Full color LED video screens in China
Everyone goes to China for different reasons. Some go for an exciting tour, some fly over to buy Chinese manufactured products, some seek divine revelations in Shaolin monasteries. We also went to this amazing country in search of truth – but of a different kind. It was important for us to see what Chinese companies achieved in the LED screen area.
Almost universal interest to LED video screens resulted in the appearance of numerous companies that offer this product. They appeared almost overnight and already announce themselves to be professional makers with established reputation. Their products range from simple LED garden lighting to most complex LED video systems. Look at the prices! How wonderful! They are so cheap, you cannot beat them. However, LED video screen is a complex and sensitive system. Too many nuances. Nobody would lie to you, but much may be left unsaid. For example, the fact that the brightness is not sufficient for outdoor daylight operation, or the fact that enormous degradation of LED luminous intensity after only 2000 hours (only four months of operation) may practically “extinguish” the LED screen. For this good reason most LED screens in Chinese cities work only in the evening when the daylight fades.
However, China is a great country, and would not remain such if it manufactured only fakes. We did not have to go far to find better examples. In the North part of Beijing is located a Science Park where we found a joint venture of a Belgium and Chinese companies Barco-Leyard - www.barco.com/barcoleyard. Excellent quality and design of the European leader in LED screen building coupled with diligence, work skills and experience of the Chinese firm immediately gave superb results.
The merging agreement was signed in late March 2003. Within six months the production lines were set up and Barco-Leyard manufactured first 10 panels of S-Lite model by December 2003. In June 2004 already 1000 panels were assembled and tested. In August 2004 Barco-Leyard started production of a new S-22 model with pixel pitch of 22 mm. The company considers this model as one of the most marketable.
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| LED module SLite | LED screen mounting |
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| LED screen mounting at the Expo | Mounted LED screen at the Expo |
This joint venture is less than a year old but results are amazing. A series production of several models has been achieved, a high-tech laboratory for testing modules has been built, facilities are already prepared for expanding production lines nearly threefold.
As many other serious LED screen makers, Barco-Leyard can optimize screen image using “virtual pixel” technology. However, all latest models are stressing the actual physical pixel as a unit of real rather than “virtual” image quality. It is important to add that Barco-Leyard developed high quality sophisticated models for indoor application. Low pitch, high resolution, accurate “white balance” make such LED video screens indispensable for exhibitions, presentations, TV studios.
Special attention must be given to mobile versions of LED screens. They have numerous applications: concerts, road shows, races, city festivals. Modular is structure, these LED video screens are well adapted to frequent transportation, can be quickly assembled in blocks of various shapes, look equally good in convention halls and concert halls.
