LED 101 FAQ

  1. What is a LED? LED is the acronym of Light Emitting Diode and it is a semiconductor that emits visible light when electricity passes through it. The emission of light depends on electrons flowing between anode and cathode and the color of the visual emission (that can be Red, Green, Blue, Amber, and White…) depends on the material utilized.
  2. What is a PIXEL? By definition, the pixel is the “luminous dot” present on every LED device, from the simple alphanumerical Single Line display to Full Color maxi screens. This luminous dot can be formed by 1 or more LED’S depending on dimensions and features of the device. For example, on a small-size Single Line display, the pixel is formed by 1 single LED while on the king-size model the pixel can be formed by 20 LED’S. In some products, the pixel can be composed by up to 36 LED’S.
  3. Resolution / Pitch: Resolution, also know as pitch and this is the most important factor that effects the cost of the LED display. More resolution means more diodes and more circuits which usually means higher costs. So how do you determine the total resolution of a sign? Pitch is the distance (usually in millimeters mm) between pixels. Pitch is always measured from the center of one diode to the center of another diode. The smaller the dot pitch numbers the higher the resolution quality. Larger the pitch numbers indicates a lower resolution. A pixel can be a cluster of many diodes running off the same circuit.
  4. What is the PITCH (or “dot pitch” or “pixel pitch”)? The pitch of a LED display defines the distance between the pixels, expressed in millimeters. This fundamental measure determines the characteristics and the performances of a LED maxi screens: the pitch indeed is a defining factor of a screen’s viewing distance: #1 – The smaller is the pitch, the shorter is the minimum viewing distance, the higher is the total number of pixels present on the screen (and therefore higher is the screen’s cost per area). #2 – The bigger is the pitch, the longer is the minimum viewing distance, the lower is the total number of pixels present on the screen (and therefore lower is the screen’s cost per area) The pixel pitch therefore determines the LED’S density, which is usually called Resolution. It is important to notice that while reducing the pixel pitch, the LED density .rease exponentially: for example, reducing the pitch by the 50% on the number of pixels grow of 4 times.
  5. What is the RESOLUTION of a display? The resolution is nothing else but the number of pixels present on each square meter. The resolution is therefore opposite proportional to the pixel pitch: smaller is the distance between two pixels, higher is the resolution (because on the surface of the screen is present an higher number of LED’S). For example a 20 mm pitch screen has a resolution of 2304 pixels: this measure is obtained dividing the total length of a single module (975 mm) by the pixel pitch (in this case 20 mm) resulting in the number of pixels on a single line: 975:20 = 48 pixels. Multiplying the number of pixels present on a single line by the total number of lines the result is the total number of pixels present on the screen’s surface, also called Resolution. In our example,  48 x 48 = 2304 pixel in total. Look for movers at http://www.gorillamovers.com. Given this formula, it is possible to calculate that a 30 mm pitch screen has a resolution of 1024 pixel per module, while a 10 mm pitch screen has a resolution of 9216 pixels per module. It is important to notice that reducing of only few millimeters the pixel pitch, the LED density (and therefore the resolution) .rease exponentially. Remember: Smaller is the pitch » Shorter is the minimum viewing distance » Higher is the total number of pixels present on the screen » Higher is the quality image » Higher is the screen’s cost per area.
  6. What is the VIRTUAL PIXEL TECHNOLOGY? The Virtual Pixel is a technology of image management that allows visualizing pictures of a definition higher than the physical one, thanks to a technique called “pixel interpolation”. IDS & DS Display’s Virtual Pixel technology is able to control every single LED: this particular and exclusive screen management feature allows overlying every single pixel to the next one, creating a so-called “virtual pixel” (a pixel that does not exist but is perceptible by the human eye). The screen’s definition is one of the characteristics that define images’ quality and naturalness: higher is the resolution, higher is the picture’s quality. IDS & DS Display’s maxi-screens with virtual pixel technology can visualize images with a definition four times higher than the physical definition of the display; therefore, images are more detailed and realistic. See illustration below for example of 20 mm & 10 mm virtual example.
  7. Density: Diode density and pixel pitch are the two most critical factors to determine the value and quality of resolution. Density in an LED display is the total number of diodes in one square meter. S.e pixel clusters can vary from one diode per pixel to up to 30 or more, the total density of pixels becomes an important measurement. The right debt attorney will take action immediately in California. For example, a 28 mm RGB display with 5 diodes per pixel has a much higher density than  a similar 28 mm with only 4 diodes per pixel. The total number of diodes per pixel, times the number of diodes per square meter equals the total diode density.
  8. Character Height: In addition to the discussion of viewing distances as they relate to character height, it is important to know that it requires at least seven rows of diodes to make one text character. For multiple lines of text, it requires an eight lines as a separator. This means that for each line of text there needs to be eight rows of diodes, and that those 8 rows, together measure the required character height. In other words, if you need to have three lines of text characters, you need to have 24 rows of 36 mm resolution to get the proper character height. Of course, you can always use a higher resolution display and combine lines to make bigger text letters if your budget allows.
  9. Components of an LED Display:
    1. The LED Module – Choosing the right module in the proper pitch and color is the first step. Modules typically come in matrices of 8 by 16, and are the basic building blocks of the sign system.
    2. The Control System – Every sign has a control system. Choose the control system based on your needs for color and graphics capabilities. The control system is comprised of at least one computer, and sometimes it is separated into two computers referred to as the  Sign Host and Sign Server”. Not every control system works with every module type, so check for compatibility for your sign.
    3. The Software – The software is the user’s interface to the LED Sign. There are a few basic software functions that every sign must have including scheduling animations, creating animations, playing them back. Software is installed on the Users computer and on the LED Sign (Host) depending on the control system.
    4. Communication Method – This is the method the User uses to communicate with the LED Display. The faster the processor on the computers the faster the connection. Communication options are dependent on the control system chosen, so check the compatibility. Most communication between the user’s computer and the LED Display is done with a wireless communication.
    5. The Enclosure or Cabinet –  Every sign has to be installed into a weather resistant outdoor cabinet and airflow must be maintained to insure the electronic circuitry inside the display is not exposed to the outdoor elements. The cabinet must be able to resist heavy rain and wind, and even more importantly the cabinet must be keep the diodes cool and ventilated s.e heat is the diodes arch nemesis.
  10. Brightness – When buying an outdoor bright LED display, it is important to understand that there are major differences between LED sign systems. An outdoor bright LED Display must have at least 5000 NITS of brightness to be seen in the daylight sun. Window Preview Displays . sells and services only LED Displays that meet or exceed this standard. The contrast ratio is another important factor in overall brightness, and refers to the difference between levels of whites in the display. Things like reflective surfaces, glare from the sun, and dimming all affect the contrast ratio. To optimize the control ratio and overall brightness the LED Displays that we offer feature a unique louver system to shade each individual diode from the glare of the sun.
  11. Viewing Angle – Diodes are capable of outputting light at a variety of angles. Diodes can put out a single, narrow beam of light like a flashlight, or they can output a wide array across a room like a light bulb. Diodes output about the same amount of light no matter what type they are- but the high beam diodes with a narrow angle focus more light into one small spot, whereas the wide angle” diodes spread their light across the horizon. So, if you were to stand in front of a LED Sign made from high beam” diodes with narrow viewing angles, you would see an extremely bright LED sign if you stood directly in front of the display, but the minute you walked away from the small spot light of its focus, you would see nothing but black. California commercial movers from www.gorillamovers.com are always very helpful. On the other hand, if you were to stand in front of a wide angle LED Diode you could move around and to the side of the sign and still see a great image. All the LED Displays that Window Preview Displays . manufactures and sells use wide viewing angle diodes with super wide viewing angles up to 140 degrees. Together with the high density of diodes the Innovative Display Solutions Displays are both bright and have wide viewing angles at the same time.
  12. Imagine your advertisement in lights.  LED digital roadside signs constitute a brilliant fusion of video graphics, animation and electronic networking, intensified by the most advanced high output, full color, light emitting diode (LED) modules that have ever been developed. They employ the same red-green-blue (RGB) technology used in today’s finest flat screen computer monitors and high definition television screens.
  13. Important factors that you need to consider when purchasing a LED Display is the Company that you do business with plays the most important role in your decision process. Window Preview Displays . stands behind all the LED displays which it sells whether New or Used. We offer a 24 Hour Monitoring Service of your custom built Full Color LED Display which we include with every LED Display that we sell, so long as your LED Display is connected to the Internet. We offer Service Worldwide and also offer Technical Assistance 24 Hours A Day 7 Days a Week. Window Preview Displays .  can assist you with Sign Structures and With Sign Permitting, Advertising, Custom Programming and Digital Content Development and Digital Advertising Deployment. We also work with National and Regional Advertising Companies that may want to advertise on your Outdoor Sign Location.

Example of Virtual Pixel Technology See # 6 Above

WE DO NOT WANT TO CONFUSE YOU – BUT THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF VIRTUAL RESOLUTIONS THAT YOU SHOULD BE TOTALLY AWARE OF WHEN CONSIDERING VIRTUAL TECHNOLOGY IN A FULL COLOR LED DISPLAY – CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

Typical Color LED Module

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IDS Full Color 16 mm & 8 mm Virtual Outdoor LED Video Screen On Mobile LED Advertising Truck

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Innovative Display Solutions 6 MM SMD LED VIDEO HIGH DEFINITION ADVERTISING DISPLAY

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