DATATON SHOWS NEW SOFTWARE AT PLASA LONDON

Dataton will showcase its new WATCHNET software at PLASA London, October 5-8. WATCHNET is powerful multi-tasking server software for custom control, scheduling and managing of Dataton WATCHOUT multi-display shows. Dataton and UK premium partner, Mirage Associates will demonstrate the new software at booth F30.

"With WATCHNET, you can manage an unlimited number of WATCHOUT systems with an interface that’s as simple or as complex as you – or your client – want," explains Mike Fahl, Chief Software Architect at Dataton. "You create the front end to the system using the drag-and-drop designer tool for panels, such as iPads or iPhones. WATCHNET gives you both scheduling and direct control of WATCHOUT, including auxiliary functions like power and DMX lighting."

WATCHNET software has already won two industry awards in the US: Commercial Integrator BEST Award and AV Technology Best of Show 2014 and is shortlisted for a PLASA Award for Innovation.

Steve Selwyn, Managing Director at Mirage Associates, says: "WATCHNET began shipping this summer and has generated a lot of interest among system integrators and installers. The obvious applications are corporate showrooms, digital signage museums and visitor centers, but the live event sector has also discovered WATCHNET. Easy, interactive control from an iPad, is particularly appealing in live events when you have an engaged audience and want to react to their input."

Mirage Associates and Dataton will also be hosting training sessions for WATCHOUT and WATCHNET during PLASA. The WATCHOUT Academy on October 7 aims to give an overview of the possibilities and applications for the software.

All about WATCHNET

WATCHNET enables interactive control from an unlimited number of panels (iPhone, iPad, Android tablets/phones and Windows Surface or Mac/Windows laptop/desktop computers) by leveraging the latest in network and HTML5 technologies. The software features a Windows and Mac-based GUI designer which lets the user easily combine text, images, buttons, sliders and other widgets across multiple panels and pages in custom compositions. Functions are assigned from a library of pre-configured actions with a simple drag-and-drop.

WATCHNET is used to control WATCHOUT shows running on display PCs or Dataton’s WATCHPAX media player. It can manage an unlimited number of systems, including power, lighting and other auxiliary functions in a WATCHOUT show – great for large-scale installs such as multiple rooms in a museum or corporate headquarters. With a single iPad in reception the user can start, control and manage all the WATCHOUT shows from a clear, custom-designed interface. For more advanced uses, WATCHNET offers direct control of WATCHOUT timelines and inputs, with full feedback, to monitor performance.

WATCHNET features a flexible scheduling function for fully automated control. Define days, times and other parameters and let WATCHNET do the rest. The software also manages show updates for adding new media and programming. WATCHNET auto-discovers and monitors WATCHOUT clusters on the network, enabling easy set-up for integrators.