Direct View LED Displays: The Future of Digital Signage

Understanding Direct View LED Displays

A direct view LED screen consists mainly of a grid of light-emitting diodes — electronic devices that produce colored light when energized. In other systems, liquid crystal display (LCD) panels use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as a source of white light behind or at the edge of a glass front. These systems tint the LED light to display colors on the LCD screen. With direct view LED, there is no LCD panel, and the array of LEDs provide the actual display. This greatly improves the brightness, contrast and range of colors visible through LED displays. Learn more about the difference between LED and LCD displays to understand which panel type is right for you.

Even the most massive LED screens are composed of tiny pixels, each of them containing a red, green and blue lamp. Internal software controls the lamps to mix trillions of colors to create the final image. The pixels are organized into modules and the modules are organized into a display. A common TV or computer monitor might have 2 million pixels — roughly 2,000 pixels on each horizontal line and 1,000 on each vertical line.

This all comes into play when you are considering the best LED display for your retail space, trade show or other needs. Something important to understand and consider as well is the pixel pitch of the LEDs. The space from the center of one pixel to the center of its neighbor is called the pixel pitch. The lower the pixel pitch — or the more tightly they are packed together — the higher the resolution and image quality. Displays with low pixel pitch also have a shorter optimal viewing distance, meaning that the image looks clear even if you are close to the digital display.

The formula for optimal viewing is 1mm of pitch for every 5 feet of viewing distance. For a retail space where customers willbe close to the display, a low pixel pitch of 1mm or 2mm would be a good fit. For large screens in stadium-sized venues, the pitch could be 25mm, 50mm or more. For reference, the pixel pitch for the Las Vegas sphere is 225mm.

Advantages of Direct View LED Displays

Superior Image Quality

Direct view LED displays outperform other competing displays in terms of brightness levels, contrast and image quality, especially when it comes to large-scale, commercial applications.

Direct view LED displays reach contrast levels of up to 3000:1 or more. The higher ratios produce deep blacks and high brightness, causing images to virtually jump off the screen. With previous technologies, contrast ratios — the relation between lit and unlit pixel brightness — can be as low as 200-to-1. A modern LCD display typically achieves ratios of 1,000-to-1 to 2,000-to-1.

LED displays also produce vivid, dramatic colors. Some LED displays can produce 281 trillion separate colors.

Businesses using LED signage benefit from the eye-catching visuals. A bright display with mesmerizing colors and high resolution images grabs customers' attention and pulls them in. For product launches, trade show setups, and large-scale screens, direct view LED displays are the smart choice.

Superior Visibility in Direct Sunlight

For outdoor installations, LED's inherent brightness helps overcome the higher ambient light levels. And in direct sunlight, LED displays are the only real solution for clear visibility and effective messaging.

LED displays generate less heat than other displays, mitigating the need for ventilation and other mechanics that can tend to fail in sustained outdoor conditions. Because of this, direct view LED displays tend to have a higher IP rating when it comes to durability and lifetime usage. The temperature extremes experienced in exterior installations can expose traditional digital signage that is not designed for outdoor use to wear and tear. For outdoor advertising, stadiums, cruise ships, and other exterior venues, LED signage can be the preferred panel type thanks to its durability.

Flexibility and Versatility

LED technology weighs two to three times less than similar technologies. This eases setup efforts, reduces installation and mounting requirements, and saves on shipping costs, passing the savings on to the final customer.

What's more, panels can be daisy-chained into various arrays and configurations for larger scale displays without sacrificing functionality. Panels can be laid out into long, rectangular displays like large scale digital posters or video walls. You often see them in the long hallways of airports, stadiums, and corporate lobbies. The panels can be designed to bend around corners or form ovals and circles.
Some extreme LED display examples include:

• Las Vegas Sphere, 366 feet high by 516 feet wide, covered with direct view LEDs
• Beijing, China's The Place Sky Screen, which is 820 feet by 98 feet
• Michigan Stadium, with two LED screens that are 152 feet by 55 feet

The great flexibility and scaling options of these panels allows for a wide range of applications across many industries. From sports fields to concert venues to roadside advertising or storefront displays, LED panels create giant screens visible from large distances.

Energy efficient and Eco-Friendly

LED displays consume less power than competing signage. This benefits the environment and reduces the power bills for the venue's owner. If you bring LED displays to trade shows and the like, booth power considerations are typically immaterial since multiple LED displays can run off a single, standard electrical circuit without fears of overloads and blown breakers.

Durability and Longevity

LED panels have excellent resistance to shock and vibration. While on-location, damaging accidents can happen. LEDs are more robust and durable than you'd expect and can withstand wear and tear in high foot traffic areas.

Due to their high energy efficiency, an LED display has a much greater lifespan than other display types. An LED operating at 16 to 20 watts lasts 25 times longer than an incandescent light using 100 watts. Less energy equates to lower waste heat in circuitry and often allows for LEDs to be rated for up to 100,000+ hours vs. typical LCD displays with up to 60,000 hours of run time.

It is also significantly easier to replace damaged LEDs or sections of a full screen. Since LEDs are separated into individual bulbs/modules, you can replace just one small section to correct a larger problem. It’s a much easier and cheaper solution than replacing an entire video wall or LCD screen.

This points to another environmental benefit: There's less waste for disposal. In addition, LED panels don't use toxic metals like mercury.

Direct View LED Products and Possibilities

• Outdoor LED displays. Make a bold statement and increase visibility with our outdoor LED displays. These weather-resistant and vibrant signs are perfect for storefronts, billboards, and outdoor events. Whether it's a bright sunny day or a rainy night, your message shines through with impact.
• Indoor LED signs. From retail stores and corporate offices to trade shows and museums, our indoor LED signage solutions offer dynamic, attention-grabbing displays that leave lasting impressions.
• Large-scale poster displays. Daisy-chainable LED poster displays allow for quick and easy adaption of advertisements and content depending on your current environment. Our large LED posters can be used as single units or attached together for seamless, large-scale presentations.

The Future is Bright

We expect direct view LED signage to become the standard. Combining crisp graphics, full-motion video, bright images, and intense colors, LED video displays grab and hold customer attention. Nothing else comes close.

Illuminate your brand with brilliance and make a lasting impression with Displays2go's direct view LED signage and digital solutions. Browse our selection and find the perfect LED signage solution to elevate your business or event to new heights. To learn more about direct view displays, watch this video on how to choose the right LED display.