Portable video displays have become quite the thing these days. We see them at every trade show, shopping mall and convention as well as street corners. Sure, one can order 60-inch LCD displays, but what if you want a sign that is, say, 12 feet high by 20 feet wide, much brighter than an LCD wall, and you need to it up in about five minutes. Who are you going to call?
Video walls normally require lots of power, a media server to play back video and a lot of cables. They require a separate system to be designed to ground support the display. At some point, someone needed to invent a faster, safer and easier way to set up large displays without the need of an expensive outboard media server. Transtech has stepped up and shown us they have a product that can do all of the above, and it’s already on the market. We are reviewing the indoor-only product here, but an outdoor rated product is expected to be on the market soon.
2.5mm and 1.9mm Versions
Transtech, a Shenzhen China based manufacturer of LED systems with a subsidiary for inventory and service in California has released the LED Poster, a high-resolution LED display with some unique features for the rental display market. Coming in 2.5mm and 1.9mm pixel pitch versions, each LED Poster display has an array of features that make it easier than ever to add an LED display to retail spaces, trade show booths, or live events without the equipment generally needed to power and run large-format LED walls.
At the heart of the system is the LED Poster panel. Both versions of the panels are 1.9 meters (74.8 inches) by .57 meters (22.52 inches), and a slim 35mm (1.37 inches) deep. They weigh only 35kg (70.5 pounds), which makes them light enough for one person to handle and easy to move around and set up in any configuration the user desires. Many other LED wall products can be similarly configured with loads of bits and pieces, but where the LED Poster shines is in its integration of a media server within each panel, and the ability for it to be controlled via phone by both iOS and Android versions of the control software.
Control via Smartphone or USB
Designed to save time by eliminating the need for complex control software, rigging, and the bracing structured needed for traditional walls, the LED Poster deploys within minutes. Media transfer is similarly thought through to be fast and easy, with the ability to upload media files either wirelessly or via a USB connection on the back of the panel. The back section of each panel houses a Wi-Fi antenna for wireless connectivity.
Requiring no complex outboard media servers or processing hardware, the LED Poster is controlled via the user’s phone, with control applications available for the most popular mobile operating systems on the market. Without the need to install and learn complex media server software, the user can be up and running within minutes of powering up the panels. For times when using a phone would be difficult — or would simply be inconvenient — a USB connection is available for connecting the panels to a computer running the desktop version of the control software. Uploading content to each screen takes an average of only ten seconds, depending on the size of the clip. Each panel is designed to work not only as a single, stand-alone screen, but can also be combined with multiple other panels to create a multi-panel display with content filling the available pixels. A variety of looks can be created easily, by using some or all of the panels to display content. Edge bezels are an extremely thin 6mm, giving multiple-panel displays an elegant look.
Rigging Options and Specs
A variety of hanging and ground-supported options are available, including floor brackets, floor bases (for standing the panels perpendicular to the ground), and mounting points for hanging the panels from a truss or other structure.
Each panel outputs a serious 1200 nits of brightness, and has a wide 160-degree viewing angle. True color reproduction — even at hard angles — brings the LED Poster closer to a true physical poster replacement than previous products in the same class. Both versions of the LED Poster are high-resolution: The P2.5 has a pixel pitch of 2.5mm, with an ultimate resolution of 756 by 224, while the P1.9 has a pitch of 1.9mm, with an ultimate resolution of 972 by 288.
Maximum power consumption is 600W for the P1.9 display and 750W for the P2.5 display, with average consumption at 200W and 250W respectively. While the refresh rate is fixed at 2,880 Hz, it’s high enough to avoid problems with flickering cameras. Ideal for rental houses, retail spaces, trade shows, houses of worship, convention centers, and others, the LED Poster is designed to fill a variety of roles. While only rated for indoor use in the current iteration, Transtech has outdoor versions of the product in development.
