How much does it cost to build a video wall?

A video wall is one large screen made up of multiple monitors tiled together.

A video wall can help improve employee productivity and raise brand visibility. They are commonly used to raise situational awareness, increase response times, and for disaster management, collaboration efforts, and quick decision making.

The video wall display is merely the most visible component of the video wall, which requires a processor and specialized software to run. Video walls can provide high resolution and an easy way to communicate quickly and effectively.

What Is a Video Wall System?

A video wall system is a high-resolution display wall, using several different monitors that are connected to form one large screen. These monitors are contiguously overlapped to form one large image for high visibility.

This differs from a single large screen. It allows the controller to customize tile layouts and has a greater pixel density and screen area per cost.

Video walls are found in stadiums, control rooms, and large public venues. The largest high-definition video wall in the world was achieved in August 2017 at the Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo. It measures 7,639 feet, 5 inches. Video walls can vary in size and number of screens.

They are also commonly used by Fortune 500 companies. As they become more affordable and accessible, more and more companies are using them.

Components of a Video Wall System

A video wall system is more than just the visual display that you see on the wall. It is made up of the following main three components:

• Video wall displays: This involves a tiled arrangement of screens or monitors that are laid contiguously to form a single large high-definition display surface. Technologies for this display include LED, LCD, blended projection, and projection cubes. Each of these can differ in resolution, brightness, cost, and reliability.
• Processors: The video wall processor, or controller, is what works to make the content accessible and visible on the intended interface. The controller will gather all of the necessary input and content from the sources you wish to capture, send it to the displays and allow you to scale, adjust, and arrange it as desired.
• Software: The software is the interface, or “dashboard,” that allows you to control the entire video wall system. The software programs can contain a variety of tools, allowing the user to manipulate the display, content, and appearance as necessary. Video wall software can come with a high level of customization.

Benefits

A video wall display has a variety of benefits, including being more cost effective than a single large screen for a bigger-than-average display area.

These are other benefits:

• Highly visible communication tool: Public spaces, corporate workspaces, and control rooms often have a lot of information and data that need to be disseminated to employees, customers, or audiences. Video wall displays can offer a high-impact and very visible visual method of imparting this information.
• Ability to streamline content: A video wall system can combine and integrate information from a variety of sources in different formats, merging it into a single visual display.
• Increased versatility and flexibility: Video walls can display content from multiple sources at once and have the ability to process content from a variety of display sources and applications. Video walls can also be reconfigured and upgraded easily to change its look and function.
• Easy to control: Video wall systems are easy to configure and use with the controller and software. While they are high-tech, they are not necessarily complex or hard to use.

Costs of Video Wall Displays

Video walls are going to vary greatly in cost based on their size and type. A video wall system can cost between $50,000 and $350,000 based on the project.

Typically, an LED wall panel will cost between $1,000 and $3,000 per panel with an average size of 500 x 500 mm. Processors and software costs can range too based on how advanced a system is desired.

Video wall prices can depend on the following factors:

• Overall display size
• Pixel density
• Shape of design (curved, flat, or three-dimensional)
• Requirements for video processing
• Indoor or outdoor application
• Complexity of installation and setup

Best Brands for Video Wall Displays

There are a variety of options and choices when it comes to video wall displays. These are some of the top brands:

Setup

Setting up a video wall can be as simple or complex as you make it. Basically, it only requires deciding how many monitors or screens you want, the size of your display, buying the video wall components, and installing them.

When deciding how to best set up your video wall display, consider the following:

• Location, size, and shape of the video wall display
• Desired interaction with employees, audience, or the public
• Type of content to be displayed
• Size and aspect ratio
• Features desired
• Type of screens and system to use

Video Wall Display FAQs

How do I make a video wall?

First, you’ll need to decide how you want your video wall to look — how big it will be, where it will go, and what you want it to do. From there, you’ll find a system that works for your space, installing as many screens as desired, chaining them together, and integrating them with a controller.

How much does a LED wall cost?

The cost of a video wall is highly variable, depending on the size and type you choose. They can range from a few thousand dollars to well over $400,000.

Is a video wall a single screen?

A video wall is multiple screens, often daisy chained together to create a seamless and integrated display. This is more cost-effective than a single oversized screen and gives the user more flexibility.

Are video walls hard to set up and use?

No, video walls are not complex to install or control. They are user friendly and can be easily controlled with a single interface.

References

LED wall displays range in price depending on their size, panel quality, installation type and pixel size. In general, the cost for an LED video panel is between $600 and $3,000. 

Most LED video wall systems consist of several panels plus additional components like audio and processing equipment, which adds to the final cost. Turn-key LED video wall systems can cost anywhere from $10,000 - $50,000+.

LED walls are a huge asset for businesses, venues, churches, or other organizations that host frequent events. If you’re considering purchasing LED products for your space, you may be wondering what the pricing will look like and how to budget for the cost. Keep reading to learn about the four factors that influence LED video wall cost.

1. Product Sizes

It’s probably unsurprising that the size of your LED products’ screens will influence the cost of your project. If you’re unsure what size you need in the space, reach out to an LED company and see what they recommend. The best screen or panel size for you depends on the size of your room or venue and the number of seats in that space. You should also consider your organization’s goals and needs to help you find the perfect products.  

Most panels we use for clients are 1.5 ft X 1.5 ft and can be “built” together in many designs and layouts. Some projects utilize these panels for design, while others build a larger screen. There is no limit to the creativity you can have with your LED panels. If it fits in your space, we can help you create it. Some clients opt for 40 ft X 60 ft, while others prefer 5 ft X 8 ft or choose a different custom size.

For screens under 100 inches, we often encourage customers to incorporate televisions in their design. When it comes to TVs and LED video wall cost, pricing and value for the technology directly correlate. TV screens under 100 inches are generally cheaper than LED panels. The price jumps drastically for TV screens over 100 inches, and at that point LED panels are a more cost-effective technology.

2. LED Panel Quality 

The quality of your product is a major factor in its overall price. If your LED Wall quote seems extremely low, you should ask yourself why. Equipment that works well for years to come will likely fall in the mid-to-high price range. 

Here is a short list of components and features that could impact LED wall prices. 

1. Refresh Rate: Refresh rates matter with LED panels, especially if you do any sort of broadcasting or online live streaming. Standard Panels come in refresh rates of 1920hz. Upgraded Panels come in refresh rates of 3800hz or higher, thus giving you a greater quality image when being seen online or TV. 
2. Receiving Card: To put it simply, this multi-function card is the overall control system of the LED panel. This collects and transfers data to the LED screen. A poor-quality card or a high-end receiving card will undoubtedly determine the output quality of your LED Wall. Our recommendation is a Novastar A5S card or higher.
3. Serviceability: Can your LED Panels be serviced entirely from the front? If so, then your modules, power supply unit, receiving card, and HUB board should all be accessible from the front side of the LED wall. This is an important feature for future servicing and maintenance. 
4. Lifespan: How many hours is your LED panel rated for? Most panels are rated for at least 50,000-100,000 hours. The higher the rating, the higher the price point. 
5. Added Features: Manufacturers can add what we call “bells & whistles” features to LED panels. These special features include rear display screens, temperature gauges, corner protectors, detachable cabinet doors, latches, and extra handles.

3. Installation and Design Preferences 

The design, goals, and needs of your project will all influence the final cost. Although custom sizing doesn’t necessarily increase the cost of a project, it could. Understanding how custom sizes affect the user experience is really important. If you’re unsure what sizing or dimensions you need, we recommend engaging with an organization like Refresh LED that can offer insight. 

The installation of your project will also factor into the final cost. Our LED products can be hung, ground supported, or mounted directly to a wall. Whatever the design aesthetic you’re looking for, these options are available, and prices can vary for each. 

4. Viewing Distance 

Have you ever driven past an electronic billboard at night and seen an advertisement or graphic? From 50 feet away, the image looks great! But if you were to walk up 5 feet from a billboard and try to read it, the pixels in the screen become extremely blurry and hard to make out. This is called the viewing distance. With LED walls, pixel size and viewing distance are important in designing your project. 

The pixel size for most LED walls or panels is a standard 3.9 mm. This means that the pixels within the screen are 3.9 millimeters from one another. This screen size is great for viewing from 10-15 feet away from the screen. Much like the billboard, when you look at the screens from a closer distance, the content begins to get pixelated and blurry.  While in person events were on hault however, 2.9mm became a necessity for many projects due to live streaming and recording becoming so prominent. Cameras interact with screens in many different ways, if a pixel pitch is to big for exmaple, you might see scan lines or a moray effect. If live streaming or recording is an imporant factor for you then we recommend a 2.9mm pixel pitch or lower.

3.9 mm and 2.9 mm LED screens are the best value in the market currently. When you choose a pixel pitch smaller than 2.9, the project's cost becomes considerably more expensive. For viewing distances less than 5 feet and dimensions smaller than 100 inches, we encourage our customers to look into a TV.  

Get Your Free LED Wall Quote Today

Our team of experts is ready to help you find the right size, dimensions, viewing distance, and overall design for your vision with LEDs. We also have a guide with more information on LED quotes and what to look for when comparing businesses. 

Get your free quote today!

Concerned about purchasing a technology that is always changing? RefreshLED has a consignment program in place for people like you. We offer past clients the opportunity to find a new home for their current panels and upgrade their space with newer technology. For more information on this program, feel free to contact our team.