Company: STRATACACHEWeb Site: http://www.stratacache.comCountry or Region: United StatesIndustry: High Tech and Electronics ManufacturingPartner: Arrow ElectronicsPartner Web Site: http://www.arrow.com

Company ProfileSTRATACACHE is a leading provider of scalable, high-performance digital signage, media/content distribution, and enterprise video acceleration technologies.

Software and Services Windows Embedded Standard 2009 Microsoft Consulting Services

Hardware Intel Atom processor

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“Most of our customers find that the SPECTRA S-200 Series 2 typically pays for itself in a few months. That ROI is enhanced by low cost of ownership enabled by Windows Embedded.” Chris Riegel, CEO, STRATACACHE

Retailers Save Millions with STRATACACHE ActiVia Digital Signage

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Digital Signage Market Explodes with Growth and InnovationRetailers have always aspired to impact consumer behavior at the point of purchase. Today, that dream is a reality as digital signage replaces print media in restaurants, stores, and banks. Running on the Windows Embedded Standard 2009 operating system and Intel Atom hardware platform, the ultra-efficient STRATACACHE SPECTRA S-200 Series 2 Media Player sets new standards for high performance and easy management. By deploying over 11,000+ of these new digital signage systems, one leader in the Retail industry will save $4 million annually in energy costs.

SituationDigital signage is in the midst of a massive adoption wave as consumer advertising migrates from traditional media, such as television and radio, to mobile and digital signage to improve communication with consumers at the point of purchase.

“We’re riding the straight-up arrow on the growth curve,” states Chris Riegel, founder and CEO of STRATACACHE, a leader in digital signage technologies. “Consumer actions are impacted by digital signage. It’s simple: a high quality picture and motion graphic of a premium product at the point of selection showing its features and benefits entices a consumer to select it versus another product.”

In the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) industry, new food labeling laws are a legislative catalyst, since digital signage makes it easier to change calorie counts and other nutritional information quickly. Other markets for digital signage include retail, banking, and hospitality – essentially,

any brand or advertiser that can benefit from enhanced messaging to customers.

“In early 2009, we saw the opportunity to change the architecture of digital signage systems,” recalls Riegel. “We interviewed hundreds of customers and clearly heard the requirement to help

them lower their operating costs while improving their sales. Retail businesses count pennies, so they require a cost effective solution, but it still must be technically capable and reliable.”

Retailers wanted digital signage solutions with HD quality graphics for a superior in-store experience, but they also required reduced energy costs for an environmentally responsible footprint.

SolutionSTRATACACHE contacted its Microsoft Windows distributor, Arrow Electronics, about the opportunity. “Arrow immediately identified the right Microsoft people, who came to the table quickly, understood

SPECTRA S-200 Series 2

our

needs, and marshaled their resources,” Riegel explains.

Selecting the small, power-efficient Intel Atom processor was a bold decision. “Our requirement is to give consumers a high-quality visual experience, says Riegel. “Microsoft’s Windows Embedded technology, plus the Intel Atom processor, gave us the perfect marriage of cost, capability, and performance as the platform for our ActiVia for Media digital signage software.”

Windows Embedded Standard 2009 met all of the customer’s requirements. “We wanted a lean, mean task-specific OS for our ActiVia player, and Windows Embedded allowed for flexible customization resulting in a very small footprint,” states Riegel. “For example, we didn’t need accessories or printer drivers, but we did want rich graphics and HD video driver support. Windows Embedded allowed us to build exactly what we wanted and do more with less.”

He continues: “We also benefited from strong engagement around this project from the Microsoft OEM Engineering / Consulting Services group, who supported our file image master test and build.”

The final product, the SPECTRA S-200 Series 2 Media Player, is one of the smallest, most power-efficient media players on the market. The ultra-low power architecture allows the SPECTRA S-200 Series 2 to run at just 8-10 watts while playing video at full HD 1080p, compared to up to 200 watts for most media players.

BenefitsIn any retail environment, the Return on Investment (ROI) for the SPECTRA S-200 Series 2 Media Player is driven by increased product sales; reduced energy costs; the elimination of print materials and shipping/logistics costs and greater operational efficiency for the business.

Restaurants and retailers also see dramatically increased product sales with the SPECTRA S-200 Series 2. “Our systems impact customer behavior in the store, driving greater awareness and desire for specific products, which sell significantly more when featured on the display,” observes Riegel.

Digital Signage also helps retailers eliminate the legacy costs of printed signage. ”It can cost between $60 and $100 per revision, per store to change existing print material or translucent films in light-boxes”, states Riegel. With weekly or monthly changes, this drives a significant operational expense. With digital signs, media can be changed in minutes with no incremental cost per message.

“Most of our customers find that the SPECTRA S-200 Series 2 typically pays for itself in a few weeks in operational cost savings and improved sales of featured products,” states Riegel. “That ROI is enhanced by the low cost of ownership enabled by Windows Embedded.”

IT and Marketing professionals responsible for maintaining digital signage networks are the primary users of the STRATACACHE ActiVia software suite and SPECTRA S-200 Series 2 player. Their familiarity and knowledge of the Windows environment lowers support costs.

“One of the core appeals of Windows Embedded is the ease of integration with other in-store Windows devices,” explains Riegel. “Confidence is another important benefit because digital signage is on 24/7. The Windows Embedded OS has built in reliability and high availability.”

He concludes: “We look forward to growing our business with Windows Embedded Standard 7, which has many compelling features for digital signage, such as advanced graphics overlay and blending capabilities.

Keyword: Retail & Hospitality; Digital Signage

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Document published Januaryr 2011

“We wanted a lean, mean task-specific OS for our ActiVia player, and Windows Embedded allowed for flexible customization resulting in a very small footprint."Chris Riegel, CEO, STRATACACHE