Wrapping your head around LED videowall prices

One reason why it’s difficult to simply list median prices for you here is that videowall costs can fluctuate based primarily on size.

But one other important factor is aspect ratio. Specialty sizes require specialty media players and content, which drives up costs and complexity of installation significantly.

Most media is produced for 16:9 aspect ratio, so anything different from that will exponentially increase costs. This may be useful in more artistic settings such as museums, galleries, or high-end motels, but not necessarily in corporate or mid-range retail settings.

Lionel Felix, an integrator with years of experience and founder of Felix Media Solutions, does have some good news, though.

“Costs have been coming down where every 18 months, it comes down by about half,” he says.

“Last year, we were quoting systems in 120- to 165-inch range — complete hardware purchase only, before installation costs — $45,000 to $120,000, depending on the manufacturer, size and pixel density of the solution.”

“Another example of our pricing: in an auditorium which sits 300, a two-wall solution with a minimum viewing distance of 15 feet away, we sold those two screens at $440,000 with most of that being the hardware. Installation was fairly simple.”

“About 20% of budgeting should be allotted to the installation of the wall. Larger projects need a construction company to put a drywall up to exacting specifications. Ideally, they should have done work on these projects before.”

Most expensive parts of a videowall system

You’re going to start hearing and reading about “pixel pitch” often if you’re seeking to purchase a videowall, so you should know what this important factor means.

According to manufacturer Planar, “pixel pitch describes the density of the pixels (LED clusters) on an LED display and correlates with resolution. Sometimes referred to as pitch or dot pitch, the pixel pitch is the distance in millimeters from the center of a pixel to the center of the adjacent pixel.”

Essentially, a smaller pixel pitch allows for a closer viewing distance (or how close you can stand to the screen without it looking pixelated).

Note that a 2.5 mm pixel pitch is on the higher end for an indoor solution. More typically, indoor systems require 1.7 or 1.5 mm pixel pitch. This can increase the price depending on the screen manufacturer chosen by your integrator.

Related: 4 Ways Video Walls Will Improve Your Collaboration Sessions

The main components of videowalls include the chassis (aluminum frame which come in 16:9 aspect ratio or a square), the power supply, a video card and the choice for redundant video cards, and power supplies. Then, subpanels (the LED screens themselves) pop into place on PCB board.

Because these systems are so modular, middle-of-the-road quality is usually just fine. You can tell your integration partner that – they’ll be relieved you aren’t demanding the absolute cheapest option.

By far, the most expensive part of a videowall is the subpanel, or the individual LED panels which stick into each frame.

They’re projecting the light you look at and are driven by the quality of the LED diodes. They have to reproduce the light accurately and as such are very complicated systems in their own right.

Color-matching LED walls have an almost-infinite contrast ratio. Their ability to reproduce very accurate colors and images is what drives their high price point.

“Something like a 165-inch wall should cost somewhere in the $60,000-80,000 range for high-end screens; back it down about 25 percent for solid, average systems (including scaler, spares, the whole kit),” Felix says.

“For about $25,000, 165-inch range and below, you can get lower-quality, less-precise images.”

Getting the most out of your investment

IT people are doing product comparisons based on specs. But Felix says they need to be willing to understand pixel sizes, what is and isn’t on their network, security implications, etc. before a project begins.

“There are so few network implications to these projects that it usually isn’t an issue. AV over IP projects are usually provided on the integrator’s network.”

More importantly, IT needs to understand schedules and tech details of the player itself: a Mac Mini? A fully-industrial media player? They need to understand the player even if they don’t want anything to do with the content which is played from it.

Don’t be fooled by those LED videowall prices on Alibaba or other discount marketplaces. Felix says those mega-cheap solutions will only lead to headaches.

“Lesser-quality color representation from the subpanels will make the videowall look weird; similar to how cold color temperature in warm lighting looks awful. They’ll also be incredibly easy to break and don’t typically have reliable warrantees.”

“Plastic chassis: beware! If you find it online for cheap, know that these chassis will be warped and wobbly, like a bad picket fence. They should be thrown out of consideration immediately.”

RFP Template: Videowalls

The difference between panels is notable: even a layperson could see them and notice the difference in quality. There are many manufacturers out there with an enormous quality differentials, so make sure your integration partner spells out the options clearly… and yes, you should go with a technology integrator for a project like this.

If the screen manufacturer in question doesn’t have a U.S. office and supply house, that’s a red flag. It’ll be another headache if something needs replacing down the line.

Lastly, for those who are the tightest of budgets, a TV-based videowall solution may be the best option. They’ll have seams down the middle (because of the margins on the TVs themselves), but they can be about 50% less expensive than an LED solution.

Just make sure your integrator partner chooses a front-serviceable screen — that’ll be easier to service down the line.

The post How Much Do Videowalls Cost? A Pricing Breakdown appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Over the next three to five years, the combination of technological advances and afford-able solutions is expected to make LED Signage more competitive with video walls using flat-panel displays at all sizes.

According to Allied Market Research, the global out-door LED Signage market should exceed $17 billion by 2027.

Just as LCD and OLED TVs changed the TV game by providing a larger, brighter, better-looking canvas for video programming, LED Signage will transform how companies, venues, governments, schools and private organizations think about their digital messaging and design.

So much is changing in the world of LED Signage technologies that it’s important to stop and recognize how far we’ve come, and what it means for the future.

Cost

Until now, cost has always been one of the top deterrents to LED Signage adop-tion.

Today, however, some LED Sign-age displays have actually reached points of price parity, with the initial in-vestment necessary for a mid-range LCD video wall being about the same as the cost of a 1.9mm LED Signage wall of the similar size.

Since the price point is often so close, but the technologies still have different benefits and appearance, it’s becoming more common today for customers evaluating video wall options to ask for quotes on both technologies.

Ordering Complexity: The Rise of Packaged Solutions

While custom solutions can distinguish a brand or location, integrators should see a big business boost from the launch of packaged LED Signage display solutions.

These packages come with just about everything needed for installation, from LED Signage tiles to mounting brackets and screws, and they eliminate the need for complex steps such as tile-by-tile calibration.

For the first time, integrators can easily dive into LED Signage without requiring extensive product training or manufacturer assistance, creating new revenue opportunities.

For project needs that can’t be addressed by a packaged solution, integrators are also benefiting from new LED Signage wall configurators that are simpler to use and don’t require technical background.

Related: How Integrators View the Digital Signage and Video Wall Market

These new programs are sophisticated enough to include input for various project parameters such as viewing distance, ensuring the right pixel-pitch product is selected at the right size to deliver the expected results.

At the end of the simple configuration process, these new tools can automatically produce the full bill of materials required, which makes requesting and receiving quotes faster and easier.

Visual Performance

The core of the video wall experience is visual impact, and LED Signage walls now have higher resolutions, ever-widening color gamuts and better contrast capabilities.

With the advent of mass-produced sub-1mm pixels, LED Signage can now achieve the same pixel pitch as an 86-inch Full HD display.

With color gamuts now capable of exceeding 100 percent of the sRGB standard, some LED Signage displays are even out-performing LCDs. And LED Signage has a critical contrast advantage over LCD screens.

Deep blacks and good gradation of dark tones is what allows the human eye to see shape or edges, so without good visual contrast, an image loses much of what we experience in the real world and can fail to appear life-like.

Although early LED Signage dis-plays struggled with contrast because the individual pixel lenses were large enough to actually reflect ambient light back at the viewer, today’s much smaller LEDs can exceed LCD black levels thanks to more inherent black space between pixels and the use of smaller dual lenses on the LED itself.

User Experience

The days of public or commercial LED Signage video walls appearing, connecting and being controlled differently than traditional home or office displays are quickly vanishing.

Due to differences in thickness, bezels and installation processes, general customers were often dismissive of LED Signage displays. New LED Signage walls feature a much slimmer profile, with some product families even meeting ADA regulations that limit wall displays to a 4-inch thickness.

Additionally, newer more-attractive bezels can finish the look of the edges, eliminating the traditional rough industrial feel that often left mounts, cables and other inner workings exposed.

Installation and setup used to be troublesome, too, because the inputs for traditional LED Signage displays didn’t match the standard “jack pack” most users and even integrators are accustomed to seeing on the back of a video display.

Newer models have solved this by including more standard connectivity options, making setup similar to other types of modern displays.

And what about control? Typical installations rely on an equipment rack in a separate room, which can require a technical support person to physically walk to in order to make content changes or troubleshoot.

That’s no longer an issue, at least in LG’s case, as the latest generation of LED Signage products use a standard TV / display remote and have the same user interface and on-screen menus as home and office displays.

Now the LED Signage wall can look, connect and be controlled in the same manner as a standard display, vastly simplifying both installation and use, and speeding user adoption.

Scalability and Applications

Thanks to its modular form factor and variable mounts and power supplies, LED Signage is rapidly evolving into an “any place, any time” display technology, fitting in stadiums, city parks, corporate lobbies, conference rooms, hotels, museums, and more.

LED Signage walls have always been excellent solutions for making large scale images without lines or bezels, and that fact has introduced the promise of widespread LED Signage displays on any surface – and that really means any surface.

What’s more, indoor and weatherproof outdoor models can now achieve brightness of 5,000-plus nits, so no location is off limits, even in direct sunlight. In addition to standard LED Signage walls, there are now specialty and high-visual-performance MicroLED Signage options for commercial cinemas, cruise ships and aggressive outdoor environments.

No matter the size, LED Signage displays also come with the benefit of weighing a lot less and using significantly less energy than comparable LCD walls, lowering the on-site infrastructure and power requirements.

Installing LED Signage is easier as well, because individual LED Signage panels are designed to be pieced together into large seamless LED Signage displays, and some of the latest products have even introduced a tongue and groove rack-and-stack assembly method that eliminates the need to connect any cables between modules.

The robust and reliable nature of LED Signage displays also make them ideal for more unique applications, such as a house of worship that uses the displays for regular services and also wants to relocate them for special events.

For instance, churches could use two ceiling-flown LED Signage displays flanking the stage, and then be able to low-er and combine them into a single display to form the backdrop of a play.

This eliminates the need to rent displays for periodic events and can quickly pay for itself in rental savings.

The advent of notebook-sized LED Signage panels that seamlessly snap together has also introduced the option for truly unique and creative display solutions, such as a dis-play in the shape of a star or a logo.

Early adopters have already used this technology to install single displays that cover an entire lobby wall from floor to ceiling, with imagery flowing around doorways and windows, and even on curved walls thanks to flexible technologies.

For content creators and marketing professionals, the possibilities are endless as they are no longer bound to symmetrical shapes and 16:9 displays.

Durability

To put it simply, no other current display technology matches the robustness of LED.

With quiet 24/7 operation, much lower energy usage and heat generation, long product life of 100,000 hours (11.4 years at 100 percent white) and up to 200,000 hours (22.8 years) under real-world usage, LED Signage is the undisputed durability king of the display world.

Those are only the core benefits, too, with more specialized enhancements including the ability to be run outdoors and even on cruise ships or beach-front boardwalks where they are continuously exposed to salt water mist.

With the rate of technological innovation catching up to the pace of client needs, all signs point to a future where LED displays, including mini- and micro-LED solutions, will dominate the global digital display marketplace.

The post Why the Sudden Proliferation of LED Signage Walls appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Dubai Airport’s new Airport Operations Control Centre (AOCC) houses several teams managing airport operations 24/7.

The Tech Decision

Dubai audio-visual integrator Aesthetix was appointed to design and integrate a state-of-the-art audio-visual solution for the new AOCC control room.

Aesthetix Technologies is a leading provider of audio-visual automation solutions to integrate audio, video, lighting, display equipment and system controls for auditoriums, education, training, boardrooms, retail stores, hotels, smart homes, and much more.

The objective was to provide a user-friendly, flexible airport video wall solution for operators to view live visuals and data for monitoring and collaborative decision making.

The Solution

Aesthetix selected RGB Spectrum’s MediaWall V 4K display processor to power the AOCC’s massive 55 screen video wall. The MediaWall V processor was chosen for its exceptional image quality, real-time performance and embedded architecture, which reduces the vulnerabilities of hacking and tampering of PC-based processors.

The AOCC MediaWall-based video wall centralizes an extensive volume of visuals and data to enhance situational awareness.

Operators can collaboratively view information for daily management and planning.

The MediaWall V processor receives input from surveillance cameras, and computer system displays covering dynamic flight information, passenger and baggage status, check-in and boarding information, weather, access control and other data.

The MediaWall V processor consolidates these diverse sources and displays them in windows of any size, anywhere on the video wall array.

The processor’s advanced features include overlapping images, window borders and titles, and pan and zoom, allowing an operator to view items of particular interest.

The Impact

The processor is controlled by RGB Spectrum’s VIEW Controller which simplifies the airport video wall operation.

The VIEW Controller’s intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) provides easy “drag and drop” selection and routing of any source. Live thumbnails of all sources provide visual aids for managing workflow.

Sources can even be previewed prior to routing. Operators can choose from up to 60 preset window layouts.

Read Next: What Video Walls Can Do for Your Business

VIEW Controller does not require custom programming, so it is both quick to implement and cost-effective. It provides access based on user privileges that allow or restrict access to features, supporting multiple users with configurable levels of access.

The post Dubai International Airport Video Wall appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Even for those who aren’t aware that integrators exist, video walls and digital signage are everywhere around them. 

Large venue sports arenas, digital billboards on metropolitan streets and highways, malls and retail spaces, college campuses and corporate lobbies—video walls and digital signage are everywhere. 

It’s as important for technology managers to understand the market for technology as it is for integration partners. So when .

When you speak of the “V” in “AV,” it’s likely that a large video wall is the first thing that comes to mind. 

Electricians and architects would be ill-fitted to install these often–complicated designs.

It takes an integration firm with the right experience and training to get these implementations working. 

The same can be said for digital signage, especially centrally managed systems that need to push content to multiple displays across a building, multiple buildings, or even disparate locations all over the world. 

Our sister site Commercial Integrator decided to survey its integrator audience to learn more about the current state of video wall and digital signage installations in the industry. 

Before digging deeper into the numbers, it’s important to note who integration firms are selling video wall and digital signage technology to: 

• The most typical decision–maker is an owner/executive, according to our respondents, 41% of which said that is who they most often sell to 
• 23.1% say that a department manager is the most typical decision maker they sell these solutions to 
• The rest of the respondents were split, with 17.9% each saying that IT professionals or facilities managers were the most typical decision maker client. 

Only 34.6% of integrators are selling content packages to customers when they install video walls or digital signage, meaning almost two-thirds are not selling content packages. 

Video Wall Technology by the Numbers 

While LCD technology has dominated the video wall market for many years, LED has made a strong push and has begun to take over the top spot when it comes to video walls. 

The most obvious benefit of LED is that it offers an experience free of bezels. Integrators are finding that, when given the choice, customers prefer to have no seams on their video walls. LED also offers brightness levels that can fit in environments with ambient light. 

The biggest draw, perhaps, is that LED offers flexibility in design that simply cannot be matched by LCD technology. LED video walls can be designed to fit around corners and columns, to be fit onto ceilings and floors, and to be shaped in ways outside of the traditional rectangle customers are used to. 

The prevalence of LED technology is reflected in the survey.

When asked which type of video wall is most requested by customers, LCD or LED, almost 80 percent of respondents said that LED is most requested. 

Whichever technology is being used, our survey results suggest that the vast majority of video wall systems are going into corporate environments.

79.5% of respondents have implemented video wall technology within the past year. 

That’s followed by education environments, government environments, and healthcare environments. 

The market for video walls is a healthy one as well. 48.1% of respondents have a higher projected revenue derived from video wall technology this year compared to last. 

About 44.3% say little has changed in terms of revenue, and only 7.6% say that they are down in revenue from video wall technology this year compared to last year. 

On average, our respondents have installed 12 video wall projects last year. The markups on these projects are typically more than 10%, with 73.4% of respondents marking up video walls 11% or more. 

On average, our respondents only implemented content management systems along with the video wall systems 13% of the time. 

The numbers paint the picture of a healthy video wall implementation market. Revenue for this year is expected to exceed revenue from last year on average. The average video wall project is an LED installation done in a corporate environment. 

Markup is healthy on these systems, though that makes sense as video wall implementation is typically a more large-scale project. 

The video wall market is a healthy one, according to our respondents. 

Digital Signage by the Numbers 

Digital signage is undoubtedly in the same family as video walls when it comes to digital signage technology. 

To be clear, when we say digital signage, we’re talking about displays used for messaging, versus displays used for conferencing and collaboration, although conferencing and collaboration displays, when not in use, can certainly be utilized for general digital signage purposes too. 

The race between LED and LCD is still tight in the digital signage race, with 48.7% of respondents saying that the most requested digital signage is LED, and 42.3% saying LCD. 

When it comes to where these digital signage solutions are implemented, corporate is again the heavy favorite. For digital signage, however, education, healthcare, and retail environments have been more active areas in the past year according to our respondents.  

On average, our respondents have integrated 11 digital signage projects in the past year. That could be anything from a single display to more sophisticated, multi-display systems. 

When it comes to implementing a content management system, its more often that integrators are including content management systems with digital signage than with video walls.

Our survey says that 35% of digital signage projects are installed with such a system. 

Markup for digital signage projects are pretty similar to those for video wall projects. 70.7% of our respondents are charging a markup of 11% or more. 

Revenue outlook, however, is even healthier for digital signage projects, with 41.6% of respondents expecting higher revenue for digital signage this year compared to last year and 57.1% expecting little to change and only 1.3% expect to make less from digital signage this year than they did last year. 

Digital signage offers more flexibility than a video wall, as the same messaging can span entire office buildings where a video wall lives in a central location.

Digital signage solutions often provide various dynamic content – weather updates, social media feeds, and more. 

As a result, there is even more of an opportunity for potential content management systems to add on to projects, and for content management opportunities. 

The markets for video walls and digital signage are both strong, particularly in the corporate space. Revenue is expected to continue to grow. 

The post How Integrators View the Digital Signage and Video Wall Market appeared first on My TechDecisions.

As the University’s first-ever sports Hall of Fame, the $17.1 million project tells the story of Texas Athletics from its first team in 1893 to what has become one of the nation’s premier programs.

The Tech Decision

Wanting to uniquely highlight the achievements of their 20 athletic teams, the University worked with the experience creation firm Advent who created an interactive storytelling experience with a design that included a large-format FLEXUltra LED video display from PixelFLEX.

“While speaking with Chris Del Conte, University of Texas Vice President and Director of Athletics, he explained that the University needed a place where people could experience what it truly means to be a Longhorn,” says John Downie, Advent Vice President of Experience.

“The design was really all about finding the stories that most embodied the Longhorns’ culture.

“We always knew we wanted to create a large scale visual focus point for the National Championship moments,” says Downie.

“As we worked through the various story elements that would inform the narrative, we realized there was an opportunity to leverage visual assets and create video content to bring the stories to life. As we evolved the design, it became clear that we would be able to utilize one of the walls for a large-scale visual moment, so we called PixelFLEX video wall LED.”

The PixelFLEX Video Wall Solution

A dynamic and high definition LED display, FLEXUltra allows for boundless opportunities to experience true HD quality video with the creative freedom to define any space.

Utilizing the impact and scratch resistant COB PixelShield technology, FLEXUltra is designed in a convenient 16:9 ratio and has a 160° horizontal and vertical viewing angle.

With fully font-serviceable panels for quick and easy onsite installation and maintenance, FLEXUltra operates with a 3840Hz refresh rate to eliminate on-camera scan lines and flicker, and is available in 0.9mm, 1.2mm, 1.6mm and 1.9mm pixel pitch options.

“Balancing resolution and pixel pitch with client budget is always a key driver of success for us,” says Downie.

“For this design, we wanted a great quality image that didn’t blow the available funds, and we also needed a shallow mounting and cabinet option to recess the screen for a more integrated space.”

Impact on University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame

With two weeks to install and commission the LED video system, the Advent team provided the full-motion HD video content as well.

Knowing the power that comes from the use of an eye-catching visual experience, Downie is excited about the creative design possibilities which lie ahead.

Read Next: What Video Walls Can Do for Your Business

“We can now realize seamless large format video displays much more effectively,” concluded Downie.

“The simplicity of installation and back-end infrastructure, as well as lower cooling and power requirements, gives us a tremendous opportunity to advocate for high-definition LED video displays where previously it just wouldn’t have been possible.”

The post University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame PixelFLEX Video Wall appeared first on My TechDecisions.

To the layman, it does seem that there are few differences between LCD video walls and direct view LED video walls outside of the bezels. As the price gap increases those bezels may become easier to deal with.

However, smart decision makers know that the differences between direct view LED and LCD video walls are much more staggering than simple seams on the screen.

Giving the decision makers a clear return on investment explanation makes them feel better about the price of a direct view LED system. Perhaps more importantly, though, it gives them the ammunition to make a case to those that need to approve the purchase internally.

Consider these topics when you’re pitching a direct view LED system:

Customization and Aesthetic

Outside of control rooms and larger boardrooms, video walls are most often used as a visual stimulant and distributor of information. Retail spaces, lobbies, digital billboard in cities and on the side of highways – this is where you’ll likely run into large-scale video walls.

They offer a variant aesthetic and tell those visiting that the space is owned by a high-tech, forward-looking company.

Walk into the lobby of a building in any major city and you expect to see a rectangular video wall. It’s becoming commonplace, and doesn’t deliver that same message of forward-thinking that it did ten years ago. Instead, it’s a standard. If your business or org wants to rise above that standard? Move on to the next iteration of the technology.

“You can do a lot of creative layouts, like columns, curves around structures, and you can even have the display wrap around a corner,” says Mark Miller, product specialist for NEC. “There’s a lot of versatility in that regard.”

Direct view LED video walls don’t have the bezels that LCD video walls have.

They’re seamless, and come across as a larger-than-life single display when looked at with non-technical eyes. Even in a standard, rectangular form there is a clear indication of a step up in technology.

The systems can be curved and cut into any shape imaginable. They can be made to fit with the architecture and enhance the aesthetic of a space. They help the customer stand out – and why does anyone need a video wall other than to stand out?

Application and Location

Depending on the space that a video wall is going to be placed, direct view LED may be the best available option regardless of price. Direct view LED video walls offer bright images for bright spaces, and don’t suffer from glare when awash with direct sunlight.

“With direct view LED, each pixel is an LED bulb, if you will,” says Miller. “You’re able to get a super bright image in spite of ambient light. What’s cool about it is you can scale it to any size without any seams going across the image.”

Outdoor applications are the most obvious consideration here. Those screens will be out in the sunlight all day. There isn’t much sense in spending all of the money on an LCD video wall just to see faded, washed out images on a bright day.

Moving indoors doesn’t automatically solve the problem. Modern architects are increasingly turning to large windows that let in greater amounts of ambient light to communal spaces – which means more ambient light hitting indoor video walls as well. When that’s the case, again, there’s no sense is spending money on a video wall that’s going to be washed out.

“In areas where there’s a lot of ambient light, direct view LED is the right solution,” says Miller. “With a lot of light coming in the image can be washed out with LCD, even more so with projectors. Direct view LED, even in direct sunlight, the image is still going to pop.”

Honesty

“It may not always be the right fit. There are a lot of situational and environmental factors to consider,” says Miller.

“If there’s constant vibration there’s certain considerations because the pixel cards are held on to the screen via magnet, so it could have the possibility of falling off. If there’s magnetic dust it can get attached to the screen. Possible exposure to oily smoke like menu boards, the oil can damage the direct view LED so you can’t use it in that situation. They require regular cleaning if they’re in a dirtier environment.”

Don’t push a direct view LED screen where it doesn’t make sense. There are plenty of applications where it does.

Quality and Support

“The LEDs we used are called Multi-Color LEDs,” says Miller.

“There’s a certain failure called the caterpillar effect – they’re hardened against that by the way they are designed. They stand up to humidity better than standard LEDs. They’re a higher quality LED.

“We also have a full, dedicated team for LED. They handle the installs for people – our team would handle the site survey, go out, and actually install the LED for them. We also are certifying certain resellers to install our LEDs. We offer a class they can attend to learn how to install our specific LED. They go through a training and certification process,” says Miller.

The post How to Justify Direct-View LED Display Costs appeared first on My TechDecisions.

They’re also used across dozens of applications, like college campuses, shopping malls, lobbies, airports, hotels and auditoriums.

If you’re looking for some kind of visual aid to sell a product or provide information, video walls are the way to go, said Brandy Alvarado, business development manager with Mad Systems.

The California-based AV integrator counts museums and entertainment venues as its largest verticals, and that’s where the company’s video wall solutions typically find a home.

According to Alvarado, integrators working with a client should first ask a series of questions before moving ahead on a design plan: the use case, the area and the customers’ budget.

Video wall use cases

Companies shouldn’t just slap up a video wall for any reason, Alvarado said —there should be a purpose behind the decision.

“I think you have to drill that down first and foremost,” she said.

Those purposes could include:

• Branding and marketing. Companies can use video wall systems to act as engaging advertisements and enhance their brand with cutting-edge technology
• Educating the public. A visually appealing video wall is a surefire way to send out an important message to the public.
• Collaboration. Video walls are a great way for multiple employees and teams to collaborate on a project.
• Design aesthetic. Is the client simply going for the “wow” factor?
• Customer interaction. They can create an immersive experience for customers.

Luis Schilling, CEO of California-based Palermitano Solutions and an AV integrator and service provider for several large Silicon Valley tech firms, his video walls typically accomplish one thing: bragging rights.

Tech firms —or any company, for that matter – can impress an important client with a visually stunning display in their lobby or conference room.

“It’s to show class and technology,” he said. “It’s a marketing expense.”

According to Alvarado, Schilling and other AV experts, video walls can bring value in a variety of use cases and applications:

• College campuses. Important messages on aesthetically appealing displays can be a draw to recruit new students.
• Unique video wall displays can add to the guests’ experience.
• Control rooms. Security and military personnel can use video walls to monitor networks, video streams and collaborate.
• Outdoor advertising. Instead of billboards, imagine a video wall along the highway, erasing the man hours needed to change the messaging.
• Retail stores. They can be a useful marketing tool to help drive revenue in retail stores.
• Conference rooms. Video walls can bring a more immersive experience to conference room technology.
• Reception and lounges. Instead of old magazines, video walls are a more exciting way of killing time while waiting for an appointment to start.
• TV and broadcast studios. Video walls allow for effective communication between producers and staff in the studio.
• Video walls can provide information and entertainment while waiting for that late-arriving connecting flight.
• Clubs, pubs and restaurants. What better way to draw customers to an establishment than a visually-appealing way to watch the big game.
• Sports venues. Make sure fans never miss a big play regardless of where their seats are
• Traffic and public information.

The space and equipment

The next thing to consider is the area where the display is being installed, Alvarado said, which brings several questions:

• It is an area that could be projected on?
• Is it a case where several monitors in various array sizes could be installed?
• Does it call for LED screens to create a nearly seamless, high-pixel resolution?
• Are there opportunities to integrate the technology with the building’s existing systems?

Schilling, who counts many corporate technology companies as his customers, said the systems can usually be integrated with the building’s software and controlled via touch screen or mobile devices, if the customer so desires.

Schilling said he will sell more high-quality hardware based on his customers’ affordability and geography.

In his company’s home country of Argentina, Palermitano Solutions will typically sell LG or Samsung screens in Latin America, while NEC products are the norm for projects in the U.S.

Budget and video wall design

According to both AV installers, the design and complexity of the installation ultimately comes down to one thing: the amount of cash customers are willing to throw down for the display.

“There are many different levels of video walls,” Schilling said.

Read Next: 4 Ways Video Walls Will Improve Your Collaboration Sessions

The bigger the video wall, the more equipment needed, like more matrix switchers and processors. Video wall systems can also be integrated into the building’s other digital systems and controlled with digital software, which adds an additional expense.

At Mad Systems, Alvarado said the company typically offers three different types of video wall displays that range in price and affordability.

1. Projection video wall: these are lower-cost and typically provide for more flexibility.
2. LCD displays: these are a bit more expensive than projection-based video walls but are usually just as flexible.
3. LED: LED-based walls typically provide the highest resolution.

The post The Business Case For Buying Video Walls appeared first on My TechDecisions.

The Tech Decision

In fall 2018, TCL Chinese Theatre announced plans for Theatre Box, an all-new state-of-the-art movie theatre complex to be located in the Gaslight District in San Diego, California.

To fully immerse guests with the new venue, the theatre sought to create an exciting and inviting environment using digital signage. As a complete rebuild, the theatre could design a unique space that would be eye-catching enough to attract customers, even from outside the venue.

To do this, the company wanted an enticing video wall display that would provide entertainment and information, such as movie times, trailers, and advertisements. The display would need to be visible from anywhere in the lobby, as well as through the windows to the street.

The selected location was directly above the escalators, as this spot can be seen far and wide. The theatre also wanted to offer a sleek, sophisticated environment for customers as they walked into each individual theatre.

Related: Market for Pro Speakers Expected to Reach Around $2 Billion

To meet these requirements, the theatre decided to seek out a theater box digital signage option that would be representative of the brand’s style.

The theatre’s San Diego-based management group reached out to installation company, Fluid Sound, based on its experience in working with high-end theatres and specialization in the design-build process for AV system solutions.

Fluid Sound was tasked with the goal of creating custom solutions for Theatre Box that would meet the aggressive grand opening date in a mere four weeks.

The idea set forth was to create a video wall comprised of the largest displays possible to be hung on a 45-degree angle and installed directly over the escalators.

While most video walls do not standardly utilize very large displays, Fluid Sound began its search, selecting NEC’s 75-inch Professional Series Displays, based on the brand’s high quality offerings. To stream content, Fluid Sound chose a tvONE CORIOmaster mini – Modular 4K Multi-Window 1RU Video Processor.

The CORIOmaster Mini Solution

With specific design parameters in place, the next step was finding a mounting solution that would support such large displays. Having worked with Peerless-AV in the past and trusting the quality and durability of the brand, Fluid Sound sought the company’s support for a mounting option.

As the only solution on the market that would support the weight capacity of the large displays, provide the flexibility and adjustability needed for this install, and meet the fast-approaching deadline, Fluid Sound chose Peerless-AV’s Special Purpose Video Wall Mount (DS-VWM770).

In addition to the video wall, Fluid Sound also sought a mounting solution for the individual displays that would be placed outside of each theatre. Showcasing the current movie title in the specified theatre, the enclosure around the displays needed to support the luxury appeal of the space.

Fluid Sound wanted an enclosure that would not only offer a sleek, high polished look, but would also allow for a secure installation in a high-traffic area of the theatre.

With a standard option already available from Peerless-AV, that fit NEC’s 43-inch displays, Fluid Sound selected the Peerless-AV’s Wall Kiosk Enclosure (KIP643).

The Peerless-AV solutions utilized for the project include Peerless-AV’s Special Purpose Video Wall Mount (DS-VWM770) and Peerless-AV’s Wall Kiosk Enclosure (KIP643).

With Peerless-AV’s DS-VWM770, designers can take video walls to the next level. Displays attach to the mount in 15 degree increments providing designers with an endless array of design possibilities.

The mount also features ten points of micro-adjustment, which delivers the fine tuning needed to create a seamless video wall appearance. In addition, the mount extends from the wall and pivots for quick and convenient rear display access and servicing.

Once finished, users simply need to push the display back where it securely clips in the home position. In using this mount, Fluid Sound was able to create a large scale video wall with displays hung on a 45-degree angle.

Peerless-AV’s Wall Kiosk Enclosure (KIP643) was used for the displays placed outside each individual theatre. Whether transforming a letter board into an interactive directory or making a movie poster come to life, Peerless-AV’s wall kiosks create engaging digital solutions for portrait or landscape oriented applications.

Even with a slim ADA-compliant 3.9-inch profile, these wall kiosks accommodate most ultra-thin displays while providing room for media players, fans, and other electronic equipment to create an impressive interactive solution.

In addition to Peerless-AV’s solutions, Fluid Sound also used NEC’s 75-inch Professional Series Displays, NEC’s 43-inch displays, and the tvONE CORIOmaster mini – Modular 4K Multi-Window 1RU Video Processor.

The Impact

The impact of this project has been seen immediately upon the completion of the project, with Theatre Box patrons commenting on the beautiful presentation of the video wall.

Through the use of reliable solutions, Fluid Sound was able to complete both installations within the allotted time and meet the grand re-opening date.

Since the completion, the theatre has been able to entice many outside visitors with views of the stunning displays. TCL Chinese Theatre was extremely pleased with the final product, acknowledging the luxurious aesthetic created through the theater box digital signage solutions.

With a successful project complete, Fluid Sound has even continued to recommend Peerless-AV’s solutions because of the quality of the brand’s products and the company’s strong customer service support.

“Peerless-AV’s mounts made this entire process possible. Without the quick-release and extension functionality of the mounts, the displays would not be able to be maintained and thus, the project could not be completed,” says Dennis Pappenfus, Partner, Fluid Sound.

“Even before we decided on Peerless-AV, we got ahold of their engineering team to talk about our options. They have such high-quality engineering support. We have worked with Peerless-AV previously, and plan on continuing our relationship with them. They have become our go-to mount solution company.”

The post TCL Theatre Box Digital Signage Uses CORIOmaster Mini appeared first on My TechDecisions.

Featuring the “industry’s smallest bezels” and a new 49-inch size, Leyard and Planar says the new models add state-of-the-art tiled bezel performance.

“Our expansion of the Planar VM Series line is an acknowledgement of its popularity to date,” said Steve Seminario, vice president of product marketing at Leyard and Planar.

“The new models share the Planar VM Series’ all-in-one, high performance design but add new choices designed to fit more customer applications.”

The expanded Planar VM Series product line offers customers looking for the benefits of a premium LCD video wall with minimal bezels and a wider selection of products.

More Planar VM stats

All four additions to the Planar VM Series are ENERGY STAR 8.0 certified.

Leyard and Planar are adding two new 55-inch models to the Planar VM Series line; the Planar VM55MX-M and Planar VM55LX-M.

“These models set the industry standard for the smallest bezel with a 0.88mm tiled bezel width. Both models feature native Full HD resolution and the Planar VM55MX-M offers 700-nit brightness to support high ambient light environments,” says a company release.

The Planar VM55LX-M model delivers 500-nit brightness, “ideal for slightly dimmer viewing environments,” the company says.

Leyard and Planar is also adding two 49-inch models with native Full HD resolution to the Planar VM Series family of LCD video wall displays. The 49-inch video wall displays empower organizations to deploy a wider variety of video wall sizes and configurations, to suit more diverse spaces, says a release.

The Planar VM49MX-X offers 700-nit brightness and a tiled bezel width of 1.8 millimeters. The Planar VM49LX-U offers 500-nit brightness and a 3.5-millimeter tiled bezel width.

Planar VM Series LCD video wall displays provide a video wall solution with an all-in-one design for demanding requirements of 24×7 mission-critical applications and high ambient light environments. Planar VM Series is ideal for digital signage applications in retail, hospitality, universities, sports bars, corporate lobbies, casinos and museums. — company press release

The post New Planar VM LCD Video Wall Displays Have ‘Industry’s Smallest Bezels’ with Tiling appeared first on My TechDecisions.

So seeing digital display system fails like these really make our stomachs churn.

We’ve compiled a slideshow of some of the most atrocious digital signage fails spotted in the field by sharp-eyed industry folks who were too mortified to look away, then paired them with much better examples.

It isn’t clear in some of these pictures if the tech was installed by an actual systems integrator or a business owner who wanted to save some cash. Either way, it is clear the organization hosting these horrid examples had a bad time.

Useful Digital Display Systems Information for Decision-Makers

The digital signage market size is predicted to grow from where it was in 2017, at $21 billion USD, to $32 billion USD in 2023 (an estimated CAGR of just under 8 percent) — so maybe that’s why there’s bound to be a few rotten eggs in the bunch.

Whether you want to catch visitors’ eyes when they walk into your new headquarters building or you need something super-sized for an entertainment venue – video walls may be just what you are looking for. By definition, a video wall is a display that is created out of an array of multiple individual display elements.

The challenge, though, is determining exactly which solution fits your needs best:

• Rear projection cubes
• Projector array
• Direct-view LED
• Tiled OLED displays

Our guide, “RFP Template: Video Wall”, will help you define your specifications, find the right technology and write an effective request for proposal (RFP).

Click here to see the most head-scratching digital display system fails (and how they should have gone!)

The post Digital Display System Fails (And What They Should Have Looked Like) appeared first on My TechDecisions.