Video Wall Systems

What are they, and what's best for you?

There is a variety of large screen video technologies on the market today, but not every technology is appropriate for mission-critical operations. DLP, LED illuminated DLP and LCD are the most common for control rooms and command centers. There are different ways of acquiring the information you display, and different technology for controlling and managing that information. The answer is a modern video wall system that brings proven technology together in an integrated system that does much more than just attaching displays to the wall and connecting a switch. Large projectors and hardwired switchers are outdated technology and have limited application in today's mission-critical environments. Modern video wall systems make more information available faster, which means faster, better decision-making.

High performance, dependability and low cost of ownership are just a few of the attributes of modern video walls, often referred to as data walls. Video walls are comprised of individual displays placed edge-to-edge to create a larger unified display, or matrix. Video wall systems can be increased in overall size by adding displays horizontally and/or vertically. To complete the video wall system, connect a video wall processor that sends the signals to the displays and by use of a keyboard and mouse, the images can be sized and placed anywhere on the video wall. Used as a monitoring tool, video wall systems enhance the operator's effectiveness in responding to problems quickly as they arise.

DLP (Digital Light Processing) video wall systems are comprised of interlocking rear projection cubes with a video processor. Rear projection cubes, sometimes referred to as “a projector in a box”, are shallow relative to their height and width thus providing a small footprint. For example, a projection cube with 50” screen size is only 18” deep. As the screen sizes increase the depth also increases, however the footprint remains small relative to screen size. Projection cubes are available in both 3:4 and 16:9 screen aspect ratios. DLP projection means lamps, and lamps have to be replaced. However, lamp life for modern projection cubes is around 9,000 hours. If your operation is 7/24, then lamp life is more important than for conference rooms, or any other venue that’s not used every day. Simplicity of maintenance is considered a plus for DLP technology. Unlike LCD technology that has a finite life, projection cubes can last indefinitely by just changing the lamps. The projection cube is still considered the “work horse” of the control room world when it comes to large video wall systems, or requirements for the highest resolution and thinnest frames.

LED (Light Emitting Diodes) video wall systems are also comprised of interlocking rear projection cubes combined with a video processor. The fundamental difference between DLP and LED projection cubes is the light source. Otherwise, the physical characteristics of DLP projection cubes are basically the same. LED illuminated DLP technology, although relatively new to the market, has quickly taken hold for 7/24 applications. There are no lamps to change and the LED illumination system is rated at 60,000 hours, or about 6 years at half brightness, which is considered the median lifetime rating. There are also cost considerations as well as performance differences between DLP and LED. LED cubes cost significantly more than DLP cubes and the eventual LED illumination system replacement is also relatively expensive. However, there are no lamps to buy and LED illumination technology has less fluctuation of brightness and color compared to lamps. LED requires less attention and maintenance than its DLP cousin, but costs more to buy. Which of these cube technologies is best for you? It simply comes down to your application and budget.

LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) video wall systems are basically comprised of commercial grade flat panels placed edge-to-edge with a video processor. These high-definition displays with LED back-lighting are either mounted on the wall using a steel apparatus that ensures adequate alignment, or are installed in a specially designed freestanding cabinet like our Visionmaster video wall systems. You can expect the depth of installed displays to be between nine and twelve inches depending on method of mounting and screen size. LCD panels designed for videowalls have improved significantly in recent years making them the preferred choice for small spaces and limited budgets, however they don’t last forever and will eventually have to be replaced. LCD panels are getting larger, slimmer, lighter, and are now available with thin enough bezels (frames) to make them a solid alternative to projection cubes for video walls. However, LCD panel manufacturers are changing their product lines frequently, so when yours eventually fail, you want a manufacturer that can replace it with an identical model years after purchase.

Video wall processors also referred to as controllers, are the "brains" of the video wall system. The processor is a sophisticated computer that displays a Windows desktop mirroring what you'd see on your computer. The processor accepts a variety of inputs and fundamentally allows the operator to select from those sources, size and place them anywhere on the entire video wall in a consistent and intuitive way.

There's a lot more to know about video wall systems. Contact me for a free needs analysis to determine the best solution for your application. Information Request

For more information on our Visionmaster video wall systems, go to DLP and LED video walls and LCD video walls pages.