MSU Digital Signage Information
MSU now offers a solution for digital signage for the MSU campus. This solution, designated as the campus standard for digital signage, provides the ability for departments to show departmental content on signage displays, through a centrally managed and monitored content management system based on the AxisTV product by Visix. This central management software is available to departments for no server license or maintenance costs. To receive the content from the management system, departments will need to provide or purchase hardware and licenses via several options depending on the content they wish to display.
MeetingMinder Sign
- System displays a room schedule maintained in Ad Astra (for classrooms) or Exchange (for conference rooms or spaces not scheduled with Ad Astra).
- Visix manufactures a 10” and a 15" wall mounted LED display with built-in computer ranging from $1,600 - $1,750 in cost.
- Visix manufactured displays are POE (power over ethernet) powered so no electrical outlet is required.
- A client software license is included with the hardware purchase but annual maintenance is required at a cost of about $145 per year.
General Purpose Sign
- Large format LED displays in the 50” – 70” range are commonly used. Commercial grade displays designed for 24x7 operation are recommended for reliability. NEC E-series displays on the EPL are good options.
- The player client computer and LED display are separate units so an electrical outlet and ethernet network connection are both required at installation location.
- Player client computer hardware is available from Visix and includes a player client license for about $1,600. Annual license maintenance are separate and costs are about $161.
- A mini form factor PC at a cost of $500 and up and mountable behind the monitor may be used as a player client in place of Visix hardware.
- The PC will need a player license from an MSU available pool for E&G departments; Auxiliaries and affiliates must purchase a player license and maintenance from Visix. Departments must purchase annual maintenance of about $161 per year for each license. Once the pool of player licenses are used, departments must purchase new player licenses from Visix for ~$1,100 along with annual maintenance of ~$161 per year.
- Plan for other costs that may be involved such as a bracket to mount the PC on back of display (~$100), display bracket (~$150), and installation and infrastructure costs for power and network.
- ITS will need to coordinate with the department to install and configure the software on either a purchased Visix hardware player or departmentally supplied PC.
- Departmental expertise is needed to develop and maintain departmental content. ITS will provide basic training.
Wayfinding
- Used as a You Are Here style map for directions and locating services and offices.
- Same requirements as general purpose signage, except display must be touch enabled and Visix professional services are required to build the Wayfinding layout/database. While size and scope will determine cost of project, a services engagement for the Old Main classroom building for three Wayfinding signs was approximately $25K.
- Touch enabled NEC commercial grade displays are on the EPL at ~$5,000.
General purpose displays are configured with one of two different university defined layouts. The first layout provides for the display of departmental and institutional content simultaneously. This layout includes a university news scroll feed at the bottom of the display and a weather and university events panel on the right. The rest of the display is available for departmental content. The other layout allows the department to use the whole screen for departmental content but for 15 minutes every two hours, the display will show institution wide content utilizing the whole screen. In addition, the system allows the ability for the campus Crisis Action Team to take over the entire display for Maroon Alert emergency messages.
For more information on the Visix digital signage messaging system or any of its components, contact ITS at (662) 325-0631.