wall?” Fortunately for those that are trying to put together options for a video wall, in this article I’m going to discuss how to make a video wall. We’ll discuss all the various components that you need to get your video wall
up and running. Hopefully by the end of this article you’ll be able to
piece together everything you need to get your video wall up and
running and in turn this will help your business, whatever it may be,
thrive!Let’s start with a very important part of any video wall, the monitors. I can’t honestly think of a good reason to use anything other than LED high resolution monitors these days. But beyond resolution is there something that you should be looking for when you pick out your monitors? Of course there is, one of the things that makes a video wall so attractive is using monitors which have a smaller than traditional bezel. The idea behind finding monitors with a small bezel is that you’ll be able to use many small (and inexpensive as well) screens to create a giant screen. In case you’re unsure, the bezel is simply the inactive part of the screen, it kind of looks like a frame to me. There are a
number
of companies that focusing on micro bezel. Among those are Samsung,
NEC and Dell. I can’t say for sure that one is particularly better than
the other. I will say that NEC has been around and innovating in the monitor
world probably the longest, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are
the best. Probably the best way to pick your monitors is to find out
what’s on sale, and then compile a pros and cons list to determine what
you best option is going to be.Next you need to consider what type of video card is going to be best. Well let me back up, there are multiple options for connecting your screens and making them active. What you choose should be dependent on how many monitors you need to use or how big you want to make your video wall. The two main methods for hooking up your video wall are going to be using a multiple monitor computer and using a stand-alone video wall controller. There are pros and cons to each of course, which we’ll touch on, just a little bit.
One of the big advantages of using a stand-alone video wall controller is going to be cost. When you’re building your video wall it’s important to make cuts where you can, and by using a device such as the iVu9 Xtreme4vs. The beauty of a device like this is this is that it’s relatively easy to setup, as the ports are conveniently placed. It can handle up to 9 different screens in up to 3 different arrangements and can be easily programmed, to make moving your video wall (if necessary) a complete breeze. Of course, a big advantage is also the ability to use high-resolution graphics across all the screens. And finally, I find it pretty cool that you can remote into your stand-alone video wall controller so that you can program the screens as needed. This is definitely a cool feature. For example, consider this: you’ve sent an employee to work a trade show that you were unable to attend, but you can make adjustments to your presentation on the fly, thanks to the remote-in feature.
The other option, and one that many opt to do for some reason or another, is to have a custom PC built that’s designed to specifically for multiple monitors. I know this seems like it might be a good option, and honestly for some of you it might be, but it does tend to be a bit more expensive. Here’s why: when you build your own system, you’re stuck with the cost of an expensive video card that can handle multiple monitors and the cost of a computer system that will cost you a pretty penny as well. You can’t go cheap when you get your computer system either, and that’s a big chunk of the expense. You need a system with a fast processor, preferably an i7 and 4-8 GBs of RAM. There’s nothing wrong with going this route though, and in the end it may give you a bit more control, which is what some people are looking for, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with that. You just have to balance you decision and figure out what is going to work best for your business.
One big question people ask quite frequently is what type of stand do you use for video walls. The answer really depends on the size and scope of your video wall. In other words, there are customized stands that can be purchased that make setup (physically) your video wall pretty easy. Among these stands, it’s worth noting, that there are both stand alone versions and wall mounted versions, either of which is considerably easy to assemble and display. Of course there are custom stands for large display setups. The stand usually cost a few hundred dollars. You don’t need to be an expert to setup a video wall stand; it’s fairly common sense.
Hopefully this article helped you figure out how to make a video wall. It is not hard to do these days, all you need are the tools and you can have your video wall up and running in no time at all. The benefits of having a video wall in your business’s arsenal are exponential. You’ll find that you’re better able to attract new clients and new customers and you’ll love how easy it is to setup and design new content for you presentation. Using a video wall will be one of the smartest moves that you’ve ever made for your business.
