inLighten Release CMS-Neutral StudioPro Content Creation Tool For Digital Signage

May 31, 2018 by Dave Haynes

Buffalo, NY-based digital signage software shop inLighten has started marketing an interesting new content creation tool for digital signage networks that’s aimed for users of any skill level and NOT tied to a particular content management system.

So an end-user can produce material using StudioPro, but output it to use on whatever CMS software and player the end-user happens to use.

The software is a hybrid desktop/web application that users download and run on Windows machines, but is tied to a cloud account with a monthly $15.50 USD subscription.

“From StudioPro’s inception our plan was to deliver a universal solution that would allow end users to easily create content that will look good on their screens, regardless of the digital signage system they’re using,” says inLighten CEO Dan Snyder. “We made StudioPro available to everyone – you don’t have to be an inLighten digital signage client to take advantage of it.”

“As a technology innovator and industry leader, we’re constantly talking to organizations that use other companies’ digital signage systems,” adds Snyder. “Even though they may be satisfied with their current system, the fact that they have to rely on difficult-to-use design software is an ongoing source of frustration for them. Now, for the first time, even though they may be under contract with another vendor, they’ve got an option to make that headache go away. inLighten believes that what benefits our industry as a whole is ultimately good for us.”

Snyder says inLighten’s goal was to ease the pain for a lot of signage users who don’t have the time or skills to learn and use something like the Adobe Creative Suite, or proprietary systems bundled with some CMS software companies.

“We have clients whose digital signage footprint ranges from a single screen to thousands of screens. They’re able to give us unique insight into what’s important for all types of end-users because we have the advantage of talking to so many of them each day,” says Tim Curtiss, Director of Client Services for inLighten. “What we heard consistently was that they wanted a design solution that was easily accessible and user-friendly without making any compromises on the capabilities available for creating robust and sophisticated digital content.”

StudioPro, says the press release, enables users to compose dynamic, full-motion video content using existing video, audio, images and fonts. Drawing, animation, layering and editing controls are available along with hundreds of effects and transitions that can be applied to media elements for emphasis and visual appeal.

The outputs are MP4 files.

Interesting stuff. I’ve not seen the product directly, but a promo video on the company site suggests there is quite a bit of depth to the capabilities. inLighten is a longtime 16:9 supporter, and while they are just down the road and across the Niagara near Buffalo’s airport, I haven’t been in to see them or even met the team. They run pretty quietly in what is otherwise a pretty noisy eco-system, but have accumulated some 2,000 customers through the years. I think they are quite strong in financial services, education and worship.