DSE Mixer Sponsor Profiles: Seneca Details How It Powers World’s Top Digital Signage Projects
November 9, 2022 by Dave Haynes
Just a week out now from the reboot of DSE in Las Vegas, and the return of the used-to-be annual Sixteen:Nine networking mixer, which is seriously sold out.
The event happens because of eight great sponsors who help cover the considerable costs, and my countless hours trying to get my little label printer to do as I ask and spit out 100s of attendee names. I like to thank and recognize sponsors by running company profiles. So far, profiles have been posted on SignageOS, Creative Realities, TSItouch and Screenfeed.
Next up is Seneca, which for about eight years now has been part of the Arrow Electronics family. Arrow is a huge distributor based out of Denver. But the signage community may well know Seneca more as a specialty computer manufacturer and services provider based in Syracuse, NY.
Here’s the Q&A …
Q: Can you summarize what Seneca does and the main markets it serves?
Seneca makes products that power some of the world’s foremost digital signage and security installations. We build innovative video appliances and proprietary software tools that underpin video content in retail, QSR, DOOH, wayfinding, and other spaces. Our path to the market is through OEMs and system integrators.
Q: What is the relationship with Arrow and what does that mean for resellers and end-users?
Since 2014, Seneca has benefited from being part of Arrow Electronics. What that means for our partners is we have the backing to handle the largest projects, global capabilities, and the ability to tap into Arrow’s ecosystem of suppliers.
For example, Seneca recently developed a custom all-in-one media player, display, and enclosure for a retail deployment with specific physical constraints. We combined the Seneca engineering and signage expertise with the Arrow supplier relationships to develop the perfect custom solution for the job.
Q: You have a meeting space, I think, on the exhibit hall floor. Why should attendees book a meeting?
There is a lot going on with the Seneca portfolio, and it’s a great opportunity to learn about what’s new. Our Element Media player is a new product perfect for signage applications and configurable to meet a broad range of use cases. We were able to narrow down our product portfolio significantly with the Element launch.
We also recently worked with Bluefin to bring a family of all-in-one displays that feature Linux and Windows support and leverage Intel processors. Finally, our media players are now certified with Verizon Wireless and qualified with AWS, which opens new use cases and simplicity to customers.
Q: Where do PCs fit in the typical build of a digital signage network, and why do solutions providers and end-user customers go down that technology path versus special-purpose media players and “smart” displays?
Great question! We don’t consider our devices PCs as much as they are special-purpose media players that happen to leverage enterprise-class components and software. Many comparative products may use a free OS and ARM processor, which don’t have the robustness and performance of an Intel/AMD processor combined with Linux or Microsoft Operating System.
And why do we use such components in our digital signage solutions? For example, Windows 10 IoT has several advantages compared to free OS. Among those advantages are its reliability, long-term support, control over updates, fair prices and security.
On the other hand, X86 processors, such as those of Intel, are developed to support enterprise applications, capable of guaranteeing top performance and reliability. ARM processors are intended for low-power applications and consumer use cases, developed to save energy, sometimes sacrificing performance and reliability.
Q: What key trends are you seeing in the marketplace?
One trend we are seeing relates to the previous question. We hear less about development board-type solutions and Android-based media players than in the past. The increased IT mindset has led to our message around enterprise-type components resonating well.
The other trend is more data aggregation at the edge. Applications like demographic profiling to push on-demand dynamic content at the edge and endemic advertising.
Q: Are buyer profiles shifting and evolving?
We are seeing an emergence of buyers in the DOOH and Retail Media Networks space. In the past, this was more conceptual, but ad monetization is becoming more pervasive for retailers.
Q: What do you see as the main reason to be at DSE?
Finally, having face-to-face events has reminded us of the value of in-person engagement. DSE is the only show where our entire ecosystem is in one place, and we are excited to see everyone!
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