Keys to Video Wall Success

Digital signage has risen in popularity in recent years. Unlike static signs, video screens allow for a wider range of features. Video walls are an extension of digital signage as a concept. A video wall is a multi-monitor setup that uses multiple television screens, video projectors or computer monitors that, when tiled together, form one large-sized screen or image.

With a drop in pricing for the technology, as well as an increase in their versatility and usefulness, more and more companies have taken an interest in adapting video screen technology for their own purposes. This has led to an increase in innovative uses.

Video Wall Displays: Reasons for Success

Why should you take an interest in this growing technology? There are several reasons:

• • More than a quarter of organizations consider multichannel campaign management a top priority. This consists of marketing across different forms of media, including digital ones. Video wall technology can tie digital and physical marketing strategies together by offering, for example, a product catalog within a store.
  • 63% of people report that digital signage attracts their attention. This rate is higher than TV or the internet.
  • 84% of UK retailers feel digital signage creates a major amount of brand awareness because it displays the “face” of a store, helping to make customers familiar with the brand.
  • Digital video signage reaches 70% of the public, which is impressive even compared to Facebook, YouTube and other online video platforms, which have a reach of less than 45 percent. Retailers can use digital signage to show a large audience desired messages.

Additional Considerations

• 42% of retail video viewers prefer to shop at stores with video displays. Customers can find video walls as entertaining and informative. Modern video technology such as 4K HDTV displays provides impressive picture quality.
• Digital signage can reduce perceived wait times at checkouts by as much as 35% by connecting with internal line management systems or displaying useful information.
• Foodservice industry venues such as fast-food restaurants can automatically change video displays to highlight current offers or specials with the correct prices. Almost 30% of customers find such digital menus as an influence on whether or not to make a purchase.
• Many of the top 100 retailers in the US are testing beacon technology, which — with their permission — connects digital signage to customers’ smartphones with personalized messages such as promotions, offers or other marketing information.
• More than 60% of purchase decisions are made at the point of sale. Digital signage can allow customers to compare products on the spot. This avoids the risk of “showrooming,” the practice of customers comparing products in person before buying them at a rival online website, such as Amazon or eBay. Instead, customers can then make their product purchase right in the store.
• Digital signage can add an upswing in overall sales volume by 32%. Signage gives customers a more efficient and enjoyable shopping experience, as well as exposes them to possible messages.

Elements of Usage for Video Wall Success

If you want to take a lesson from the best video wall displays, you should follow practices to ensure they’ll be a successful part of your operations. Here are a few tips to increase sales with video:

• Determine your needs. Before doing anything else or making any purchases, determine the purpose of your video wall. This ensures your system setup will meet your goals.
• Consider the number of images you want to display. Determine how many images you’ll show at once. This includes whether the video wall will be one single large image across the wall, multiple video sources using one image per screen, or a combination of the two. Also determine the source and type of video images used, such as Blu-Ray, DVD, cable/satellite TV or digital video files from a hard drive.
• Understand the importance of content. Determine the content to be shown and how it’ll look on the video wall. This includes ensuring everything shown is in proper ratios and resolutions.
• Use native quality. The best picture quality will match your screens’ native resolutions. For TVs, this could be 720p or 1080p. For monitors, various resolutions are acceptable, such as 1366 x 768 pixels or 1920 x 1080 pixels.
• Use professional-grade products. Use professional quality products for your video wall success. They’re designed for enduring constant public exposure and possible around-the-clock usage. The displays you choose should be color calibrated for proper color, brightness and contrast. This will achieve maximum picture quality, as well as a uniform look across screens.

And Also Consider…

• Choose an appropriate mounting system. Make sure the wall is structurally sound. Ease of future access and maintenance is also important.
• Consider cooling. Your video wall should have proper ventilation or cooling available because large video walls can produce plenty of heat.
• Figure out the proper electrical requirements for your video wall. This includes the power requirements for each display, as well as surge protection and power conditioners. You don’t want your video wall to trip a circuit breaker from power usage or have issues if someone activates a microwave oven or other power-using device.
• Hire professionals. Allow a professional to install your video wall for success. Besides the physical labor involved, professionals can also perform proper physical alignments, system setup and color calibration.
• Have regular maintenance performed on the video wall. Ensure this maintenance is included in your future budgeting. This will avoid a screen going blank or having other technical problems.

Uses for a Video Wall

A video wall can have multiple uses. They can be used to communicate rapidly updating information, such as departure and arrival times at airports, train and bus stations. This information can be spread out across multiple high-definition screens, which are easy to read. Such video walls have become a standard feature at many airports and bus stations.

They can also be used to display different sources on each screen. For example, one screen can display weather information and another a news feed. Video walls can offer interactive features for customers, such as touchscreen maps or social media feeds.

Video walls can be used to advertise or inform while customers dine or wait in line. Additional services such as delivery, promotions and merchandise can also be presented. Consider showing how certain dishes are prepared, or some other unique aspect of your business, such as its history and ownership. In a restaurant, other useful information may be worth displaying, such as calorie or allergen information.

Another possibility is to use a video wall to present the right ambiance for customers, such as relaxing nature imagery or local landmarks.

Case Studies: Brands Successfully Using Video Wall Software

Looking at a few successful brands using video walls, it’s clear to see that you have plenty of options. Video walls can propel your business to new heights, providing a better experience for your customers. Let’s take a look at a few case studies.

West Virginia University

Schools and universities can also benefit from video walls, displaying relevant student information and important emergency information. West Virginia University (WVU), for example, installed a video wall in the visitor’s center during the late 2000s. The wall consists of eight 50-inch monitors, standing at 5-feet tall and 18-feet long. A university spokesman notes the video wall can convey aspects of the university’s spirit, issue fast-paced messages and can even display the names of prospective students visiting campus.

The video wall is also part of WVU’s emergency system. Campus police can press an emergency button that flashes emergency messages on the video wall, as well as send the same message to students’ cell phones by text message and email addresses.

WVU’s video wall has been a large enough success that it has also installed two smaller walls, consisting of three vertical non-touching monitors, elsewhere on campus. These walls are decorative, displaying movie posters outside the university’s movie theater and informative, displaying upcoming campus events. The main video wall inspired WVU to install over 100 touchscreen monitors across campus for student usage. There are also plans to install video walls to display university honors and donors.

McCarran International Airport

McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada sees a large number of passengers each year: 41 million in 2013. The airport decided to install a large-scale, high-definition digital signage system for advertising purposes.

A 100-screen LCD video wall with the screens arranged in a 10 x 10 array, it boasts a combined resolution of 19200 x 10800 pixels. The video wall supports displaying up to 4k HD video, and it can also display up to ten separate video content sources. The airport is pleased with its decision to install the video wall, with its advertisers noting they have a new way of reaching upscale travelers.

Oakland International Airport

Oakland International Airport constructed a new baggage claim building in 2006. Inside the 27,000-square-foot building is an 8 by 21ft video wall, which displays local artists’ various artwork, as commissioned by the Port of Oakland.

Lafayette Library and Learning Center

Lafayette, California’s Lafayette Library and Learning Center features the “Living Media Wall,” which consists of four 50-inch screens tiled together to form a single 100-inch, high-definition visual unit. The wall can display information about the library’s event calendar, as well as videos, slideshows and other information.

San Diego Central Library

San Diego’s downtown Central Library opened in 2013 after a $185 million construction effort. The nine-story library features a 14 by 6ft video wall and displays local landmarks, history and other San Diego-specific features. The wall uses two computers and seven modified video game consoles with seven 46-inch TV screens.

Comcast

The cable company and broadband giant has also invested in video wall technology. Comcast has a digital signage display in the main public lobby of the Comcast Center, located in downtown Philadelphia. Named the “Comcast Experience Video Wall,” the wall is an 83 feet wide by 25 feet tall video monitor, with a 10 million pixel display image.

The wall uses what Comcast calls a “3-Camera Panorama,” which consists of three side-by-side HD cameras filming the footage used for the display. The video wall displays nature images, urban landscapes and other original programming for visiting tourists. The wall’s four millimeter LED display is one of the largest displays in the world.

Video wall success offers many possible uses for organizations. Interactive display software will continue to evolve, and video wall systems can easily handle any future upgrades or customization, making them an excellent investment to grow with your business. With plenty of features and increasing affordability, consider digital signage to propel your business to further success.

Contact Mvix Digital Signage for more information on video walls and other digital signage solutions.