ITSENCLOSURES: Computer Enclosures, LCD Enclosures & Outdoor Digital Menu Boards

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Wed, 20 Nov 2013 20:28:00 +0000

Making Your Digital Signage Project a Success

When someone says " Digital Signage" what comes to mind? LCDs? Digital content? Or just anything on an LCD in a public space? There are many ways of looking at Digital Signage as it has become the ubiquitous term for “stuff” dealing with this new signage medium. There are a number of components to Digital Signage and they include, media players, LCDs, enclosure systems, and
integration of all the parts ….and yes, last but certainly not least, display content.

LCDs can be recessed into the wall to save space and meet
ADA compliance. Installation at JFK Airport in New York, NY.

Though all of the components to Digital Signage are very important, the hardware pieces to the DS puzzle are essential and often overlooked. Hardware for digital signage solutions comes in many shapes and sizes but properly selected, the pieces working in harmony provide a common denominator; a message that reaches the specific audience intended. The challenge can be how to better market to the target market, how to keep workers better informed of company matters, or keep commuters abreast of when the next train will arrive at the station. The maze of hardware choices can be overwhelming but the following options will serve as a guide to making informed decisions.

LCDs always seem to attract the most attention in digital signage projects…and with good reason. Without a quality display broadcasting the message one might as well throw in the towel. Display
technology changes at a dizzying pace. In today’s market one has to consider TFT vs. IPS display
Substrate, CCFL vs. LED backlighting, high- bright vs. standard brightness and a host of other options. The old adage “size doesn’t matter” does not apply to the choice of LCDs for a signage project. Size will be a key concern when getting a message noticed. For instance, if to the goal is to display a number of rotating marketing messages then one can probably down size the LCD (32”, 42”, or 46”) as the message will take the majority, if not the entire screen. On the other hand, if the message is flight information, train schedules, or real time arrival information, a larger (52”, 55”, 60”) display is required as this type of information tends to be smaller on screen and in greater volume. Another consideration is the distance at which the viewer will be in relation to the display. A substantial amount of information can be found on the internet regarding the human ergonomics of signage placement. As transit professionals this is likely something we have all dealt with in the past.

Once the display size has been chosen, specific display technology will become the concern. Display backlighting and/or the light source that drives LCD are at issue. Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lighting
(CCFL) is slowly disappearing from the LCD market in favor of LED lighting as a backlight source for displays. LEDs operate at a lower power and are cooler running vs. CCFL as well as provide greater flexibility with regard to how it works in relation to the LCD substrate. LED backlighting also has a longer life span and will stay brighter longer than CCFL backlights. Last but certainly not least, LED backlighting allows for a leaner display package producing displays as thin as 1”–2” deep. Simply put, LED backlighting is the best choice today.

Digital Signage used to display flight information in cell
phone waiting lot at Austin Straubel Airport in Green Bay, WI

Another consideration when choosing displays is location of the installation. Most indoor applications require little more than a standard, commercial grade LCD. There are times when the message appropriately in less than ideal lighting conditions. High‐bright displays are 3 – 4 times brighter than a standard LCD and can be viewed in a direct sun light environment. Installation may be in an area with high ambient light or out of doors. When faced with this challenge, the use of high-bright displays and quite often an enclosure system is a must. Though these displays are more expensive than standard commercial grade displays, they do an outstanding job of lighting your message.

The next item to consider for a signage project is the right digital media player. There are a myriad of options available and this choice is significantly affected by the intended display software has been developed. Many of today’s displays allow for a single board computer or SBC to be installed in an option slot within the display. These can be highly advantageous as it is a clean solution and makes for one less item to deal with in the hardware chain specific to where it will be installed. A second alternative is a small form factor media player. These devices are manufactured by a number of companies that have developed them specifically for digital signage applications. They are small, lightweight but pack the power of a desktop computer and can be “nested” into the same mount used for your displays. Another choice may be the use of remotely placed computer equipment and video extenders to the displays. This can be a very clean solution and cost effective depending on the nature of your project and how you plan to use the displays. If you choose to go to an outside company for development of signage content they quite often will recommend and include media players for your project.

Display mounts are often overlooked as a readily available piece of hardware that doesn’t require much thought. This is simply untrue! There are many mounts available on the market but choosing the correct mount to work in conjunction with your specific configuration is critical to having a clean, seamless solution. One must consider the display size, type of mounting (ceiling, wall, post) and orientation, portrait or landscape. Mounts not only provide a manner to hang displays but also provide additional space to allow mounting of a media player, TV or signal box. A number of reputable and experienced mount manufacturers are in the market providing these solutions.

Another overlooked piece of the digital signage hardware puzzle is cabling. Everything from CAT 5 used to connect the media players and displays to the DVI, or HDMI cables used to connect the displays to the media players, or TV box need to be considered. Inferior cabling, both in quality and installation, can cause issues that derail your signage project. Excess cabling can also scuttle a project by creating a “rats nest” of excess behind a mount solution or impede cooling circulation in an enclosure solution. In short both type and length of cables should be considered and specified early in the process. The most expensive cabling is not often required but a reputable cable installation team that employs best industry practices is always warranted. Do not underestimate the importance of this part of the solution.

Thus far we have focused on hardware needs for “indoor” digital signage applications but in the real world sometimes the best location for a sign is outside! There are several types of outdoor installations; the first is a completely under cover and protected from direct elements deployment. In a situation like this a display installed on its own without any protection may be adequate? Temperature fluctuations, dust, dirt and potential vandalism are important considerations. The second outdoor install type is “partially under cover.” These installations generally cannot be left without protection. This type requires some measure of protection for the display whether it be cover or enclosure solution depends on the total exposure. The last type of outdoor installation is “completely exposed to the elements.” This outdoor application requires an enclosure solution to protect it from all the aforementioned conditions.

Multiple LCDs used to display train schedules at the Metro
North Railroad in New York, N.Y.

An LCD enclosure system of high quality can be very helpful when you have outdoor locations where digital signage is desired. Whether that is on a platform trackside, a bus shelter or at curbside check‐in, a well-placed display with the right message can be invaluable! LCD enclosure systems can also assist indoor applications where displays are in sensitive areas that need protection from the public. An enclosure solution does add a measure of cost to a project but when properly utilized an LCD enclosure will ensure the operation, "up-time" and integrity of the overall solution. A good LCD enclosure solution will permit installation of a digital message in places thought previously impossible.

Having the ability to install signs virtually anywhere can differentiate a system wide signage solution in the market place, bringing greater revenue, more complete information to patrons, or simply ensure the safety of the traveling public. Outdoor LCD enclosure solutions can be a challenge to implement as the complexity is dictated by the exposure to the public and elements required by the installation. Be sure to deal with an enclosure company that has the experience to recommend the appropriate solution for the specific need. Engage a firm that specializes in the manufacture and placement of enclosures and not necessarily display mounts or content solutions. The selected firm must also have the appropriate enclosure thermal management experience necessary to assist in the proper specification of a heating/cooling configuration. Remember, any enclosure solution selected has to do the job day in and day out for years to come. Experience, warranty, service capability and reputation in the marketplace are the keys to proper selection of your enclosure system provider.

Putting a Digital Signage Project together prior to installation is no small task. Pre or post equipment selection carefully consider hiring a professional installation organization with experience in digital

Installation at SkyTrain in Vancouver, British Columbia

signage installation. What may seem relatively easy for an in‐house install crew can spiral out of control when these individuals may not have experience configuring displays or installing LCD enclosure solutions properly. There are a number of companies that specialize in digital signage installations and cover everything from construction and cabling to physical installation and configuration of displays, media players and mounting solutions. Choosing the right install crew can save time and money as well as having an invaluable resource for all things digital signage that was not covered in the specification process.

A Digital Signage Project may seem overwhelming but fear not, as with most industries there are a number of professional consultants to help navigate the digital signage waters such as the Digital Signage Federation (DSF), (www.digitalsignagefederation.org) for professional assistance regarding who to contact. There are
additional tools like industry webinars and trade groups related to the digital signage industry. Those that are members of the DSF will display the Digital Signage Federation Professional Seal which signifies the company has shown superior knowledge and conduct within the industry and lives by a code of professional standards set by the board of the DSF. Another good resource for digital signage assistance would be to attend the annual Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas. The 2014 show will be held at the Sands Expo Center February 11th thru the 13th. The conference has a number of informative roundtable discussions and presentation with over 100 exhibitors from all facets of the industry. Further information on the Digital Signage Expo may be found at www.digitalsignageexpo.net.

Fortunately the digital signage industry has embraced the market and developed an outstanding framework of trade shows, professional organizations and information resources in a relatively short period of time. This industry takes pride in providing superior products and services with a standard of conduct and training from industry experts. When developing a digital signage project you will be well served to research the various products and services you need along with the professionals who provide them. Regardless of the solution chosen, your project will certainly be a success utilizing the resources outlined in the blog.

Electronics Are Constantly Changing

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Wed, 18 Sep 2013 16:27:00 +0000

Examples of IceStation PC Enclosures
Early 2000's.

It’s safe to say, computers have come a long way since ITSENCLOSURES was founded in 1985. Electronics are ever-changing. It seems as though once we get accustomed to a particular monitor or computer system, the manufacturer is already coming out with a new revision or model that is better than the last. As an industrial enclosure manufacturer, how do we accommodate electronics that are slimmer and smaller? The answer is easy; we continue to evolve our products!

IceStation Titan
Computer Enclosure

Over the last 28 years, our computer enclosures have gone from boxy, bulky cabinets to smaller, more compact industrial cabinets. We value our customer’s feedback and have improved enclosure designs to make our products more user-friendly and take up less space on the manufacturing floor. Our IceStation Titan pc enclosure has a viewing window designed to accommodate today’s 24-inch wide screen format displays with standard features including an adjustable monitor shelf, integrated keyboard drawer and locking, swivel castors. Since most monitors are less than 4” deep, we were able to maximize the space on the top portion of the cabinet with a sloped work surface above the keyboard drawer. The bottom of the cabinet allows for plenty of space to house a computer, printer, UPS or other electronics.

IceStation IO28-04
Monitor Enclosure

For applications that do not require a free standing computer enclosure, we recommend our IO enclosure series. The IO’s accommodate up to 22-inch wide screen format displays and small form PC’s and are available in 8-inch or 13-inch depths. The IO enclosures are perfect for space-conscious areas and can be mounted to the wall, pedestal or sit on a desk. We anticipate unveiling the next generation IO enclosure series in a couple months that will accommodate up to 24-inch wide screen format displays.

We are continuing to come out with new, better products that serve our customers well. There is one trend that hasn’t changed over the years; the need for protective NEMA-rated enclosures in manufacturing environments. We assure you that our IceStation pc enclosures will keep your computer system up and running and protect from dust, dirt, splashing fluids and other containments!

Enclosure Thermal Management: To Cool or Not to Cool?

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Wed, 11 Sep 2013 19:37:00 +0000

One of the most common questions we receive is “Do I really have to use cooling on my enclosure?” The answer is usually “Yes.” Although thermal management can add a significant cost to the overall solution, it is an integral part to your electronics functioning properly inside a computer enclosure or LCD enclosure.

As enclosure manufacturers, we have to configure our recommendations based around the operating temperatures set by the electronic manufacturers. Many people do not consider that if you fail to keep the electronics at the required operating temperature inside an enclosure, your warranty is in void.

ViewStation QSR Outdoor Digital
Menu Board

The most challenging environment is definitely a Quick Service Restaurant Drive-Thru. Extreme temperatures, snow, rain and direct sunlight all pose problems when enclosing an LCD outdoors. With the help of an air conditioner, we are able ensure outdoor digital menu boards will work 24/7 in temperatures up to 120°F. Our outdoor digital menus have been installed in Phoenix, AZ for over 3 years. This solution would not be possible without the proper thermal management.

Filtered Fan System installed on our
IceStation Titan Computer Enclosure

A manufacturing environment can also be tough on your electronics! We always suggest using at least a filtered fan system to keep the air flowing through a computer enclosure. For instances where temperatures exceed 95°F, you will want to explore the use of an air conditioner.

Thermal management ensures your electronics will work properly inside of a LCD enclosure or PC enclosure ultimately helping you get the maximum life cycle out of your equipment. After all, isn’t the purpose of using an enclosure to protect your electronics? Filtered Fans, Heat Exchangers and Air Conditioners all help to create the perfect interior environment for your electronics no matter what harsh environmental conditions exist outside of the enclosure!

CETW Expo - San Francisco

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Fri, 27 May 2011 12:34:00 +0000

ViewStation was on display again at the CETW Expo in San Francisco. Co-located in the Trident Systems booth our ViewStation Rockland kiosk was on display with our friends from Trident. The two day show brought in a number of attendees as well as vendor partners like NEC, Enqii, Chief and AOpen. As you can see from the pictures our booth is ready for action just before the doors opened. All in all the show was quite a success!

Store Point 2011

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:32:00 +0000

ViewStation QSR was on display again, well sort of. We attended the Store Point Conference in South Florida in March and though we couldn't take the actual QSR enclosure, we had several outstanding board room sessions and a number of one-on-one meetings with key personnel in the quick serve restaurant industry. The premise of this prestigious conference is to bring high-ranking QSR personnel together with companies that show great promise with products specifically for the restaurant industry. Overall we feel it was an outstanding opportunity to have the one on few, or one on one type of exposure that allows for a company to really tell their story and show off their wares to the decision makers that can truly make a difference. As you can see from the photo below it wasn't all work...we managed to have a little fun too. Revelers are enjoying a fun evening at our final night' s dinner. We look forward to next year's Store Point Conference and the opportunities it will present.

Digital Signage Expo 2011

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 19:28:00 +0000

Well, Digital Signage Expo (DSE) went very well for us here at ITS this year! As you can see from the pictures (yes, that is our President, J.T. Spangler in the gold jacket) we displayed a variety of products including our 1 X 1 Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR) enclosure, large format touch screen and credit kiosk with some help from our friends at Trident and Versatile! We also displayed our 3 X 1 QSR enclosure in the new products area. The 3 X 1 garnered substantial attention and pointed a number of prospects to our booth! All in all it was a great show with many old friends and new prospects dropping by our booth.

ViewStation QSR (quick serve restaurant) in action!!!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:46:00 +0000

ITSENCLOSURES has just recently begun one of our largest ViewStation QSR (quick serve restaurant) enclosure deployments for a major QSR chain. Pictured is the installation from the flagship store for this major chain. We are now beginning deployments in two major cities (30 stores) for a broader trial that will lead to a system wide deployment later in 2011 and throughout 2012! These enclosures will face the worst of the elements but our proprietary thermal management will keep the internal electronics cool, dry and functioning 24/7 as demanded. This particular install is utilizing our 1 X 1 pre-sell board and 3 X 1 menu board. We also offer a 2 X 1 menu board for a complete lineup of QSR enclosures.

Keep watching for more posts! If you are at DSE in Las Vegas next week visit our booth (#2227) and stop by to see our 3 X 1 QSR enclosure in the new products pavilion!

ViewStation on display at KioskCom/Digital Signage Expo!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 19:17:00 +0000

I know it's been a while so I wanted to catch you up on my latest travels. Spent the majority of last week at the KioskCom/Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas with John Przybylinski of our touch screen partner, Trident Systems! Seems that all of the good trade shows are taking up permanent residence in Vegas these days. There were a fair number of qualified leads and during the two day show both John and I found ourselves very busy and speaking to multiple prospects at one time. Lots of good questions and good exposure.

Can't wait for the National Restaurant Show in Chicago with NEC starting 5/22 thru 5/25!!!!

Will be updating all of you again soon!!!!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 13:34:00 +0000

Well it has been quite a while since my last post. Starting a new fiscal year and things are going pretty well so far. Lots of irons in the fire and the horizon is looking brighter. I certainly hope your business is moving in the same positive direction!

We attended the Digital Signage Expo last week in Las Vegas. Lots of great buzz! The show was alive this year with lots of new attendees and some familiar faces as well. ITSENCLOSURES again displayed our ViewStation wares and had quite a bit of positive feedback. We also made some very fortunate meetings with prospects from transportation, quick serve restaurants, integrators and more! Take a look at our photos just before the opening...the booth was clean and we displayed several levels of enclosures and covers along with a touch screen provided by our friend John Przbylinski of Trident. We even had our 2 X 1 quick serve restaurant enclosure in the New Products Pavilion!

I will be sure to update on my trips in March...good luck!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:23:00 +0000

As promised here is the end result of our first venture with the Wendy's/Arby's Group and NEC at their new location in Atlanta. The finished product looks great, if I do say so myself...

The outdoor enclosures/displays will serve as the pre-board and full menu board in the drive thru lanes at this new showcase store in Northeast Atlanta. Inside there are 46" LCD displays above the ordering counter with 40" displays throughout the dining room for "infotainment" This location, the first Wendy's/Arby's location, will serve as a model for these new joint brand locations moving forward. Expect to see Wendy's/Arby's locations springing up around the U.S. over the next several years. We are very pleased and proud to have this opportunity with both WAG and NEC!

Next up: the regional transportation center in Reno, NV...Stay tuned!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 21:36:00 +0000

I have been on the road in the past couple of weeks and have some things to share with all of you. We visited our new partner, LSI Industries last week and did a demonstration of our QSR signage enclosures for management personnel. They were quite impressed and look forward to the next level with discussions regarding our two companies working together. If you look closely you can see my boss, JT Spangler (to the right of the enclosure), actually pitching in a little... :-) We also got photos of LSI's "Image Room", quite impressive!

I will post pictures of the finished product from the new Wendy's/Arby's store in Atlanta very soon!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:34:00 +0000

Well, we are back from Louisville, home of the Colonel. Our demonstration with our partner, Rich Ventura of NEC Display Solutions for KFC went fantastic! They were very impressed with our QSR (quick serve restaurant) menu board enclosure solution and have decided to do a trial in Louisville within the next couple of weeks! Take a look at some of the pictures below.

We are very encouraged by our success thus far with the QSR enclosure and looking toward more success in the very near future! Next visit to our friends at Gerresheimer Glass!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:27:00 +0000

Well the install is done! The enclosures look great and when the renovated Arby's store in Atlanta opens on December 1 things should look fantastic! We had our challenges on this install but ITS Production Manager, Shannon Roberts was instrumental in helping the project move along and the install got completed correctly and on time. Pictures below show some of the story...

Thanks to everyone on the jobsite that put in the extra time to get these enclosures installed right! We look forward to working with our partner, Rich Ventura of NEC Display Solutions in our efforts with further quick serve restuarant enclosure installations!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:25:00 +0000

Well, they are ready to go! We have finally finished the enclosures for our first quick serve restaurant customer. Working with our partner, NEC Display Solutions, we will be traveling to oversee the installation in Atlanta next week. Can't wait to see the customer's reaction to our new design...Some pictures of the units just before shipping below.

Can't wait to update all of you on the install...I'll have plenty of pictures for you to review...until then...

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 19:58:00 +0000

Well a busy early fall and a bit of travel and suddenly it has been a while since I updated my posts...sorry about that. Recent travels have taken me a few places; the Boston area, New York, Harrisburg and even lovely Altoona, PA.

I made visits to Joseph's Gourment Pasta (a division of Nestle) and saw how they have implemented our outstanding IS73 design. We are working with them during renovation to install a number of additional enclosures. Take a look at this pick of our IS73 design for them...a handsome industrial application if I do say so myself!

I also had an opportunity to look in on our work in progress on the SkyTrain at JFK Airport in New York. We have been helping our partner IK Systems and the NYNJ Port Authority to protect the new flat panel displays at the various stops on the airport SkyTrain. These particular pictures are from Jamaica Station. There are many more to come!

We also received an update from our friend Ryan Cahoy of our partner Rise Display on the Arrowhead Stadium install in Kansas City...visit the following link for updated information and pics on the install http://www.risedisplay.com/blog/outdoor_enclosures_improve_the_game_day_experience/ Game day action on a protected LCD in the concourse area...can there be anything so beautiful? Sorry, I get emotional when LCD's look good and are well protected from the elements.

Well until next time....keep your screens clean, dry and protected!

Football stadiums galore!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:25:00 +0000

Well it has been a busy week! As promised from my last blog post I have pictures from our two most recent stadium opportunities. On Monday I visited Beaver Stadium, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions, to check out one of our latest installations in progress! What a fantastic application for those sitting below the South endzone overhang. They are obstructed from seeing the scoreboard which precludes this section of fans from seeing instant replay as well as down, distance and out of town scores just to name a few things. This application of two 32" ViewStation enclosures will now provide live game feed along with pertinent scoreboard information throughout the game. Working with our partners, Jeff Schaffer and Geoff Scheaffer from Stahl Scheaffer Engineering and Jason Smith from Penn State ViewStation was able to provide an outstanding side by side solution with custom mounting to ensure performance through rainy falls, harsh winters and touchdown celebrations when the cantilevered overhang starts rockin'. Check some of the in progress pictures above...We should have some finished pictures within the next couple of weeks, stay tuned!

I also made a trip to Kansas City to visit the home of the Chiefs, Arrowhead Stadium. What an outstanding facility! I had the opportunity to work with our partners, Rise Display and Mark One Electric on this installation. When the Chiefs worked out a promotional deal with Sony they needed to have a way to protect the displays to ensure long life. Sony suggested ViewStation from positive experiences on various projects which we have worked in the past. We always appreciate an opportunity and we ran with this one! Rise Display is providing content assistance while Mark One is the "hands on" electrical contractor for the stadium renovation. As you can see from the pictures below this is an outstanding application for the ViewStation enclosures! Great protection providing long life and my, they look good too!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 15:24:00 +0000

We had a great visit to see some of our handy work at the new Dayton RTA bus terminal in downtown Dayton, OH. As you can see in the picture on the left Tyla Wightman of our integration partner, Sign Dynamics is admiring the outstanding ViewStation application with myself and J.T. Spangler. Not only was this one of the very best applications of the ViewStation enclosure line but also the most beautiful and functional bus terminal I had ever visited. As you will see in the picture above (center) there are pots with evergreen plants, radiant heaters for the cold winters in Dayton and a wonderful arching roof to protect patrons from the summer heat. Along with the ticket center and retail shops across the stree in the main RTA building this is hands down one of the finest pieces of urban architecture I have seen in quite some time!

We were very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Tyla Wightman of Sign Dynamics and their partners in the completion of this project. With cooperation by all we were able to get these aesthetically pleasing and functional signs in place for the grand opening on Saturday, August 15th. It is always gratifying to deliver an effective product to our customers but it is even better to deliver a beautiful product as well.

Please follow my postings as I will be visiting our new installs at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City and Beaver Stadium at Penn State over the next 10 days! More pics to come!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:40:00 +0000

Well, I am very proud to announce that ITSENCLOSURES has landed two very high profile projects with our ViewStation enclosure products! We have been chosen to provide enclosures for both Arrowhead Stadium, home of the Kansas City Chiefs and Beaver Stadium, home of the Penn State Nittany Lions! These two projects represent a further advancement into the stadium market for the ViewStation product line. We already have ViewStation enclosures installed at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago, Citi-Field in New York, Minute Maid Park in Houston and Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles just to name a few.

Kansas City is looking to protect the new Sony displays they are installing for the upcoming season. Our partner Rise Display has been invaluable in assisting us with our work on this project. Gus Rodriguez and Alan Clayton have spear headed this project from the local standpoint and have been a great help every step of the way. The Penn State install is to provide fans under the west end zone overhang a view of scoreboard information and instant replay with 11 sets of side by side 32" enclosures. Jeff and Geoff of Stahl Sheaffer Engineering were instrumental with their research of enclosures and full understanding of the engineering implications for this project. We thank both of our partners from these projects! I also want to commend the production shop crew; Production Manager Shannon Roberts and his staff, Joe, John, Art and Brandon have worked extra hard to keep these projects on schedule!

As you can see above there are several pictures of the guys in the production shop working hard to get these projects out on time. Check out the Penn State blue on those enclosures, they are going to look very sharp!

Keep an eye out for my next post as I will have pictures of both installations for your review.

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 12:15:00 +0000

I recently made a visit out to our ViewStation install for SkyTrain in Vancouver, BC Canada. Our partners on this project are, Scott Campbell of Best Buy Canada (Commercial Division) and Ron Keenan of SkyTrain. As you can see from the pictures this is a first class install! Best Buy working with SkyTrain certainly put together an outstanding first phase of this multi-phase project. These signs are used for passenger information and will jump into action in case there is an emergency event at any or all of the stations. We have worked with Scott and Ron to get six of the stations installed and will be working with them moving forward to get the remaining 22 stations up and running with this outstanding system! Kudos to both Best Buy and SkyTrain for getting this project together and installed in record time!

We look forward to partnering with both companies on Phase II and hopefully a return trip to Vancouver...what a beautiful city!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:28:00 +0000

Big news!!!!!! We have now had the opportunity to do some testing with a new method of thermal managment and have had outstanding results! We have set a 46" NEC high-bright display within one of our enclosures and have had success with the display working to it's fullest potential even in direct sunlight! We feel we have overcome inherent issues that solar loading causes such as "clearing" of the display, or blacking out due to excessive heat load. We will be doing further testing of course, but the inital tests bear out the fact that this type of cooling should work in virtually any environment!

I will keep you up to date as we test further but this solution will be on the fast track to get a marketable product into production very soon!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:21:00 +0000

I had the opportunity last week to visit InfoComm in Orlando. Much to my surprise it was quite busy at the show. I had anticipated reduced crowds with the down turn in the economy but things were quite busy and aisles were actually jammed at points during my visit. I made visits to our distribution partners, Peerless and Chief to see what they were up to...much to my dismay they chose not to display the ViewStation enclosure solution. I also stopped to see offerings from Samsung, NEC, LG, Panasonic and others. Most of what I saw was pretty typical though Samsung had their high-bright display in a rather neat portrait stand-up enclosure. Though it was rather slick looking I would question whether or not it actually has the capabilities they state as no one in the booth (after three conversations) could tell me if the unit would stand up to direct sun exposure.

All in all a good visit as I met some folks that have upcoming projects and it seems our reputation is starting to get some traction in the transportation field as well as the stadium arena areas. I met with Scott Campbell of Best Buy Canada's commercial division regarding my upcoming trip to the North West to get some pics of our initial install as well as discussion regarding phase 2 of that project...BIG EXCITEMENT! I will be visiting some other customers/locations and will outline them in an upcoming post.

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:06:00 +0000

Well I got the opportunity to spend the day last Thursday (June 11) in New York. My mission: stop by and see Bob Piucci of Metro North Railroad at the new 153rd Street Station near Yankee Stadium. I got some great photos and the application was right in the sweet spot for our durable ViewStation large format display enclosures. There were a number of ViewStation units in portrait and landscape configuration being used with train schedule info as well as trackside train tracking information. GREAT APPLICATION! I was very impressed with Metro North's engineering of the units into the station as well as their professionalism regarding installation. We also appreciate the help of our integration partner, Kevin Mulvaney of Tele-Measurements and display partner, Joe Castellano of Sony... Thanks to all for their hospitality during my visit!

My second stop was at the brand new home of the New York Mets, Citi-Field! A baseball paradise made all the better by our standard ViewStation enclosures as well as a number of our new passively cooled ViewStation units! Tom DeStio of ADR Media, our integration partner on this project, showed me around the ball yard as we took photos of our newest stadium application. Again, outstanding presentation and ViewStation is an outstanding choice for their environment! Some units are hanging in the seating area where the view of the scoreboard is limited and the passively cooled units are in place near the concession areas to allow folks getting the necessary gametime snack a view of the game while the action is still going on.

Two more great applications of our fine ViewStation line of products!

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:08:00 +0000

I had an opportunity to exhibit at the KioskCom Expo with our partner Trident Systems in Las Vegas last week. We had a great show with a number of fantastic prospects there to discuss not only our new ViewStation touch screen application but also Trident’s robust offerings of touch screen solutions.
We were very pleased with the quality of prospects throughout the show and the hospitality offered by the KioskCom organizers. Trident showed off their 40” DST touch technology which offers near multi-touch capabilities with its speed and accuracy. ITS brought along our 42” ViewStation touch solution featuring a projected-capacitive touch overlay provided by Trident. Check out the pictures above of my partner in crime John Przybylinski talking with our friends from Canada, Jeff and Andrew. Trust me this is the best angle to shoot pictures of John…LOL…
I always enjoy going to Las Vegas but five days is quite enough for this guy… J I am looking forward to InfoComm in Orlando next month and will hopefully re-connect with some of you there!

ViewStation at Digital Signage Expo

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:35:00 +0000

Well hello again, it has been a while. I will post more frequently in the upcoming months to bring you closer to the day to day here at ITSENCLOSURES/ViewStation.

I wanted to talk about our visit to the Digital Signage Expo (DSE) show in Las Vegas during late February. Not only did we have a fantastic show (hope we saw you personally), but it is always good to visit Las Vegas. This particular DSE show seemed to be all business as I believe there were more serious attendees considering the restrictions on travel at some companies.

We displayed our flagship ViewStation enclosure but with a twist. Our ViewStation now has optional touch screen capabilities! Very exciting and really easy to use. Now you can have the protection you desire with touch screen capability outdoors! We also had our new Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR) enclosure (pictured above) that included two 46" displays in portrait mode. Last but not least we had our venerable CoverStation unit for indoor applications.

If we did not see you at DSE I hope to see you at Kiosk Com/Digital Signage Show in Las Vegas May 6th and 7th as we will be sharing a booth with our touch screen partners Trident Systems! I hope to see you there...

noreply@blogger.com (ITSENCLOSURES) — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 18:09:00 +0000

Hello, I am Karl Jackson, Director of Sales here at ITSENCLOSURES welcome to my blog! I will use this blog to chronicle my travels and work on various projects we have done, and are doing with our industrial and ViewStation product lines. I hope you will follow along with our efforts and provide feedback; we always appreciate your perspective.

ITSENCLOSURES attended the NEC Display Solutions Summit in Chicago. We were among the exhibitors at the NEC Summit where attendees are made up of key individuals in the digital signage world. The ViewStation exhibit consisted of the famous “mini-me” model of the ViewStation large format display enclosure. The ViewStation is our large format display enclosure specifically designed for digital signage applications. This was our 2nd trip to the NEC Summit and included a training session with over 20 NEC representatives on the ViewStation line of products. All in all a great success!

After exhaustive negotiations, we have closed a deal for 51 ViewStation units through one of our distribution partners to be installed at the airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates! The display/enclosure units will be used for flight information as well as advertising. The initial 51 units are part of a larger project to bring over 350 display/enclosures to the airport over the next 18 months. We are very excited to have this opportunity for ViewStation product to be installed in the Middle East.

I recently made a visit to one of our newest installations at the Austin-Straubel airport in Green Bay, WI. The personnel at Austin-Straubel had the foresight to plan a “cell phone” parking lot on the airport. As a person who is awaiting an incoming flight you can go to this parking lot and park free of charge. At a point in the lot there is a ViewStation enclosure with a display that shows incoming flight information so you know when flights have arrived and subsequently when to leave the lot to pick up your party. This eliminates the costs and hassle of parking and keeps congestion around the terminal to a minimum. Hats off to Sue Bertrand and her personnel for this install idea.