Unique Digital Signage Video Wall Strip Wraps Around Retail Store

Telecom company calls on Matrox C680 video card to drive engaging six-monitor backdrop delivering constantly flowing content for immersive shopping experience

Telecom company Sure International knew just who to call to add high-impact digital signage to its St. Helier, Jersey location. Seeking to modernize the store, Sure contracted integrators Image Technique, who, collaborating with design partner Acquire Digital, in turn delivered a high-quality digital signage installation powered in part by the six-output, single-slot Matrox C680 graphics card. Emphasizing customer interactivity, the installation as a whole has resonated positively with customers.

Service Providers

Acquire Digital led the design of the software and the content management system (CMS) integration, while Image Technique oversaw the hardware end of things from the testing stage through the site sign-off.

The goal was to enrich the customer experience by increasing interactivity and autonomy, reducing wait times in the process. For example, a touch-screen totem has been deployed as a point-of-sale unit. Another way of achieving this was through a six-monitor digital signage video wall designed to wrap around the store.

This is where the Matrox C680 critically came in. With years of industry experience, Image Technique was familiar with Matrox Graphics and was impressed with the feature set of the recently launched C680 graphics card: a high-performance, six-output, single-slot board that is capable of driving six 4K displays, which perfectly fit this specific install’s requirements.

“We required a six-head output graphics card to create a video strip utilizing six 46-inch HD Philips screens,” said Paul Midwood, Image Technique group business development manager. “The card needed to be able to run layered graphics which are animated… [The C680] performed excellently and the artwork looked professional, crisp, and fluid.”

Selecting the Matrox C680 graphics card to accomplish this task proved to be an easy decision—and the right one—for Image Technique.

The Matrox Calling Card

“We have tested AMD and Nvidia cards for similar installs, but for this six-output solution the Matrox C680 was the best option due to ease of setup and stability,” said Midwood, with Matrox products renowned for featuring not only high reliability, but long life cycles, and direct customer support.

Matrox C-Series also offers high performance and the flexibility of advanced multi-monitor capabilities via accompanying Matrox PowerDesk™ desktop management software. PowerDesk was used in conjunction with the video card to enable a variety of desktop customization settings. One such feature included bezel management, which enables users to compensate for the physical space created by monitor bezels. According to Midwood, the feature “left the custom graphics looking seamless.”

“We have had compatibility issues with other third-party graphics units, but Matrox has developed this card to a high standard, which left us feeling confident with the install,” he said.

The 5760x1080 video strip serves as a backdrop for those perusing the available cell phones that are physically on display. It draws shoppers in with signage automatically generated by the system developed in tandem by Image Technique, Acquire Digital, and Sure’s existing CMS, which populates its website. Additional content was also created for the project, which has been a huge success.

More Displays, More Locations

“Sure is incredibly happy with the installation, with fantastic feedback as a result of the increase in footfall, revenue, and sales across the in-store offering,” said Midwood.

The success of the installation is good news for all parties, who are already planning on redesigning additional locations in much the same manner.

“This is the first site of three and we will also be retro-fitting the new system into previous stores we have worked on over the last two years,” he said. “We will certainly be using Matrox C-Series moving forward on this and other projects.”

For More Information

Matrox C-Series multi-display video cards allow you to drive up to six displays or projectors from a single graphics board. Designed and built to ensure excellent reliability, stability, and ease of deployment, C-Series PCI Express x16 boards are ideal for demanding commercial and critical systems. They deliver advanced multi-monitor capabilities and outstanding performance for a wide range of applications including enterprise, pro A/V, digital signage, security, control rooms, and more. For more information, visit http://www.matrox.com/graphics.

Matrox and Matrox product names are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of Matrox Electronic Systems, Ltd. and/or Matrox Graphics Inc. in Canada and/or other countries. All other company and product names are registered trademarks and/or trademarks of their respective owners.