Philips Pro Displays Can Now Be Managed, Monitored From Crestron Controller Screens

August 19, 2021 by Dave Haynes

PPDS, the company that markets Philips commercial display solutions, has done an interesting tie-up with AV automation and integration giant Crestron that makes networked screens easily monitored and managed from Crestron’s XiO Cloud solution.

The XiO Cloud platform makes it possible to remotely control a screen’s functions from a touchscreen Crestron AV systems controller – which are common in many workplaces.

PPDS it is “among the world’s first manufacturers to gain Crestron XiO Cloud certification, bringing unrivalled control and management capabilities to workplace displays.”

“PPDS has become a deeply integrated Crestron partner, adopting and rapidly embracing our technology at a level that surpasses anything else seen in the current marketplace,” says Bob Bavolacco, director, technology partnerships at Crestron.

The Cloud platform is on Microsoft Azure and used by a lot of big enterprise-grade companies. It now integrates with a wide range of Philips Windows (I did not know there was such a thing, maybe OPS?), Android digital displays and smart TVs. This includes, says PPDS, its new range of Philips T-Line (for education) and C-Line (for corporate) interactive displays, plus the full range of digital signage and professional TVs, including MediaSuite, B-Line, D-Line, Q-Line, supporting the hospitality, retail, public venues and corporate industries, among others.

With Crestron XiO Cloud, customers can now configure thousands of Philips professional displays in the time it takes to configure one. The long, often costly, and disruptive configuration process for new displays and other devices is now a thing of the past, with customers able to centrally configure and provision all their Philips professional displays in all rooms before the products have been installed and without visiting the site.

Once displays are connected to the network, they will automatically retrieve their settings, programmes, and firmware specific to the environment being used, and immediately begin reporting data. This can cut installation times for new devices by up to 90%.

Updates can be scheduled on individual displays or collectively, entirely remotely and at a convenient time – such as during non-office hours – or staggered across rooms’ usage or occupancy for greater levels of efficiency, consistency, and security to the workplace.

Troubleshooting can also be tackled immediately and entirely remotely, with Crestron XiO Cloud monitoring all devices at all times, sending AV/IT managers instant alerts whenever an issue is detected. This allows problems to be addressed as and when they occur – even before the user realizes – reducing potential disruptions or equipment shutdowns to keep spaces up and running, without running to them.

With rooms and devices automatically monitored 24/7, Crestron XiO Cloud’s workplace analytics helps give managers better understanding of how rooms and systems are being used. These include system usage versus occupancy, and new people counting functionality to understand how many people are actually using rooms versus their current capacity.

Customers can purchase the Crestron XiO Cloud service on a monthly basis, with pricing based on the number of rooms and service options required. 

Crestron is one of those very big companies that has mainly operated on the fringes of digital signage – the sort of vendor that has a giant booth full of AV gear at trade shows, but most of it having little or nothing to do with signage applications.

But as we have all seen, AV and IT systems are steadily converging, and developing a deep integration with a technology giant that’s embedded into countless workplaces seems to make a bunch of sense.

Other companies that have done related things. The Crestron partner page for displays also references technology relationships with NEC, Sony, Samsung, Viewsonic, Planar, Christie and Elo – but not all of those would have much to do with signage solutions.