LG formalizes software ties with BroadSign

November 16, 2010 by Dave Haynes

LG Electronics USA has made formal its relationship with BroadSign as the software under the hood of its turnkey digital signage solution, called SuperSign Premier-s.

The solution was called SignNET when it was unveiled at InfoComm, and BroadSign’s involvement was kept very quietly in the background. To align with another LG digital signage software platform, sold in other countries as SuperSign, SignNet was rebranded as SuperSign Premier this fall. That one is called SuperSign Elite.

The SuperSign Premier offer is described as a solution ready to go out of the box.

SuperSign Premier’s user interface (UI) is based on BroadSign’s core SaaS technology and has a customized LG UI specifically designed for SMBs deploying networks of 25 players or less. The hardware package consists of an LG flat panel display (model M4214C) and the LG NC2000 media player that provides access to content management software and starter templates as well as news and weather feeds. SuperSign Premier also is supported by 48-hour on-site hardware swap, technical support and convenient monthly financing.

“Software is a critical component of any digital signage solution and is the impetus behind establishing strong relationships with leading third-party software developers,” said Jeff Dowell, vice president, Digital Signage, LG Electronics USA. “BroadSign has best-of-class software that, combined with LG hardware, will provide SMBs with the technology solution they need to get up and running quickly.”

Brian Dusho, CEO, BroadSign International, said, “To win over small and medium-sized businesses, a digital signage system should be easy to use, yet versatile and powerful in the back-end. LG’s all-in-one solution resolves this challenge and will make a big impact on the market. BroadSign software is an integral component of LG’s total solutions package, and we are excited to be part of this great product.”

Expansive Alliances

Dowell explained that SuperSign Premier is supported by a variety of key content provider partners, led by CNN. LG enjoys a long-standing alliance with news leader CNN, which provides more than a dozen news and entertainment feeds that can be easily and quickly integrated by the end user. LG is also teaming with iStockphoto, which offers easy, affordable and royalty-free photos, illustrations, video, audio and Flash files.

SuperSign Premier also offers direct access to LG’s “Certified Content Providers” (CCP) that offer custom content creation services optimized for the SuperSign Premier system. Initial LG CCP providers include Aspect Productions, Alchemy, Blue Pony and Saddle Ranch Productions.

Pricing and Availability

SuperSign Premier has a target monthly price of $149 for 36 months. SuperSign Premier is currently available at select major distributors. The product is available to order now and is planned for shipping this month. Supplementary features to further enhance SuperSign Premier are expected in the coming months.

This is a little bit of a re-announcement, or even a re-re-announcement, since pretty much everything is the same as the SuperSign Premier announcement in September. What IS different is the price for the bundle, which is down $30 a month – presumably owing to hardware price drops and a little pot-sweetening for the marketplace.

It certainly serves BroadSign well, as it perhaps gives some notice that the company is getting past its staff-shedding austerity period, and has been checked out and OK’d by one of the world’s larger technology companies. That’s more than a bit of a comforting piece of information for the seller and the buyers out there.

The custom front-end that simplifies the BroadSign user experience is important, as the platform is very solid (I used to sell it) but requires two-days of training.

I liked the SignNET notion when it came out because of the baked-in leasing program and the way pretty much all the checkboxes are ticked for an SMB.

So we have most of the big technology companies now sorted with either their own platform (NEC) or partnerships/alliances. So who’s left?

OK, IBM, you’re up.