ASIA-PACIFIC BROADCASTING

The dazzling Galaxy Macau  opened in May this year on Macau’s popular Cotai Strip. Comprising three world-class hotels, the US$2-billion property is a showcase of the latest resort and entertainment technologies and innovations. The resort’s state-of-the-art digital signage installation is no exception.

From screens located in public areas throughout the property, guests can view HD guides to the facilities and entertainment venues, as well as current promotions and presentations on upcoming resort events.
A core component in the

 

Galaxy's IPTV-based video sign­age system is the Makito HD H.264 encoder from Haivision Network Video, which provides advanced video networking, digital signage and IP video distribution solutions.

The Makito HD H.264 encoder came highly recommended to the Galaxy Macau by DMN, a Hong Kong-based design and integration firm. DMN reportedly was impressed by the Makito’s capability to support up to 1080p60 resolution — making it ideal for distributing the dynamic, high-resolution graphics and video output of the resort’s digital signage players.

The Makito comes with DVI, HD-SDI, WXGA and component inputs. Its advanced features, such as the ability to encode a single HD source to multiple bit-rates (HiLo-Streaming), allow operators to deliver the highest-quality video anywhere on the property.

The Galaxy Macau’s HD signage content originates from more than 20 signage players that are rack-mounted within a vast network operations centre beneath the complex. The players are connected directly via a digi­tal visual interface to the Makito HD H.264 encoders, which in turn send the HD content over IP to HD set-top boxes (STBs) that are affixed to flat panels and large-format LED displays throughout the resort complex.

To date, the installation includes 4,000 STB endpoints, 800 of which drive HD content at public area displays.

The low latency and rich feature set of the Makito are key to making this system work seamlessly, and allow operators to efficiently distribute dynamic graphics content over the resort’s IPTV infrastructure from a digital signage headend to low-cost STB endpoints.

Haivision said IP video is becoming an increasingly popular productivity and communications tool for installations such as the digital signage system at the Galaxy Macau, and for good reason. When distributing a few channels of signage to many displays within one facility, the economies of using IP video are dramatic.

STBs are available for one-tenth the price of signage players and, with the Makito encoder, there is reportedly no loss of visual quality. In addition, the sign­age channels can easily be made available to all displays, both in the public areas and in the rooms and suites, added Haivision.

 

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