You’ve sent out the invitations, posted event announcements on Facebook with matching hashtags, and paid the downpayment for your venue. One of the last things remaining on your pre-event checklist is to rent a big, bright LED wall. You know how much your event will benefit from an LED wall, but you’ve saved the rental for last simply because the considerations are overwhelming. After all, you’ve never had to rent an LED wall before.
If you’re looking for the basics of LED wall rental, you’ve found the right article. Here’s an LED wall rental guide for first-timers.
A First-Timer’s Guide to LED Wall Rentals
Basic LED Wall Rental Terms
If you’re renting an LED wall, you’ll deal with a few technical terms when speaking with LED wall providers. Here are three of the terms that you’ll encounter the most when picking screens and making negotiations.
• Screen Size
LED walls range from 6 feet to over 50 feet in length. The more people you have in attendance and the farther they’ll be standing, the larger your rented screen should be. A good rule of thumb is to rent a screen at least 17’ wide if you’ll have over 500 attendees.
• Pixel Pitch
This figure, usually in millimeters, refers to the distance between two pixels. A screen’s pixel pitch is proportional to its minimum required viewing distance (i.e. how far away someone should stand to see an image instead of just bright squares).
• Screen Structure
Screen structures either fall under modular or mobile. Modular panels are made of small LED tiles, laid out on-site with aluminum trussing. They are suitable for indoor events and can be formed into custom shapes. Meanwhile, mobile screens are brought to the event as a pre-built screen. They cost less and take less time to activate, but they are subject to space constraints as they are delivered on a vehicle.
7 Basic Factors to Consider
LED walls do fit many different kinds of occasions, but that doesn’t mean that a single wall is a one-size-fits-all deal. Take these seven factors into consideration to make sure that you’re renting the right LED wall.
1. What Will I Be Displaying?
The content that you’ll display will affect the range of screens you’ll choose from. Video loops and backgrounds can work with higher pitch LED screens. High-quality content will need screens with lower pitch for the details to be full shown.
2. Indoors or Outdoors?
Your choice of screen also depends on your choice of venue. Outdoor screens can survive adverse weather such as sudden rain storms, but they are usually heavy due to the military grade materials that lend them their durability. Meanwhile, indoor walls have their wires and other components exposed, making them more fragile but easier to fix. If your event is of the multi-venue sort that takes place both indoors and outdoors, it’s a good idea to pick an outdoor screen to be safe.
3. How Far Will The Audience Be?
If your audience will be standing no more than 25’ away from your wall, a high pitch screen will result in a highly pixelated display. High resolution (low pitch) LED walls are best for close audiences. On the other hand, an audience that is standing much farther away will be fine with a low resolution (high pitch) wall.
4. How Big is Big Enough?
Screen size is another specification affected by audience viewing distance. Keep in mind that bigger isn’t always better. Will a fifty-foot screen do better than a six-foot screen at a trade show, where your product should be taking center stage? However, a sizable crowd standing a good distance away will certainly need a large LED wall. Be sure to factor in any scenic pieces and the venue’s weight limitations when deciding on screen size.
5. What Type of Video Input Will I Use?
Will you just loop a video from a DVD player, or will you bring in a video switching system? The answer to this question will give you an idea of how much processing equipment you’ll need to make your video display properly on your rented LED wall. Even a slideshow shown from a laptop may need more than a single cord.
6. Fly or Sit?
To “fly” your LED wall is to prop it up in the air, in contrast to setting it on the stage. Whichever setup you choose, you have to stay within safety tolerances of your wall’s location. Miscalculating here has actually led to injuries and deaths. When flying a video wall, find out the weight that each of your setup’s points and motors need, and also find out how much weight they can support.
7. How Will I Power the Wall?
Each LED wall product has its own energy requirements, such as voltage, amperage, and power distribution system, which you should note to avoid blowing a perfectly good screen. Power demands will also increase as you add more LED wall products. If your screen will use up more power than the venue can provide, you may need to avail of additional power support or rent an LED screen that fits within power constraints.
Creative Ideas for Using Your Rented LED Wall
Once you have an idea of what LED wall you’ll be renting, it helps to know what your screen can do. Then, you can get the most out of your rental! Here are 7 creative ideas to start you off.
• Use It as a Dynamic Backdrop
A stationary backdrop on a rented LED wall is certainly stunning, but what about a constantly changing display? This guarantees that your audience won’t be bored during quiet moments and intermissions. Try adding a dynamic backdrop to a concert or a trade show.
• Provide a Bright Presentation Screen
Projected screens get washed out under bright light, so you need to keep the room dark for viewers to see anything. Combine a dark room with a post-lunch presentation and you’ll have your audience members nodding off. You can easily avoid this by using LED screens, which won’t get washed out even if you keep the lights on.
• Set Up a High-Definition Livestream
Whether you have an expo, a wedding, or a stage production, you can excite your audience by setting up an HD livestream. Show close-ups of performers or speakers, or flash live audience reactions for a good laugh.
• Create a Social Media Wall
Event-goers will be thrilled to see their Tweets or Instagram posts on your LED wall! Announce a hashtag for your event, and you’ll have a steady stream of fresh user-generated content for your social media wall.
• Show Off Your Branding
The crisp quality of a rented LED screen is a perfect place to showcase your branding! You can loop an intricate animation centered on your logo, filled with high-definition close-ups of the most minute details. A rented LED wall is also great for uniting your branding with other stage elements.
• Keep Ambient Lighting Under Control
A keynote speaker or solo performer will be hard to see if the backdrop is blindingly intense. With your LED wall rental, you can switch to a muted backdrop that will draw attention to whoever’s on stage.
• Dazzle Your Audience With Special Effects
Be creative, and your LED wall rental can turn your event into a trending topic. There have been several LED screen performances where dancers appear to sprout wings or control balls of magical energy.
4 Tips for LED Wall Rentals
Aside from what to ask and how you’ll use your screen, there are a few final points to remember when booking an LED wall rental. Here are some useful tips when finding the perfect LED wall:
1. Ask For a Demo
Feel free to ask your LED wall provider for a demo–most providers will gladly oblige. This not only helps you get a close look at your options, but it allows you to experience what you’ll be renting first-hand.
2. Book in Advance
The LED wall is most likely not the only rental you’ll be placing. As much as possible, rent your LED wall early to avoid crunch-time headaches.
3. Have Good Tech Support
No matter how much planning you do, there is always the off-chance that the screen won’t turn on during the event itself. Or that an important cord will be misplaced. Don’t be caught with technicians who’ll turn out to be as clueless as you are. Hire a technician with actual experience handling the LED wall you’re renting.
4. Ask Questions
Raise questions whenever you need to. LED wall rentals aren’t light on the budget, so be sure that the provider knows exactly what you’re looking for.
As the number of items on this list will tell you, renting an LED wall isn’t something that can be done in five minutes. However, with proper planning, the results will make it seem like you’ve been renting LED walls for years. Keep this list with you if you’re about to rent an LED wall for the first time!
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