With Ziris Canvas the spatial configuration of the displays can vary from 0 to 360 degrees

Sony Ziris uses PS3 power

Geny Caloisi, 14 April 2009

At last week's Screen Expo, Sony Professional presented the latest application of its digital signage software: Ziris Canvas, which incorporated the graphics handling power of Sony's PlayStation3. Each screen is connected to a single, customised PS3-kiosk, running the content playout software Ziris View.

In turn, the PS3-kiosks are connected by a network hub to the Web GUI-based management software, Ziris Manage. Image and video content files and playlists are transferred to each PS3-kiosk through the Ziris Edge component.

At the show, held at Kensington Olympia in London, the company demonstrated how Ziris Canvas works presenting it on a semi-spherical, multi-screen display. The system can display content on HD screens using any layout size, shape and orientation. The spatial configuration of the displays can vary from 0 to 360 degrees. The sizes of the screens can also be varied. At the show the company had a nine screen display with screen sizes varying from 42-47in.

The Cell Processor power within the PS3 gives Ziris Canvas stability and high image quality. Josh Honda, digital signage solutions senior manager, Sony Professional, said: ‘The product is a great example of using a Sony consumer technology, PS3, in a serious business application, to create stable performance and outstanding computing power.'

Whilst users are free to create their own layouts the system does come with pre-configured designs. Customers are also able to create targeted playlist schedules for playout using Ziris Create, enabling adaptation of content dependent on changing situations thus increasing relevancy to the audience.