The 'Palau of Catalan Music'’ installs an advanced digital signage system as a dissemination platform

A complex digital signage system, consisting of Samsung screens and PosterDigital software, star in the project carried out through the distributor PMC Grup with Charmex as global provider of the APM solution, in the palace (Palau) of Catalan Music, one of the main concert halls in the world.

The new digital communication and dissemination platform deployed at the Palace of Catalan Music (Palau of Catalan Music) “It goes beyond simple digital signage”, say those responsible for the project, carried out by PMC Grup con Charmex with audiovisual systems from the firm Samsung and management software PosterDigital developed by Technological, since it has been integrated into the venue's web manager to provide information on the concert hall's activities and allows permanent automation.

Despite the high level of complexity of the project to meet the client's demands and adapt the offer to their needs, “It has been a fantastic team effort in which dozens of Charmex and PosterDigital technicians have been involved during the seven months of execution of this project tailored to the client”, those responsible assure.

Como explica Judith Pi i Riubrugent, communication director of this music auditorium, “the Palau de la Música Catalana needed to implement a digital dissemination and communication system that went beyond simple signage. We needed a complete integration of content with our web manager that would allow constant automation, “At the same time, a significant margin of maneuver was also required to work outside of this automation.”.

The digital signage circuit installed includes eight 48” Samsung DB48E screens that are distributed throughout different spaces of the venue., including entrance, the bar, the stairs, the lobbies,…which are used to provide concert information, incident notices, promotions, corporate videos, restaurant advertising, etc.

PosterDigital software controls all eight screens from the cloud. According to those responsible, This system has the highest level of customization currently on the market and works on the main players and operating systems, being open to multiple integrations (design tools, paid, queue management, touch interfaces, etc.).

One of the main requirements of the Palace of Catalan Music was that the circuit had the maximum automation possible so that its staff had to make minimal intervention on the platform.. For this, Tecniológica developed a gateway between the venue's web manager and PosterDigital, through which this software collects data from the auditorium website and mocks it up in templates previously defined by the design agency. In this way, screens are created and updated automatically by reading data from the web manager.

“Due to the large number of concerts, events and other lines of activity that the Palau hosts, and having a small human team in the communication department, This integration with the web manager was essential to avoid duplicating updating and content creation work.”, points out Judith Pi i Riubrugent.

Another requirement was that the digital signage circuit comply with a series of specific publication rules., with intelligent content on different screens. “The idea was that the system itself would manage the content based on previously specified conditions.”, without having a person looking after it - underlines Gonzalo Marcos, responsible for business development in the digital signage area of ​​Tecnilógica-. To do this we had to modify a series of software behaviors and adapt them to the rules that the client demanded of us.”.

It was also essential that the circuit be as minimalist as possible., respecting the architectural rules of the building. This point was especially sensitive, since it is articulated around a central metal structure covered in glass, being an architectural pearl of Catalan modernism and the only modernist concert hall declared World Heritage by UNESCO.

For this reason, explains Rubén Sánchez, responsible for the Charmex display department, “we had to study the space very well and develop custom monitor supports so that they were as least intrusive as possible, with special colors that emulate the architecture of the building and without large wiring; In short, everything would go as unnoticed as possible.".

In the same line, Monitors with a discreet and elegant design such as the Samsung DBE series were chosen, which feature a slim frame of 9,5 mm. and less thickness (49,9 mm), as well as wireless connectivity and an integrated player; a functionality that avoided having a PC managing the circuit, while considerably reducing the costs derived from the implementation of the system, as well as the complexity and volume of the installation and its maintenance.

Para Judith Pi i Riubrugent, “the result regarding the installation of the system, both at the level of image quality, of the supports and automation required, it's excellent. The supplier's human team has also been excellent in every way.. It was the most ambitious technical proposal and the one that seemed to best understand our needs., while showing the ability to cover them, with an attentive and coordinated multidisciplinary team”.

The deployment of this digital display circuit "has not only allowed us to replace the previous paper signage - with which there are savings in design and printing -, but rather it implies innovation in the production of content and in the way of communicating it., in line with new current technologies”, concludes the communication manager.

This project has also reinforced the alliance that Charmex and Tecniológica signed in November 2014 to jointly address large digital signage projects. “In the end what we have done is understand the client's needs and adapt them to our offer, delivering a turnkey project with all the elements that make up a professional digital signage circuit, and with a comprehensive and agile response”, Rubén Sánchez points out.