IP Multicast for Digital Signage
Digital Signage Broadcasting

IP Multicast for Digital Signage
IP Multicast is a technique for one to many communication over an IP infrastructure. It scales to a larger receiver population by not requiring prior knowledge of who or how many receivers there are. Multicast utilizes network infrastructure efficiently by requiring the source to send a packet only once, even if it needs to be delivered to a large number of receivers. The nodes in the network take care of replicating the packet to reach multiple receivers only where necessary.

Important to digital signage and kiosk content administrators, or anyone else looking to send different content to logically grouped nodes, IP Multicast enables the administrator sending one file destined for multiple locations to a carrier multicast router, and then having that carrier router distribute the content over their backbone, greatly reducing bandwidth needs for you in the process.

Digital Signage Broadcasting
Content for Digital Signage is today mostly distributed using manual methods such as DVDs or in automated ways using broadband networking. These distribution methods provide non-real-time or possibly, when using broadband, close to near-real-time distribution for out-of-home signage applications to a limited number of sites.

By using broadcast IP distribution methods, such as satellite or broadband IP multicasting, a new and revolutionary medium is created. Digital signage broadcasting combines the versatility of digital signage systems, when it comes to gathering information that originates from separate data files into content automatically presented on one single screen, with the advantages of broadcasting.

Broadband networking means using IP as a carrier for data which allows for transfer of any kind of information (any kind of file format) through the distribution chain. Stepping up to IP multicasting by using satellite broadcasting or private local area networks that allow for multicasting point-to-multipoint distribution combines the power of distributing any kind of content files in any format with the ability of broadcasting systems to serve an unlimited number of receivers.

This convergence between the worlds of computers and broadcasting allows for real-time distribution of any kind of IP stream containing audio, video or any other kind of real-time data. Live IPTV or IP radio may be combined with any kind of file transfer of near- or non-real-time content.

The content is played according to instructions provided by play lists controlled by the digital signage system content management server. Also real-time, near-real-time and non-real-time content, originating from separate files and/or streams, may be presented simultaneously on the same screen using different regions (zones) and graphical layers along with news tickers, etc.

Do you have questions or want to discuss your application? Please fill out our inquiry form  We look forward to speaking with you.