Guide to Build LED Display Video Walls
7 Easy to follow step guide on how you can build an LED display video wall.
What is a LED display screen?
A LED display is basically light-emitting diodes arranged on a video display panel as pixels. LED panel displays are classified by the gap between each LED pixel.
The center-to-center distance of each diode in mm is a pixel pitch. The smaller the gap, the higher the resolution of the display. When sourcing LED display panels, the pixel pitch grade is named P# (# represents the pixel pitch distance).
For example, a “P2 LED Display Panel” means a pixel pitch of 2mm; therefore, the lower the “P,” the higher the display’s resolution and the higher the density of LED.
LED displays are typically used for large installations such as video walls, electronic billboard signs, and outdoor use.
7 steps to build a LED video wall
STEP 1- Location:
Where will you be installing your LED display video wall? You need to measure your widths, heights, and depths of the opening. You need to think about how you will mount the Video Wall’s framing to the existing or constructed structure.
The LED Panel mounting frame can also be supplied together with the LED display package mentioned later in the equipment recommendations. That will save you time designing and organizing a structure to fabricate.
The frame dimensions can be calculated from the LED Display Wall dimensions mentioned in the next step.
STEP 2- LED Display Wall and Mounting Frame Dimensions:
Once you have your overall dimensions, you need to calculate your video wall’s size. Or you could ask your supplier what display size they have that could fit into your opening.
This is determined by the display ratios (16:9, 4:4, etc..). Choose the smallest dimension as the base size, is the width or the height a smaller value? Then use this equation and fill in the smaller value to solve for the corresponding dimension.
For 16:9 Screen Ratio: w=(h/9)*16
Case study: your opening is width:2000mm and height:1080mm
therefore, your smallest dimension is h:1080mm
For 16:9 Screen Ratio: w=(1080/9)*16 = 1920mm
So your screen will need to be height 1080mm, and your width will be 1920mm to achieve a 16:9 display ratio that fits into your wall opening. The frame is usually the same dimensions as the LED panels' total size.
Design the frame’s position to allow for space to put your hands behind it for ease of installation and maintenance. Leave room on the side, and you will need to squeeze a shoulder in there when you get to the edges.
Be sure to ask the supplier to send you the frame dimensions and calculate the size to suit the LED display screen they will supply to you.
Personally, I left about a 100mm gap all around my video wall and mounting frame structure (my arms are relatively thin, though). If the frame dimension the supplier gives you don’t allow for the correct spacing you need around the perimeters, ask for the next size down.
STEP 3- Service Type:
Find out if you want a rear or front service type display screen video wall. Front service is used if you’re mounting directly against the opening wall. Use this type if can’t get to the back of the video wall to do maintenance.
Essentially, you will need to remove the panels from the front with a unique suction tool to remove the led modules to get into the LED cabinet frame to do your maintenance.
For a front service, type LED display screen; the LED modules are installed onto the panel cabinets via strong magnets. The panel cabinets are also mounted onto the steel frame by even stronger magnets.
A suction tool (a modified Dyson Vacuums) is used to suck individual led modules out of their positions. This makes it a lot easier for you to access inside the cabinets LED modules are all installed.
Rear service LED video walls are installed by fixing the cabinets from the back. However, the individual LED modules are still installed onto the cabinet by magnets. This type is useful if you can access the LED Display frame (like behind a stage) to do maintenance.
STEP 4 Choosing a Pixel Pitch:
How close will your audience be standing to view your LED display, and what media will you be playing on it?
Suppose the audience is viewing your display from a very short distance from the video wall, and/or maybe you need to have HD or 4K quality viewing of sports.
In that case, use between a P1–3 pixel pitch to hide the LED pixels from plain sight. The lower the pixel pitch, the better the experience for the audience. You will also find that the lower the pixel pitch, the more expensive it becomes to buy.
STEP 5- Powerpoints and Data:
You will need to find out how many power points and cat5/cat6 ports the video wall requires and have the electrician get this installed before putting up the framing.
You won’t be merely plugging an HDMI cable directly onto the screen like a tv. Information is transferred through an ethernet cable from the video wall controller and video processor.
Ask your supplier about this. They may have different equipment arrangements according to the video wall management software they use.
You can have the controller set up in another room and have the ethernet cables extend to the video wall. If you do this, I would suggest installing a display monitor to mirror what the video wall is showing so you will see what is playing from inside the other room.
STEP 6- Installation
Set aside at least a week to get this installed. After the power and data points have been installed, you will need to install the frame first. Then you can begin putting up the aluminum cabinets and then the LED panels onto the cabinets.
When installing the aluminum cabinets, be very careful to keep the viewing faces flush and perfectly flat to each other from the installation’s very start. If not, you will see many black line gaps in the joints and make your work look unprofessional.
Your cabinets should have adjustable “feet” (magnetic base casters) to adjust the gaps between the cabinet and frame to get the face flush to each other.
After that, you can plug in all the power cables to the wall power points and the data points towards the video wall controller.
STEP 7- Programming/Configuration
After turning all the power on, your LED display video wall will still be blank, maybe have some static lines. You now need to plug your computer into the video wall controller via USB and program the video wall with the video wall controller management software.
Enquire about this with the supplier before making your purchase to be sure, or else research for separate software and find its capabilities.
Now plug in all your media player sources into the video processor/Matrix/Splicer. The processor sends the signal to the controller, which plays it to the LED display video wall.
Find out how many types of inputs you will be using. Your video processor may only have 1 HDMI input and no audio output.
Trust me. In my case, I had to install a 4x1 HDMI switcher with an audio splitter. Allows you to switch between multiple HDMI inputs with 1 HDMI output to the processor and split the audio to RCA/ 3.5mm digital coax to put into the amplifier to your speakers.
BONUS TIP:
Order spare parts!! LED Modules and LED Module power supplies. Expect to damage a few led panel modules during installation from people bumping into it and also expect to be finding a few dead pixels.
The power supplies inside each cabinet of panels have a tendency to blow in hot weather or after long usage durations, especially at full brightness. You can prevent this from happening by reducing your display’s brightness to around 30–50%.
You may also experience transformers blowing due to power surges or “dirty power,” This can be avoided by installing a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) or Power conditioner to your power source.
On the first startup, leave the video wall running for a few hours to heat the LED’s and drive out any moisture in the system.
What equipment should I buy to build a LED display video wall?
I have researched and linked some different recommended products and suppliers that you can contact directly to customize for your requirements.
You can order the full set of equipment from one place and reduce the time and headache for you to research and source out equipment individually.
It also ensures that your components are all compatible with each other.
When contacting the supplier, be sure to follow the steps in this article and confirm what you will receive in their package. Each contact in this list is certified with Trade Assurance and are Verified Suppliers, meaning your order will be protected from payment to delivery.
Disclosure:
Some of the links below to products are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a small commission if you click through and make a purchase. The products are my personal recommendations that I would or already have purchased myself used in all my projects.
- Outdoor P2.6-P6.25 Led Display Full Colour
- Front Service HD LED Display Screen Video Wall P0.9 — P1.875 Small Pixel Pitch
- Custom Front/Rear service Commercial P4 Indoor LED Display Video Wall.
Additional useful equipment:
Conclusion
There you go, you are now equipped to build your own LED display video wall for your restaurant, business, client, or your living room.
It can be an overwhelming experience when you’re unsure where to start. Hopefully, this guide could break it down for you into bite-size pieces.
