5 Ways to Use a Video Wall in Your AV Design

• Digital Signage

5 Useful Ways to Include a Video Wall in Your AV Design

Summary:

• Video walls expand the idea of display screens into much more versatile solutions that can cover larger areas. Popular brands like Samsung, Barco, Christie, Sony, and Nanolumens all approach the technology in a slightly different way.
• You can use video walls to enhance meetings, support collaboration, make a good first impression on retail customers, help people navigate, or share real-time data. Whatever your goals, it’s essential to plan out these installations strategically to support them.
• Key specs like high resolutions, high refresh rates, color depth, and pixel pitch can affect user experiences depending on how you use video walls. Consider the specific features that will support your needs to keep your investment in this technology efficient.
• Factors like size, resolution, and technology can have a big impact on the final cost of your video wall. Working with an AV technology consultant can help you find options that fit your budget and goals.

A well-integrated LED, LCD, or 4K UHD video wall can help businesses achieve many goals: from branding and marketing to wayfinding, engagement, and real-time data display. They can also be costly—which is why it’s so important to design, integrate, and use them strategically.

At ET Group, we deliver scalable, human-centric AV solutions built around the ways people work, collaborate, and communicate. Explore our video wall solutions and use this guide to learn more about how to choose the right systems for different use cases.

What Is a Video Wall—and How Does It Work?

Historically, the term “video wall” referred to a collection of large-format displays grouped together into a single visual canvas. They were usually tiled together in a grid controlled by a device that syncs content across all screens. Common examples of this approach include:

• LG’s Ultra Narrow Bezel Video Wall Displays (e.g., 55VH7J-H)
• Samsung’s VHR-R Series
• Barco’s UniSee LCD video walls
• Planar’s Clarity Matrix LCD
• Christie’s Extreme Series LCD
• Sharp/NEC’s MultiSync® Video Wall Series

If you’ve ever used “Extend Display” mode in Windows to stretch your desktop across two monitors, it’s the same basic concept on a much larger scale.

How Modern Video Walls Have Evolved

Video wall tech has come a long way over the years. Today’s most cutting-edge products are still made up of modular panels, but they’re intentionally designed to be so seamless, there are no visible black borders or bezels. Common examples of this updated take on the video wall include:

• Nanolumens’ Nixel™ Series 
• Samsung’s The Wall (MicroLED)
• Barco’s LED XT Series
• Planar’s TVF Series (fine pitch LED)
• Christie’s MicroTiles LED
• Sony’s Crystal LED (CLED) displays

More recent breakthroughs include curved and flexible panels. They make it possible to quite literally wrap the screen around architecture and other building features.

5 Smart Ways to Use a Video Wall in AV Design

1. Create a Seamless Hybrid Meeting Experience

In large conference rooms and other meeting spaces, video walls make it easier to see, stay engaged, and get the right message across. They can help you display: 

• Multiple remote participants into the conversation at lifelike size.
• Content like presentations, interactive whiteboards, or spreadsheets.
• Live camera views of in-room participants and/or presenters.
• Looped content like branded elements, logos, images, or video. 
• Captions that support accessibility for the Deaf community.

The beauty in this kind of setup is that it adds equity without forcing people to constantly switch tabs or flip between screens. Everyone present can see the same content, and potentially, also interact with it.

Learn More: Designing Conference Rooms that Work for Today’s Offices

2. Make a Memorable First Impression in Public Spaces

Video walls are an excellent option for lobbies, reception areas, and other public-facing areas because they look impressive and deliver a user experience most people enjoy. People aren’t typically so moved by signs that they’ll tell all their friends—but they will remember eye-catching videos, art, or messaging.

Public-facing video walls should either solve a problem for guests or make their experience more enjoyable in some way. Think of them as a type of digital signage you can use to share:

• Welcome messages for clients or guests.
• Company stories, highlights, or impact data.
• Real-time news, weather, or social media feeds.
• Show-stopping art—see how we helped Bentall Green Oak achieve this.

Most displays support at least one content management system (CMS)—like BrightSign, Xibo, Scala, Appspace, or SignageLive. Every manufacturer is different, but all of these platforms serve the same overall goal: they make it easy to change out content as you please.

3. Support Collaboration in Multi-Use Rooms

Designing a flexible space that can support team huddles, client presentations, social gatherings, and other uses isn’t easy. Groups must be able to adjust furniture, AV equipment, and other room features in minutes, then reset it all on a dime. Because video walls are so versatile, they can actually help you achieve this goal by letting people adjust the screen for:

• Impromptu social gatherings, parties, or celebrations.
• Client presentations, pitches, and product demonstrations.
• Interactive workshops, training sessions, and skill-building classes.
• Hybrid meetings between people working from home and on-site.
• Reviewing analytics from reports, dashboards, or other sources in real-time.

Adding interactive overlays, or going with a product that’s interactive right out of the box, opens up a whole world of possibilities for any user who walks into the space.

4. Help People Navigate Your Space

Video walls can make it easier for people to understand and find their way around large properties like school campuses, shopping centres, hospitals, multi-floor offices, and event venues. Because they’re so large, it’s easy to display multiple forms of content at the same time, including:

• Interactive signposts, building maps, and/or directories.
• Real-time updates on room availability, bookings, or schedules.
• Sales, promotions, and other retail-oriented special events.
• Emergency alerts and evacuation instructions during a crisis.
• Multi-language translations for all of the above information points.

Scheduling software, occupancy sensors, and other tools can help take this to the next level by rotating content out based on the time of day, foot traffic, or events. Visitors get the information they need on a crystal-clear screen that’s large enough to see from a distance so they use their time more effectively.

5. Share Data & Dashboards in Real Time

Data is what powers nearly every workplace and industry, but it’s mission-critical in industries like healthcare, finance, energy, and security. Video walls surface a unique opportunity to present facts, figures, and insights in a way that’s actionable and beautiful, too.

The value of highly visible real-time data goes even further in command and control rooms. When situational awareness and fast decision-making are non-negotiable, video walls make it easier for teams to oversee live operations, analyze data, and respond swiftly to emerging challenges.

You can pull information from a broad range of platforms if you have the right infrastructure in place. Some of the most common examples across the industries we work with include:

• Business Intelligence (BI) tools like Power BI, Tableau, or Looker.
• Tracking platforms like AWS IoT Core or Zebra MotionWorks
• Incident and alert systems like Splunk, Dataminr, or Everbridge.
• Live mapping tools like ArcGIS or Google Maps.
• Financial data platforms like Bloomberg Terminal or Refinitiv Eikon.
• Industrial control systems like Ignition or EcoStruxure.
• Security camera feeds from Milestone Systems or Axis Camera Station.

Large central displays also serve another important purpose by making sure that everyone has access to the same information at the same time. This reduces the risk of costly mistakes.

Read More: How to Stay Informed About Your AV, Spaces and Users

Step-by-Step: How to Plan & Install a Video Wall

Installing a video wall isn’t just about ordering the most expensive screen, mounting it on a wall, and hoping for the best. Solutions like these must be purpose-built around the people who will use them day-to-day and your goals in order to be truly effective. Here’s how to get it right.

1. 1. Define Your Goals. Spend some time thinking about what it is you want to achieve. What’s the budget, and how will a video wall help you reach your goals? At ET Group, we include this in our discovery process to ensure projects stay aligned and on track. 
   2. Evaluate the Space. Factors like the physical dimensions of the space, sightlines, lighting conditions, and traffic patterns can make video walls more or less effective. We can map out configurations in 3D or VR to help you get a sense for what works—and what doesn’t. 
   3. Pick the Right Tech. Get to know the differences between what’s out there: LED vs. LCD, high resolution vs. standard, fine pixel pitch, brightness levels, refresh rate (Hz), and color accuracy or space. Or, explore your options with one of our AV experts instead.

• Design With Intention. Video walls should be easy to integrate with your favorite platforms and tools, but they don’t always come with compatibility right out of the box. ET Group can help you design a custom AV solution based on your needs. 

1. Plan Your Installation. This is about more than just scheduling. Crews may need to reinforce walls, run new power and data lines, improve ventilation, or adjust your IT stack—and that’s before the installation even happens. If you don’t have an in-house IT team, ask how we can help.
2. Train, Test, and Improve. If you want people to adopt a new technology, you need to give them the tools and information to make effective use of it. Browse our resources or ask us how our workshops and training sessions can help people make the most of your new video wall.

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by how involved the process is, please know that this isn’t a path you need to try and navigate alone. In fact, you shouldn’t—because the end result will always be better when you strategically partner with an AV provider like ET Group.

Key Specs To Look For in Video Walls

No two video walls are exactly the same, and not every business will need the largest, most expensive, or highest-resolution product on the market. To accurately judge which specs matter to you and make the biggest difference, you need to know what they actually say about the product.

Let’s review the most common:

• Pixel Pitch. This refers to how sharp images are up close. You want a smaller number for board rooms and standard meeting spaces and a larger number for big, open areas.
• Brightness. This refers to how bright the display is, and is typically measured in nits. A higher brightness rating of 3000+ will cut through glare and light from nearby windows, but it can also be overwhelming and hard on the eyes in smaller spaces.
• Color and Bit Depth. This affects how vibrant and accurate the colors on the screen look. Look for 10-bit color and support for color standards like Rec.709 or DCI-P3 for the most lifelike experience. 
• Refresh Rate. This is how often the image updates each second. Higher rates like 120Hz or 240Hz produce smoother playback and flicker less, which is ideal.
• Viewing Angle. This tells you how far off to either side people can be before the image on the screen fades or distorts. Wide angles of at least 160° are best for video walls.

Be cautious about flashy features that look impressive, but don’t necessarily add any real value to the average setup. Ultra-high resolutions, like 8K, are a great example—they look nice, but they cost a lot more and 4K is often sufficient.

The Many Factors That Affect Cost

Because the average upfront cost can vary so widely, we strongly recommend sending us a message for a tailored quote. We’ll chat a little bit about your needs, your space, and your goals to ensure you’re on the right path—before you start writing cheques. Check out the table below for  an overview until we meet.

Let ET Group Design Your Next Video Wall Solution

Video walls can be transformative, exciting, and engaging, especially when they’re designed around real, grounded human needs, but they can also be a costly burden or annoyance instead. It’s how you integrate them into your broader AV strategy that makes the most difference.

ET Group builds video wall solutions that help you raise brand awareness, support more effective hybrid collaboration, and give people the guidance they need when they visit your space. To make sure yours is truly an asset to your business, book a discovery call today.

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