How LED wall resolution works
An LED wall doesn't have a resolution until you build it. Each panel has a fixed number of pixels, so the wall's resolution is the panel's pixel count multiplied by how many panels you use in each direction. A 500 mm panel at 2.6 mm pitch is 192 × 192 px, so ten across and six down gives you a 1920 × 1152 canvas.
That canvas is what your computer, ProPresenter, or media server needs to send. Slides and videos designed at that exact size will fill the wall without stretching or black bars.
Understanding pixel pitch and viewing distance
Pixel pitch is the space between LEDs. A finer pitch costs more but looks smooth from closer. These rules of thumb help you match a pitch to your room:
Closest comfortable distance
About 1 meter for every millimeter of pitch. At 2.6 mm, people closer than about 2.6 m (8.5 ft) will notice individual pixels.
The 10× rule
Multiply the pitch by 10 to get a good viewing distance in feet. A 3.9 mm wall looks its best from about 39 ft back.
Where pixels disappear
Past about 3.4 m per millimeter of pitch, someone with 20/20 vision can't pick out single pixels at all. The image looks completely smooth.
These are guidelines, not hard limits. Camera shots, content style, and brightness all change how a wall reads, so see the panels in person before you buy if you can.
Planning a church LED wall
- Start from the room. Measure from the stage to your front row and use that as your closest seat. It decides how fine a pitch you need.
- Pick a size, then round to panels. Use "I know the size" to see how many panels get you closest, and what the real size and resolution will be.
- Check your outputs. A canvas that fits inside 1920 × 1080 is the easiest to run from one computer. Bigger walls may need a 4K output or more.
- Design at the real canvas size. Give your design team the exact pixel resolution so sermon graphics are built for the wall, not for a TV.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my LED wall's resolution?
Multiply panels across by each panel's pixel width for the width, and panels down by each panel's pixel height for the height. Ten 192 × 192 px panels across and six down make a 1920 × 1152 canvas.
What does pixel pitch mean?
Pixel pitch is the distance from the center of one LED to the center of the next, in millimeters. A smaller number means pixels are closer together, so the image looks sharper up close and the wall has more pixels for the same size.
What pixel pitch is best for a church?
It depends on how close your nearest seats are. Many sanctuaries use 2.6 mm to 3.9 mm. Enter your closest seat in the calculator to see whether a pitch will look smooth from the front rows.
Why isn't my wall exactly 16:9?
Panels come in fixed sizes, so the wall's shape is set by how many you use. A 10 × 6 wall of square panels is 1920 × 1152, which is close to 16:9 but a little taller. Design your content at the exact canvas size so nothing gets stretched.
Can one computer output run my LED wall?
If the canvas fits inside 1920 × 1080 or 3840 × 2160, one output usually works. Bigger walls need more outputs or a processor that can map one large canvas across several inputs.
How accurate are the weight and power numbers?
They're only as accurate as the per-panel numbers you enter. Use your manufacturer's spec sheet, and add rigging, frames, and processors on top of the panel weight.
Made by Grayson Morgan Creative
We design, build, and host custom websites for churches, with Planning Center, giving, and sermon video built in. If this tool helped your team, we'd love to help with your website too.