RrOoLL : unrolling digital newspaper

 
RrOoLl is a monitor or TV unrolling digital newspaper. Its creation and content management is totally made via Internet. It uses Internet standards and tools.
RrOoLl can be used :

• to generate programs targeted at people commuting in public transports,
• to create a specific TV channel on collective antennas (hospitals, resorts, buildings, collectivities),
• to create an unrolling journal in stores, companies or administrations waiting lines.

 
 
 
 

1. Objective

Thanks to  RrOoLL you can :

• communicate efficiently with customers and visitors,
• broadcast informations,
• entertain while informing,
• offer a more friendly welcome and a more bearable waiting,
• broadcast an up-to-date, targeted and efficient information,
• achieve all this with low investment and operating costs,
• increase sales and customer satisfaction.

A 70% satisfaction rate has been achieved after one month of usage.
 

2. RrOoLL in brief

RrOoLL is :

• fast and automated broadcasting of information in the form of an unrolling newspaper,
• simplified screen installation, plug and forget,
• an extremely large choice of Internet based information,
• a reliable and automated system that does not require any maintenance,
• a simple mean of broadcast for your own information from any web connected computer,
• posted pages can contain text as well as fixed or animated images (short movies, multimedia files).
• an easy way to arrange the order of posted news.

 
 

3. Contents

unrolling newspaper can be made of :

• Internet information whose content is reshaped : it allows to have on a daily basis local news, weather forecasts, theater schedules, TV programs, horoscope...
• web pages created in a centralized manner in which it is possible to insert videos or animated cartoons through the use of the following file formats : mpeg1, mpeg2, divx, real video, flash, ...
• presentation slides in the Open Office format (Free software compatible with Powerpoint). This program can be  supplied in unlimited quantities for free.
• a page generation and management tools.

unrolling newspapers have a specific content and aspect for each web site. Its management is made remotely through a web navigator.
Linbox has special agreements with :

• AFP press agency. Available columns include : top stories, economy, world news, sports, french news, politics, health, people, medias,  culture, technologies, sciences, pictures.
• Le Républicain Lorrain : local news and regional news from Lorraine.
• Cityvox.com :local cultural information.
• HDR Communication (people news, horoscope, proverb of days, graphic pages can be added  upon request).

 

4. System description

The system is made of one server and as many PCs/monitors as needed. The server has to be connected to the web.
 
The server's software enables the :

• generation / suppression / configuration of contents,
• content management (extraction of web pages, static content, images, videos...),
• updating of web based contents,
• users rights management (identification code),
• content unrolling order management,
• sent items and associated logs management.

Associated PCs/monitors need to have a communication link (RTC, RNIS, DSL, Internet, Intranet, Wifi, DAB, Swift, ...) with the server.
 
The broadcasting PCs have only two functions :

• to receive informations from the server,
• and to post received contents in loop.

 
 

5. References

• Régie de Bus de Metz as part of the European Equal project,
• the collective antenna of Marina Baie des Anges,
• the reception hall of TDF head office.

 

6. Associated services

Linbox FAS is generaly asked to provide the following services :

• Definition of the system's architecture, content of the site, starting
• Day to day exploitation of the server ; hotline (from working days and hours to 24/7).
• Periodical update of used softwares.
• Remote or on site repair (optional).

Coupled to our ( LRS and LVS ) facility management system, the Linbox kiosks become a very reliable and efficient tool.
 

7. Budget

Investment cost

• embarked hardware (PC + software + LCD screen + modem),
• content server (server+software),
• content preparation,
• preparation of the graphic charter,
• new adapters of web contents and negotiations with sites.

Cost of ownership

• Content purchase (AFP, RL, Cytivox, ...)
• daily exploitation (GHS)
• park management maintenance,
• hardware maintenance.