Android MiniPCs plug and play for media distribution networks

I’ve been a fan of miniPCs for a while now.

Whilst the manufacturers focus on the TV markets for good reason, the benefits for businesses requiring intelligent devices for their content media distribution networks has not been well explored.

With businesses such as Landscape HD TV using mini devices to help distribute their TV channel to regional networks and Melody Pods using miniPCs for distributing multimedia content to client’s locations it is clear this is just the start of more opportunities.

MiniPCs have some great benefits for businesses looking to distribute media to multiple locations.

• Low cost of acquisition (the RK3288 illustrated here costs around US$60 retail and less than US$30 in volumes.
• Low cost of maintenance: no moving parts, high mean time before breakage.
• Low management costs: remote monitoring and management means most issues can be solved centrally (with the Melody Pods monitoring and management service option deployed).
• Low cost of use: low energy requirements; no screen for example.
• Low cost of labor: Android technology is a popular technology and so any setup and maintenance is straight forward and training courses are regularly available.
• Low network costs / increased quality of service: with batch downloading (the preferred method of music distribution for the retail market for example) these devices enable local playing of media rather than relying on centralized servers to be live and local networks to be consistently clear for quality media channel throughput.
• Secure connections: using ASL + HTTPS to connect to centralized media distribution servers

Other features which may have benefits for business depending on their requirements include analogue and digital outputs.

Whilst most come with HDMI that can be converted, with additional cable conversion boxes to analogue VGA and analogue stereo audio, the RK3288 also offers up a 3/4 inch analogue out socket for plugging directly into a sound system.

Connecting these devices to a managed content network such as Melody Pods to enable batch download of content is simple. With Ethernet and WiFi connectivity as standard, the device can be deployed in a range of locations including where no 3G / 4G network exists. With add on products via USB sim cards can be used where local networks don’t exist.

Future proofing of a network of these devices is assured because of the wide range of file standards that can be distributed and deployed with these smart machines.

For example,  mp3 music audio, mp4 video,  mp3 message / advert audio and control data such as playlists, schedules, html and java code is straight forward and provides future proofing since these devices can be remotely monitored and managed with auto updating of systems and applications.

Talk to us today about your media distribution networking requirements: