Digital signage has established itself as an essential communication tool for modern businesses. Whether it is to boost visual communication, broadcast targeted advertising, display news in real time or improve the customer experience, there are many reasons to adopt a digital signage solution. Faced with this diversity of needs, numerous solutions exist on the market, from open source platforms to professional SaaS solutions. This guide shows you the main options available, with a particular focus on Cenareo, a French reference solution for the management of large screen fleets.
How does digital signage software work?
Digital signage is based on a client-server architecture that makes it possible to create, manage and distribute multimedia content in a flexible and attractive way. This technology finds its place in various contexts: public spaces, businesses, points of sale or institutions.
The principle is simple: centralized management software allows you to plan and orchestrate content, whether it's ads, internal messages, real-time news, or information relevant to your audience. This content is then transmitted from the server to the screens via a player (connected box or integrated application), thus facilitating the distribution of dynamic and captivating information.
Several approaches coexist on the market. On the one hand, open source solutions, developed in collaboration with communities of contributors, offer an accessible and customizable alternative. On the other hand, professional platforms like Cenareo offer a turnkey approach, particularly suited to companies looking for ease of use, expert support and reliability to manage their fleet of screens on a large scale.
Cenareo: the French reference solution for digital signage
Before discovering open source options, it is essential to understand the strength of a professional solution like Cenareo, the French leader in digital signage.
Founded in 2012 by four engineers from ENSEEIHT and based in Labège near Toulouse, Cenareo quickly established itself as a reference in the sector. Originally known as CityMeo, the company changed its identity in 2019 to better reflect its mission: to bring its customers' communication scenarios to life. Today, Cenareo supports hundreds of companies around the world, from large groups such as Leroy Merlin, E.Leclerc, Engie and EDF to SMEs, including distribution networks.
An intuitive and powerful SaaS platform
Cenareo is distinguished by its dynamic, ergonomic and accessible cloud signage platform. Designed to meet the requirements of large retail or corporate communication network installations, the solution offers centralized and remote management of all screens, with a complete overview of the fleet and users.
The strength of Cenareo lies in its ability to combine ease of use and advanced functionalities. The platform allows you to create professional and dynamic content without requiring in-depth technical skills, thanks to an intuitive interface and customizable pre-designed templates. Field teams can thus quickly adopt the tool and communicate independently.
Advanced features for contextualized communication
What really sets Cenareo apart from open source solutions is its intelligent content programming. Thanks to a sophisticated algorithm and numerous contextualization criteria, you can adapt your messages according to weather parameters, stock levels, audience criteria or sales performance. This ability to precisely target your audiences with rich scenarios guarantees communication that is always relevant and impacting.
The platform also integrates features with high added value: dynamic feeds and RSS, social media integration, screen synchronization, performance indicators and detailed reporting. Cenareo easily connects to your Digital Workplace (Microsoft Teams, Google Workspace, Google Workspace, Slack) as well as to your media libraries (DAM and cloud storage spaces).
An as-a-service model without technical constraints
Unlike open source solutions that require internal technical skills for installation and maintenance, Cenareo offers an as-a-service model that eliminates these constraints. The player provided by Cenareo is compact, plug and play and guarantees continuous streaming without a black screen. Once plugged in, it starts on its own and displays your content without interruption, even if the connection is lost. The solution also works without a player on certain ranges of Samsung, Sharp, Philips and Android screens.
In the event of a technical problem, Cenareo intervenes remotely, and if necessary, replaces the defective equipment free of charge. This approach proved decisive for customers like Boulanger, who reduced their total cost of ownership of digital signage by 30% thanks to Cenareo's SaaS model, eliminating intermediary costs and simplifying installation.
Expert support to maximize your ROI
Beyond technology, Cenareo is positioned as an expert partner, transparent in terms of costs and proactive in terms of support. The team supports each client in the deployment of their engagement strategy, from design to installation, in collaboration with integrators if necessary. This approach guarantees a rapid ROI and a successful adoption of the solution.
In 2023, Cenareo strengthened its unique positioning by integrating EasyMovie, thus adding expertise in video content creation to its range of services. This rare combination allows companies to manage their entire communication strategy on screens, from creation to distribution.
Open source solutions: an alternative for technical structures
For organizations with internal technical skills and seeking great freedom of customization, several open source solutions are worth considering. Here is an overview of the main options available.
Digitalsignage.com
Digitalsignage.com is a cloud digital signage platform created in 2008 that has supported tens of thousands of businesses around the world. The solution offers advanced functionalities for creating and managing visual content, with support for various multimedia formats and a possible connection to social networks.
The tool is compatible with various devices and operating systems: screens, smart TVs or the recommended Android Player application. Its drag-and-drop interface simplifies the creation process, and the platform provides access to a library of pre-designed templates and stock images. A free account gets you started right away.
Easy Signage
Easy Signage is positioned as an easy to handle solution with optimal security. This cloud-based platform offers a web interface for management as well as an Android player. Setup is quick: it only takes a few minutes to create and display your content.
The platform provides more than 250,000 free templates and integrates ready-to-use applications (Canva, YouTube). The drag and drop function ensures easy and professional layouts. Easy Signage also offers free updates including new features added by the provider.
Concerto
Created in 2008, Concerto is a web-based digital signage system released under the Apache v2 software license. This open source digital signage software offers a flexible approach to the delivery of visual content, allowing users to download graphic and textual content as well as RSS feeds.
Developed with Ruby on Rails, Concerto is characterized by a modular architecture that allows users to customize their digital signage experience by adding plugins specific to their needs. Advanced users can even develop their own plugins to extend functionality. The solution also offers content planning and access control features, as well as an API for integration.
Xibo
Xibo is probably the most popular and mature open source solution on the market. This powerful digital signage platform offers a simple, intuitive and secure solution, equipped with a web content management system and Windows display software.
Operating on a wide range of media and operating systems, Xibo offers commercial player options for Android, LG WebOS, and Samsung Tizen. Businesses benefit from cost-effective software licenses and adaptability to the changing requirements of the business world. The software integrates numerous features, including an intuitive layout editor, a cloud-hosted web CMS, and DooH advertising offering easy-to-use advertising features.
Screenly
Screenly is a popular digital signage software that is known for its simplicity and effectiveness. Over 10,000 active screens use Screenly around the world. This open source platform based on Raspberry Pi offers a free version, offering users total flexibility to create and deliver content to connected devices.
The tool is easily configurable and does not require technical expertise. Its features make it easy to update and schedule content, monitor screen status remotely from anywhere with an internet connection, and easily display visuals. The Screenly API makes it possible to connect and integrate the tool into other platforms. The solution is suitable for SMEs as well as large companies.
ViewNeo
ViewNeo offers a user-friendly solution for publishing information and advertising on screens. This digital signage tool has a base of 20,000 users in more than 150 countries. Simple and quick to use, it is designed to facilitate the implementation of digital signage screens and interactive installations.
The solution allows you to centrally manage your screens via an intuitive interface, whether you want to present ads, provide information or entertain the audience. ViewNeo stands out for its rich features and cutting-edge technologies. Beyond the basic functions, it integrates innovative tools such as the video camera system with artificial intelligence.
Info-beamer
Info-beamer has 10 years of experience in the management of display installations. With this platform, users can run professional cloud-based digital signage installations using Raspberry Pi. This open source solution offers a web dashboard as well as a dedicated API to control various connected devices from anywhere.
The digital signage software has several advanced features, including dual-screen playback and HEVC videos up to 4K. Info-beamer is easy to set up: just copy a few files to an SD card and the operating system does the rest. The installation can be completed in one minute.
How do you choose between open source and professional solutions?
The choice between an open source solution and a professional platform like Cenareo depends mainly on your internal resources and goals.
Go for open source if:
- You have solid internal technical skills in IT
- You have time to devote to installation, configuration, and maintenance
- You manage a limited number of screens with simple needs
- You want to deeply personalize your solution
- Your budget is very limited and you prefer to invest in time rather than in subscriptions.
Choose Cenareo if:
- You manage or plan to manage a large fleet of screens (several dozen or hundreds)
- Are you looking for a turnkey solution without technical constraints?
- You want to benefit from expert support and responsive support
- You need advanced contextualization and intelligent programming features
- You want to guarantee maximum availability of your screens without the risk of a black screen
- You want to centralize management while allowing local interventions
- Are you looking for a quick ROI with easy adoption by your teams?
It's important to note that “free” doesn't mean “no cost.” Open source solutions require an investment of time and technical skills that can quickly exceed the cost of a subscription to a professional platform, especially for medium to large screen fleets.
Digital signage: a strategic investment
Whether you opt for an open source solution or for a professional platform like Cenareo, digital signage represents a strategic investment for your communication. Communication screens have revolutionized offline communication, from Times Square to shopping centers to corporate offices and factories.
The advantages are undeniable: screens broadcast messages passively, their power being to bring information to the target without any action on their part. The eye is naturally attracted by a communication screen integrated into its environment, by its size, its luminosity, its dynamic content, much more powerful than a flyer or a poster. The screen is visible to a large number of people continuing their activity while assimilating messages adapted to their environment.
For companies that want to maximize the impact of their communication on screens while simplifying management on a large scale, Cenareo represents the reference solution on the French market. With its recognized expertise, its intuitive platform and its dedicated support, Cenareo allows organizations to focus on what matters most: creating engaging experiences for their audiences, whether they are customers, employees or the general public.
