How do LED walls differ from billboards and other traditional signage?
What to consider when choosing an LED video wall
Digital signage is an efficient way of engaging your customers and improving sales. Using them, you can deliver custom videos, text, and images depending on the time of the day, the goals of a business, the location of the business, and the preference of your customers. However, digital signage cannot beat the power of an LED wall. Delivering the same content from a single digital sign in over 100 ways like they are a part of a single screen is an attention grabber. Several years ago, video wall technology was only available to a small segment like stadiums and events, casinos, and malls. So, what is an LED wall?
LED-wall or an LED Video wall is a large screen made of light-emitting diodes that display visual content like videos, images, text, and other forms of graphics. It gives the feeling of a massive, luminous wall that has no junctions between the various modules that make it. Therefore, it allows the covering using videos and the digitization of any space in continuity. LED video walls initially were used as outdoor digital signage and had begun as monochrome. When RGB LEDs' color hit the market, everything changed.
Because of the evolution of the LED market, there have been improvements in pixel densities. Therefore, the gap that once set LCD and LED apart is now getting closed. By painting every LED with black resin epoxy, the displays in the LED video wall achieve 'true black'. To eliminate reflectance and separate the illuminations, they add the shades between the lights.
LED video walls comprise several LED displays that are displayed on a flat panel. Therefore, it is essential to have the average viewing distance in mind when installing the LED video wall. You need a finer pixel pitch if people are to watch closely. A pixel in LED video wall and one surface mount device (SMD) are equal. They calculate the number of pixels using pitch. The distance between each SMD LED determines the pitch.
As impressive as LED walls are, one cannot help but wonder, how do they work? What makes them have that brightness and clarity? Below are the most critical factors that explain the working of the LED walls.
They make LED video walls of multiple panels. Other smaller modules have RGB light on them. Typically, the panel size is about 500*500mm four panels make a square meter. The LEDs directly emit the light out while surrounded by a black plastic housing. Therefore, it has a high contrast ratio. It makes them suitable for outdoor advertising where there is high ambient light.
How far apart is each led on the panel? The marketing of typical LED panels for a video wall relies on its pixel pitch. Today, the standard LED pixel pitches for LED pitches like the one you would find in a church range between 3-6mm. Outdoor LED video walls mostly have a wider pixel pitch because the viewing distance is longer, and the difficulty distinguishing the individual LED from a distance. While large displays are expensive because of the smooth pixel pitches, the sizeable space allows more room for a wide space in between with no interference with the image. It all translates to, as seen above, the pixel density. When close, a numerically lower pixel pitch is required. Therefore, the pixel pitch you choose is a crucial factor in determining its cost. You calculate pixel density depending on how close the audience is. Consequently, you need a finer pitch if they are closer and a bigger one if the audience is at a distance.
The images in an LED wall are split. Either a software PC, video card, or hardware controller controls them. Both methods of operating have merits and demerits. While the hardware controller has a high performance and reliability, it does not provide room for flexibility. It has limited pixel resolution. Therefore, displaying multiple input sources using a hardware-controlled LED video wall is not possible. Conversely, they equip the software controller with multiple output cards, with some having video capture inputs. Therefore, they support various input sources and allow for full pixel resolution.
The uses of LED walls are many because you can design them depending on their intended use. Because of their captivating nature, seamless graphics transitions, and ease of customization, many industries adopt them in their day-to-day activities. Below are some uses of LED video walls.
LED walls can provide clear graphics with seamless transitions. They are used to providing an exhilarating moment in amusements parks. You can use them as video displays to the public who have gathered to have fun. It can be through counting the laps covered by a person, delivering visual messages, and many more uses.
The other area the LED video walls have found enormous uses nowadays is within the church. You can fit them in strategic locations where everyone can view and access them. LED video walls provide visual communication for the hymn that congregants are singing, the verse they are reading, and other notifications within a place of worship.
Perhaps the most prominent application of LED walls is in advertising. We have applied them in both indoor and outdoor advertising services. Outdoor LED video walls capture the attention of prospective customers. They can work under any amount of light by tweaking their pitch. Since they do not have bezels, there is a smooth transition between frames. The advertising using the LED walls can be indoor or outdoor.
LED walls are a darling to music artists. They are used to give captivating visual flashes during night concerts. In addition, to allow the audience to view the artist, they stream the artists' movements and dances, engaging the audience with a next-level experience.
There are several types of LED video walls. Below are the three most common types of LED video walls.
These are the video walls that have traditionally been used at large in outdoor displays. Today, they have the required resolution for the indoor displays. Direct View LED video walls to have no bezels and have a narrow profile. Therefore, they deliver a seamless experience with various options for mounting.
They make indoor LED displays from surface-mounted LEDs. Therefore, they can deliver images at a high resolution and may be designed into various curved shapes. Today, Indoor LED video walls are the go-to technology in education, entertainment, and indoor advertisements.
These can generate images of any shape using the output of multiple projectors. The shape can be of any size with a higher resolution compared to that of a single projector.
LED walls are an advanced form of digital signage compared to billboards and other traditional signages. Below are the differences:
While billboards and other traditional signages provide static signs, the LED video walls have a technology that helps you give your audience an interactive experience. LED walls leave a lasting impression of the brand in a user's mind.
You cannot change your message in traditional signages and static billboards. Conversely, you can vary the message in an LED video wall depending on the audience's needs.
Because they are captivating and they can change the messages, LED walls are effective in advertising. You can use the graphics to show how to do something or use a product. In contrast, because the billboards are static, their messages often become outdated and irrelevant. You also have to part with some money, replacing the billboard frequently.
You can adjust software-controlled LED video walls easily to cater to situations like the time of the day. It does not affect their illumination beauty. The message in billboards and other forms of traditional signage does not allow for such accommodations.
The cost of an LED video wall depends on various factors, like in any other customized technology. The features that an LED wall has are also a determinant. These factors include:
All the above factors have a direct bearing on the cost of an LED wall. Most companies usually set aside between $50-$350k for the Led wall project.
We can customize LED video walls to almost any size based on the requirements of a user. Therefore, you need to ask yourself, "What is the right size for LED video wall for my use?" You must select the right size of the LED video wall for your use.
Also referred to as dot pitch, the pixel pitch determines graphics clarity on the LED wall. To have clear graphics, you need a smaller pitch (less space between the pixels). It is because there is a higher pixel density and better screen resolution. If you have a small audience near the LED wall, a lower pixel pitch is ideal. If you have a large audience distant from the wall, you can use a high dot pitch.
You also need to consider if you will use the LED indoors or outdoors. Indoor LED video walls have a lower pixel pitch, while the pixel pitch of the outdoor Video walls has a higher pitch. In addition, they usually weatherproof outdoor LED video walls. They are also brighter compared to indoor video walls.
As we have seen above, LED video walls can be pretty expensive. Therefore, you need to evaluate the pros and cons of buying against those of renting. If the use is for a short period, like tournaments, rallies, and crusades, you will go with renting but if you are a business person in need of regular advertising, having your LED wall is probably the right choice. You also need to consider the aspect ratio of the LED video wall.
The world of advertising has been rapidly changing since RGB colors. Due to their inadequacies, traditional forms of advertising are slowly being faced out by technology like LED video walls. Before you settle on purchasing an LED video wall, consider the above factors as they can save you some costs.
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