When it comes to upgrading to an LED video scoreboard, it can be difficult to know if you are purchasing the right combination of LED and software for your facility. You want a fan engagement solution that will keep your facility on the cutting edge of technology, both today and ten years down the road.
ScoreVision prides itself on being a software company – we build our scoring and event production software in-house, bringing you the most innovative features and constantly incorporating feedback from our customers. But our focus on software does not sacrifice our commitment to providing the highest quality hardware and LED displays to our customers.
Making sure you’re getting the best LED for your facility requires some background on the basics of LED and how to determine what’s best for your gym or stadium.
LED Basics
The process of getting the right LED technology for your video scoreboard project starts with learning how to determine what makes certain LED products better for your project than others. There are a few LED-related terms you’ll want to get familiar with in order to help you compare your options.
DIP-type LED
The original type of LED, invented in the 1960s, was DIP-type LED. DIP stands for Dual Inline Package and involves a group of three individual diodes – one red, one green, and one blue – that work together to produce any one of millions of colors on the display. Each diode is pill-shaped and protrudes from the surface, and it takes all three diodes to form one pixel. DIP-type LED has been mostly phased out of use for indoor displays, but still remains a diode solution for many manufacturers selling outdoor displays.
SMD-type LED
SMD-type LED is the more modern type of LED, replacing DIP for nearly all high resolution indoor displays and outdoor displays. SMD stands for Surface-Mounted Diode and involves one flat, surface-mounted chip that includes all three diodes (red, green, and blue) within the chip. SMD technology is quickly becoming the top choice for both indoor and outdoor displays due to its energy efficiency, more vibrant and consistent colors, broader viewing angles, and weather-resistance capabilities. You can learn more about these benefits in the next section below.
Module
LED modules are square or rectangular tiles that are combined into rows and columns to create your desired size and shape of LED display. ScoreVision displays are built from modules that are front- and/or rear-serviceable, so maintenance is quick and easy.
Pixels
A pixel can be thought of as one point of a picture, and it is the smallest component of an LED display that can be controlled. One pixel is one chip on an SMD-type LED display, or one grouping of three diodes on a DIP-type LED display. There are multiple rows of pixels on an LED module.
Pitch
Pitch is how the resolution of an LED display is measured. It is the distance (in millimeters) from the center of one pixel to the center of a neighboring pixel. The more pixels per module, the higher resolution the display will be, which translates to a better quality picture for your fans. An easy rule of thumb to remember is the larger the pitch number, the lower resolution the display will be.
ScoreVision’s standard stock inventory includes indoor displays with 6mm pixel pitch and outdoor displays with 10mm pixel pitch for outdoor displays. We also supply additional finer pitch options. Most LED providers tend to supply 10mm for indoor displays and 20mm for outdoor displays.
Viewing angle
The viewing angle is the maximum angle at which a spectator could view the display and still get a crisp, high-quality image. Viewing angles are measured both horizontally and vertically. A wider viewing angle means more of your fans can see your display from more places within your facility.
The Best LED for Your Video Scoreboard Project
ScoreVision sources our LED modules from the top LED manufacturers in the world, ensuring you are getting the highest quality, most durable, and long-lasting video display product installed in your facility.
ScoreVision exclusively installs SMD-type LED, which provides numerous benefits over the more outdated DIP LED technology, including:
- Finer pitch: SMD-type LED allows displays to have finer pitches and higher resolutions because their 3-in-1 chips can be placed much closer together than DIP-type LED. SMD technology can go below 2mm pixel pitch; DIP-type LED cannot go finer than 10mm. These higher resolution displays allow you to showcase scores and exciting content to fans whether they are up close to the displays or on the other end of the stands.
- Wider viewing angle: DIP-type LED chips are encased by a pill-shaped cone, which sends the light mostly forward. SMD-type LED are flatter and spread the light better, so more fans in more parts of your gym or stadium can see the score and fan engagement content on your displays.
- Better image quality: SMD-type LED creates a much more crisp and vibrant image, displaying colors more naturally and consistently and achieving much better contrast than DIP-type LED.
- More energy efficiency: SMD-type LED produces more lumens per watt of energy than DIP-type LED, so you can achieve the perfect brightness levels for your events with less power consumption.
- Easier maintenance: ScoreVision SMD-type LED modules are front- and/or rear-serviceable, making maintenance of faulty modules so quick and easy that you don’t have to hire an expensive maintenance professional to swap out a module.
Other Benefits of ScoreVision LED
In addition to the built-in benefits of using modern SMD technology, ScoreVision’s LED displays give our customers many other benefits when it comes to giving fans the best experience possible. Some of these benefits include:
- High refresh rate: ScoreVision’s LED products come with a high refresh rate, giving you a stable image, better video quality, and the capability to showcase live video feeds and video replays.
- Easy maintenance: ScoreVision’s LED modules are easy to swap out without the hassle of scheduling an expensive repair technician. The modules make DIY servicing a breeze and can be accessed from the front and/or back depending on your particular installation.
- Durable materials: Our LED displays are built for sports – they’re more than tough enough to withstand the harshest environment. Plus, our outdoor displays are rated to stand up to weather conditions.
For more details and specifications, and to find the right ScoreVision solution for your facility, contact us today!
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References for this article:
LED Craft, Inc. | Octopus LED Screens | Ultravision International | Macropix | Insane Impact
