Get the native resolution before creating the video
An LED display's native resolution is its physical pixel width multiplied by its pixel height. A screen's size in metres does not tell a designer how many pixels are available. Two equally sized screens can have different resolutions because their pixel pitches differ.
Request the final screen pixel map from the supplier or installer. Also confirm the media player's output canvas and how the processor maps that canvas to the display. A controller may accept a 4K input while sending a smaller or differently shaped image to the screen. Planar's DirectLight Ultra documentation describes native-resolution display control alongside multiple 4K inputs, illustrating why input resolution and screen resolution are separate specifications.
Example: a regular 3 m × 2 m screen with 2.5 mm pixel pitch
Width: 3,000 ÷ 2.5 = 1,200 pixels
Height: 2,000 ÷ 2.5 = 800 pixels
Native canvas: 1,200 × 800 pixels
This is an illustrative calculation for a regular pixel grid. Use the installed module layout for the final dimensions. For transparent screens with different horizontal and vertical pitches, calculate each axis separately and confirm the mapping with the supplier.
Match the aspect ratio without stretching the image
Aspect ratio describes the relationship between width and height. Standard landscape video is often 16:9, but an LED installation may be portrait, square, extra-wide or custom-shaped.
If a 16:9 video is placed on a 3:2 canvas, choose deliberately between cropping the edges, fitting it with unused space or redesigning the layout. Stretching the footage to fill the screen changes the proportions of faces, products and logos.
| Example pixel canvas | Canvas ratio | Content approach |
|---|---|---|
| 1,200 × 800 | 3:2 | Build a 3:2 composition or plan how existing footage will be cropped. |
| 480 × 1,440 | 1:3 | Use a dedicated portrait layout with vertically arranged content. |
| 1,920 × 480 | 4:1 | Use a wide composition with short copy and a clear horizontal hierarchy. |
| 768 × 768 | 1:1 | Create a square composition instead of forcing in landscape artwork. |
These are design examples, not specifications for LuxDisplay products. Where horizontal and vertical pixel spacing differ, confirm physical proportions and any required correction with the installer.
For an LED poster screen, a dedicated portrait composition usually gives the designer more usable space than a landscape advertisement fitted inside a tall canvas. If several posters work together, confirm whether they show independent content or sections of one larger image.
Choose text size for pixels and viewing distance
There is no universal font size that works on every LED screen. A point-size setting in a design application does not establish readability at the installation. What matters is the rendered letter height and stroke thickness in pixels, the screen's physical pixel spacing and the viewer's distance.
For a regular grid, a useful physical check is:
Rendered letter height (mm) ≈ letter height (pixels) × vertical pixel pitch (mm)
A letter rendered 40 pixels high on a 2.5 mm pitch display is approximately 100 mm high. This is a size calculation, not a guaranteed reading-distance rule.
Use clear typefaces, substantial strokes and strong contrast. Keep each slide focused on one main message. A headline, a supporting line and a clear action are easier to read in passing than a paragraph of small copy.
Test the smallest important text on the actual display from the intended viewing position. Check it in the brightest expected conditions. If the message cannot be read comfortably, enlarge it, simplify the wording or remove lower-priority information.
Design for transparent and custom-shaped LED screens
Transparent displays
With a transparent LED screen, the real environment remains part of the composition. Evaluate graphics against the products, interiors and daylight visible through the screen. Bold shapes and clear focal points can be easier to follow than fine detail over a visually busy background.
Dark image areas emit less light; they do not create an opaque black backing. A design that looks dramatic against black on a laptop may feel different in a bright shop window. Review content in the actual installation conditions.
Spheres, corners and other creative formats
A spherical LED display needs the correct mapping template so artwork wraps as intended. Other creative LED screens may require separate zones, masks or distortion correction. Ask for the final content template and key viewing positions before commissioning animation.
Confirm the export settings with the playback system
The correct file settings depend on the player and processor. An MP4 using H.264 may be an appropriate starting format, but confirm the supported codec, dimensions, frame rate, bitrate and file-size limits for the actual equipment.
Video frame rate and LED refresh rate describe different things. A panel refresh specification is not the frame rate you should enter in your video editor. Choose a supported video frame rate appropriate to the footage and playback chain, then test motion on the display.
Unless the complete system is set up for an HDR workflow, agree an SDR workflow with your designer and installer. Keep colour settings consistent from export to playback. Test gradients, fine lines, small text and the transition from the end of the loop back to its beginning.
A content brief you can send to your designer
- Canvas: final pixel width and height, orientation and mapping template.
- Viewing conditions: physical screen size, typical viewing distance and ambient light.
- Message: primary headline, supporting copy, logo and desired action.
- Layout: safe areas, crop limits, zones and any seams or custom shapes.
- Delivery: supported file format, codec, frame rate, colour workflow and duration.
- Approval: a short test file played on the actual screen before the full campaign is produced.
Frequently asked questions
Should every LED screen video be exported in 4K?
No. Match the agreed playback canvas and the screen mapping. A larger source can help with editing or cropping, but it does not add physical pixels to the display.
Can I reuse a social media video?
Often, after adapting its layout. Check aspect ratio, cropped areas, text size and whether the message still works without sound.
Why does text look sharp on my laptop but poor on the screen?
The text may have too few rendered pixels, thin strokes, unsuitable scaling or insufficient contrast at the viewing distance. Check the native canvas and test a simpler, larger version.
Choose your LED screen with the content in mind
Send LuxDisplay a sample of what you want to show, along with the planned screen size and viewing distance. These details help identify a display configuration suited to your message and the pixel information your designer will need.