Video wall vs. projector: Pros and cons, how to choose

When you're choosing between a video wall or a projector, it can be tough to decide which one is beneficial for your business, is the most cost-effective and is the most efficient for your uses. However, this doesn't need to be a difficult choice and can instead be an opportunity to reflect on your business requirements and help you identify the best technology to meet your business goals. 

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Both video walls and projectors come with significant presentation benefits and can help improve interactivity and engagement levels. But it's best to choose just one technology to ensure you don't confuse operations, as this may impact presentation and conference quality.

To ensure you do this, we've created this comprehensive guide to video walls vs projectors, including the pros and cons, with a guide on how to choose the best solution for your company. 

With this guide, you'll be in a better place to make an informed decision about your presentation technology requirements.

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What types do video walls have? How does the technology work?

Before we get into the specifics of projects vs video walls it's integral that we first define what a video wall is. 

A video wall is a collection of monitors that work together as a coherent screen, using video wall technology like processors, matrix switchers and controllers to coordinate imagery and ensure that pictures are displayed on the correct screen. 

These video walls are capable of displaying multiple snippets of information from a centralized platform, making them ideal for presentations and conferences where it's necessary to distribute a high volume of information. 

The size of the video wall can vary depending on the user's requirements. Some video walls are as small as 4x4, while others go all the way up to 144 x 72 in size. They're very scalable and multi-functional, making them ideal for businesses with many presentation needs, as companies can use a video wall for conferencing, trade shows, presentations, office operations and much more!

AV enthusiasts and business professionals can use a few types of video walls. It's important to remember, however, that different video walls may be more suited to specific uses, so consider your primary usage requirements when assessing the following three types. Here's a guide to the three types of video walls: 

1. LED video walls

LED video walls are one of the most common types of video walls and are primarily used in advertising and display scenarios due to their bright and detailed displays. LED walls are capable of creating these bright and highly detailed displays by using many tiny LED lights. Many places worldwide make use of LED video walls, including Picadilly Circus in London and Times Square in Manhattan, New York. 

Their bright and eye-catching display makes them ideal for companies needing digital signage to advertise their business, as they ensure that customers won't miss your advertisement.  

The reason why businesses tend to use these displays is, unlike other types of video walls, each pixel (or LED light) emits its own light, ensuring that all parts of the video wall are visible. We also tend to see LED video walls in places such as museums to depict images and video footage or in shop windows to attract customers.  

Like all things, there are some pros and cons to using LED video walls. Here are some examples: 

Pros

• Low energy use - One of the significant benefits of LED video walls is that they tend to use much less energy than standard video walls. This can lower your operational costs significantly. 
• Environmentally friendly - As LED lights use less energy, companies can decrease their reliance on fossil fuels and reduce their carbon footprint, which is better for the environment and also your company profile. 
• Long life-span - LED lights tend to last significantly longer than LCD or rear projected cube walls, meaning users spend less on costly repairs or replacements. 

Cons

• More expensive - Despite the positives, LED walls tend to have a much higher upfront cost than LCD walls. However, the operating costs are much lower, meaning users get better value for money.  
• Thinner - LED walls also tend to be much thinner, which can make them break easily due to fragility. This may make them less transportable than other video wall options.
• Age and temperature can impact light quality - As LEDs age, they can cause color shift, which may impact quality. Similarly, the temperature can have an impact on LEDs, so if you're using your LED video wall in colder climates, this may impact performance.  

2. LCD video walls

LCD video walls are the most common type of video wall on the market due to their accessibility. These consist of multiple LCD panels put together to create the illusion of a single wall. It's not uncommon for LCD walls to be used in offices, broadcasting environments, mission control centers and control rooms due to their versatility and easy accessibility. Depending on the type of LCD video wall you invest in, the quality can differ. 

Some LCD video walls that have a lower upfront cost may have wider bezels, whereas more expensive options tend to include thinner bezels to give a more seamless look to a video wall. Despite their versatility, there are some pros and cons you will need to consider before you decide to invest in an LCD video wall. Here's a brief guide to their pros and cons: 

Pros 

• Lower upfront cost - LCD video walls tend to be the least expensive option on the market for consumers. That means companies can save some money when investing in video wall technology, giving them more opportunities to invest in video wall technology. 
• Sturdier option -  LCD video walls can be much sturdier options than LED walls, making them ideal for transportation and longer usage. 
• Easy availability - LCD video walls may be much more available than other video wall types, as LCD panels are easy to come by for most major technology brands.  

Cons

• Inefficient energy consumption - One of the most significant downsides to using an LCD video wall is that they tend to use a lot of energy to operate. This increases a company's reliance on fossil fuels and other polluting energy sources, which can contribute to environmental damage. 
• More expensive operational cost - Alongside environmental damage, high energy usage is also associated with increased energy bills. As the wholesale price of gas increases and the energy market remains unstable across Europe, using an LCD video wall can be an inefficient use of company funds. 
• Harsh bezels that impact quality - As LCD walls are much cheaper options, they tend to use less seamless monitors, resulting in harsh bezels (borders) interrupting video quality. This can impact engagement if you're presenting to an audience and disrupt the flow of your video display.

3. Rear-projection video walls

Rear-projection video walls differ significantly from other video wall options. Rear projection walls, also known as rear projection cubes are used across industries and are known for their usage in control rooms. Extremely narrow bezels and high video quality make them a reliable option for companies.

This method differs from the other two options as they use projection behind the screen instead of in front. This significantly reduces the impacts of shadowing and improves image quality. We tend to see rear-projection video walls in large entertainment settings such as sporting venues or in music events due to their very large screen capacity. Here's a guide to some of the pros and cons that users may experience with this video wall: 

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Pros 

• Reduces shadowing - Due to the placement of the projector, rear projection video walls significantly reduce the impact of shadowing and fading, making the screen's visuals look more sinuous and high-quality. 
• Thin bezels - Unlike LCD walls, rear-projected cube walls tend to have thinner bezels, increasing production quality. 
• Provides a more professional look - If you're a company that is very conscious of image, then a rear projection cube wall is beneficial. This is because they look very professional, making you seem knowledgeable and invested in AV technology and production value.

Cons 

• Technology can be harder to access due to the placement - As projectors are situated behind the screen, it can be difficult to conduct any repairs or maintenance once it's in place, especially if you're presenting in an inaccessible environment once the screen is up. 
• Requires a very powerful projector - To ensure that your audience members can see what's happening on the screen, a rear-projected cube wall requires a very powerful projector which may be more costly. 
• Needs larger projection space -  Unlike front projection, rear projection requires a much larger surface area to display a full image, making it more difficult to create a rear-projection video wall that's suitable for smaller spaces. 

What is a projector? How does it work? 

A projector is a device that uses beams of light and lenses to display images on a video wall or blank screen. This technology works by shining a powerful light through a lens. Standard lamp based projectors operate by using colored lenses, filters and a color-wheel to display images. However, there are a few types of projectors. 

One of the most common ones that we see in cinemas, education settings and conferences is an LED projector. This projector uses green, red and blue LED bulbs to create something known as 'white light'. This is then filtered through a lens and is displayed across a screen through beams of light. Projectors are some of the most versatile display technologies out there and are easily accessible. Despite this, there are some pros and cons. Here's a guide to the perks and disadvantages of projectors: 

Pros

• Space saving - Unlike large video walls, projectors are primarily a single box, meaning they save more space which may be beneficial for smaller offices. 
• Inexpensive - It's very easy to find cheap yet high-quality projectors for your business, making it good for companies wanting to cut down costs. 
• Highly adaptable -  As projectors are transportable, they're highly adaptable to changing presentation requirements. 

Cons 

• Requires a dark room - One of the biggest drawbacks to using a projector is that they require a dark room to operate, which can make it harder for people to conduct other tasks while watching presentations, such as taking notes. 
• Creates shadowing easily - The most obvious downside is that upfront projection is easily interrupted by people walking in front of the beams of light, resulting in shadowing.
• Integrated projectors can require lengthy installation - If you're using a projector as part of an interactive whiteboard, this can require a lengthy installation process with costly maintenance demands.

Video wall vs. projector: How to choose? Which is the better solution for your company?

The solution you choose for your company will typically depend on your individual usage requirements. You should consider your business needs before you decide to invest in either option. Ask yourself questions about your audience requirements, goals for engagement and budget, as this will help to guide your decision. 

The best solution for your company will depend on your needs. For example, if you're looking to produce engaging displays with high levels of interactivity and high information volume distribution, then a video wall may be better for your company. However, for companies looking to improve operations on a budget and require a transportable solution, then a projector may be better for you. 

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Final thoughts

What other technical, optical and logistical aspects should we consider when a customer asks us the typical question: "Is it better to install a video wall or a LEDwall?".

In addition to resolution, size, shape, projection ratio, brightness and viewing angle, what are the other fundamental features that differentiate a screen made with an LCD monitor rather than with LED panels?

Frame or seamless ?

The last optical aspect to consider is certainly the presence of thin black frames between the monitors of an LCD video wall rather than the complete absence of them (seamless) in a good quality and well installed LEDwall. The most recent video walls using the latest generation LCD monitors can reach thicknesses of these frames of 0,5mm although the most common products have frames of about 1,5mm thickness. In this case it will be our customer who will have to evaluate how annoying these black lines are in the final result, especially in function of the video content transmitted, and how much he is willing to spend more to not have them.

Mechanical characteristics

In addition to the electro-optical characteristics which are fundamental and evident in the final result, it is better to always keep in mind also the mechanical characteristics which, in some cases, can be equally important in the final choice. These characteristics must be weighted both during installation and during maintenance.

From a mechanical point of view, thanks to a completely different construction technology, LED panels have practically only advantages compared to traditional LCD monitors and video walls.

Transport and logistics

The first advantage of LED panels is related to transportation. LCD monitors up to the size of 55' have measures compatible with traditional transport and can be handled on standard pallets. With larger dimensions, however, transport becomes "non-standard", with an increase in costs and risk of damage.

LED panels vary in size depending on the manufacturer, model and field of application, but always compatible with a standard pallet. In addition, the typical construction robustness of the LED panels means that the frequency of failures during transport and handling is very low.

Weight is also important, referring to transport and fixing structure costs. A typical fixed indoor LED panel weighs about 25kg/sqm, while a traditional or video wall LFD monitor ranges from 35kg/sqm and up.

Shocks strenght and maintenance

The most important and evident mechanical difference between LEDwall and video wall is the robustness to shocks and faults in general. In the event of a frontal impact or on a side edge on the LCD panel, the monitor is often irreparably damaged. This requires replacement of the entire monitor with high inefficiency and the risk to install, in substitution, a different colorimetry monitor.

The LED panel, like all electronic devices, is also subject to failure due to manufacturing defects or accidental impacts. However, the LED panel is much more impact resistant than an LCD monitor, especially the front ones.

In the event of an accidental collision and failure of one or more LEDs (switching off or alteration of the color), it is sufficient to replace a small module (or LED tile) (normally supplied as a spare part, therefore with identical colorimetry) to have the complete operation of the screen in a short time and without disservice. The faulty module will be subsequently repaired in the laboratory and made available for future use without any effect on the original colorimetry. The other possible faults on an LED screen, which may involve the power supply, signal transmission or control part, can also be easily restored 'on site' without interruption of service by using the spare parts originally supplied.

Final considerations

Those highlighted, are only the main and most obvious features to consider when asked the frequent question: "is a video wall or a LEDwall better ?".

The customer's answers will allow us to better understand his needs and to give precedence to the most important aspects for him, which can be related to resolution, dimensions, shape, colorimetry, brightness, mechanical strength, ...

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