Video Walls – LCD vs Direct View LED

Direct view LED vs LCD displays for video walls

Businesses are turning to high impact displays to engage with their audience. These displays are getting bigger and choices need to be made as to what technology is better, LCD panels or Direct View LED..

Before we look at what technology is better we need to understand what each technology is. LCD video walls are made up of a number of LCD displays to make one large image, this has traditionally been the best way to achieve a large display with quality resolution. Direct View LED on the other hand is a technology that uses Light Emitting Diodes to produce light and generate the images we see. Direct view LED can be built to almost any size and in the past was better suited to lower resolution screens however advancements in technology has seen the resolution of Direct View LED improve to a position that it competes with LCD.

So the big question is what technology is better? To answer we’ll address some of the key considerations below:

Size: Both technologies have the ability to build considerably large screens and utilise software to manage the image processing. LED is completely modular and does have some more flexibility in terms of size.

Bezel free: LCD video walls are made up of many displays put together, LCD panels have a bezel (small black border) around the display, this bezel causes lines between the image. While dedicated video wall panels have very small bezels it can still be seen. Direct View LED on the other hand is bezel free offering seamless images.

Viewing distance: LCD displays have and generally are still better to view from extremely close distances especially if you are going to be displaying fine text or detailed information. However we cannot discount the advancements Direct View LED has had in this space, for most applications especially in digital signage LED has the resolution to provide stunning picture quality. In fact even ultra high resolution LED is available that compares with LCD, at the moment it comes at a cost but has stunning viewing qualities.

Viewing qualities: When done correctly, both can and do look great, but there is something about Direct View LED that stands out from any other display technology. The LED uses an emissive light technology which offers images that are brighter in colours and higher in contrast. We often say that LED has that bit more Wow factor! Given it’s brightness there is also more flexibility over install locations especially in areas with a high ambient light.

Cost: The big one is price and we can tell you that LCD vs LED is becoming very cost comparable. There are still use cases where one technology may be priced differently than another but generally speaking price is comparable.

To summarise both LCD and Direct View LED have a place in the digital signage world. What it important is to look at project on its own and consider based on a number of factors what is the best technology. Our expert consultants can help discuss the pros and cons of each technology and ensure your project is as successful as possible.