Compare digital signage from Ditto and Carousel with this breakdown that outlines the essential differences and features of each digital signage solution. This guide helps you decide which product is best for you — get the fast fact sheet for even more critical info, like complete cost of ownership, tech specs and more.
Feel free to skip reading this whole thing and talk to a real person instead. Let's chat.
Ditto and Carousel are digital signage solutions that run on devices connected to TVs, projectors and other monitors.
Ditto: |
|
Carousel: |
| ✔ Apple TV HD | ✔ Apple TV HD | |
| ✔ Apple TV 4K | ✔ Apple TV 4K | |
| ✔ Windows devices | ✔ Windows devices | |
| ✔ Android TV devices, including Amazon Fire TV (coming soon) | ✔ macOS computers | |
| ✔ iPad | ||
| ✔ Certain Chrome OS devices | ||
| ✔ BrightSign media players | ||
| ✔ Mersive Solstice Pods |
Both Ditto and Carousel run on devices many organizations already own, which helps cut startup costs and deployment time. Displays in businesses, universities and other places often already have receiver/digital media player hardware like Windows devices or Apple TVs connected to them.
Get the fast facts sheet to see tech specs and what Ditto and Carousel require to work in schools and businesses.
Both Ditto and Carousel contain a library of pre-designed digital signage templates and other options for displaying and managing digital signage content. This helps cut down on signage design and creation time.
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|
Ditto: |
Carousel: |
|
Designed, customizable templates |
✔ | ✔ |
|
COVID-19 signage |
✔ | ✔ |
|
Image uploads |
✔ | ✔ |
|
Video uploads |
✔ | ✔ |
|
Animated GIF uploads |
✔ | ✕ |
|
Automatic and CAP emergency alerts |
✔ | ✔ |
|
Manual alerts |
✔ | ✔ |
|
Weather widget |
✔* | ✔ |
|
Calendar integration |
✕ |
✔ |
|
Video URL streaming |
✕ | ✔ |
|
Blank customizable template |
✕ | ✔ |
|
Signage scheduling |
✔ | ✔ |
|
Set content duration |
✔ | ✔ |
|
Playlist organization |
✔ | ✔ |
|
User collaboration |
✔ | ✔ |
|
Cross-platform screen mirroring — see below |
✔ | ✕ |
*Coming soon
We tried to test Carousel for ourselves. We only got part of the product. See the whole story here in our fast facts sheet.
Most Carousel signage content is organized into different zones on a TV or other display. That means different types of content can play on the same display simultaneously.
Carousel also offers a paid feature that allows certain types of static signage content to display as screensavers on a Mac computer and as an embedded frame on certain websites. Pricing for this feature is an additional $2,500 per year on top of a Carousel Cloud subscription (see price breakdown below).
In addition to digital signage, Ditto offers wireless screen mirroring to maximize the value of every display in an organization. Ditto users can screen mirror iPhone, iPad, Mac, Android, Chromebook and Windows devices to the same displays used for digital signage. Ditto transitions immediately from signage to screen mirroring and back again as needed for a seamless experience.
Ditto wireless screen mirroring is included with a Ditto subscription at no extra cost. Screen mirroring and collaboration tools are not available with Carousel.
Learn about Ditto screen mirroring here.
The Ditto account portal allows you to remotely manage digital signage, screen mirroring and administration. It's a web-based application accessible from anywhere. Administrators can scale Ditto throughout an organization using Jamf Pro, Jamf School, Cisco Meraki or other preferred MDMs. This includes the ability to zero-touch deploy and configure Ditto.
Carousel supports Jamf to remotely manage or deploy software to Apple TVs and Chrome Enterprise to supported Chrome devices. Other MDM solutions are not supported.
See what real IT administrators are saying in our fast facts sheet.
Ditto is priced on a per-media player basis. Carousel pricing starts at a tier of 10 media players.
It's likely that you already have a compatible Ditto media player and can begin using Ditto without purchasing any additional technology or equipment.
Carousel requires a minimum subscription of 10 licenses for $3000 per year, equivalent to $300 per year per media player. If you require items in the following list, each item will be an additional fee on top of the annual Carousel Cloud subscription:
Ditto includes a free, 30-day trial that is entirely full-featured. Users can deploy Ditto to multiple locations, customize signage templates, use signage alerts, screen mirror numerous devices and more for 30 days. With a trial, you can deploy Ditto to a physical display in real time for free.
A Carousel trial is free but only allows customers to test signage content creation. Users can trial the experience and UI of editing various templates and media but have no option to manage or deploy Carousel on a real TV or display. Multiple steps and sales calls are required to begin using or testing Carousel in an organization.
Ditto and Carousel both offer digital signage management and content creation services. Carousel focuses on content creation, while Ditto maximizes the use of every display an organization owns.
Carousel prioritizes content creation services like weather widgets, RSS feeds, clocks and a library of customizable templates that can be displayed on numerous devices and hardware. If you’re looking to display social feeds, news and other content on devices — and don’t mind the higher price tag — consider Carousel.
Ditto focuses on maximizing the value of an organization’s devices with both digital signage and screen mirroring. Ditto allows for wireless collaboration and screen sharing in addition to robust digital signage templates, design and administration tools. Any display in an organization can become a digital sign, a collaboration hub with screen mirroring, or both. If you’re looking for a secure digital signage solution that makes the most of your spaces, go with Ditto.
Updated on 12/13/21
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