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The History Of Video Wall Controller

The History Of Video Wall Controller

Video walls debuted in the early 1990s to manage large broadcasts of video data and make them more manageable. At this point, they were prohibitively expensive for most businesses, especially considering that CRT monitors were still the industry standard. Nowadays, video walls are much more affordable and standard across the board. Much of this has to do with the use of LCD monitors rather than CRTs and advances in computer technology that allows for higher processing speeds.

Now you can find video wall controllers from around the world designed for various purposes like creating a large area for demonstrations and presentations, teleconferencing, and more. In addition, companies like BRWall have developed video wall controller systems to work with a wide range of products.

The video wall controller market is currently one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, and there is no sign of it slowing down anytime soon. However, the history of video wall controllers is a story of innovation and adaptation in the face of new technologies and needs. In this article, we will look at the history of video wall controllers and find out some of the more surprising facts.

Table of Contents

  • 1st Generation Is Pc Based
  • 2nd Generation Is Fpga Architecture
  • 3rd generation is AV over IP or Distributed Video over IP (DV/IP) architecture
  • 4th generation is FPGA architecture and AV over IP
  • 5th generation is Matrix Mini-LED.

1st Generation Is Pc Based

The first generation of video wall controllers was based on personal computers (PCs). These controllers relied on the computing power of the PC to display and manage content on the video wall. They are presented with a video wall without unique user interface controls. Then, the system would scan the computer screen for graphics or video files, and if it could recognize them, it would display them on the screen. For example, if the user clicked on a PowerPoint slide that had a video, the controller would display it in sequence. Then, the user would select the next slide, and so on. 

This system was time-consuming and complicated because it required the user interface to be extremely user-friendly. Most importantly, it required a large number of resources to run on the PC. There were very few computers at the time with this sort of performance. In addition, the PC-based system had severe limitations. It was only good for one-screen wide displays and could not transmit images from more than one PC.
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Advantages of 1st Generation Pc Based

●    It was easy to install and required no special installation.
●    It used the computer's resources and therefore didn't require any specialized hardware for the controller.
●    It only required one keyboard, mouse, and monitor.

Shortcomings of 1st Generation Pc Based

●    Couldn't handle too much data on the screen at once.
●    It wasn't able to create a seamless display from multiple monitors.
●     Not able to do teleconferencing.
●    It Couldn't generate complex graphics.
●    It couldn't send live data out of the PC, such as timecodes and other bits of information that would have added functionality to the information displayed on the video wall.
●    Computers were costly in those days.

2nd Generation Is FPGA Architecture

So the industry needed something that could handle a lot more data on the screen, do more complex graphics and show live data. By this point, we were using PCs for processing, but a lot of people, at least, did not have enough computing power to deal with the demands of video wall controllers. So it was time for things to move on and evolve.

The second generation of video wall controllers comprised field-programmable gate arrays working with a central processing unit to control the wall. This system increased the speed and storage capacity that the video wall controller could handle, which created an environment in which video walls could be used more widely, such as in corporate boardrooms and offices. 

This development was a major one for the video wall controller world. Companies like BRwall adopted the new architecture and found its way into many different products. The advent of second-generation video wall controllers opened the way for LCD monitors to become more popular, as well as higher-speed data connections. This was a significant change in how things were done before the change to the FPGA architecture.

Most importantly, it allowed for the development of some complex and powerful video wall controllers that could do a lot more than the first generation of video wall controllers were able to do.
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Advantages of 2nd Generation - FPGA Architecture

●     It was more powerful than the 1st generation of video wall controllers.
●     It handled more data on the screen at once, allowing more extensive and more complex displays. 

●    The new architecture allowed for a wider variety of displays and picture resolutions than in previous systems, as well as better image quality since it could handle images with much more data at a higher resolution than before.
●     It could handle larger screens so that you could use multiple monitors or projectors on one screen (like in conference rooms).

The shortcomings of the second-generation video wall controller

●     Lack of scalability and flexibility.
●     It is limited in the number of connections it can handle.
●    It requires a more powerful and expensive computer to run and specialized hardware to handle the video wall controller itself. 
●    It was limited by the processing power, storage capacity, and memory of the processor in your PC. This means that having a slow PC or an older one with no upgrade path will limit your options for video wall controllers.

3rd generation is AV over IP or Distributed Video over IP (DV/IP) architecture

Third-generation video wall controllers arrived with evolving technology and the need for even more advanced systems. This consisted of AV over IP architectures, essentially creating a process in which the video wall would be an extension of the network rather than simply a display device. This is where video walls truly evolved into a suite of tools used to make presentations or just display information on large screens. This wasn't a viable option in the past because there was very few AV over IP products at the time. 

This meant that making presentations in a boardroom was out of reach for most people. However, with the advent of third-generation video wall controllers, it became possible to do just that. Video spilling also becomes a possibility, which means that a video wall controller could broadcast to other devices on the network. This was something that had previously been very difficult to accomplish.

Indeed, this was a step in the right direction for video walls. However, it wasn't without its own set of challenges. Some companies still used the FPGA architecture and found the switch to AV over IP difficult. Others had yet even to begin using the FPGA architecture and found it challenging to work with third-generation video wall controllers because they didn't offer compatibility with older products. 

Companies like BRwall created hybrid systems that contained both an FPGA and AV over IP architecture, allowing them to use the systems they were already familiar with to manage and display content. At this point, there was an even greater understanding of how powerful and comprehensive video walls could be.
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Advantages of 3rd generation AV over IP or Distributed Video over IP architecture

●    Third-generation video wall controllers contain some of the same features as second-generation systems but with many more improvements and additions, especially in terms of scalability, versatility, and performance.

●    Higher-quality images and more seamless video walls can be created with third-generation systems because they can transmit higher-resolution images without losing quality or requiring separate equipment. 

●    These systems are also easier to use than second-generation options because they require less specialized hardware and can be configured or managed within the network itself. They also feature more powerful and intuitive controllers and software that makes configuring a video wall much easier.

●    With the advent of the Internet of Things, third-generation systems easily connect to devices and control remotely. 

●    Higher resolutions can be achieved with third-generation systems because of better and more sophisticated video wall controllers that can handle much more significant amounts of data in a resolution. 

●    They have greater display flexibility because they are compatible with different types of displays and projectors and can handle different kinds of media formats, such as VGA and DVI. 

4th generation is FPGA architecture and AV over IP

With the advent of even more advanced video wall controller systems, fourth-generation video walls are here. These include the FPGA architecture and a more advanced AV over IP system. Some companies that have made it to this level in the video wall industry include BRwall. 

These companies offer some of the most advanced systems on the market, including fast processors that can handle large amounts of data at high speeds. The new FPGA architecture and AV over IP system opened the door to many new capabilities in the video wall industry. For example, the ability to connect to multiple screens means that larger conference rooms can be created, making it possible to have a boardroom with multiple screens instead of just one. 

It also meant that multiple video walls could be used simultaneously instead of just one. With complete video spilling capabilities, connecting a video wall controller to other systems on the network became possible, even if they were located in different offices. 

Offering multiple connections from a single system also meant that the amount of data that could be sent over the network increased significantly. A significant benefit of using this is that it became possible for employees to connect to the corporate video wall from their homes or even another office. This created a new generation of real-time communication that was impossible with previous technologies.
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Advantages of Fourth Generation Video Wall Controller

●    Some of the most advanced features, such as scaling and cropping, are available for all devices. This means that employees can have a top-of-the-line video wall on their desktop screen and one on their tablet or notebook screen if they want to. 
●    There is more versatility when using these systems because they offer multiple output connections and can be used with different displays and projectors.
●    The image quality with these systems is higher than other generations because they can send high-resolution images over the network, even at high speeds.
●    More powerful processors mean that the video walls can be used for more than just displaying static images. They can be used to create presentations and videos that are interactive. 
●    Users can easily connect to other devices in real-time, without worrying about losing any image quality when combining with this technology.

Shortcomings of Fourth Generation Video Wall Controller

●    Sometimes hard to configure due to newer architecture and technology - need some training from third-party consultant and technician. 

●     Expensive.
●    Some of the newest designs are not as easy to install as older models, which can create difficulties for the end user. 

5th generation is Matrix Mini-LED.

This is the next step in the video wall industry. Many companies now provide video wall controllers that can handle everything from traditional video wall controls to FPGA to even Mini-LED systems. This has created a lot of new possibilities that allow users to get more functionality from their video wall controllers. 

The ability to handle all of these different technologies has made video wall controllers much more versatile and user-friendly. Mini-LEDs are one of the newest technologies that have made their way into the video wall industry, and they can be mounted directly to the board and can send real-time streamed HD video from any device. 

They are also minimal, which makes them a good choice for small video walls. In addition, the cameras themselves can be mounted at different heights and distances from the board, giving you flexibility that isn't possible with most other technologies. Another option for fifth-generation video walls is to use projectors. 

They also offer a lot of flexibility by supporting HD content and video from multiple sources, like video walls and streaming video from devices. They are also able to help multiple screens at once, making it possible for a video wall controller to create a board that many people can view at once.

Advantages of 5th Generation Video Wall Controller- Matrix Mini-LED.

●    Includes video wall management software.
●    LED-based technology makes them extremely lightweight, easy to install, and incredibly small.
●    The ability to handle HD streaming from multiple sources in one system means that users no longer have to deal with wrong sources and poor image quality.
●    They can be easily scaled up or down, which means that it is a good choice for boardrooms with many employees or executives.

Shortcomings of 5th Generation Video Wall Controller

●    It is more expensive than 4th-generation controllers.
●    It needs some training from third-party consultants and technician 
●    Some of the newest designs are not as easy to install as older models, which can create difficulties for the end users.

Conclusion

Video walls have become an essential part of a modern office layout. Many companies have installed them not just in their conference rooms but also in break areas and offices to allow employees to collaborate. 
As technology develops, video walls will become even more sophisticated and user-friendly. Users can get more functionality out of video wall controllers without having to make a trade-off in image or video quality. This means they can use them in many new applications. 

BRWall is a world-class manufacturer of professional video wall controllers. Their experts are always available to help you with any video wall solution needs. Book a demo here: brwall.com/live-demos  For support, visit brwall.com or contact us anytime at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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