Learn AV, LED, LCD, OLED and digital signage terminology — explained simply.
Projector tech using 3 LCD panels (R,G,B). Better color brightness than DLP, no rainbow effect.
avResolution of 3840×2160 pixels. 4× Full HD. Standard for modern displays above 55".
displayResolution of 7680×4320 pixels. 16× Full HD. Used for very large LED walls or premium broadcast.
displayTraditional audio console. Simpler, cheaper, but no recall or digital processing.
avDMX over Ethernet protocol. Allows thousands of DMX universes over standard network cables.
avThe frame/border around an LCD panel. Ultra-narrow bezel = 0.44mm gap between panels in video walls.
displayLegal document between shipper and carrier. Details type, quantity, destination of goods.
logisticsBright audience-facing light for dramatic effect. Momentarily blinds audience — hence the name.
avHigh-end British LED processor brand. Used for premium/TV/broadcast applications. Better HDR support.
ledThe physical frame/module that holds LED panels together. Standard size is 500×500mm or 500×1000mm.
ledDie-cast aluminum = lighter/premium. Iron = heavier/cheaper. Carbon fiber = lightest/most expensive.
ledProcess of matching brightness and color across all LED panels. Factory calibration vs on-site calibration.
ledConformité Européenne — mandatory certification for products sold in European Economic Area.
logisticsCost, Insurance, Freight — seller pays shipping + insurance to destination port.
logisticsCost, Insurance, Freight — seller pays shipping and insurance to destination port. Buyer handles customs.
logisticsChip-on-Board — LED chips mounted directly on PCB with protective coating. Better heat dissipation, less glare.
ledLED chips mounted directly on PCB with protective coating. Better heat dissipation, less glare than SMD.
ledRange of colors a display can reproduce. sRGB=standard, DCI-P3=cinema, Rec.2020=broadcast.
displayMeasured in Kelvin (K). 6500K = daylight white, 3200K = warm white. Adjustable on most LED processors.
ledMic requiring phantom power (+48V). More sensitive, captures more detail. For studio/stage use.
avRenting equipment from another rental company when your own stock is insufficient for a job.
rentalDelivered Duty Paid — seller pays ALL costs including customs. Most convenient for buyer.
logisticsDelivered Duty Paid — seller pays ALL costs including import customs and duties. Most convenient for buyer.
logisticsEmpty road case returned after equipment is deployed. Must be stored and returned with equipment.
rentalAn LED that doesn't light up. Acceptable rate: <0.01% for indoor, <0.02% for outdoor.
ledAn LED that does not light up. Acceptable rate: <0.01% indoor, <0.02% outdoor.
ledAdditional speakers placed further back in large venues. Signal is delayed to sync with main PA.
avDirect Injection — converts unbalanced instrument signal to balanced XLR for mixing console.
avAudio console with built-in processing (EQ, compression, effects). Controllable via tablet.
avElectronic displays used for advertising, information, wayfinding. Can be LED, LCD or OLED based.
generalElectronic displays for advertising, information, wayfinding. Can be LED, LCD, OLED or E-Ink based.
displayDigital Light Processing — projector tech using microscopic mirrors. Sharper than LCD, but rainbow effect possible.
avDigital Multiplex — standard protocol for controlling stage lighting. Each light gets address 1–512.
avDigital Multiplex — standard protocol for controlling stage lighting. Each fixture gets address 1-512.
avEquipment rental without operator/technician. Cheaper but you need your own crew to set up.
rentalMic not requiring power. Rugged, handles high SPL. Standard for live vocals and instruments.
avDisplay technology that mimics ink on paper. Zero power when static, perfect sunlight readability.
displayTechnique where multiple projectors overlap edges for one seamless ultra-wide image.
avEx Works — buyer picks up from factory. All costs on buyer. Cheapest incoterm.
logisticsEx Works — buyer picks up from factory. All transport costs, insurance and risk on buyer. Cheapest incoterm.
logisticsFull Container Load — entire shipping container for one buyer. 20ft or 40ft. Cheaper per unit than LCL.
logisticsHigh-pitched squeal when mic picks up its own sound from speakers. Fixed with EQ or mic positioning.
avLED screens with pixel pitch below P2.0mm. Used for close viewing: control rooms, TV studios, museums.
ledLED with pixel pitch below P2.0mm. For close viewing: control rooms, TV studios, museums.
ledLED panels on flexible substrate — can be bent into curves. Used for creative shapes and columns.
ledLighter protective case for air transport. Foam-lined interior, aluminum frame.
rentalFree on Board — seller delivers to port. Buyer handles shipping from there.
logisticsFree on Board — seller delivers to port of origin. Buyer handles shipping, insurance from there.
logisticsProduces thick white fog. Used for dramatic entrances, film effects. Leaves residue unlike haze.
avFront of House — the mixing position in the audience area. Where sound engineer controls the main mix.
avFront of House — mixing position in audience area where sound engineer controls the main PA mix.
avLED panels that can be maintained from the front. Required for wall-mounted installations.
ledSMD LEDs coated with transparent glue for impact/water resistance. Good for semi-outdoor.
ledStencil inside a spotlight that projects a pattern/logo. Used in moving head spots.
avMetal or glass stencil inside a spotlight projecting pattern/logo. Custom gobos made from client artwork.
avNumber of brightness levels per color. 14-bit = 16,384 levels; 16-bit = 65,536. Higher = smoother gradients.
ledNumber of brightness levels per color channel. 14-bit=16,384 levels, 16-bit=65,536. Higher = smoother gradients.
ledProduces fine mist making light beams visible. Essential for concert lighting. Different from fog machine.
avProduces fine mist making light beams visible. Essential for concert/club lighting. Different from fog.
avWider color gamut and contrast ratio. HDR10 and Dolby Vision are common standards for displays.
displayLCD with 1500-2500 nits brightness for semi-outdoor use. Shop windows, drive-through menus.
displayHarmonized System code — standardized 6-10 digit number for customs classification of products.
logisticsWireless earpiece for performers. Replaces stage monitors — cleaner sound, less stage volume.
avLarge touchscreen display (55-98") for education/corporate. Replaces projector+whiteboard combo.
displayIngress Protection — dust/water resistance. IP20=indoor, IP65=outdoor, IP68=submersible.
generalIngress Protection. IP20=indoor only, IP65=dust-tight+water jets, IP68=submersible.
ledProjector image correction for angled projection. Digital = quality loss, Lens shift = better.
avFixes trapezoid distortion when projector is angled. Digital = quality loss, Lens shift = better.
avUses laser diodes as light source. 20,000h life, instant on/off, better colors. Replacing lamp projectors.
avLiquid Crystal Display — requires backlight. Cheaper than LED, good for indoor meeting rooms.
displayLiquid Crystal Display — requires backlight. Cheaper than LED, good for indoor meeting rooms up to 98".
displayLess than Container Load — shared container space. Good for small orders, more expensive per unit.
logisticsLarge outdoor LED screen for roadside advertising. Typically P6-P10, 5000+ nits.
ledPhysical frame holding LED modules together. Standard sizes: 500×500mm, 500×1000mm.
ledPhysical frame holding LED modules together. Standard sizes: 500×500mm, 500×1000mm.
ledDevice that sends video signal to LED panels. NovaStar is the industry standard brand.
ledIndividual LED panel unit, typically 250×250mm or 500×500mm. Multiple modules form a cabinet.
ledFixed wash light using LEDs. No moving parts — reliable and affordable workhorse.
avFreestanding LED display, typically floor-standing, used for retail/digital signage. All-in-one design.
ledFreestanding all-in-one LED display for retail/digital signage. Typically floor-standing, plug-and-play.
ledPhysical lens adjustment moving image without moving projector. No quality loss vs digital keystone.
avControl desk for programming and playing back lighting cues. GrandMA, Avolites, Chamsys are major brands.
avStacked speakers creating cylindrical wave — longer throw, even coverage. Used in concerts.
avStacked speakers creating cylindrical sound wave. Longer throw, even coverage. Standard for concerts.
avProcess of unloading equipment and bringing it into the venue. Usually the day before the event.
rentalProcess of dismantling and removing equipment after the event. Usually immediately after show ends.
rentalStandard measure of projector brightness. 3000-5000 = meeting room, 10000+ = large venue/stadium.
avNext-gen display — microscopic LEDs, each pixel self-emitting. Better than OLED, no burn-in. Very expensive currently.
displayNext-gen — microscopic self-emitting LEDs. Better than OLED, no burn-in. Currently very expensive.
displayFloor speaker facing performers so they can hear themselves. Typically 12" or 15".
avSeparate mixing position side-stage for monitor mixes. Separate engineer for performers sound.
avMotorized light with very narrow intense beam. For aerial effects, sky tracking.
avMotorized light with sharp beam, gobos, color wheels. Precise positioning via DMX.
avMotorized light with wide coverage, color mixing (CMY/RGB). For washing large areas with color.
avUnit of brightness. 1 nit = 1 candela/m². Indoor: 600-1500, Outdoor: 5000-10000+ nits.
ledUnit of brightness (cd/m²). Indoor LED: 600-1500, Outdoor: 5000-10000+ nits.
ledLeading brand of LED controllers and receiving cards. Industry standard for LED displays.
ledLeading Chinese brand of LED controllers and receiving cards. De facto industry standard worldwide.
ledOrganic LED — each pixel emits its own light. Perfect blacks, transparent/flexible possible. Premium displays.
displayOrganic LED — each pixel emits its own light. Perfect blacks, transparent/flexible possible. Premium displays.
display+48V DC power sent through XLR cable to power condenser microphones and active DI boxes.
avUsing LED panels as lighting fixtures — each pixel becomes a controllable light source.
ledUsing LED panels as lighting fixtures — each pixel becomes a controllable light source via DMX/ArtNet.
ledDistance between centers of adjacent LEDs, measured in mm. Smaller = higher resolution at close distance.
ledDistance between centers of adjacent LEDs, measured in mm. P2.5 = 2.5mm. Smaller = sharper at close distance.
ledLED panels maintained from behind. Requires rear access — cheaper, used for freestanding installations.
ledCard inside each LED cabinet that receives signal from the controller. Usually NovaStar A5s or similar.
ledHow many times per second the image updates (Hz). 1920Hz standard, 3840Hz for video/camera work.
ledHow many times per second the image updates (Hz). 1920Hz standard, 3840Hz+ for video/camera work.
ledLED panels designed for frequent assembly/disassembly. Fast-lock mechanism, rugged road cases.
ledHeavy-duty protective case for transporting AV equipment. Typically plywood with aluminum edges.
rentalRestriction of Hazardous Substances — EU directive limiting lead, mercury, cadmium etc. in electronics.
logisticsLED displays have no visible gaps between modules — unlike LCD video walls which have bezels.
ledLED panels connect without visible gaps — unlike LCD video walls which have bezels between panels.
ledCard in the controller/processor that sends signal to receiving cards. NovaStar MCTRL series.
ledProjects large image from very close (0.5-1.5m). Ideal for small rooms, avoids shadows.
avSurface-Mount Device — traditional LED where each pixel has 3 separate diodes (R,G,B). Most common type.
ledTraditional LED — each pixel has 3 separate diodes (R,G,B). Most common and cost-effective type.
ledUltra-wide LCD panel (e.g. 1920×540) for shelf edges, transport info, menu boards.
displayRapid flash light (1-25 flashes/sec). Creates stop-motion effect. Safety warning: epilepsy risk.
avSpeaker for low frequencies (20–120Hz). Provides bass, kick drum feel.
avSpeaker for low frequencies (20-120Hz). Provides bass, kick drum impact. Active or passive.
avProjector specification: distance ÷ image width. 0.5=short throw, 2.0=long throw.
avProjector spec: distance ÷ image width. 0.5=short throw, 2.0=long throw. Determines placement.
avAdd-on frame that converts any LCD/LED into touchscreen. IR or capacitive technology.
displayLED display with 50-90% transparency. Ideal for shop windows — see products behind the screen.
ledLED display with 50-90% transparency. Ideal for shop windows — products visible behind screen.
ledMetal framework for hanging lights, speakers, LED screens. Box or triangular profile.
avProjects from 10-50cm away. Sits right below/above screen. No shadows at all.
avMultiple display panels arranged to form one large screen. LED = seamless, LCD = visible bezels.
displayMaximum angle at which image remains visible. LED: 120-160°, LCD: 170-178°.
ledMaximum angle where image remains visible. LED: 120-160° horizontal/vertical.
ledEquipment rental WITH operator/technician included. More expensive but full-service.
rentalMic with radio transmitter. UHF band most common. Frequencies must be coordinated to avoid interference.
av