Digital Signage

SCALA support services are jointly coordinated by Information Technology Services (ITS), University Communications (UComm) and college/area communications liaisons.

Interested in adding digital signage to your area? 

Any area can create and share appropriate university-wide messages to campus. Having a Scala system is not required.

Campus areas that opt to use digital signage are responsible for identifying content creators and managers as well as the following:

• Player and screen purchases 
• Player license purchases 
• Yearly fees (as appropriate)  

Get Digital Signage

Step 1

Contact digitalsignage@appstate.edu to schedule a consultation to discuss:

• Estimated costs
• Mounting and installation
• Required training 
• Content creation and system management
• Content sharing
• And more!

After estimates have been approved,  ITS will coordinate the purchase of hardware/license and bill your area, payable via budget code. 

Step 2 

Enter a Facilities Operations work order request for a mounting and electrical estimate (if applicable). See below for Mounting Accessibility Guidelines.

Step 3

Identify content creators and/or managers, complete required training, create content and share content across campus. And, repeat!

Estimated Cost to Implement

The start-up costs associated with SCALA implementation include hardware, software and license fees. Additional costs include mounting and installation as well as hardware upgrades and/or replacements. 

Estimated Start-up Costs

Updated July 2024

• Player = $735*
• Screen and mount = $530**
• Player license = $428.00*** - see below for additional information about Scala player licenses
• Mounting / Installation = varies
  May include but not limited to mounting, electrical, data port(s) - contact Facilities Operations to request an estimate

Estimated total cost not including mounting/installation = $1693

*Approximate cost for a Dell Micro OptiPlex 7050 computer, including PC mount and warranty.

**Approximate cost for a 65” screen. Cost will vary based on screen size.

***HD Player license is recommended for campus users (same functionality as the classic license, but limited to one output at 1920x1080). Classic licenses are available if needed ($735.00).

About Scala Player Licenses

Scala is Appalachian State University’s enterprise solution for on-campus digital signage. Individual areas are responsible for system set-up costs — including hardware, mounting and installation, and the player license  — as well as ongoing maintenance. Other costs are centralized with ITS, such as yearly maintenance fees for all university players and the web-based content management system (CMS). 

Once a player license has been purchased, it cannot be discontinued or returned. Therefore, if a campus area elects to discontinue its use of Scala digital signage, ITS, in consultation with University Communications and area communications liaisons, reserves the right to reassign licenses to other areas as needed. 

If said area later decides to reinstall Scala digital signage, they may be required to purchase a new license(s).

Life Expectancy of Players and Screens

The average player should have a life expectancy of at least five years.

Mounting Accessibility Guidelines

To comply with ADA standards, each campus area is responsible for meeting these standards when mounting their displays. Visit Create a Slide to explore designing accessible digital signage.

• Per ADA guidelines, screens mounted with both edges between 27 inches and 80 inches from the floor should protrude no more than 4 inches horizontally* from the wall if installed in a circulation path.**
• For best viewability, Appalachian recommends mounting screens with bottom edges at around 70 inches above the floor. Screens with top edges mounted above 80 inches should be angled slightly downward.

*Does not apply if the screen is installed above a barrier, such as a piece of furniture

**ADA's Standards for Accessible Design define a circulation path as: an exterior or interior way of passage provided for pedestrian travel, including but not limited to, walks, hallways, courtyards, elevators, platform lifts, ramps, stairways, and landings