As defined by the Digital Signage Association, digital signage is the use of screens or electronic displays---whether LED, LCD, projection or plasma screens---to deliver advertisements, entertainment such as TV shows or movies, or information. Digital signage's development and history are intricately linked with that of the technologies that have made it what it is today---from closed-circuit television and VCRs to high-speed Internet access.
Origins
Digital signage debuted in the 1970s in electronics stores selling televisions and VCRs. It came into being on the back of the popularity of in-store closed circuit television networks based on VCRs. These stores used this new technology to play back recorded advertisements and announcements on TVs for their customers.
Corporate Adoption
Thanks to the availability of affordable home VCRs, corporate clients began to adopt these early forms of digital signage. They connected VCRs to television sets in order to play back content that they themselves recorded---ranging from corporate announcements to entertainment such as TV shows. As companies began to recognize the potential of the TV-VCR combination, it began to gain acceptance with many different industries.
TV Technology
Further advancements in television technology helped hasten the development of digital signage. The advent of satellite TV and more advanced TV technology enabled these signs to display live instead of just pre-recorded content. The creation of projection screens and video walls in the 1980s enabled companies to broadcast their messages to ever-larger audiences. Large digital billboards began to show up along major roads in large cities around the world.
Scala Corporation
Founded in 1987, Scala Corporation started out with the aim of providing cable TV solutions based on the Amiga platform. In the mid-1990s, Scala's leadership began to recognize the portents of the technological advancements that were happening. They foresaw the need to adapt the company's trademark software to specifically address the demands of corporations and retailers that needed out-of-home networks. By doing so, Scala crafted a breakthrough---a cutting-edge dedicated multimedia platform for digital signage. Today the company's InfoChannel product line is used in over 60 countries worldwide and has applications in dynamic digital media networks used by government, education, retail, entertainment, and other industries.
Future Prospects
The advent of modern technology is once again taking digital signage to new levels. Extremely rapid streaming media via the Internet is becoming practically ubiquitous. Ever more sophisticated digital displays are becoming available for low prices. Increasingly inexpensive storage and processing capabilities are also emerging as well. Lastly, the spread of graphics expertise and the sophistication of today's programs have enabled the creation of a new generation of content that is more dazzling and eye-catching than its predecessors. The inception of all these is beginning to allow companies utilizing digital signage to offer a wider and more compelling range of content than ever before.
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