How to Build a Video Wall

​A video wall doesn’t have to be the challenge most installers see it as today. In this article we have put together a step-by-step guide to use when building a video wall. In a culture of smart phones and short attention spans, a dynamic video wall is a great way to get customers, employees and/or partners to take notice. 

Three steps to building impactful video walls

Step 1: Determine Size, Content, and Processors
 
Are you going with a standard video wall shape? Or are you thinking outside the box with a custom non-standard display layout? Whatever you choose, knowing beforehand will ensure that the video wall products you chose are capable of creating the type video wall you have in mind.
 
What are you showing on your video wall? Sports, news, movies, tv shows or other content normally found from cable/satellite boxes? Apple TVs or streaming devices? Or are you going to be playing your own custom content, like menus or digital signage that you develop and produce? If you are choosing the custom content, keep in mind that not all products are set to output custom resolutions or aspect ratios. AVPro has developed solutions to solve this issue by using the Fresco 4 with custom capture regions.
 
How are you going to split the video signal to be disbursed to each of the displays? There are many ways, but here are the most common:

1. Purchase Commercial displays that have a video wall function built in. For this application you would need a signal splitter/repeater, also known as a distribution amplifier. AVPro Edge’s line of HDMI distribution amplifiers will work perfectly for this scenario, they come in 1x4 and 1x8. For larger video walls the expandable AC-FRESCO-DA116 is a perfect solution, a true 4K 1 input, 16 output repeater. This product can send 4K60 (4:4:4) out every one of its outputs, additionally each output is synced to ensure you receive the exact same image to each of the video wall displays at the exact same time.

 

1. Purchase consumer displays at a lower cost and use an external video wall processor to split the image and deliver a custom capture region to each panel. Many integrators are able to save their clients a lot of money by installing video walls made up of consumer panels that are much less expensive. In these cases, you need to choose a video wall processor that can take in a video signal and split it up into different capture regions for you. The Fresco 4 (AC-FRESCO-CAP-4) was built exactly for this scenario. It is able to give you a 2x2 video wall directly out of the box and is expandable for larger video walls. Find more about the Fresco 4 here. 

Step 2: Have a Plan and Measure Twice

The old saying measure twice and cut once rings true when installing a video wall. Draw out a diagram of your set up on paper or on your computer. Show each product laid out with the exact plan for cables, distribution products, video wall processors, mounts and displays. This will ensure that nothing is left to chance once you start the installation. If you need help putting together a video wall diagram, please give one of our AVPro reps a call. We can help you with layout and choosing the correct video wall products for your application, the phone number is 605-274-6055.
 
Once the layout is complete, make sure you note down the dimensions of the displays. You will need this when you start to hand the panels on the wall. Measure your installation area to make sure everything will fit and start marking on the wall where you will place all the TV mounts. It’s always better to measure twice than drill in a mount that you will have to move later.
 
Step 3: Connecting Everything Together
 
At this point you should be able to hang the displays, get power and have a HDMI cable connected to each one.
 
If you are using commercial displays, you should be able to connect each one to the Fresco 1x16. Set the capture regions using the displays controls. Once the distribution amplifier has a source, you will see the video wall light up. You can manage any adjustments with the controls on each individual display.
 
If you are using consumer displays just connect each TV in your video wall to the video wall processor. Once connected access the processors controls in order to map out each capture region so the video creates one large image. When using the Fresco 4 you can download the free pc software and connect your computer to the video wall processor via network, USB or serial. Once connected use the software to input the display size and layout, then the Fresco 4 will do the rest of the work. Once a video source is connected you will have an instant video wall.
 


These are the basic steps for installing a video wall. If you are going to be installing a video wall please reach out to your AVPro rep so we can make sure the process remains stress free and impactful. We will guide you on which products to purchase to make sure your next video wall is a success.