By Rob Clayton, Senior AV Solutions Designer
When it comes to audio and video systems, the information is important, but how that information is conveyed can be just as vital to finding the right solution for your business.
The video wall market is projected to nearly triple in value in the next 10 years from roughly $10 billion in 2025 to just under $28 billion in 2035, indicating the surge in demand for these displays.
The factors that need to be considered when deciding on a display solution are almost endless.
AV specialists will need to consider the environment in which the display is located, what resolution is required, how far the intended viewers will be from the screen, what power sources are available, will the display content need to be recorded, along with a number of other factors.
What is a video wall?
Video walls are usually comprised of a series of smaller tiles or screens combined to create one cohesive display.
One of the key factors in deciding what kind of video wall to use is how far the intended viewer will be from the screen.
Both the environment in which a video wall will be located, and the content displayed will play a pivotal role in what display technology will be best suited to the situation.
Depending on the clients’ needs, Tech can install video walls using LCD panels or direct view LED arrays.
Liquid-Crystal Displays (LCDs)
LCDs are the display technology you see in everyday screens like monitors and televisions. These displays are also combined to create large displays that are often used in applications like operations centers.
LCDs can display images at a higher resolution than other display solutions, meaning they can be especially useful when feeds using 4K or 8K resolution are needed.
Since LCDs use individual panels to create a display, the bezel, or border of the screen, is usually visible on the display. While there are LCD panels with ultra-thin bezels that mitigate the border between images, they still create a cut-off between the panels.
However, LCD technology is becoming less common in the video wall space as direct view LED technology costs continue to decrease.
Direct View LED
Direct view LED displays use light emitting diodes to create a vibrant image with sharp contrast and a clear picture. The light-emitting diodes are larger than individual pixels on LCDs, meaning LED displays are more suited to larger displays where the viewers are further away.
LED displays are assembled with individual modules that are combined to create one screen. These modules do not have bezels like their LCD counterparts and cause no separation on the image.
They also consume much less power than LCDs decreasing ownership costs and extending the lifespan of the system.
With processors sending video content to LED modules, images can be displayed from multiple sources at once at a variety of different sizes. These displays are also often used in outdoor applications.
Use Cases
Video walls are essential in command-and-control centers, providing security officials with a comprehensive view of their facility. These state-of-the-art displays allow security professionals to monitor their surveillance equipment at workstations allowing them to prioritize their response.
Tech recently installed a video wall for a brand-new command-and-control center at Lambert International Airport in St. Louis.
With the LED display, security center operators can choose how many workstations to display on the screen and increase the size of an individual stream when the need arises.
While command-and-control centers are one of the most important applications for this technology, the possibilities with video walls are endless. The specialized displays are also becoming popular in advertising.
Video walls can be implemented as digital ad boards, creating advertising revenue from any surface, including flat, curved, ceiling and even floors. These applications are one of the most popular uses for this technology.
Entertainment venues and outdoor stadiums are also increasingly making use of video walls to show larger-than-life images of the performers. Tech has also helped schools apply the technology for use in their auditoriums.
At Greenfield-Central High School in Indiana, Tech installed a video curtain from PixelFLEX. The video curtain uses LED modules to create a large clear display that is semi-flexible and can be used in assemblies and school productions to bring the scenes to life.
Tech Electronics’ solution designers will leverage their design expertise along with our strong partnerships with leading manufacturers to craft the right system for any facility.
For a more in-depth look at these displays, contact us.
