New Split-Flap TV Platform Emulates Electromechanical Mass Transport Displays, Without The Moving Parts

September 15, 2022 by Dave Haynes

I’ve always loved spinning and chattering split-flap and flip-disc mechanical display boards, but probably like other people with operations in their backgrounds, tempered that affection with wariness about ALL the moving parts that could stick or fail.

I’ve seen some creative templates that borrow the look of these displays, but now a Belgian company has come up with a full digital signage platform that emulates the look, functionality and actions of split-flaps in software and screens.

The developer of what’s called Split-Flap TV already has almost 25 years in digital signage – the Belgian firm PresentationPoint that’s best known for using Microsoft PowerPoint as the foundation for digital signage presentations.

Since 1998, PresentationPoint has been a dynamic force in the global Information Systems market with its tools being utilised in numerous organizations, such as airports, schools, companies, government agencies, city halls, police stations, exhibition halls, banks, and many more.  Typically, clients use PresentationPoint’s products for digital signage, live updating, automated reporting, digital menu boards, manufacturing KPI monitoring, dashboarding, data-driven presentations, waiting room queue management, and other tasks.

In the company’s latest news, PresentationPoint is excited to announce the official launch of its brand-new, yet nostalgic, product, the Split-Flap TV.  According to the company, the Split-Flap TV board can display a series of messages with opening hours, product info, running promotions, stock quotes, flight/train info, social media pages, price lists, and motivational quotes, just to name a few.  The Split-Flap TV is affordable, easy to maintain, and simple to install – all with just a standard Smart TV – and can be scheduled remotely via a phone or computer.

“Fifty years ago, the mechanical information board was born,” says spokesperson for the company, Kurt Dupont.  “Nowadays, while everyone is using full digital information boards, we’ve developed the Split-Flap TV, an affordable split flap simulation for companies and brands who want to be retro and nostalgic by using these boards – complete with their typical clicking sounds when they update.”

The Split-Flap TV app gives businesses complete control over how they want their display to look and includes features such as:

The solution is built around an app loaded on an Android-based smart display or an HDMI stick player/device like a Fire TV or Chromecast.

It runs on:

It will not work out of the box, so to speak, on Samsung Tizen or LG webOS smart displays.

The device gets married to a cloud account and then the operator uses software to set things like the number of lines and characters. Users subscribe, though there is also a starter package that involves an upfront one-year of service.

The artisanal/hipster/steampunk crowd might shun a digital simulator in favor of the real electro-mechanical things – like what Breakfast showed at DSE a few years ago – but practical old me things this is a happy compromise that delivers the look and sound, but with very few moving parts.

  1. Paul Fleuranges says:

    I can see some Transit operators taking a serious look at this product, more so for large terminal displays than individual stations. I recall that Breakfast product as well. This sounds a bit more advanced.

Leave a comment