2012
07.13

If you’ve learned about video production, or employed someone who does know about it, the next big task is to get your new video noticed. The internet has millions upon millions of voices all wanting to be heard in one capacity or another. You now need to make sure the video is worth the time and effort put into making it.

Being noticed is the holy grail of all marketing and advertising strategies. Companies who can, spend millions of dollars a year on this activity, often for unpredictable results. Many strategies include video marketing on sites like YouTube so competition is stiff. Imagination and inventiveness is more likely to let you succeed than throwing money at a problem(http://napleswebdesign.me/node/7).

For example today’s top videos on YouTube include Martha Stewart pole dancing, a video parodying Hitler and Scott Brown, and a video blog about a family dog. So you see, it isn’t about budget, it’s about producing something people want to watch. If you can entertain people and offer them something they can’t get elsewhere you’ll be a hit. Show them something already done and welcome to obscurity.

Submitting even a couple of videos to the major video sharing sites will provide more visitors to your website. Using the following tips should help you maximize the amount of visitors you get.

Firstly watch other videos similar to yours, or for products similar to yours. You can then post the URL of your video as a response that will be there for all visitors to see. Curiosity will get at least a few people clicking on your link, which should lead to more visitors, and more prospects. This is called “coat-tailing” as in riding on someone’s coat tails, but it’s an effective move.

Secondly, check out the competition. Watch their videos, check their production values, content, titles and descriptions. This gives you a benchmark from which to make your own video production. Don’t steal their ideas, get better ones, but implement anything about them you like, and if they have high traffic, mirror them if you can.

Third tip is about SEO, or Search Engine Optimization. Google has a keyword tool that you can use to check keywords on your website. Use some of the most prominent ones in the title and description of your video to maximize the value of it. Google also owns YouTube and rates videos the same way it does websites. If you produce a video that has similar keywords as your site, and links to it, it will all help with your site SEO, as well as the other benefits.

Producing a good quality video, or having one made for you is essential if you want to attract new business. A professional quality video will promote a professional image, be attractive to prospects and have a positive effect on the brand. All good things in marketing.

By being clever with your video material and making the absolute most of it at every opportunity, you can squeeze as much marketing and promotion out of it as it allows.

2012
04.24

LED Billboards

Every business needs to advertise their products or services. What is the most cost effective way to do this? Believe it or not, it is probably to rent space on an LED billboard. How can that be cost effective? There are a number of reasons.

While it may cost more to advertise on an LED billboard than to take out an ad in the paper or get a spot on a local radio or television station, it is far more efficient. One of the most important things when it comes to advertising is to make sure that a lot of people see the add. You get thousands or readers, listeners, or viewers by using the paper, tv, or radio; but you may get tens of thousands of passersby with a billboard off the highway. A newspaper gets read and tossed away. Your ad may never be seen. TV commercials are often completely ignored. Someone may change radio stations during commercials. But every car that drives down the road will notice a bright LED display.

This is true day or night. LED billboards have a striking brightness during the day,, and it is only intensified at night. A high contrast ratio will make the text very easily readable. That is another important factor. It is not just about how many people see or hear your ad, but it also matters how many people pay attention to it. An LED board will make people take note of your ad because of the high quality, eye catching display for a video wall controller.

Traffic will work to your advantage. During rush hour, bored motorists will have nothing better to do than to look at your ad. Plus, the ad is visible continuously versus other mediums where it appears or is heard on occasion and could easily be missed by the person most likely to become your customer.

Another advantage of LED billboards is that you can change the ad easily. When you add this advantage to how cost effective it is, it becomes clear that LED billboards are great for marketing. If there is an LED billboard that is renting space in your area, why not look into seeing how much it will cost?

In the end the benefits may far outweigh the expenses incurred. You may not know what to do with all of your new business. Maybe you can spend some of the extra profits on an LED video wall to put on display in your store front window.

2012
04.21

LED Backlit LCD Displays

What is an LED backlit LCD display? The simple answer is that it is a flat panel screen which uses LED backlighting instead of cold cathode backlighting (which is the standard for LCD displays). What are some of the advantages of having an LED backlight?

Panel Width. Using LED backlighting has allowed manufacturers to make thinner screens. This is useful in many applications ranging from wall mounting a display in your living room to having a complete video wall made up of LED backlit panels.

Power Consumption. LED backlighting can save about 50 percent of the electricity that is used by an LED screen with cold cathode backlighting. That makes LED backlighting good for your wallet and the environment.

Heat Dissipation. The primary enemy of electronic equipment is heat. LED backlighting will help your display to last longer by keeping heat levels down. It will also help out with your electric bill. You won’t need to spend as much money on cooling your equipment or the room. It may not make a huge difference for just one screen, but if you have multiple displays this can really save you money and time spent on maintenance.

Display Brightness. LED backlighting is far brighter than cold cathode backlighting. This makes the display better in varying lighting conditions. It is vibrant and easy to read at night. It is also easily viewable when the room is well lit.

Contrast Levels. LED backlighting allows for higher contrast levels. This is will greatly improve picture quality. It will also improve readability of text so it is great for computer monitors and video wall displays.

Consider three forms of LED displays that are available.

White Edge. This type of LED screen can be very thin. There is a special panel in place that is used to diffuse light evenly across the panel even though the LED lights are only found around the edges of the display. This is a very common way in which LED backlighting is used within the video wall processor.

Full Array. In this type of display, the entire array is lit by LEDs, not just the edges. It allows for a better color range and also a higher contrast ratio. Energy consumption is reduced and images are rendered extremely accurately.

Local Dimming. LEDs are controlled individually! Darker blacks, lighter whites, and incredible contrast ratios abound in this type of display since the brightness of each LED functions separately.

These are just a few things that you should know about LED backlit LCD displays. This information will help you to make an informed decision when choosing which display to purchase.

2012
04.18

There isn’t a lot of information on the internet about this video wall controller, so I hope that my experiences with it help people decide what video controller would work best for them.

I was looking for a reasonably priced video wall controller for my small two screen desktop display that I upgraded to when I began working from home. I got tired of using separate mouses, keyboards, and basically two sets of everything to run two computers to do one task. When I came across the IVW-FD122 Ultra High Resolution Video Wall Controller, I was excited.

The price of this controller starts around $600.00 (which is very decent for high-quality video walls controller, by the way). Compared to many controllers of the same caliber that cost around $2,000.00, I’d say this is an excellent buy. This controller however, does come with less inputs and outputs (1 DVI input, 2 DVi output), and would be better for smaller applications like multi-display desktop workstations like mine, or small video walls. The resolution however in turn is very high and creates great picture quality and seamless video display. When I tried some high-res games on my display with this video wall controller, I saw the best, most smooth display that I have ever seen. I was basically blown away when I first gave it a try.

This video wall controller, since it’s a little simpler, was a breeze to set up. I didn’t need to employ any outside help, and I was able to do it by myself. It took about three hours to get it set up just the way I wanted it. With my PC based OS, the set up went easily, and in conjunction with the software I got for my dual display desktop, the set up was nothing more than pointing and clicking.

If you’re looking for something fast and easy to set up, as well as affordable in terms of video wall controllers, the IVW-FD122 Ultra High Resolution video wall controller is the best option available right now. It’s a great starter wall controller and easily integrates with multiple display software. Once you plug it in, the rest of the setup is done sitting in your chair and customizing it to your specific needs. Dual desktop display set ups need this kind of video wall controller to simplify and streamline your set up for best results when in use. It’s a great starter controller!

2012
04.15

After becoming extremely frustrated with other video wall controllers in the past several years, I decided to pony up the cash and get something more decent. I settled on the IEI VWBOX-133A Video Wall Controller. This video wall controller suits the old saying well, “You get what you pay for.” Even though this video wall controller did cost more than many other video wall controllers on the market, it proved that it was well worth the price.

I was a little hesitant to give this video wall controller a fair shake because of the price (averaging over $2,000 online), but when I got to looking closer at the specs and quality of this controller, the price made more sense. This video wall controller features very high-resolution display content (input and output). It offers pixel-to-pixel, non-scaling mapping, and a unique IEI GeniMaskTM bezel masking technology (that makes video wall screens lose that border between bezels giving the overall picture a great, seamless appearance). The single input is a Dual-Link DVi, and the nine outputs offer Single-Link DVI. It also supports various display modes, and offers one of the industry’s best in easy installation and flexible expansion- making it surprisingly cost effective for the price.

I was able to contact customer service easily when I was setting up this video wall. The set up was surprisingly simple. The capacity of customization that this video wall controller brings is also staggering. I haven’t tested out everything it can do yet, but I’d like to. One of the best things is the amount of screens it can’t control at once, and the fact that you can program this with Mac OS and PC based.

I would recommend this video wall controller to anyone not afraid to spend a little more money on the best video wall controller they can buy. The amount of money is well worth it, with the expansive amounts of inputs and capacity to control many screens at once. The bezel masking technology makes large displays look seamless and wonderful, and would be great for a large video display or conference display. I’m not using my video wall controller for something that large, but it’s nice to know that if I ever did, it would work just fine for it. This is a great buy. The quality is outstanding and the capabilities of this IEI VWBOX-133A Video wall controller make it one of the best in the industry. Save some time and headache and give this one a try first.

2012
04.12

One screen is better than two. Yes, I am talking about dual screen display. You may not realize the various ways in which you can use two monitors or television screens instead of one. There are many, each having its own benefits. Different options have their own purposes. To make your life a little less complicated–something we could all use–I have done some brainstorming for you. Here are just a few of the options available to you and how they are beneficial.

More than likely, when you hear the term “dual screen display” you automatically think of using two computer monitors. This is a basic yet great use of multiple screens. For one thing, it will allow you to have more desktop space. Instead of having to constantly switch between two or more windows on your desktop, minimizing one so you can open another, you can have three, four, or more windows open at the same time. This will save you time and reduce the frustration from having to click on a window each time you need it. Another option you have is to duplicate your desktop on a second screen. This is great for teaching or presentation purposes.

One way you may chose to implement the dual screen display system is with you home entertainment system. With just two screens–either side by side or one on top of the other–you can have your own miniature video wall. You can have your movies and TV shows twice the size. When you are not using your TVs for movies or programs, you can display pictures (either one on both or two separate images), scenery, or even artwork. Talk about versatility of video wall software!

Concern about safety has caused many people to install security cameras and monitoring systems. A dual screen display can really enhance the effectiveness of you home security system. With two screens you will be able to toggle between security cameras quickly, assuring that you can keep your possessions and family safer.

There are more than just these three ideas for your own dual screen display. For more ideas, do a little research. Look online, ask your friends, talk to a store representative at your local electronics store, or use your imagination. You may be surprised by what you come up with and, who knows, you may come up with an idea so good that it could become widely used by other dual screen display users.

2012
04.09

 Many professionals can benefit from having two screens. It can increase efficiency and productivity. It’s a simple solution to the problem of not having enough desktop space. But is it difficult to do? The answer is no, not with modern computers. Take a laptop with the latest version of Windows for example. How would you set up dual monitors?

It is really quite simple. First, you will need a second monitor. You can even use an HDTV if it has the right input. My favorite is just a simple VGA cable, but some monitors today can be attached via USB. S-video is also popular just like video wall controller.

Once you have the monitor attached it will like begin to show a duplicate of whatever is on your computer desktop. Generally speaking, cloning your screen is the default setting. If all you want is a larger screen then you are already good to go.

If you want to use the monitor or TV to expand your desktop the you will have to select that setting. You will want to right click on the desktop background. Select screen resolution. You will see the two screens listed in the settings. Select the option to expand your desktop from the pull down menu. Please note that the screen you are expanding onto will automatically change to the same resolution as your laptop screen to maintain continuity. Thus, if your laptop has a lower resolution, the resolution of your second screen will be automatically reduced to match it. When cloning your screen this does not happen.

The other setting is to display on the secondary screen without using the original screen. This is useful if you are streaming a movie and don’t want it playing on the little screen at the same time. This isn’t really running dual monitors. It is simply using a different monitor for your laptop. Obviously for most business settings you will be choosing to expand your desktop.

By hitting the identify button you can see which screen is on the left and which is on the right. You can drag and drop the screens to arrange them as you like. Then you are ready to get to work.

Sometimes two screens aren’t enough. If that is the case for you, then you will need to set up a video wall. This will require a video wall controller and some specialized video wall software, so it is not as easy as running dual monitors. There are plenty of tutorials for how to set up a video wall.

2012
04.06

Can’t stand it when your phone dies? Me either. When I need it the most, it always seems to be on the last few minutes of life. Everyone nowadays relies on their phones for communication, information, and entertainment. Therefore, your phone running out of battery is not an option. How can you extend not only the time your phone can run off of a single charge, but also the life of your battery? Check out these tips.

Turn off what you don’t need. It sounds simple, but this really works. At any moment your phone could be running multiple programs and applications that you do not need running. All of these extras are just sucking the life out of your battery, so turn off anything you are not using. For example, if you have your Bluetooth setting on at all times, turn it off. Only use it when you need it.One helpful thing you can download is an application “killer”. This program will list the applications that are running and give you the option of shutting them off with one simple button just like the video wall processor.

Adjust the brightness of your screen- in most cases, you will not need the screen on your phone set at a very high brightness level. This is especially true if you are going to be using your phone in darker areas such as inside or at night. Just go into your settings tab and lower the backlighting setting on your phone. Another thing that will help is if you lock your phone when not in use, which will turn the screen off.

Charge when you can- if you carry a phone charger with you, you can plug your phone in for a few minutes when you are near an outlet. Keeping a car charger handy can give you the opportunity to get a few minutes of charging in on your daily commute.

Find out how your battery charges best- some batteries can be charged before they are empty whereas some need to be almost completely drained before recharged. Find out which type of battery your phone has and follow the phone’s charging instructions.

Just a few tips like these can really improve the life of your battery. Then you won’t find yourself in a bind when your phone dies before you are able to charge it.

2012
04.03

Of all the things in your life that you need, your cell phone may possibly rank number one. If you are like me, you can’t live without it. I use mine not just to make phone calls, but to check e-mail, look things up online, pay my bills, and find out where I am and where I need to go. When I misplace my phone I go crazy! My heart sinks and my stomach is in knots. The thought of not being in touch with everyone and everything stresses me out to no end. What do I do to make sure I don’t find myself in this situation? What do I do to not lose my cell phone? Here are a few tips I think you will find helpful.

First of all, before I walk out of the door I always check to see if I have my phone. It sounds simple, but physically touching my phone in my pocket helps me to keep track of it. I do the same thing before I leave a room, building, or vehicle. If you find yourself constantly leaving your phone at stores, your friend’s house, or at work, implement this simple idea. Take a brief moment to actually take your phone out–or at least look at it–to make sure you have it with you.

Another precautionary step you can take is to put contact information on your phone in case you lose it. You can put a home or friend’s number in you address book under the name “If Lost Please Call” or something similar so if your phone is found, a good Samaritan can call you to let you know it is found. There is a caution with this: do not put any private information on your phone that can be easily accessed such as your address, passwords, or any information that could be used in identity theft. You cannot control who finds your phone or how they use the information on it.

Finally, there are applications for smart phones now that can actually locate your phone via GPS. Check and see if an app that helps you locate your phone from another phone, or your computer, is available.

These simple tips can really come in handy if you are prone to losing your phone. But remember, if you do lose your phone, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, there was a time when we didn’t even have them with the video wall.

2012
04.01

Do you know what electroluminescence is? It is an electrical and optical phenomenon in which a current passes through a material causing it to emit light. That is basically the way an LED sign works: electricity passing through the right materials to make the proper color light. LEDs have advantages over the similar neon lights in that they last longer and are far brighter, thus attracting more attention to your sign. You’re no doubt familiar with LED signage. You probably have seen them in fast foot establishments, on the highway, in front of stores, and in many other locations. They are attractive, informational, and effective in many different applications.

LED technology has become more and more mobile and I don’t just mean in phones. These signs are designed for easy transport. They may even fold up to be protected on the journey. Set up is simple. That includes programming what you want it to say. You can use your computer, laptop, or other device with the proper software loaded to customize your sign at any time.

There are two types of messaging you’ve probably noticed: variable dependent messaging and customizable messaging. A variable message may be connected to some sort of motion sensor causing the display to spring to life as someone approaches. This can be even more eye catching than just having a customized display on repeat. Imagine that walking down the street and, just as you’re noticing a beautiful LED display, the screen says, “Hey you! Get in here!” I don’t know about you, but I’d walk into that store just for the novelty of the sign alone. Maybe something similar can attract people to your business.

If you think you should have a customizable LED sign for your business (and you probably should), then start shopping around for a company that specializes in this sort of signage. Find a company that can meet your needs whether you’re advertising locally or throughout a big city. They can supply you with a simple sign or a complex video wall. You’ll want a company who is willing to provide proper training on using the sign, plus tech support if there is an emergency. You can buy, lease, or rent these signs. Figure out which is best for you. You may want to start with a rental and work your way up to a purchase or a long term lease. Whatever the case may be, you’ll want to start putting the beauty of electroluminescence to work for you.