What is an LED display system? If you are the manager in the audio-visual engineering company or the purchasing manager who is considering purchasing LED displays, you might ask this question in confusion. This article will explain to you the components that make up the LED display system.
What Is an LED Display?
The LED display screens use light-emitting diode technology to display images. These LED lamps can emit colored light by themselves without the need for additional filters or backlights, so the LED display can achieve very high brightness, and the picture colors are very vivid. Besides the display hardware, the LED display also has a control system and a management system, so it can play any image you need according to your requirements.
The Display Hardware of the LED Screen
LED Module
Many small LED lamps are combined to form an LED module. Each pixel on the LED module usually includes three LEDs: red, green, and blue, which correspond to the RGB colors in color theory. By adjusting the intensity color ratios, the LED screen can display many vivid colors.
These LED lamps are soldered onto a PCB board, enabling them to be fixed onto the panel behind the LED module.
Furthermore, behind the LED lamps, there are also integrated circuits that supply power to these LED lamps and facilitate the control and management system to uniformly change their colors.
LED Cabinet
An LED screen cabinet is the frame that supports an LED display. The mainstream material for LED cabinets nowadays is aluminum alloy. This material is conducive to heat dissipation and is also lighter in weight. The lighter LED cabinets not only can reduce the structural cost, but also will ease the installation process.
The LED cabinet will reserve space for components such as fans and cables, and the ventilation holes inside can help cool the LED screen.
In addition, the LED cabinet can also serve as a protective device. For outdoor LED displays, the waterproof, windproof, and dustproof functions are essential. In some coastal environments, the LED cabinet must also resist corrosion from seawater.
Power Supply
The current provided in the city is high-voltage alternating current. Such a power supply cannot be directly used for LED displays; otherwise, it will overload the LED lamps and cause them to be damaged. The LED display power supply converts the mains electricity into low-voltage direct current, enabling the LED screen to operate stably.
Poor-quality power supply can cause the LED display to flicker and overheat, which not only makes the picture unstable but also shortens the lifespan. High-quality LED power supplies provide a redundant design for the operation and have a wide input voltage range. Thus, even if the voltage in the area where the LED screen is located is unstable, it can still work normally.
Cables and Connectors
Cables and connectors are both important hardware. They are usually hidden inside the LED cabinet.
The cables are divided into power cables, external interface cables, and signal cables. The power cable supplies power to the entire LED display. The external interface cables connect the LED display to the external devices, enabling the LED display to be controlled and managed by the outside world. The signal lines connect each LED cabinet on the LED display, enabling the data signals to be received simultaneously by all the LED cabinets.
The connector is the key component that enables each LED module assembly without seams. In addition to being waterproof, it also needs to have the function that makes them quick connections to accelerate the setup speed.
The Control System of the LED Screen
Sending Cards
When you send video signals to the LED display using an external device, these signals cannot be directly recognized by the LED display. The sending card is specifically designed for this purpose. It is responsible for converting the video signals from external devices into data that the LED display can recognize, much like a translator.
Receiving Cards
The receiving card is usually responsible for controlling one or several LED modules. These modules receive data from the transmitting card and then control the LED lamps based on this data. The receiving card is a very important device because it controls the scanning method and refresh rate of the screen. If the screen’s refresh rate is not high enough, you may notice that the picture on the LED display gets jumpy.
Video Processor
Some professional LED displays come with built-in video processors, which are usually placed between the signal source and the sending card.
These processors enable you to perform various processing operations on the video images, such as zooming, cropping, splicing, and video format conversion. It can convert various input resolutions into signals that match the actual resolution of the LED display. If your external input device is frequently changed, such as between a camera and a laptop, it can flexibly switch the signal format without causing black screens or flickering.
For some small indoor LED displays, the requirements for the video processor are not very high. Basic scaling is sufficient. For some large-scale LED displays, the video processor needs to have the capability to adapt to the assembly of multiple screens.
The Management System of the LED Screen
Content Management System
A content management system, also known as CMS, is the core system in the entire management system. It does not directly connect to the LED display but manages the content that the LED display shows through a media player.
If you need to set the display content that the LED display shows, you can set the playback content through the CMS, and also arrange the playback time. The CMS is usually shown to you as software on your computer and provides a platform for centralized management to manage many LED displays. This means that you don’t need to go to each LED display, but just need to sit in front of the computer to decide at once when and what content all the displays will play.
For those chain stores with many LED displays, the CMS system can greatly reduce their management costs. With the help of the CMS, you can make the content shown by the LED displays more diverse, such as displaying the weather and train schedules. You can also place interactive LED screens in the mall and use them as navigation signs.
Media Player
The media player is an upstream device of the video processor, connecting the CMS and the entire LED equipment. When you set the playback content for an LED display through the CMS, the media player will receive the content to be played from the CMS and store it. When the appropriate playback time arrives, the media player will decode the stored content and then output it to the video processor.
Remote Management
Remote management enables you to monitor the devices without having to be physically present at the site and staring at the LED display. You will usually see the online status of each LED display under the management system on the software interface, as well as the current content being played.
After connecting to the control system, you will also be able to see the running time of the LED display, the real-time frame rate, and other information. You can remotely control these LED screens, such as turning them off or on, adjusting their brightness and color contrast, etc.
If there is any unexpected issue with the LED screen, such as excessive temperature or playback failure, you will also receive an alert from the remote management system, and then a maintenance worker will be dispatched to handle the situation.
FAQ
What Are the Differences in Terms of Responsibilities Between the Display Hardware, Control System, and Management System?
If the display hardware enables the LED display to show images, the control system governs the performance, and then the management system can manage the display content.
When Do I Need a Video Processor for an LED Screen?
When you have multiple signal sources and need to convert the signal format. Or when you need to resize or crop the display content of the LED screen.
Can I Run an LED Display Without a CMS?
Yes. When you only have one or a few small LED displays that need to be operated, you can simply play the video using a media player. But it is very difficult for you to manage a large number of LED displays in a centralized manner.
Why Do Some LED Displays Flicker on Camera?
This is because the refresh rate of the receiving card is relatively low. If you replace the receiving card with one that has a higher refresh rate, you will find that this situation improves significantly.
Can One CMS Manage Different Types and Brands of LED Screens?
Yes. Because the CMS is connected to the LED display through a unified network.
Final Thoughts
As a professional manufacturer of LED displays, JINGYLED can offer you high-quality LED displays and efficient LED display systems. If you are interested in cooperating with us, please feel free to contact us.
