Как выбрать между мультиэкранным расширителем и процессором видеостены?

How to choose between a multi-screen expander and a video wall processor?

 

 Many customers may have questions. Both are large-screen splicing devices. Why are there two series of products? What is the difference between them? How should I choose for my project? 

There is no doubt that large-screen splicing is indeed one of the similarities between multi-screen expanders and video wall processors, but their differences are also significant. Now follow my steps to better understand them~

 

 

When it comes to large-screen splicing, the demand originated from the fact that a single screen is not large enough to meet user needs, leading to the requirement to splice a specific number of screens into one large screen in a certain arrangement, such as 2 screens (1 row by 2 columns), 4 screens (2 rows by 2 columns), or 9 screens (3 rows by 3 columns). In the early days, there were roughly two types of solutions:

1.Using the spanning function of a multi-screen graphics card to combine displays into one. However, this has a disadvantage: the more screens you need to splice, the more multi-screen graphics cards are required, which increases requirements for the computer motherboard and raises costs. Furthermore, there is a physical limit to the number of graphics cards a motherboard can host. It is rare to find a motherboard that can support three multi-screen graphics cards, which limits this solution to splicing no more than 12 screens.

 

2.To reduce costs, a signal splitter can be used. By using a splitter with one-to-many output and the built-in splicing function of the display panels, a large screen can be easily created. However, this introduces new problems: the more screens added, the worse the clarity becomes, and if the total aspect ratio of the spliced screen is not 16:9, the image will be severely distorted.

 

To meet the needs for high clarity, zero image distortion, and low cost, the multi-screen expander was created. It provides a visual feast by ensuring the input resolution is perfectly consistent with the total resolution of the spliced screen, which we define as the "point-to-point" display effect, solving problems related to poor clarity and image distortion.

How does it reduce costs? The multi-screen graphics card mentioned earlier typically uses only a small fraction of its port resources when connected directly to a display or splitter (outputting only 1920x1080 or 3840x2160). The multi-screen expander takes advantage of this by receiving a higher resolution from the graphics card port (e.g., 7680x1080), dividing it into four parts, and transmitting them to each display. By expanding one graphics card port into four outputs, a single multi-screen graphics card can drive 16 displays, reducing resource waste and lowering requirements for computer hardware, thereby reducing the total project cost. The figure below shows our standard 1:4 multi-expander topology. Under certain conditions, we can achieve a 1:9 point-to-point effect. In short, the role of a multi-screen expander is to expand graphics card ports, improve resource utilization, and deliver the best possible display quality.

 

Now that we have covered multi-screen expanders, where do video wall processors come in? Don't worry, please read on.

After satisfying the above requirements, customers often ask: since the multi-screen expander requires a dedicated graphics card for the best effect, what if the input source is a laptop, Android box, or DVD player? Also, how can we handle switching, windowing, or roaming multiple input sources?

This is where the video wall processor comes in. In most cases, the input source does not require a multi-screen graphics card, so point-to-point display is not an essential requirement. Instead, we introduce the concept of "proportional display," where the input signal resolution is proportional to the total resolution of the spliced screen. The video wall processor scales the input signal to fit the large screen, preventing deformation. (Input sources here typically include standard computers without specialized graphics cards, Android boxes, and DVD players with fixed resolution outputs. Proportional display can be achieved by adjusting window sizes or customizing the playback content.)

 

In summary, here are the differences between a multi-screen expander and a video wall processor:

1.Multi-screen expanders provide a point-to-point display effect. Video wall processors can achieve point-to-point under certain conditions, but in most cases, they provide a proportional display effect.

2.The input source for a multi-screen expander is usually a computer with a multi-screen graphics card because the input resolution must match the output. A video wall processor has essentially no requirements for the type of input source.

3.A multi-screen expander typically handles one input source; if you need to open windows, you can use our windowing software for greater versatility.

4.A video wall processor includes optional functions such as switching between multiple input sources, window roaming, etc.

 

Simply put, if you need the ultimate image display quality, choose a multi-screen expander; if you need to switch between multiple input signals, use window roaming, or similar features, choose a video wall processor. Have you learned it yet?

If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our products or audio/video expertise, please contact us!