Brightness Comparison

LED video wall brightness is measured by the maximum luminance (brightness) of a one square meter section of the LED display. This unit of measurement is called a nit. With an average rating of 1200 nits for our indoor models, and 5000 nits for our outdoor models, 

your display will be capable in any kind of lighting environment. 

Comparing it to the brightness of a projector is not so straightforward. The overall maximum brightness of the projector lamp is measured in lumens. As the projector gets farther away from the surface it is projecting on, the brightness per square meter decreases. The color and reflectivity of the surface also influence how much light is bounced back to the viewer. Because of this, the equivalent "nit rating" of a projector depends on its lumen output, as well as the distance from and materials of the projection surface.

For example, lets use a 15ft wide LED video wall at 900 nits. You would need a 33,000 ANSI Lumens projector that is outputting around 261 fL (foot-lamberts), to get you close to the 900 nits of brightness. That’s around 3 to 4 times the output as most 8,000 to 12,000 ANSI lumens "large venue” projectors. 

Projection light is also not evenly distributed, the center of a projected image is typically the brightest, with the light decreasing towards the edges and corners. The contrast is directly related to brightness. As the ambient light increases, the image source must be brighter to avoid becoming "washed out".

Within the first month of use, a standard projector loses about 1% of its original brightness. By 1 year, the brightness is down nearly 30%. By comparison, a ClearPixel LED wall retains 100% of it’s brightness a year after installation! 

Parts & Servicing - COST COMPARISON

If you compare the initial costs of an LED wall to a “large venue" projector, the cost is roughly 20-30% higher for an LED wall. This being said, the long term costs of projectors ends up being more. 

Projector lamps are typically rated from 3,000 to 10,000 hours of life, depending on the model and brightness settings. They emit an enormous amount of heat, and will often lead to burn out as well as shorten the life of the projector. Even small variations in temperature, moisture, and power can shorten product life. Many internal components cannot be self-serviced and require expensive certified technicians to repair. Most “large venue” lamps are expensive to replace, and are not covered under warranty. Dust and dirt can accumulate on projector lenses and filters, requiring routine maintenance. A “large-venue” projector needs two new lamps roughly once a year (cost ~ $500 each piece) and significant maintenance every 3-5 years (cost ~ $1500).

In contrast, LED video walls are intended to be zero maintenance products with no parts needing routine replacement. The LEDs themselves are rated for 100,000 hours of use. Heat generation is minimal and components are not sensitive to most indoor temperature and moisture conditions. In the unlikely event that a part should fail, servicing is very simple and can be done by anyone that can use basic tools.

 A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits visible light when an electric current passes through it.

It requires much less power, making it very efficient and making its lifespan much longer than most other light elements. Unlike incandescent lamps, LEDs have no filaments that can burn out or fail.

Brightness 

Determining the right brightness for your application  is extremely important. Having a screen that is not bright enough, or too bright, can render your installation useless and ineffective.

Here are a few things to consider when designing your LED wall:

• Indoor Brightness: 750-1500 nits is enough for most indoor use

• Outdoor Brightness at close viewing: 1500-3000 nits is usually enough for most situations

• Outdoor Brightness with direct sun: up to 5,000 + nits should be enough in most situations

The higher the number, the less pixels and the lower the resolution; the smaller the number, the more pixels and higher the resolution. Let’s take one more step. Resolution is the number of pixels contained in the physical area of your LED display. The more pixels you have per square meter, the more detail your wall will display. Overall resolution is determined by display size, pixel technology, pixel pitch and viewing distance.

Resolution Vs Viewing Distance

Understanding how viewing distance and resolution correlate can not only help you better pair yourself with the right product, but also save you a ton of money. Viewing distances are somewhat subjective, but can roughly be calculated based on the display type and the distance from the display. Each display will have a recommended minimum viewing distance that may vary based on application and your intended use.