Regardless of your presentation needs, there are many potential AV configurations on the market. VSSi works with businesses to help design custom AV solutions to fit any space and business scenario.
Many of our customers are unsure whether a video wall or projection-based system will better suit their needs.
Of course, both LED video walls and projectors are highly functional and impressive solutions.
Both can be customized to provide modern high-tech aesthetics and support multi-media presentations. Both offer cost-effective, high-res, and flexible solutions.
However, whether a video wall vs. projector will be more effective for you depends on a few key elements about your organization’s space, business, and AV-needs.
Here’s a short guide to video walls vs. projectors:
Video Wall Considerations:
Video walls have changed dramatically over the past two decades; modern solutions are slimmer, more energy efficient, and offer much higher resolution, and less bezels (space between panels) than ever before.
Since they’re made up of multiple panels working together, video walls can be configured into multiple shapes and viewed at many angles. LED panels also reduce glare and can be used outside and in areas with plenty of ambient light.
They are also modern, impressive-looking and elevate the spaces they’re installed in. Unlike some projection screens, video walls can be installed piece by piece. If you need a big solution, but have space constraints like small doorways which might otherwise prohibit large hardware, video walls are a great option.
Because the picture is native to the screen, video walls often require less space than projectors and can be viewed from farther away. They often also have better color saturation.
They are typically a larger up-front investment, since installation can be intensive and component parts are high-tech and must match each other. Some older models can also be more energy intensive than projectors, since each panel used to require its own power source.
Projector Considerations:
Projectors have been around for much longer than video walls. Since there are more options available on the market, projector component parts tend to be more interchangeable. It’s generally possible, for example, to upgrade only the projection screen or only the projector and scale up slowly. Depending on the model, projection screens are also more energy efficient than multiple-panel video walls.
Ambient light can be a problem for projection systems; they work best in conference rooms, banquet halls, and other rooms which can be darkened to avoid glare. Because the video is removed from the source, you’ll also need a way to keep the space between projector and screen clear of people and other obstructions.
However, projectors are highly customizable by size and can more easily be moved to new locations. Projection-based systems can be cut into multiple configurations to fit unique shapes.
Projectors are typically much less expensive up front than video walls, though replacement parts – especially bulbs – can increase the price tag. You may need to factor in potential additional costs such as cleaning and maintenance, blackout curtains or high-quality projection screens.
LED displays are typically less high-definition than projectors, though this again varies depending on the specific solution you install. Standard high-def projectors can be up to twice the pixel height of standard LED video walls. Whether this matters to you will depend on how far away your audience will be – at larger distances, attributes such as brightness and color saturation may be more important than fine details, or vice versa.
Video Wall vs Projector: What’s best for your space?
Both projectors and video walls can be customized to provide an impressive and flexible solution for your organization’s needs.
Knowing how you will use your AV system and what your space is like will help you weigh the pros and cons when choosing a video wall vs. projection system. In light of the considerations detailed above, questions such as:
- How big is the space? Is it an indoor room which can be fitted with blackout curtains, or a sunlight lobby?
- How far away is the audience, and what kind of presentations will you be supporting with AV?
- How much do you want to invest now, vs. down the line?
- Will space constraints make installation difficult? and
- How important are color saturation and brightness vs. image sharpness?
are all important to consider when making a decision.
Whether you want a custom video wall or cutting-edge projection solution, VSSi will work with you to ensure that you maximize the results of your budget and end up with a solution that fits both your space and your organization’s needs. VSSi makes custom-built high-tech AV solutions and supports projects from concept through execution and support down the road.
To learn more, see some of our past installations or get in touch with us here.
