Samsung Launches Smart Signage TV

Want to try to keep up with modern technology by using digital signage in your store or business locations? Good luck with that.

Finding a display and system that can run advertisements or even just show a static piece of content 24/7 is difficult. If you’re a big business with loads of money to spend on advertising, you can simply use any old Smart TV and call it a day.

Unfortunately, small businesses don’t have that kind of capital, and they certainly can’t waste it on an expensive TV that’s only going to play advertisements.

That’s where Samsung’s new Smart Signage platform comes into play. It’s a “cost-effective” signage TV that was designed specifically to display ads.

What Is the Samsung Smart Signage TV?

It’s nothing more than a budget-friendly TV that was manufactured to be used as signage. It comes in two sizes: 40 and 48 inches. In addition, it comes with MagicInfo Express content management and signage software out of the box.

Basically, the unique software handles everything about digital signage. You can designate a schedule for various ads, cycle through multiple pieces of content and much more.

In comparison, a Smart TV from LG would cost about $849 for a 42-inch model. Prices are even higher for brands like Panasonic, Sharp or Sony. Samsung’s Smart Signage TV or SSTV is $749 for the 40-inch model and $999 for the 48-inch model. It’s certainly a more wallet-friendly option.

The SSTV is packing some decent hardware too, such as:

• A quad-core processor
• 4GB of internal flash storage
• 1.5GB of DDR3 memory
• Video processing
• Codec support

Why Use Digital Signage?

The SSTV sounds great, but why spend so much money on digital signage? Why not go the traditional route and use paper flyers or posters instead?

Here’s why: People are more attracted to digital signage than TV, internet and billboard advertisements. When polled, 63% of correspondents indicated that digital signage catches their attention. Not to mention, digital video in general reaches about 70% of the public through various platforms. The takeaway here is that people love digital content.

So, it’s not a stretch to claim that digital signage has been proven to increase in-store engagement on many levels. Get one of Samsung’s new SSTV’s in your local store or business and you should see customer engagement increase significantly. Of course, that depends on whether or not you know how to use it and set it up.

What Kind of Content Can Digital Signage Handle?

Digital content is displayed on a screen, so it can be used to show anything that a TV could, such as:

• Text, images and infographics
• Videos
• Cable feeds or streaming media
• Interactive directories or maps
• Weather and news alerts
• Event schedules
• Web pages
• Social media
• PowerPoint slides
• Polls, surveys and contests
• RSS feeds or stock updates

How to Use Digital Signage

I can’t offer a step-by-step guide on setting up a digital signage system because they’re all going to differ, but I can offer some advice on using them.

Scala put together a list of the top 10 rules you should keep in mind when working with digital signage, so I suggest reading it before you get started.

As for how it can be used, there are a number of ways:

• Welcome tools in a lobby or reception area
• Timed entertainment for elevators
• Reminders and alerts for employee breakrooms
• Digital flyers or ads in a cafeteria

These are just a small handful of examples. You can place digital signage anywhere you’d place traditional marketing materials. Think outside the box when choosing where and how to use digital signage because it’s not limited in scope compared to paper or static ads.

Image by Maurizio Pesce