Video wall is multi-display setups that consist of several Panels, projectors or DLP cubes that are overlapped to produce one large screen. Due to its delicate nature, it is important to understand the differences in the screens available in the market. The goal of this article is to help you make the right decision when purchasing your video walls.
Video walls are available in various sizes, displays, applications, and configurations and they include LED, LCD, blended projection screens, mosaic style tiles, rear projection screens (DLP), and direct view LED panels. They can be used in diverse circumstances such as in Control Rooms, digital signage and Command Rooms, as well as entertainment and meeting rooms. Mentioned below are some of the key consideration factors while purchasing a video wall solution.
LAYOUT AND SIZING
You should evaluate your message, your audience as well as the purpose of your video wall. Do you have the goal of clearly communicating specifically written messages (grid layout), or you want to make an impact with a unique design (artistic layout) for your digital signage application?
Regarding a Control Center, does it require interaction and collaboration, or merely to display certain content in regular intervals.
Video Wall LOCATION AND PLACEMENT
You may desire a prominent location, but you should be aware of the fact that bright light and sunlight can create glare and darken the display too. Scan your environment and surroundings, as well as the lighting conditions to know if it will be visible and eligible in a particular area compared to another. Some video walls are best fit for outdoor purposes while others can be applied to indoor displays.
WIRING AND CONNECTIVITY
Your video wall controller can be located at the server room or the video wall location. You can apply a wireless network (for content access) if it is at the video wall location. However, when it’s at the server room, you will need to possess a minimum of one Cat5 or Cat6; of Ethernet cable driven to a gigabit switch at the video wall location.
CONTENT DELIVERY/INTERACTIVITY
What will your video wall have?
Remember this is not constant, so endeavor to put your present and future requirements into consideration as well. It is good to go for flexibility so your video wall can grow just like you. If you desire interactivity, what specification? Is it a touch video wall experience, that is controlled from a tablet kiosk, and who and how will the interaction with your video wall be? If your video wall is relatively large, then you will need a video wall controller system to drive the video walls.
SET-UP, CALIBRATION INSTALLATION, AND PERFORMANCE
Sometimes, we tend to overlook this aspect when choosing the perfect video wall solution. Always consider who will be in control of the video walls and who will be responsible for its management, as well as its support on a long-term basis. A video wall controller aids flexibility, hence; it’s its usefulness cannot be explained enough. Regardless of the setup techniques, a control system helps to regularize the functions and what the audience finally sees. Video walls performance are different and are technology based. But the application is the determining factor of the right technology to adopt.
Video walls need various components such as cabling, mounts, displays, etc. All these require proper installation. Video calibration can be stressful. Therefore, you should adopt a solution that makes the calibration and configuration process a smooth one. This will save you both time and money.
EXPANSION AND UPGRADABILITY
The principal objective of any business is growth. What will you do with your video walls solution when the need to increase its size arrives?. You should consider the future adaptability of a video wall solution before choosing it. This can save you a lot of stress and money too.
Solutions that require complex components might be very rigid. In addition, you may need to replace the whole system when you refresh it.
TOTAL COST OF OWNERSHIP
You might need to maximize ROI for your video walls to make some sense. Since it is difficult to estimate the income from the video walls, it’s thereby a wise decision to reduce your expenses on the video wall as much as possible rather than spending a significant budget on it and hoping it turns out well.
