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Hardware Recommendations for a Digital Signage Network

Anyone who wants to deploy PC-based media players that will run Mediacaster Player software as part of a digital signage network should familiarize themselves with the basics of PC architecture, specifically what components make a difference to video playback performance.

Overview

In any digital signage network, hardware budgets are always under pressure, and the tendency is to choose the cheapest PC option that’s available. However, a careful analysis of the ongoing costs of supporting inferior hardware, the cost of replacing failed units in the field and the possibility of having to upgrade the system prematurely due to advances in video formats or additional requirements from the client, will quickly reveal that it does not pay to deploy hardware that is sub-standard.

In addition, choosing hardware that only just meets the specifications is also a short-sighted strategy. Even though digital signage networks are not mission critical systems, it makes sense to choose a player PC that has a bit of overhead so it can cope with unexpected events.

PC Specifications

Every digital signage network will have different technical requirements. Although it is possible to choose a PC system and configuration that will cope with the majority of circumstances, the following inputs will have a direct bearing on the type of PC and graphics chipset that you would choose for your deployment:

Type and format of the media that will be displayed
Complexity of overlays that may be used
Type of display and the resolution of that display
Network type (GSM, LAN, WIFI etc.)

We recommend a PC configuration that has a compatible RAM / CPU chipset combination, ideally assembled around the Intel Atom processor.

Please note: The hardware specifications in this document should only be used as a guideline. We STRONGLY recommended that you thoroughly test any particular combination of PC, screen and media before any bulk purchase decisions are made.

Hardware Recommendations

At the time of writing, there are two specific hardware recommendations that, in our opinion, meet the requirements for most installations:

Asus EeeBox – the Asus EeeBox is a price competitive package that includes the Intel Atom processor which, at present price levels, makes it a hard to beat option for playing back media on digital signage networks. When combined with a price competitive screen the Asus EeeBox is a more compact and cheaper option than an equivalent ATX box plus screen option. It has the following additional features:
- It is small and compact making installation easier
- It runs cool and is power efficient
- There is a version of the EeeBox that supports HD Video playback
If you require an All-In-One solution for easy installation then the Samsung SyncMaster 400DXn is an ideal choice. It is a 40" flat panel display with an internal PC. When compared to the EeeBox and screen combination above, it is more expensive, but because the PC and screen come packaged together, on-site installation is made simpler. The specifications for the embedded PC for this particular screen are adequate for the running of a media network.