Jeff Hastings, CEO
I’m energized to see our industry emerge from the pandemic stronger than it’s ever been. As people return to their normal routines, they’re welcomed by immersive experiences at every turn. Interactive, sensory installations like the All Blacks Experience and Weta Workshop Unleashed in Auckland, New Zealand serve as prime examples of AV technology taken to the next level to deliver unforgettable visitor experiences.
The All Blacks Experience gives visitors a look behind the curtain to see for themselves what it’s like to train and compete with the All Blacks, one of the most successful sports teams in the world, stepping onto the rugby field in front of a cheering crowd to perform the haka. Toulouse took the capabilities of our players to the very limit of what they are designed for and created a truly one-of-a-kind experience.
Weta Workshop Unleashed, also by Toulouse, captures the magic of an impressive array of blockbuster films, including Lord of the Rings, Avatar, Bladerunner, Thor: Ragnorok, I Robot, The BFG and Godzilla. Weta’s work goes well beyond the screen to expose audiences to some of the most fascinating aspects of the film-making process.
Toulouse is not alone in its ambition. In fact, for the last eighteen months our top-of-the-line player was also our best-selling player. System integrators are using every ounce of power that our players offer and asking for more, so we’ve responded by introducing a pair of new players, our most powerful ever, which will be shown across Europe this summer and fall.
Of course, many players are used to power traditional digital signage, but we find that a growing number of players are used to drive content in less conventional applications, and it’s easy to understand why. A solid-state media player is built with a single purpose in mind: to put the power and capability in the hands of system integrators so they can fully realize their creative vision.
We work closely with many of our top CMS partners to understand the performance and usability features they value most. In addition to performance, at the top of the list for many of those partners is reliability. Our players can self-heal by fixing most issues without intervention, so they rarely (if ever) require the attention of a field service engineer.
System integrators and developers demand players with more power than ever before, but power is not everything. Developers need useable power that they can harness. And they need power that delivers stellar experiences not just on the development bench or when the installation is commissioned, but day-in day-out, for months or years to come, delighting the millionth visitor just as much as the first. Delivering that power is the challenge that faces us in 2022.
