Graphics Interchange Format images, better known by their acronym GIF, are a type of media file widely used on the internet. They are usually short animated images and even though GIFs have been around for over 30 years their mainstream popularity have surged in recent years due to the adoption of fast-speed internet, the increasing use of messaging apps, as well as the spread of meme culture. An increasing number of internet users, especially those in the younger generations, are incorporating GIFs into their daily communication.

The question is how do GIFs relate to Digital Signage? Most Digital Signage CMS platforms do not support animated GIFs unless displayed though a webpage. The biggest downfalls of Digital Signage platforms that stream content from the internet are that the hardware requires a consistent and stable internet connection and this method of streaming content, rather than sorting it locally, uses a lot of data and bandwidth.

The GIF format is just one of a host of media formats that can be used. For example, if you had an animated version of your company logo saved as a GIF that you wanted to incorporate into your Digital Signage content this could be converted into a video format, such as MP4, AVI or MPG. This way the media file can be sent to a Digital Signage screen and stored locally rather than constantly streaming the GIF from a website.

To find out more about what media formats are optimised to be used with Digital Signage solutions get in touch with us today on +44 (0)121 421 4458 or email info@allsee-tech.com.

Thomas Fraser-Bacon

Thomas Fraser-Bacon is the Marketing Director for Allsee Technologies. His background is in Digital Signage and Product Design.