As you consider using LED technology to display your brand, you’ll want to think about the density of pixels you need for your LED screen rental. While some industry terms aren’t so important to understand, knowing how the technology you plan to use works will assist you in making a decision that suits your needs.

For those who are unfamiliar with what pixel pitch is, we decided to create this informative article to provide some insight. With LED displays, knowing about their pixel density, the difference viewing a screen with higher and lower densities makes, and why a certain pixel density will be right for your needs contributes to renting the right screen for your intended use.

Measuring The Distance Between Pixels In An LED Screen

Pixels, or LED clusters, are observable on LED screens and are directly related to the resolution of the screen. Pixel pitch refers to the distance — in millimeters — from the center of a pixel to the center of its neighboring pixel.

Some people call this distance pitch or dot pitch. So if you hear either of these industry terms, you’ll now know what they’re discussing.

Higher Versus Lower Pixel Pitch: Which One Is Better?

Lower pixel pitch provides a clearer picture. Due to the fact that pixel pitch shows how much space is found between each pixel, a lower pixel pitch means there’s less empty space located between the pixels and more pixels sitting in the area of the screen.

With this being the case, there is a higher pixel density when the pixel pitch is lower. Thus, lower pixel pitch produces a better screen resolution.

Comparing Pixel Pitch To Display Resolution

While pixel pitch is related to display resolution, some key differences persist. Pixel pitch is the distance between two pixels. And even though it impacts resolution, the true resolution of a screen is the total number of pixels that can be shown in each dimension.

The physical number of columns and rows of pixels that make up the display is the display resolution. Various factors come into play to impact the resolution of an LED screen, including cathode ray tube displays, projection displays that use fixed picture (pixel) arrays, and flat-panel displays.

So as you can see, these two terms are actually quite different.

Why Consumers Should Know About Pixel Density

Understanding pixel pitch allows you to determine the optimal viewing distance for your LED rental display. When you opt for a lower pixel pitch, you’ll find that the image has smoother borders and more in-depth detail when compared to a screen with a higher pixel pitch.

With this being the case, viewers can enjoy the clarity of the screen at a closer distance. Lower pixel pitch ensures your viewers won’t get distracted by individual pixels. Instead, the pixel density is higher, and this enables a closer viewing distance for the intended audience.

If you plan to have a viewing distance that’s farther away, a higher pixel pitch will ensure the minimum viewing distance is not so close. For example, a 1.2mm screen will have a higher resolution and provide your viewers with a closer optimal viewing distance when comparing it to a 16mm LED screen.

Knowing about how pixel pitch works to give you a clearer image at different viewing distances allows you to determine the approximate viewing range you’ll have with an LED screen rental. This also helps by setting expectations regarding how close the viewers will need to be to see the screen clearly when it comes time for viewing.

Even though higher pixel density will give you better visual quality, there are situations in which you’ll need to have a lower pixel density. Having more pixels on a screen is ideal for instances when a closer viewing distance is necessary because it provides a clearer image at a shorter distance.

When you have a farther viewing distance, the higher pixel density no longer offers the same visual advantages, unnecessarily raising the cost of your display in the process. All in all, when it comes to choosing the pixel pitch, it’s good to know how having a higher or lower density will impact your situation.

Determining The Right Pixel Pitch To Match Your Needs

When you’re using a smaller pixel pitch, you’ll find a greater resolution. But the better the resolution is, the more expensive the LED screen becomes.

The fact of the matter is that materials and production costs rise as pixel pitch becomes smaller. This is due to the need for more LED clusters to produce a higher pixel density.

Finding a screen that provides the best value means finding the optimal viewing distance for your intended use. To find this distance, you must locate the point where the image quality is appropriate while moving closer would diminish the image quality or make the screen look pixelated.

An example of this is how low pixel pitch assists in created highly in-depth images for interactive touch screens because the viewers will need to be close to the screen. However, an LED screen that is hung up overhead in a hockey arena calls for a pixel pitch that can be must higher.

While a smaller pixel pitch provides viewers with a high-quality image, the investment is unnecessary when the viewers will see the screen from a far distance. To make a long story short, when the audience is too far away to see the details, the details are unnecessary.

Methods To Find The Appropriate Viewing Distance

1. The 10x Rule

This is a shorthand calculation that shows an estimate of the Visual Acuity Distance. Here is the formula:

Pixel Pitch x 10 = Approximate Viewing Distance (in feet)

2. The Average Comfortable Viewing Distance

This is a subjective estimate that shows a viewing distance that’d be comfortable for the majority of people. It takes several variables into account, including the resolution of the content, type of content, and a person’s sight.

3. Visual Acuity Distance

Visual acuity distance is a calculation that uses 20/20 vision to show how far a person must be from an LED screen to avoid seeing pixelation on the screen. Here is the calculation:

Pixel Pitch x 3,438 = Visual Acuity Distance (in feet)

Even though these methods can help you determine a relatively accurate estimate regarding viewing distance and the pixel pitch your situation calls for, the true viewing distance you should use is the distance at which you’re comfortable viewing.