The following sponsored article originally appeared in the MONDO-DR Projectors and Media Servers Product Guide.
VIOSO EXAPLAY 3
Built for the next generation of permanent installations.
Running the venue, not just the content.
For years, media servers have been judged by processing power, output counts and hardware specifications. That made sense when every project demanded maximum flexibility and every show was built from scratch.
Today's immersive experiences are different.
A museum may commission a new exhibition every few months. A themed attraction may need to distribute updated content across multiple locations overnight. A planetarium expects its playback systems to run every day with minimal operator intervention. Although these applications are different, they all share the same requirement: reliable, predictable operation.
That means the media server has become much more than a playback device. It now sits at the heart of the entire workflow, from system design and commissioning through to day-to-day operation and remote management.
Built for permanent installations
EXAPLAY 3 reflects how the role of the media server has evolved.
What began as a dedicated playback engine has developed into a complete media server platform designed specifically for permanent installations. Alongside timeline-based playback, EXAPLAY 3 introduces composition tools, distributed multi-server operation, data-driven show control and browser-based control, giving integrators everything they need to build and operate sophisticated visual experiences.
Reliability remains central to the platform. Auto-Heal and Watchdog technology automatically restore playback after an unexpected interruption, resuming from exactly the correct frame without operator intervention. Frame-accurate synchronisation across multiple servers keeps installations running as visitors expect, even after power interruptions or hardware failures.
Smarter software, not bigger hardware
For more than two decades, VIOSO has focused on solving the challenges of complex visual installations. That experience has shaped EXAPLAY 3, combining reliable playback with the tools needed to deploy, operate and manage permanent installations with confidence.
Rather than relying on increasingly powerful hardware to solve every challenge, VIOSO has taken a different approach. By focusing on software optimisation, EXAPLAY extracts maximum performance from readily available hardware, reducing costs, improving availability and avoiding dependence on specialist components with long lead times.
The same philosophy extends to licensing. One licence is required per server, with no per-output licensing, making it easier to scale systems as projects grow.
A connected workflow from concept to operation
Every installation follows a journey from concept and design through commissioning to long-term operation. Traditionally, that process has involved separate tools from multiple vendors, with information passed manually between each stage.
The process begins in VIOSO Experience Designer, where projection systems can be planned, simulated and validated before any hardware arrives on site.
Once on site, VIOSO 7 provides camera-based warp-and-blend calibration, automatically aligning projectors to the display surface with speed and precision.
EXAPLAY 3 then takes over, providing playback, show control and browser-based operation.
Each stage of the workflow uses the tool designed for that task, while remaining connected within the wider VIOSO ecosystem.
Beyond playback
Commissioning a venue is only the beginning. Operators also need to keep systems running, update content and support installations that may span multiple sites.
EXAPLAY Cloud extends the platform beyond the media server itself.
Through a secure browser-based interface, operators, integrators and support teams can monitor system health, receive alerts, distribute content, manage media libraries and remotely support installations from anywhere in the world. Whether managing a single venue or a global network of experiences, EXAPLAY Cloud helps simplify day-to-day management while reducing downtime and operational overhead.
One connected workflow
Design with Experience Designer.
Calibrate with VIOSO 7 or ProjectionTools.
Run with EXAPLAY 3.
Manage with EXAPLAY Cloud.
Media servers no longer begin and end with playback. They now support the entire lifecycle of an installation, from concept and commissioning through to years of reliable operation.
That is the philosophy behind EXAPLAY.