PADS DIGITAL COMMUNICATION SOFTWARE BY NET DISPLAY SYSTEMS Overview Net Display Systems have been refining their PADS (Public Area Display Systems) digital signage software for over eighteen years now. With the very recent release of PADS4 they have delivered a mature, powerful but elegant solution that can meet the needs of pretty much every digital signage application. Distribution PADS is distributed and supported in New Zealand by Pro Video Systems, and sold through their reseller channel partners. This in turn is backed by direct support access to Net Display Systems as well. PADS4 PADS is basically made up of three core components that operate in a Windows 7 environment. PADS Designer allows for the user to create screen presentation using a very familiar Microsoft Office style interface. These presentations can have multiple pages with multiple elements on any page. The layout is completely freeform and can include Video, Text, Charts, Tables, Pictures, Shapes, Tickers, RSS feeds, Live Video Feeds etc. These elements can either be created directly in the Designer or they can come from external data sources such as SQL databases, Word Documents, Microsoft Exchange or something as simple as a folder where the user drops pictures or video files for playback. Pads Scheduler is where the user assigns what plays where and when. It allows the user to create simple schedules that can be pushed out to individual displays, groups of displays or all displays on the network. The user can also create advanced recurring schedules of multiple presentations in a single playlist PADS Viewer as the name suggests is the software that resides on the Display PC. The viewer software synchronises its content with the main PADS Server PC. Content then resides on the viewer PC which reduces network overheads and also allows the viewer to continue to operate even if the network connection is lost for some reason. In combination with the Designer and with the appropriate display including RS‐232 control, the viewer PC can control the display to turn it on and off switch inputs etc. HARDWARE The recommended hardware is at least a Core2 Duo 2.0GHz processor with 2GB of RAM running Windows 7 embedded or a full version of Windows 7. We strongly recommend the use of the AOpen DE7000 Digital Engine PC. This is supplied by Pro Video Systems and has been thoroughly tested in 24/7 digital signage environments. This compact PC has been specifically designed for digital signage and continuous HD Video playback. It is extremely compact with ventilation technology that allows it to run when mounted horizontally or vertically. LICENSE MODEL PADS4START is a one off license that includes the Designer, Scheduler and Server license. PADS4VWXT is the viewer license. One license per screen is typically required, however where multiple screens are always going to show identical information they can run off a single viewer license with distributed video feeds going to multiple screens.
There are four levels of Viewers with increasing features sets as you move up through the viewer options. See that attached schedule for what these capabilities are. Please note that while the Desktop Viewer has full functionality it is designed to run on desktop or personal PC’s and cannot run for more than two hours continuously. PADS4 Desktop Viewer will be available in 2013. PADS Agent is an optional product that allows for remote monitoring of the entire network of viewers. This product lets the user check the synchronisation of content, the scheduled presentations, thumbnail updates of what the viewers are displaying and allows for remote software updating of the viewers. This product is scheduled for release in September 2012. SOFTWARE ASSURANCE The original purchase price includes 12 months of software assurance. This provides all within version builds and patches as well as any new versions of the software that are released during this twelve month period. After the initial twelve months software assurance can be purchased for 15% of the price of the original licenses. USER INTERFACES PADS Designer
PADS Scheduler
WHAT’S NEW IN PADS4 1. New Graphical User Interface‐ What you will notice right away is that all applications have been restyled to the newest Microsoft Office style user interface. This not only reduces the learning curve for everyone familiar with Microsoft products, but also increases productivity. 2. Data providers– To even better include real‐time data from external sources PADS4 has new native data providers for Microsoft Exchange, RSS feeds, Microsoft Excel, text files, folders, ODATA, .NET and WMI. Existing data providers have been improved. Data providers can now be stored to reuse them in other presentations. 3. PADS Designer– The design window has been enriched with new items like a ruler, an elements window to easily access your page elements and a playlist window to quickly make playlist adjustments. In addition new zoom, rotation and drag‐and‐drop features enable you to design your presentations even more quickly. 4. PADS Content Library– PADS4 comes with a complete new Content Library system which is automatically synchronized across your entire PADS installation. So no matter where you are working, you will always have access to your pictures, videos and other content files. The PADS Content Library also ensures that each PADS Viewer will have access to your content to show it. 5. Simplified installation & configuration– In the setup you can now choose from predefined configurations and enter the key program settings to speed up the installation process. Viewers have become plug & play with the new automatic server detection feature. The license dongles have been replaced by a much more flexible activation mechanism. All configuration tasks have been centralized into our new PADS System Management application. 6. Page elements – Many elements have been enhanced with new properties like reflection, flip, transparent shadow and property binding. Property binding enables you to adjust element properties real‐time. Time zone and culture support for the formatted text, screen shot support for the web element and a rotation feature for the scrolling text are just a few of the many other new properties. Completely new are the interactive button element and the external application element. 7. PADS Scheduler– The PADS Scheduler application – formerly known as PADS Manager – has got a completely new calendar view. This calendar offers different views like day view, month view or timeline view to see at a glance what has been scheduled. Recurring schedules no longer have a separate view, but have been completely integrated into the same view. New schedules can now
contain a complete playlist of presentations, where you can select the individual pages you want to be visible. To quickly schedule a presentation you can use the new drag‐and‐drop feature. 8. PADS Viewer – Performance has been improved to play your presentation even more smoothly. In case of a problem you can check the black box in which all relevant information about the problem and the time period preceding the problem is stored. PADS Viewer is available in different variants as a replacement to formerly products like PADSXPRESS. 9. Software Updates– With the built‐in check for updates function you can simply download and install new versions of the PADS software. 10. Software Development Kit (SDK)– Behind the scenes we have placed a complete new ‘engine’ into the PADS system. This has resulted into a new SDK to develop custom solutions easier and more quickly. Contact us: Sitech Systems NZ Ltd Free Phone 0800 100 607 Email:
[email protected] www.sitech.co.nz