What was released?
In-store screen photo ingestion with AI-powered Obstruction Detection
In a world-first for digital signage, MDS can now capture real in-store photos from IP cameras pointed at your screens using configured snapshot URLs. Photos are captured at scheduled intervals or on demand and processed by AI to detect obstructions that may impact playback. When an obstruction is detected, MDS automatically triggers and records an alert. Users who have opted in for “Obstruction Detection” alerts will receive an email notification, ensuring potential issues are surfaced as they occur. These real-time photos appear directly in the MDS dashboard, with detected obstruction areas clearly highlighted. You can also easily filter screens with active obstructions, enabling faster diagnostics.
Audio support for in-store advertising
In a major upgrade to MDS, audio playback (MP3) is now fully supported, enabling true in-store audio advertising across your network. MDS hardware can be connected directly to a venue’s sound system to run audio-only content, expanding the flexibility of how campaigns can be delivered. The same hardware used for visual displays can also output audio. Small format screens can play sound directly, while large format screens can do so when equipped with speakers or when connected to an external sound system. Both screen formats now support combining audio with visual ads or videos with sound within the same loop, giving venues and advertisers more ways to reach customers.
Third-party verification platforms - tracking URLs support
In a significant enhancement to campaign reporting, MDS now supports attaching third party verification tracking URLs to campaigns, allowing retailers to meet advertiser requirements when independent verification partners are used.
This capability ensures networks can seamlessly support advertisers who rely on external verification platforms to validate campaign delivery. The feature is compatible with any verification platform that can provide tracking URLs for use in third party systems. Multiple variables can be added to each tracking URL, including suburb, screen ID, creative name, and more. Each time an asset plays, MDS automatically pings the tracking URL, confirming delivery with the third party verification partner in real time.
Advanced scheduling for campaign assets
In an important improvement to campaign management, MDS now allows users to assign schedules to individual assets within the same campaign. This means each asset can be configured with its own start and end date, specific days of the week, and time-of-day rules. This feature is especially useful when assets in a single campaign need to run on different schedules. This enhancement provides far greater control in campaign delivery, ensuring each asset runs exactly when intended without requiring separate campaigns to be created.
Mobile data usage alerts
MDS now tracks when screens approach their mobile data usage allowance and automatically issues alerts at both the 75 percent and 100 percent thresholds. These notifications give networks early visibility into potential overuse, helping prevent unexpected data charges and improving overall screen management. While no automated enforcement is applied at this stage when a screen reaches 100 percent usage, this feature establishes the foundation for stricter controls and future policy options. Mobile data alerts are fully integrated into the MDS alerts system. Users will see alerts directly in the MDS dashboard, and those who have opted in will also receive email notifications.
Large format screens - mobile connection info
MDS now provides mobile connectivity insights for large format screens through our new integration with Teltonika routers. This enhancement allows the system to retrieve and display key mobile network data including connection type and signal strength directly within the MDS dashboard. With this update, large format screens now report mobile connection information in the same consistent way as small format screens.
Campaign sorting at the screen level
MDS now supports campaign-level sorting on individual screens, giving users greater control over the order in which campaigns appear. For screens that require campaigns to display in a specific sequence, users can simply drag and drop campaigns into the desired order, using the same intuitive sorting experience already available for arranging assets within a campaign.
Sortable Proof of Play reporting
MDS now allows users to sort Proof of Play data based on the criteria most relevant to their reporting needs. Users can sort results by revenue, number of plays, number of impressions, play duration, or date and time, making it easier to analyse campaign performance from multiple perspectives.
Screen ad fillers - support for Skip Mode
MDS now supports "Skip Mode" for screen ad fillers, giving network operators greater control over how filler content is handled within the ad loop.
Previously, MDS automatically trimmed filler ads to match the exact remaining time in the loop after reserved campaigns had played. With Skip Mode enabled, MDS will instead skip a filler ad that does not fit the remaining loop duration and look for the next suitable filler ad. This gives operators the flexibility to choose whether fillers should be trimmed to fit or skipped entirely when timing does not align.
Tags and loop policies - support for network restrictions
MDS now supports restricting the visibility of tags and loop policies based on the network access assigned to each user. This ensures that users only see the tags and policies relevant to the networks they manage, improving operational control. This enhancement extends our advanced network visibility framework, enabling MDS to better support large retail media networks with multiple subsidiary companies.