Server allows users to broadcast multimedia content created with Scala Designer or other industry-standard applications via satellite and multicast networks to hundreds or thousands of sites. It is an expansion to Scala Content Manager that makes content distribution easy for large installations by allowing multiple players to be addressed with a single transmission.

Ad Manager

It's Simple: One System, One Solution for Every Out-of-Home Platform
Ad Manager is a complete advertising management solution for connected signage networks. It manages all aspects of out-of-home (OOH) media businesses including inventory control, scheduling, contracts, execution, and billing functions.

Regardless of media type (e.g. billboard, transit shelter, airport, mall, bus, digital signage), Scala Ad Manager delivers creative and flexible campaigns across multiple platforms and multiple markets using one contract and one system. It's that simple.

Ad Manager Key Features

Inventory Management for Traditional OOH Media – Tools needed to manage inventory, plan, create contracts, execute client campaigns, and provide proof-of-performance (POP) reports.

Know what is available and when
KPIs used to deliver greater insight into your business
Achieve higher rates through better targeting
Enter data in one centralized location, easily accessible by all departments
Lower your costs through efficiencies
Create and manage contracts throughout their life cycle from proposal to fulfillment to completion
Provide POP at campaign end dates for quicker payments
Identify upcoming milestones and uncompleted work easily
Avoid costly errors leading to credits
Improve communications and customer responsiveness

Digital Media – Fully integrated with Content Manager to manage hardware, playlists and scheduling for a digital signage network.

Manage static and digital media on the same contract and/or site
Automatically create playlists when scheduling in Ad Manager
Manage production and approve media
Link to media in Content Manager
Order and approve playlists
Sell by day-part
Checks for adjacency conflicts
Publish playlists directly to Content Manager
Report proof-of-play

Financial – An essential component of Ad Manager. Financial integrates with third-party accounting applications for timely, accurate billing and lease payments.

Billing Key Features
The Billing component is designed to make the creation of invoices in a secure environment easy.

Enter data once to reduce input time, errors, costs
Create multiple payment schedules – monthly, weekly, broadcast calendar
Creates one invoice for the client for each campaign, regardless of the markets and media types involved
Produce custom invoicing for non-contracted items
Generate multiple bills with each contract
Determine lease profitability through accurate revenue allocation
Customize invoice reports to adhere to company standards
Capture complete history for analysis and forecasting

Leasing Key Features
Managing your sites and structures can be a full-time job. With the support of Ad Manager Leasing functionality you control and analyze the data to maximize efficiency and profitability.

Multiple lessors on one lease
Create lease payments, regardless of type (fixed, percentage, CPI, etc.)
Create lease payment schedules in a variety of formats – monthly, quarterly, annually, semi-annually
Track utility payments for each site
Track and review multiple lease payment schedules
Auto-extend and renewal dates for each lease
Export leasing payment data to third-party accounting software

Document Management – Store and retrieve electronic copies of all corporate documents, lease agreements, contracts, creative images and more.

Store and retrieve any electronic copies - images, letters, contracts, lease agreements, etc.
Produce standardized completion reports with maps and photos
Generate photo sheets with maps and photos
Store multiple images in a variety of formats for each face and site
Generate and maintain image galleries with client creative

Advanced Mapping – Create professional, customized maps with targeted showings for eye-catching proposals.

Chart directly from a map
Apply face and/or demographic data themes
Search and book by demographic or proximity
Show clients how to reach their target audience
Generate and maintain client location libraries
Display proximity areas around client locations
Command higher rates through targeting

Maintenance – A valuable operations tool to record, schedule, and track maintenance of all sites, structures and faces.

Reduce operating costs
Create single or multiple item work orders
Identify, address and prioritize maintenance tasks
Define maintenance cycles and routine check routes
Download/upload maintenance tasks to a hand-held unit
Conveniently upload completed postings with proof-of-performance photos
Track structure positions across your plant
Track maintenance costs for the true P&L of a site

Ad Manager Additional Modules

Scala Ad Manager additional modules are optional pieces of software that can be purchased to add specific functionality. These modules are sold separately.

e-Ad Manager - The engine needed to view real-time Ad Manager data via the Internet.

Proposal Generator - A powerful custom sales tool that uses Ad Manager data and MS Excel to automate the steps necessary for generating timely and accurate proposals.

SAMI - (Satellite Automated Media Information) an industry first for truckside advertising delivering credibility through audience measurement and tracking.

Scala Advantage

What is Scala Advantage?

Scala Advantage is Scala’s premiere software maintenance program. Our most successful customers always keep their Scala Advantage coverage up to date. Scala Advantage gives you access to all updates and upgrades for your suite of Scala products. Our development team spends hundreds of hours per week packing new features and value-added benefits into the software platform. Scala Advantage gets you all the new features and functionality that we add through the term of your agreement.*

What's my benefit?

New features. We are constantly adding new features based on customer feedback. Our product is constantly evolving to incorporate new technologies.
Improved functionality. Our development teams around the world work to make Scala faster, smoother, and more complete.
Associated application compatibility. As new versions of applications like Flash and Photoshop come out, we roll that compatibility into our products. So even if you’re upgrading your operating system, we’ve got you covered.
Find a bug? We’ll fix it. Our software is quite mature and has remarkably few bugs, but if on a rare occasion you find one; we’ll fix it and you’ll have access to the update.

What does this really get me?

Sure it sounds great on paper, but you need to know what you really get. So here’s an example for you:

If you had purchased the first version of Scala 5 in 2006 with two years of Scala Advantage, you would have received over 320 additional product features spread out over 6 product releases. That’s an average of 40 new features per quarter!

Many of these features were game-changing additions like Windows Vista compatibility, web services, Scala Ad Manager connectivity, Adobe Photoshop Plugin, support for over 15 different languages, playlist triggers, HD video playback, audio controls, sub-playlists, and so much more.

And that list doesn’t even include the endless ways we’ve improved product functionality to make Scala run faster and look better. These features and functions are available for download for any customers covered under Scala Advantage at the time the features were released. It’s easy, just click www.scala.com/updates and you’re on your way.

Scala as a Service (Saas)

Scala as a Service is a web-based version of Scala Content Manager that provides an online digital signage network. No software installation, no server hardware. It’s a simple way to get started with digital signage. This online service, like other SaaS models (Software as a Service), allows you to access Scala’s cutting-edge software for a monthly subscription fee.

Your Content Manager is only seen and accessed by your company and Scala takes care of all the back end work including implementation, set up, monitoring, updates, back ups, server maintenance, and system recovery. It’s a hassle-free way to roll out your digital signage network.

Best of all, if you change your mind and want to bring your network in-house, you can do that without losing any of your content or customizations.

Benefits

The immediate advantages of Scala as a Service are:

You won’t need to buy expensive server hardware, software, facilities or operation investment needed
You won’t need to hire someone at your company to run your network
Your IT department’s load is lightened for both operation and responsibility
Allows you to focus on your core business
Very quick network start up
Up-to-date Content Manager used
Easily switch between a Scala hosted network and your own internal network

QuickStart

Scala QuickStart provides the power, flexibility and reliability of Scala through a quick, easy and cost effective digital signage deployment for companies seeking a solution for smaller networks. Targeted for end-users who want a simple to use interface, with an “out of the box” experience. Scala QuickStart is the perfect solution for corporate reception areas, educational institutions, independent retailers and many other users who do not want to be concerned with complex network management, without compromising on content quality and delivery reliability.

Scala QuickStart is a Scala hosted version of Scala Content Manager, with a simplified
Graphical User Interface, accessible via any internet connected device

No server software installation and maintenance
No server hardware management and maintenance
No monthly fees, rather a single upfront payment for the term of your choice

It’s a simple way to get started with Digital Signage. This online service enables you to get started within minutes of receiving your Media Player, following the 6 easy steps to success. In the future, if your network needs to mature to a more sophisticated solution, you can upgrade to the full Scala platform without losing any data, content or customizations.

Scala takes care of all the back-end server work including implementation, setup, monitoring, updates, backups, hardware maintenance, and system recovery.

Scala QuickStart supports the following features and more.....

Simple, easy to use graphics user interface
Scheduling of content to single output player devices
RSS, metadata, message templates and approval
User levels and concurrent multi-user support
Landscape and portrait orientation
Multi-language support
All major Scala supported content types; including video, images, Flash, interactive content and Scala scripts

Scala QuickStart comes with a library of content templates, enabling you to get professional looking signage up and running in the shortest possible time, without the costs of external production agencies.

SignChannel

SignChannel is a revolutionary new service for easy to use, do-it-yourself digital signage. Small business owners can purchase a SignChannel certified device, install it themselves, log on to signchannel.com, and easily create and manage their own content. This is a great way to get started with digital signage.

As a SignChannel user, you can remotely control the content on your SignChannel certified WiFi screens or media players (from small to very large displays in HD) from the web. You can also manage multiple media players from one account, each with their own playlist and schedule. You can easily upload your own photos (or videos on devices that support video), or create your own slides with SignChannel's built-in library of templates. Just pick a slide template, type in some text, upload a logo or picture, and you're done. It's that easy! You can also choose content from over a thousand channels of local news, weather, sports, stock quotes, and more. That's all included in your monthly subscription.

SignChannel’s intuitive user interface, super simple setup, and the included content library make SignChannel the ideal self-service digital signage system. With SignChannel, now anyone can get started with digital signage, from the market leader in digital signage -- Scala! Contact us today!

Costs for set up and ownership are very low because

There is no software to buy
There is no training required
Display devices are inexpensive
Content can be developed without professional design help
The service can be implemented and supported without computer technicians

For more information on Scala Digital Signage, contact our Sales Department at 563.322.1525 or Contact Us via the web.

Go Where the Pros Go.