Video wall technology has had a significant impact on how information is conveyed in a variety of event environments since its introduction decades ago. A variety of video wall solutions are now used in a variety of settings such as conferences, trade shows, educational settings, and so on.

An event technology coordinator may encounter a variety of issues when installing a video wall system. The purpose of this article is to provide solutions to common mistakes made when implementing this technology.

Avoiding Common Mistakes When Using Video Walls

Whether you plan to rent LED video walls in prime locations, lease or purchase them, and install them at your own event space, the cost is frequently easily offset by the sheer amount of exposure you can achieve in a short period of time. However, there are some common pitfalls to be aware of and avoid. Let’s go over what you need to know to deliver a flawless video experience.

Misunderstanding the Business Objectives of Using a Video Wall

The technology coordinator must consider the business goals associated with this strategy before embarking on any visual implementation. How will a video wall enhance and promote your message in comparison to the current promotion? A video wall, for example, is extremely useful in an event setting for displaying event sponsor content, directing attendees to various areas of the venue grounds, and keeping guests entertained with engaging visuals, among other things.

Not Understanding the Environment

Before you even consider installing a video wall, you must first understand the space that you will be occupying. These factors will be considered when determining the size, brightness, pixel pitch, resolution, and power requirements of the video wall you will rent or buy. Consider the other elements that will be present in the space – for example, if you’re preparing for a trade show and only have a small booth, a large video wall may be too much for attendees and detract from your main message.

Inadequate Understanding of Video Wall Content’s Technical Capabilities

Videos, images, audio, text, and other content must be optimised for the type of video wall being used. Nothing looks more unprofessional than tiny, unreadable font and low-resolution images on a video wall. Both should be large and easy to understand. Remember that while content may look great on a laptop screen, it may not translate to the massiveness of video walls. Create video wall content with large screens in mind at all times.

Common Content Issues Not Understanding

When developing content for video displays, people without design experience may encounter a number of common issues. Let’s look at a few.

  • Content is too long – whether a sponsor’s message lingers too long or a block of text is too large and chunky, content that is too long is a common issue among inexperienced designers and event advertisers. On a digital sign, short, simple messages will always be more effective. Consider a highway billboard: a person driving 70 mph simply does not have the time to take in a 30-second advertisement. Similarly, people aren’t sitting on their couch when they attend an event; they’re dealing with a slew of distractions and are most likely moving around – which is why it’s critical to present an easily digestible message. The general rule of thumb is to keep video wall content under 10 seconds long.
  • Text that is too small or unreadable – When designing content, make letters at least a fourth of the size of the screen and use a sans serif font. Some designers create super small text that looks great on their laptop screen but looks terrible on the video wall. Furthermore, depending on the pixel pitch, shades or glossy effects on text may not be required. Despite their size, many video walls have far fewer pixels than a computer screen, which means they are less detailed. In other words, creating shadows or shining effects on a three-inch letter that looks great on a computer but isn’t viewable on a video wall with spaced-out pixels is virtuously pointless.
  • Creating visual hierarchy – If the visual order of the content is illogical, the viewer will struggle to understand the message. Always place the most important aspect of your message in the centre of what you show. You don’t want your message to get lost in the noise, so make it the most prominent element on the slide by changing its colour to contrast with the other text or background, or even repeating it multiple times.
  • Creating a unified display – When implementing video wall technology, the main goal is to create a unified display, rather than several individual screens that appear pieced together. Those black bars between screens can become very distracting and disrupt the flow of your content. The hardware and software capabilities of your video wall will determine how content appears on the screen. To make the most of the technology’s capabilities, design any content within the video wall dimensions. Remember that pixel pitch and screen resolution have a significant impact on the quality of your displayed content.

Ignorance of Pixel Pitch, Viewing Distance, and Screen Resolution

Pixel pitch – the distance between the centres of an LED cluster/pixel and the next LED cluster/pixel, measured in millimetres and directly correlated to your display resolution – is critical to a good viewing experience.

Pixel pitch is important in determining the minimum viewing distance required for a clear image. A lower pixel pitch results in a higher-resolution video wall, allowing the viewer to stand closer while still seeing the content clearly. The greater the pitch, the greater the viewing distance required. So, wouldn’t you always prefer a smaller pixel pitch? No, not always.

A lower pixel pitch increases the number of individual pixels on a display. A video wall larger than 100 inches in size with a 4-millimeter pitch, for example, can easily contain more than 200,000 pixels. On the same size display, a 6-millimeter pitch would have fewer than 100,000 pixels. With an increase in pixels comes an increase in cost. If your audience will not be standing right next to the screen, you can reduce the pixel pitch and save money.

Ignorance of Brightness and Power

It is critical to consider the brightness level when renting or purchasing a video wall. First and foremost, will your event be held indoors or outdoors? If the brightness is not properly set, direct sunlight can have a negative impact on viewing quality. Similarly, viewers’ eyes can strain if the screen is too bright at night or when the lights are turned off. The guidelines for determining nit requirements (the unit of measurement for LED brightness) are as follows:

  • Indoor luminance: 1,000–1,500 nits
  • 2,000–3,000 nits of outdoor brightness
  • Outdoor brightness in direct sunlight: LED panels may need to produce up to 5,000 nits.

When you have more brightness, you also have more power requirements. The majority of video walls have varying power needs. Assume you have a 4-millimeter outdoor panel with a single 20-amp breaker per five panels. So, for a video wall that is six panels wide by five panels high, you would need six 20-amp breakers.

Working with an Unskilled Systems Integrator

You’ll need someone with experience operating displays once you’ve decided on the best video wall for your event’s needs. These technology experts can assist you with proper installation and mounting solutions, screen calibration and alignment, testing and fixing any poorly optimised content, and responding to a technology crisis. You may put your event at risk of display failure unless you have prior experience operating video walls.

You may also want to seek the assistance of an installation professional. They will have an easier time with service, maintenance, and display levelling, among other installation tasks, because video walls are installed in unique ways.

Not Making Use of Interactivity

While an interactive video wall is not required, it can provide a great end-user experience and increase event engagement. Interactivity can be added to a video wall by using a touch display or a mobile device application that augments the content.

It is your responsibility as a technical event coordinator to view your video wall setup through the eyes of the intended audience. How will they benefit most from an interactive wall? Consider the content that will be shown on the video wall, such as a virtual product demonstration, in-house network programming, social media feeds, audio-visual enhancements, or static images.

In addition, consider whether touch will add value to the content. It may be too much for some depending on where the installation is and the type of environment. Another option is to install a smaller touchscreen display in front of the video wall for a less intimidating interaction, with the video wall serving as the main display and the smaller screen serving as the interaction screen.

Conclusion:

The demand for video walls is increasing day by day. Many places consist of video wall systems but some of them are not getting proper attention due to the above-mentioned issues. So make sure you take the advice from the experienced technician while installing the video wall. Officeflux.com is a leading video wall solution provider in the UAE. Contact now for the best rate and a quick solution.