Video walls are shining stars in the evolving technology landscape that rely heavily on innovation to stand out. Achieving that ideal market status as a growth industry fueled by demand, falling prices, and rapid product development, video walls are expanding in size and design as more technology channels—including digital signage and commercial AV integration—push the limits of what video walls can do and how creatively integrators can install them.
With the goal of manufacturing products that draw attention without causing installation headaches for integrators, manufacturers of large-scale video walls are focusing R&D efforts on improving pixel pitch, bezel size, and screen size—as well as screen movement, video capabilities, long-term performance factors, and customer service to meet integrator needs and defy viewer expectations.
“For LED video walls, pixel pitch and viewing distance are always key factors,” noted Steve Seminario, vice president of product marketing at Leyard and Planar. “This can be a difficult thing to accurately imagine, so we find that many customers benefit from being able to compare different pixel pitches in our showrooms. Mechanical design, video capabilities, and power considerations are important factors to consider as these will impact video wall performance, reliability, and cost of ownership over time.”
Among Leyard and Planar’s selection of video wall solutions, Seminario pointed to the Leyard DirectLight X LED Video Wall System as a dealer favorite for large-scale video wall projects. It incorporates an adjustable wall mount, off-board video and power, web-based control application, and full front-service installation and service access. The Leyard TVF Series fine pitch LED video wall displays offer high performance with simple designs that fit a wide range of applications.
“Leyard and Planar offer a comprehensive line of choices by pixel pitch (LED) and bezel size (LCD), and we offer different form factors, mechanical designs, and architectures that allow customers to get the optimal video wall solution based the needs of the installation,” said Seminario. “Our products are available in a range of different sizes and aspect ratio cabinets, front versus rear serviceability, all-in-one designs versus off-board electronics architectures, and curve-able products. We continually innovate to meet the unique and ever-changing needs of our customers across myriad vertical markets.”
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NanoLumens’ Performance Series Displays, available in both outdoor and indoor models, look to couple performance quality with an accessible price point. Designed to embed seamlessly in any size room, Performance displays are engineered to complement the surrounding structural environment and are equipped to weather extreme outdoor conditions.
At 4.5 inches deep, the outdoor solutions can be front- or rear-installed and -serviced and are available in 8mm and 10mm pixel pitch; the indoor solutions—optimized for flat installations and high brightness—are just over 3 inches deep and are available in any size, with pixel pitches ranging from 3mm to 9mm, with the choice of front- or rear-serviceable models to make installation and maintenance simple.
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Branded as an economic solution to traditional LED panels, PixelFLEX’s FLEXLite LED displays are lightweight and can be installed and dismantled by one person. Available in indoor and outdoor options, the FlexLite range is compact, modular, and offers seamless connection between panels, which feature 5,000+ nits brightness and pixel pitch ranging from 3.9mm to 12.5mm across the series’ models. Viewing distances start at 4 meters for the FLI 3.9 (indoor model) up to 11.5 meters for the FLI 12.5 (outdoor model). All units in the range have a lifespan of 100,000 hours.
At last month’s ISE, Absen launched three LED video wall solutions in line with the company’s recent Fine Pixel Generation solution campaign. Among them is Absen’s first sub-1mm solution it its Control Room Series, the CR 0.9mm, which is suited for corporate and control room applications and features true pixel-to-pixel HD in 4K and 8K while achieving high grayscale and low brightness levels thanks to CrystalView technology.
“Our Acclaim Series has been extremely popular among our integrator partners,” said Alison Maxson, senior manager of marketing and communications, Absen. “We have seen this LED solution installed in a wide variety of vertical markets including house of worship, theater and attractions, broadcast, corporate lobbies, and casinos. What makes it so attractive is its pixel pitch configuration, from as low as 1.2mm to 3.8mm, as well as its 27.5-inch size, which allows the series to compete with the standard 55-inch LCD screen.”
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Absen also launched the 1.5mm pixel pitch Aries Series, a hybrid LED solution that can be used in both the rental and fixed installation markets, and the Absenicon series, the company’s entry into the corporate meeting room marketplace. The Absenicon LED series includes four sizes ranging from 110 to 220 inches; the line is currently available in Europe and Asia, with plans for a U.S. launch in the works.
“As costs continue to fall and become more competitive to LCD and projection pricing, many end users are looking to incorporate large video walls into various environments,” said Maxson. “There is a great deal of competition in the market, which is driving better technology, lower prices, and better customer service support in order to win over today’s integrators and end users.”
Llanor Alleyne is the content director of Digital Signage magazine.
