When it comes to Digital Signage and Enterprise Video, there are many different media players on the market. So, how do you know which one is right for you? With technical buyers focusing on the hardware specs (available outputs, processing power, memory etc.), and the finance team with an eye on the bottom line, the actual use-case can get overlooked.
In this two-part blog piece, we asked some of our customers to tell us why they bought the Amino H200, what criteria they considered before arriving at that decision, and some of the reasons they chose to work with us.
Looking to keep people informed and engaged?
If you have a captive audience in a waiting room or staff breakout area, consider using an inbuilt “Channel Player Application”. This type of solution can provide dynamic content that will maintain viewers’ interest and attention on the screen.
The Amino H200 media player removes the need for a separate box by including a built-in channel player application. Playback and Channel Management can be controlled locally with the supplied IR remote control and RS-232, or over a local network using the simple REST APIs hosted on the H200 device. Off-line pre-provisioning of the Channel Lineup via USB is also possible for isolated and/or secure networks.
Low Latency is critical in a live playback environment
In situations where “as-it-happens” playback (such as sports, gaming or betting) is pivotal to the customer experience, a media player solution that supports low latency playback is essential.
Amino’s long history of developing video products for the Pay TV market gives our products a significant advantage when implementing complex video and security solutions. The Amino H200 media player supports Low Latency HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) and Low Latency-DASH to achieve sub-one second latencies depending on encoding and CDN delivery.
Where high-performance, low-latency streaming is required over public networks that may have low stability, Secure Reliable Transport (SRT) video transport protocol is also possible with the H200. This extremely secure protocol utilizes 128/256-bit AES encryption and is built into the Amino Browser and Channel Player application in the Amino H200.
Location, location, location ….
When deploying a digital signage solution in a commercial setting it is important to ensure the build quality is up to the required standard. Many digital signage CMS vendors now offer apps that run on consumer grade media players which were only intended for home use and not designed for consistent 24/7 use. They are generally made from plastic, cannot withstand extreme environmental conditions and haven’t been designed with out-of-sight use cases or protection from tampering in mind.
The Amino H200 is an enterprise grade unit with ruggedized industrial metal chassis to dissipate heat and provide protection. Sector-specific features include a Power over Ethernet (PoE) capability for single-cable installation that reduces installation time and cost. A HDMI port, RS232 port, IR extender port and VESA mounting all support out-of-sight operation, easy installation, and a simplified user experience.
I need to show side-by-side and picture-in-picture or mosaic displays
Multi-decode enables the display to show side-by-side broadcasts as well as picture-in-picture and mosaic displays. This can be utilized for a number of digital signage use cases, from point of sale displays where live broadcasts can run alongside pre-roll advertising, to sporting events and hospitality where multiple angles or games may wish to be displayed simultaneously.
The Amino H200 supports single 4kp60, Dual 4kp30, Quad 1080p60 along with multiples of SD decode. Combinations of codecs and/or video transports can then provide picture-in-picture and mosaics.
Need support for enhanced media playback codecs?
Developers and system integrators working with high performance applications requiring access to playback technologies not normally included with an off-the-shelf media player, have welcomed Amino’s Media Player Development Kit. The Amino browser and Channel Player application come with Video Transports built in. Developers and system integrators can easily deploy and deliver their native application using Amino Orchestrate to targeted devices, precisely controlling the upgrade lifecycle for mission critical use cases.