NEC Gets Deeper Into Direct View LED

September 7, 2018 by Dave Haynes

The big LCD display manufacturers continue to get more deeply involved in direct view LED – a move driven at least in part by the migration of video wall business from LCD to genuinely seamless LED surfaces.

NEC Display Solutions this week announced the launch of both outdoor and indoor products built off the acquisition earlier this year the German firm S[quadrat].

The F-Series indoor fine pitch goes after the premium market while the Q-Series has indoor and outdoor modules compete with the scores of products that are marketed, at least in part, on price point.

I’m sure the term has been out there for a while, but this the first time I have seen direct view LED marketed as dvLED. If all this stuff is new to you, direct view is put in there as a way of clarifying LCDs use LEDs as their illumination source, but viewers never see them, while viewers are looking at the actual LEDs when they are seeing direct view LEDs, or, I guess, dvLEDs.

The NEC press release says:

“With the new F- and Q-Series, NEC Display offers a complete dvLED solution that includes all hardware and services no matter what application customers need,” says Grant Wylie, Senior Product Manager at NEC Display. “As a major player in the dvLED market, we’re delivering the crystal-clear, color-accurate image customers want with the value they need, thanks to features like a 80,000-hour lifespan, front and rear serviceability, and a variety of pixel pitch options perfect for customer in retail, command and control, house of worship, theaters, hospitality, corporate lobbies, and more.”

The F-Series offers a bright, 16:9 aspect ratio dvLED panel with a tight pixel pitch from as low as 1.2mm for indoor use. With up to 18-bit color processing and the option to add HDR10 capability, the F-Series delivers superior content reproduction with sharp images and deep contrast. In addition, its cabinet dimensions match up with a 55” large format display (LFD), so customers can easily upgrade an LFD video wall with high-end dvLED panels. Because dvLED delivers a brighter image than LCD and projection technologies, it is a perfect choice for customers who need a video wall in bright areas like an atrium or a room with skylights or storefront windows.

“When it comes to video walls, we know customers don’t want any distraction from their displayed content,” Wylie says. “The F-Series delivers a seamless image for customers who don’t want to worry about content and seam interference typically found in traditional LCD video walls. The F-Series also features a factory-calibrated display from bin-matched LEDs to ensure a color-accurate image.”

The F-Series offers nearly 100 percent uptime thanks to a standard redundant power supply and optional redundant scan card allowing redundant signal processing at the dvLED panel and data distribution between the controller and the dvLED panel. This is a key feature for Command and Control customers, where maximum uptime is mission-critical.

Meanwhile, the Q-Series dvLED panel is designed for customers who need a larger display, with a 1:1 aspect ratio panel and a wider pixel pitch starting at 2.84mm to produce seamless images at an attractive price point. Designed for digital signage and digital out of home customers in retail, houses of worship, theater, restaurants/QSR, zoos, and banking, as well as corporate customers looking for displays in lobbies, cafes, and for general information uses, the Q-Series is available in both indoor and outdoor models.

The Outdoor Q-Series dvLED panel features a crystal-clear image even during the day, thanks to its 6000 Cd/m2 brightness, factory color-calibration, and seamless panel design. It delivers a low total cost of ownership thanks to its calibrated front and rear serviceable panels, and 80,000-hour lifespan of about 10 years. In addition, the outdoor model features additional seals to provide an IP 65 dvLED panel that offers protection from the weather.

Both series are now shipping.