The purchase cost of LED screens, LED displays or electronic billboards depends consist of A) LED screen and B) the LED system (including installation and operation). The former depends on three key variables. Those three variables are the 1) total size of the LED screen, 2) the pixel resolution of the LED screen and, 3) the brightness of pixels.
- The total size of the LED screen: The bigger or larger the LED screen the higher the cost for similar LED screens. The prices are based on per square meter, which means that if the total size is N square meters, the price will be N multiplied by the cost per SQM.
- The pixel resolution of the screen: The more pixels, or the more number of LED´s, the screen has the higher the cost will be. For example if a screen is 12sqm and has 49,000 pixels, it will be cheaper if the LED screen is 12sqm with 120,000 pixels. This is because more LED lamps will be placed onto the screen which is a higher cost. But on the other hand the more LED´s the screen has, the higher the detail will be of the videos and images that the LED screen will be publishing.
- The brightness or contrast – while the size and resolution determine the viewable pixel matrix and granularity of the image displayed it is the lighting contrast of LED screen with its environmental backdrop that determines the viability of displayed image. For example, a larger P10 SMD semi-outdoor LED screen of low brightness may be washed in sunlight and not be as viewable in any range compared to a brighter and smaller P8 DIP Led screen.
- Angles of View – Vertical and Horizontal angels of view are depicted below (Source: GDK).
A brighter screen with lighting control will save on power consumption and provide best viewable and visible image and may cost more to purchase but will cost far less to own due to operating expense and life-expectancy (replacement cycle).
The cost of ownership of LED screens is the sum of purchase and installation/operation costs of the LED over its life-cycle (less the revenue it generates). Of the two costs the cost of ownership is a more important factor than the cost of purchase. In reality, it is the capital expenditure or the budget that usually becomes the deciding factor for in-experienced users.
It is important to note that in any circumstance there is only one “best solution” as compared to many cheap or inexpensive options. The best solution takes into account not only the costs but also the revenue potential and measures the impact on the business.
However, the most important factor in successfully communicating a message to the market using LED screen is the quality of creative work, graphic and clarity of contents in relation to LED screen electronics design and image processing capabilities.