What digital signage solution should I use for my business?
When considering a digital signage system for your QSR business, one of the most important decisions to make is whether you should use media players or smart displays with SoC. There are a number of things to consider.
System Cost
Digital signage is more than just a screen, it needs content to display on the display. Digital signage requires a content management system (CMS) to schedule and organise content, and a media player to run the content. The overall cost of these components can add up and can often be pricey. You have to consider the price of an annual CMS license fee, on top of installation costs.
Opting for SoC can reduce the overall cost of your digital signage system. Whilst media players do vary in price, media players can still cost several hundred dollars up to thousands, on top of the initial cost of the screen itself.
Although a smart digital display may be slightly more expensive than a regular screen without SoC, it is still more cost-effective than buying a screen and a media player separately.
System Simplicity
SoC simplifies the complex process of digital signage networks. When you have an SoC embedded screen, you don’t need to spend hours configuring a media player. Some argue that it is easier to switch out a media player when it breaks, than to replace a broken SoC. But by purchasing a quality display, such as Samsung’s SoC, you can rely on the screen’s on-site warranty. Additionally, these devices have a low 0.3% failure rate. SoC further reduces infrastructure with their WiFi integrated screens, lessening the failure points and maintenance costs with fewer devices to support and manage.
Content
Ultimately, the decision on whether to choose a media player or SoC depends on the type of content you need to display. Do you have complex content that requires a live data feed, or multiple videos at once? These types of content that require some processing power may be better off with a media player. BrightSign media players, for example, are reliable systems that can display high-quality graphics and more complex HTML content in 4k resolution. It can also display live feeds instantly without the need for anyone to constantly update the content, a powerful tool when displaying live data content. However, at Amped Digital we have found most businesses in the food service industry tend to display static images in a playlist or short animated videos for menu boards and display screens, which SoC can handle with ease.
A good example of this is the popular donut chain, Krispy Kreme. Amped Digital provided SoC embedded screens to Krispy Kreme stores with a cloud-based CMS to fully manage and control content in-house without the aid of third-party service providers.
Which solution should I choose?
Media players are reliable systems that can display complex content on digital signage. However, in some cases, System-on-Chip provides more benefits than the typical external media player, which is why SoC digital signage solutions are increasing in popularity. Although SoC is small in size, this technology can run content on large displays and lessen the costs and failure points that come with media players. Making SoC an ideal solution for digital menu boards.
If you’re looking for a digital signage solution, have a chat with our team. We have so much knowledge to share and can advise you on the best solution for your business. Contact us today to bring your vision to life.
