Pixel Pitch
What is it? Why does it matter?
High resolution, high definition, pixel density, pixel pitch etc., etc., – at the end of the day, what do all these terms mean as they relate to your potential digital display? In the following pages, these and other terms will be demystified and placed in the proper context for investigating LED display technology for your particular application or project. Frequently AV professionals ask essentially irrelevant questions when trying to ascertain whether a large-format LED display of a particular dimension will deliver the content clarity and sharpness they require for an application. This is largely as a result of the comfort in using incumbent LCD technology terminology inherited from earlier generations of resolution parlance. Questions such as: “Are your displays Hi-Def? Are your displays 4K?, Can I run HD content on your display?” Let’s take a look at what these terms really mean.
Resolution: High Definition vs. High Resolution
In summary, High Definition and High Resolution are terms that attempt to describe the clarity and sharpness of digital content being delivered via some form of viewing technology. High definition and high resolution are often used interchangeably and sometimes share a similar connotation depending on the audience, but they are actually quite different. Both are measures of resolution, which is defined as the fineness of detail that can be distinguished in an image. High Definition is a situational definition of High Resolution. In order for a digital image or video content to be considered “HD” it must meet 3 specific criteria: 1) The display must be a widescreen format incorporating a 16:9 aspect ratio, 2) have a resolution of at least 1280 pixels x 720 pixels, and 3) a frame rate between 24 and 30 frames per second. In order for something to be “true HD”, it must have a resolution of 1920 x 1080, commonly known as 1080p (p stands for progressive scan). These constraints were created as units of standardization for the AV industry, but the constraints are not necessarily optimal for every situation. High resolution on the other hand is a more nebulous term and can refer to any display with a resolution that is sharp and finely detailed. As long as an image looks clear and detailed to the human eye, it can be considered to have a high resolution, even though it may or may not be HD. Let’s look at an example of why one of these terms doesn’t really apply to large-format LED display technology. Your question might be “Are your LED displays true Hi-Def?” Well, if by high definition you mean 1080p, maybe not. In order for say a 4mm pixel pitch large-format LED display to be “High-Def” it would require it to be a minimum of 25 feet in width (at 305mm per foot there are roughly 76 pixels in a linear foot of this display). If the pixel pitch increases to 6mm, it would have to be a minimum of 37 feet in width! If your question changes to “Are your LED displays 4K?” in effect you’re asking if they are (4 x HD) and…well, you do the math. You’re describing a huge LED display area. The question you really want the answer to is “Can I show high resolution content on a large- format LED display?” The answer is…yes…on some of them…depending on the total number of pixels (stated as the “pixel matrix”.) High resolution content can be scaled to display properly and affectively on large-format LED displays of a high quality manufacture, where the LED lamps can properly emit content in a manyX:1 ratio.
Pixel Pitch – The Heart of the Matter
Now let’s introduce the term in question – Pixel Pitch. Pixel pitch and it’s analogs, dot pitch, line pitch, P(x), strip pitch etc….what does this mean in terms of practical application as it is used in digital display technology and digital signage? First, let’s define what a pixel is before we discuss its “pitch.” In digital imaging, a pixel, or pel (picture element) is a physical point in a raster image, or the smallest addressable display element in a display device; so therefore, it is the smallest controllable element of a picture represented on the display. The address of a pixel corresponds to its physical coordinates. LCD and LED pixels are manufactured in a two-dimensional grid, and are often represented using dots or squares, but CRT pixels correspond to their timing mechanisms and sweep rates. Each pixel is a sample of an original image; more samples typically provide more accurate representations of the original. The intensity of each pixel is variable. In color image systems, a color is typically represented by three or four component intensities such as red, green, and blue, or cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. On a discrete LED or SMD-LED (surface mount device – LED) display, a pixel is in actuality an LED lamp composed of three “sub-pixels,” each of which is an individual LED comprising the three RGB components. Now let’s discuss the “pitch” of “pixel pitch.” In its true definition, “pixel pitch” is the term used to describe the distance between pixels on televisions, monitors and other display screens. When discussing flat panel or curved display panels, where the display is either a light-reflecting or light emitting technology, pixel pitch is measured on the surface of the screen or display. With projection technology, it is measured at the projection source rather than the destination screen.But all of that is academic in that you, during the course of vetting an appropriate display technology for your particular application, are unlikely to hear the term “pixel pitch” used to describe image quality on LCD, LED back-lit LCD, Front or Rear Projection, or any of the niche “tile” technologies. These technologies are more likely to be described in terms of their “resolution” or “definition” (e.g. high-definition, high-def, high-res, 2x, 4x, etc.) The term “pixel pitch” is typically reserved for LED display panel technology. In relationship to outdoor/indoor discrete and SMD-LED display technology we are talking about the horizontal and vertical distance between the centers of discrete LED lamps composed each of a red, blue and green diode. So what does all this mean for my potential LED display application? At the end of the day, when inquiring about the pixel pitch of a particular LED display grid, you’re in effect asking – “How clear is the imagery that I’m trying to show going to be?” That question is going to be answered by several additional ones: A) at what minimum distance, and further back, would your audience likely view the completed display installation? B) What is the nature of the content and your suspected length of audience interaction with that content? – Which leads to a subjective discussion of, “what is your tolerance for pixilation of that content?” Let’s step away from the minutiae for a minute and look holistically at what you are really trying to accomplish. When reviewing a display application for technical fit, one should ask the larger question, “What am I trying to do?”With an overlay of the aforementioned questions, let’s look at a couple of scenarios where LED display technology could be deployed.
Scenario 1: You want a display to show a rotation of digital images and large-format text advertising to quickly inform customers entering your retail environment of current sales and ines being promoted. Here, let’s assume that the display is going to be mounted above the entryway to a retail store and glanced at for perhaps 10-15 seconds by customers entering the store. The customer interaction with the display is going to be informational in nature and of a short duration. The minimum viewing distance in any real sense is going to be 15 feet and back.
Scenario 2: You want a display to be mounted above and behind a bar area within a resort destination showing high-definition simulcasts of major sporting events and performances of Grammy-winning musical artists – in effect simulating to the nearest extent possible, the experience of being live, in-person at the shown venue. The minimum viewing distance is potentially 10 feet, but using the 80/20 rule, a vast majority of the viewers will be 18-20 feet back and beyond. The duration of audience interaction with the content is likely to be anywhere in a range of 15 minutes to upwards of 3 hours.
In these two scenarios, there is a difference in the intended content, length of interaction with the content, resolution tolerance of the content, minimum viewing distance to the content and potentially over-all surface area of the content – all speaking directly to the appropriate pixel pitch of the LED display to be used. Let’s address the individual concerns dictating appropriate pixel pitch for an LED display application one at a time.
Minimum Viewing Distance
Depending on the pixel pitch of the display, a greater or lesser minimum viewing distance is possible before an image “pixilates.” That is to say, there is a minimum distance beyond which a human eye with natural or corrected vision of 20/20 can no longer discern individual pixels on a particular display. A general layman’s rule of thumb says that distance is roughly 3x in the distance in feet as the pixel pitch is in millimeters. For example if a display was manufactured using a 5mm pixel pitch, you would begin to recognize individual pixels on the display at about 15 feet and closer (3ft.x5 = 15ft.).
the smallest viewing distance and led display specification
With LED display technology, however, this minimum viewing distance can be conditional based on the overall surface area covered by the display. This is true for a number of reasons. One, if a display is 20’ in width by 16’ high it will have exponentially more pixels to replicate the intended image than say a display of 10’ by 8’ providing more information for your eye to process, thereby increasing human-eye perception of resolution. Additionally, because LED is a light-emitting technology versus a light-reflecting technology, the gaps between pixels tend to “soften” and are therefore, perceived as less distinct when resolved by the human eye. This optical artifice is accomplished in much the same way that oncoming automobile headlights at night radiate light into the surrounding dark space immediately surrounding their edges.
Optimum and Minimum Viewing Distances and Human Eyes
The last major consideration we’ll look at is Optimum Viewing Distance. Simply put, optimum viewing distance is the distance from your display, where the individual pixels in a display resolve to form one clear image to the average viewer. The larger the pixel pitch and lower the pixel density, the further your optimum viewing distance will be from the display. Conversely, the smaller the pixel pitch and higher the pixel density, the closer your optimum viewing distance will be. Resolution only comes into consideration as it relates to pixel pitch and pixel density. One of the most familiar examples of how our eyes resolve a large-format LED display is the common digital billboards you probably see on your daily commute. From the distance you view the billboard; it looks like one solid image. The images are crisp and the words easy to read. However, if you were to climb up to that billboard and examine it close-up, you would see that it is actually made up of hundreds of pixels spaced so far apart that it is impossible to see the image at all (an average 14’x48’ billboard contains on average just over 150,000 pixels – actually far less than a 16:9 aspect 112” diagonal 6mm pixel pitch display). So, why do these dots merge together to form a single cohesive image from far away? The answer lies not within the specifications of the display, but in the science of your eyes. As distance increases, your eyes can no longer tell the difference between two pixels, their respective colors blend together and they simply merge to form one image. The amount of pixels our eyes are able to “resolve” or distinguish between decreases as we move further from what we’re seeing. Take a look at the example below. As the image gets farther away, the individual pixels merge together to form a single crisp image. Resolving distance is most accurately defined in terms of an angle. Imagine that the human eye is at the vertex of this angle, which means that the field of view is expressed as the arc created by the triangle as you can see in the diagram below. The average human eye can only resolve 1/60th of a degree of this arc. So, if the distance from the display increases, then the arms of the angle get longer, and the termination points of the arms get further apart, therefore, 1/60th of a degree contains more data. In other words, as we move further from a display we are decreasing the amount of individual pixels that our eyes are able to resolve resulting in the merging of all the pixels into a crisp, clear, cohesive image on the display. So, how does this relate to resolution, pixel pitch, and pixel density? The best resolution, pixel pitch and pixel density for your display is subjective based on the size of your display and where the display will be viewed from most often. You should make sure that the optimum viewing distance of the display you are considering is the same or less than the actual viewing distance from your display installation.
See for Yourself
The concept of how your eyes merge individual points into one cohesive image is similar to the way a newspaper or magazine is printed. If you pick up a newspaper and look at it from close proximity or under a magnifying glass, you will see that each picture is made up of small little dots. The distance you read the paper from allows your eyes to merge these dots together for the picture. When you examine a magazine, the image may look even better. This is because magazines often have a higher concentration of “dots per inch” or dpi (similar to pixel density.)
Intended Content and Pixilation Tolerance
Knowledge of this piece of the application will address a number of questions including: intended length of content audience interaction, intended effect of the content on the viewer and tolerance for pixilation of the content. Let’s go back to our two scenarios described above. The content in
Scenario 1. is intended to be informative, consumed in passing, quickly processed and potentially persuasive affecting purchasing habits of the viewer. The information conveyed is more important than the clarity or resolution of the image. It can still be eye-catching, flashy, have an aesthetic “WOW!” impact, but the tolerance for pixilation is likely to be greater here than in…
Scenario 2. Here, the intention of the content is to attract, entertain, capture and hold the intended audience in a particular venue for an extended length of time, where perhaps, they will consume food and beverages, engage in amusements or other revenue producing activity and potentially encourage their social acquaintances to join them to do the same. Likely the tolerance for this audience is going to significantly less than in scenario 1.
Oh Yeah...and One More Thing – COST
We would be remiss if we didn’t show the relationship between pixel pitch and cost. Simple cost economics will dictate that you will pay more for a higher volume of anything. In this case we’re talking about individual LEDs and LED lamps. When you drop a pixel pitch from say 6mm to 5mm, you will consume exponentially more pixels (read: LEDs) using the same width and height dimensions for a display. In many applications, this becomes the most important consideration, often causing the project owners to adjust expectations and engage in “value engineering,” or in effect compromising expectations of what can be done.
Why all of this Matters
Since we have shown that best resolution, pixel pitch, and pixel density is subjective based on where your display will be viewed from, how do you decide which display is right for you? The “better” the resolution, the higher the cost of a display due to the increase in number of LEDs, so you want to make sure you purchase the right display without purchasing too much display and overspending.
For this reason, it is important to see the display technology for yourself and perform a visual evaluation of the intended technology and simulate the conditions under which the intended application is to perform. Remember, not all LED display boards are created equal and just because a 4mm pixel pitch looks perfect from one manufacturer doesn’t necessarily mean they all will. In other words if you evaluate Brand A, don’t assume Brands B, C and D all look exactly like A.
There are other specifications outside the scope of this paper that you will want to consider as well, for instance, brightness, color contrast, off-axis viewing angle, power consumption, total cost of ownership and even content creation best practices, which your digital display professional will be able to help you with.
SMD-LED
What You Need to Know
History of the SMD-LED Industry
In this generation, there are more advertisement opportunities than ever before for companies to get their product, service, and name out to the public. Businesses accomplish this through many means; one of them being the use of indoor and outdoor digital signs. Digital displays allow the advertiser the opportunity to get their message displayed through the use video technology, relating to their customers in vivid and captivating ways.
Why LED?
There are many types of display solutions, with many different advantages and disadvantages including, LED, LCD, and Plasma, to name a few. As a potential buyer of a digital sign, one has to distinguish which type of sign will provide the greatest value with the lowest opportunity cost. The display must be able to captivate potential customers, and entice them into trying the advertised product or service. This choice is clear when looking at the capabilities and reliability of a LED display.
While the plasma screen displays have the problem of overheating and burning out, SMD-LED displays can run content for hours with ease. The SMD-LED display solution can stay bright and luminous for up to a decade without fading, outlasting any other form of display solution on the market. If you’re in the business to run an advertisement in a public space, SMD-LED displays are the most effective and reliable means to get your message out across target markets.
How does a SMD-LED display work?
And how does this add value?
Unlike the bulb of a typical filament light bulb, which ages rapidly and only lasts a matter of months, the LED or “light emitting diode” uses the power of molecular chemistry to solve the problem of longevity. A “diode” is a tiny semiconductor, only millimeters in dimension, and consists of both a positive and negatively charged side. When an electric charge is sent through the “diode”, it causes the electrons in the material to jump to the opposite sides of the “diode”. Amazingly, this “jump” generates a powerful light, and it can be used to generate a variety of colors. By housing these lights in “pixels” or bulbs, as we know them, SMD-LED displays can combine thousands of pixels onto a single screen. This creates a display that shows content beautifully, incorporating the luminosity and reliability of each individual LED being used.
Tiny lights and huge screens
Because SMD-LED displays do not have the same heating problems as plasma or LCD, they can run substantially longer without any size restriction. This has led to the SMD-LED display being used everywhere, from the 90 ft. Fremont Street Barrel canopy display to the 112 inch flat screen displays inside your local mall. The attributes of SMD-LED displays make them a leading choice for sport arenas and amphitheaters. Having the ability to display your content in such grandeur is a powerful tool for any company seeking advertisement opportunities.
Powerful and cost effective
SMD-LED technology is used to power the massive screens you see at some of your favorite sporting events. The Dallas Cowboy’s boast one of the largest SMD-LED displays on earth. These screens have to be powerful enough to run for hours while maintaining brightness, even in the middle of the day Surprisingly, these SMD-LED displays are energy efficient, and the only display technology that is capable of filling the massive needs of sports stadiums without costing an arm and a leg to power. Many SMD-LED 112 inch screens can run using your standard wall power outlet. This gives companies using LED displays an advantage by lowering their opportunity cost for operating the displays, and optimizing the time spent running their specific content.
Plenty of options
Because SMD-LED pixels can either be concentrated or spread out, many different levels of complexity can be accomplished to suit each individual clients needs. Do you need a display to only show single numbers and letters like a stock ticker or bus sign? Or do you need a display screen that can play David Cameron’s Avatar and look good while doing it? The beautiful thing about LED technology is that it can accommodate these two needs using the same diodes and pixels. It’s just a matter of ensity.
Return on investment
Investing in a SMD-LED display gives the owner multiple paths to generating revenue. The first and most direct path to increased revenue and sales is using the screen to display advertisement for their company. Another advantage to owning a display is the ability to sell advertising slots to suppliers who sell a product within the store (typically). Combined with the long lifetime and effective power usage, investing in a LED display can pay for itself.
The future of SMD-LED
Back in the 1960’s, LED lighting was only capable of generating red light, and this light was expensive to purchase (around $200 per light). By 1968, the manufacturing process was simplified to the point where this red light was used in watches and radios. As the years progressed, other colors were introduced until the modern LED’s were made available. Since the first applicable designs in the late 1960’s, LED efficiency and brightness has doubled every 36 months. With the rapid innovation of lightweight and easily mountable LED displays, companies can use their displays in locations that were previously out of bounds to advertisement solutions. These
advertisements are now running a broad range of content, from simple text to high-definition, allowing the LED displays to better suit a larger number of clients. Combining all of these capabilities into one package makes for a competitive and effective product that is helping change the way companies and organizations around the country advertise.