Sound & Communications February 2009 Issue

S&C: Why was 2007 when digitalsignage broke out of the NorthAmerican box?BM: For us, we kind of “caught up”with the growth here and seized theopportunity to expand into the internationalmarketplace. Our inquiryrate significantly increased duringthat period, as well, in terms of thosecoming directly to us, to our website,or potential distributors expressinginterest in representing Magenta’sproducts. It was just the right time.S&C: How do you explain MagentaResearch’s success in commercialAV?KM: There are several elements.We’ve targeted all our resources forsignage solutions. We’re not trying tocompete with everybody and make amillion different products. We’re notbranching off into breakfast cereals,car jacks and everything else. Westay very focused. We also benefitfrom the premium placed on reliability.We focus heavily on that in all ourproducts. If you have 10,000 displaysaround the country and 10,000 Cat5video receivers at each display, youcan’t afford to get a phone call atyour corporate headquarters fromsomebody saying, “The display overour popcorn stand is down. Fly somebodyout here.” You can’t have that.Reliability, reliability, reliability.All our products have a 100,000-hourMTBF…more than double the industrynorm. Our environmentals are upto 55°C operating capabilities, whichis significantly higher than mostcommercial electronic products. Andit’s borne out in our extremely lowfield failure and return rates. Wedon’t have a specific repair department;it’s not necessary.BM: Other companies are heavilyfocused on addressing the full-scaleneeds of the presentation market; forus, we stick to our mission…to ourfocus on signage. So, why is MagentaResearch successful? We focus exclusivelyon our core competency ofsignal management and distribution.We have an emphasis on high-leveltalent in all areas of the company.And, finally, we take a scientific approachto everything we do.S&C: Do you anticipate rapiddigital signage market evolution?KM: Absolutely. If you look at digitalsignage when it first emerged, itwas most successful in larger venues—throughoutsupermarkets, forexample. Now, it’s filtering down tobecome simpler and simpler, smallerand smaller. Even in a non-chainstore, someone will get some simplesoftware, put up one screen and makea little sign in the lobby, welcomingpeople. Consider an application like adentist’s office, for example. So, largescalesignage is still exploding andsmall-scale signage is, as well.As far as where Magenta is going,if you look at our entire MultiViewproduct line for distribution in analog,you’ll see everything replicatedin digital format and being rolled outover the next 18 months. nFull Discount Wholesale is thepremier supplier of Professional Audio,Video, A/V and Lighting equipmentto resellers and contractors.Extensive InventoryLow Cost ShippingNo Minimum OrderHundreds of the Top BrandsFriendly, Experienced Sales ProsExceptional Customer ServiceBlind Drop Ship Capability800.828.0509