PPDS Launches Free Content Creation And Scheduling App For Its B-Line “Business TVs”

January 17, 2024 by Dave Haynes

PPDS has added entry-level, on-premise CMS capabilities to update and manage content on its Philips B-Line series of 4K Business TVs – enabling users to create and schedule content off of a new and free app called PPDS Publisher.

The B-Line series – available in 43 to 75-inch variants – involves 16/7-rated consumer TVs that cam be used as conventional TVs and double them up as digital signage screens.

The product is very reminiscent of what Samsung developed and launched several years ago – called Pro TV or Business TV. That was/is a prosumer display with a TV tuner that could also run signage application and was managed off a smartphone app.

PPDS pro displays run the Android OS (Android 11, it appears), while the B-Line uses Android TV (like Sony).

This is an entry-level, on-premise software solution, with basic functionality and support only for landscape orientations (you can’t use these in portrait). To work with  it, the display and smartphone app must be on the same WiFi network. Publisher only works for B-line TVs, and won’t talk to PPDS pro displays.

It is not related to PPDS’s cloud-based Wave management platform for pro displays and CMS software.

PPDS Publisher is free to download and use with the B-Line TV series, and was developed, the company says, as an enabling solution for its reseller channel – for companies who would not otherwise recommend a CMS and end-users too small or, in some cases, too frugal or budget-restricted to pay upfront or ongoing fees for a commercial, fee-based software solution.

PPDS also says it has no plans to put a price on PPDS Publisher and sell it.

Here’s what this morning’s PR says:

Part of PPDS’ commitment to delivering an ever-evolving choice of ‘total solutions’ to customers, PPDS Publisher – developed in-house and in consultation with partners and customers – is the industry’s most advanced and intuitive application of its kind, providing the tools and freedom for businesses to remotely take total control of all their visual communication needs and creative ambitions, limited only by imagination.

Perfect for a variety of businesses looking to maximise engagement – whether in an office or meeting room, a busy bar, café, gymnasium, local sports club, or medical waiting room – the PPDS Publisher app now comes embedded into all new Philips B-Line Business TVs, and can be quickly added to existing ones via a simple software update, for free.

Requiring zero training, users can simply download PPDS Publisher – available free-of charge via the App Store and Google Play store – onto their preferred smart device (including smartphones and tablets). The app can then be seamlessly and securely linked to their network of TVs.

The intuitive PPDS Publisher platform presents users with an extensive list of opportunities to start creating and building a portfolio of content that can be shared directly on Philips Business TVs.

For ease and inspiration, the platform comes with a growing choice of templates, which can be selected and tailored to suit. Content can be displayed on the entire screen, or presented alongside other forms, such as the screening of live sporting events.

Breaking further beyond the limitations and obstacles of other platforms, PPDS Publisher also offers the ability to schedule content at specific times, such as happy hour deals in bars, daily specials in restaurants, promotions in retail stores, or even staff celebrations (such as birthday messages) in the office.

Content can be fully managed as part of a playlist, with all content set to be presented for specific durations. It can be looped throughout the day, or as part of a slide show. Ad hoc content can easily be created and immediately displayed in real-time, all managed securely via a single device.

This and so much more, with regular updates being added for even greater choice and value.

Jan van Hecke, Global Product Manager, Professional TV at PPDS, commented: “At PPDS, we are committed to supporting our customers, ensuring we meet the needs of their businesses, be that through hardware or dedicated software solutions. In fast-paced environments, it is important for businesses to use and seize every opportunity, and with PPDS Publisher, we are giving them the tools and freedom to act on their instincts and ambitions – in the fastest, most secure, and cost-efficient way.

“The PPDS Publisher app is yet another example of our business listening and delivering on the demands of our customers. At PPDS, we go beyond the display, and, with PPDS Publisher, we have built a solution that will help our customers to truly maximise the benefits and opportunities available through Philips B-Line Business TVs, letting them unleash their creative minds and ideas to better their business prospects. This is an A-star update for Philips B-Line.”

I don’t know what A-star means … but assume it means top-notch, best in class or something similar.