Hiring LED screens for events and trade fairs: what really matters when choosing one

Key points at a glance
: Anyone looking to hire an LED screen is soon faced with a host of technical terms – pixel pitch, nits, cabinets, processing. Yet the key questions can be easily answered if you know what really matters: the viewing distance, the lighting conditions and the venue.

- When it’s worth renting and when it’s worth buying

- How to choose the right pixel pitch for the viewing distance

- Why brightness determines success or failure when used outdoors

- What matters most when choosing an LED screen for a trade fair

An LED screen is the ultimate eye-catcher: on stage, at a trade fair stand, or outdoors. For it to be truly effective, the technology must be suited to the application. This guide walks you through the decisions you need to make before every booking.

Quick question, quick answer

Should you hire or buy an LED screen? For one-off events and trade fairs, hiring is almost always the better option – buying an LED screen is only worthwhile if you use it very regularly. Whether you’re hiring an LED screen or a video wall, it amounts to the same thing.

What is the right pixel pitch? Rule of thumb: the minimum comfortable viewing distance in metres is roughly equal to the pixel pitch in millimetres.

What matters most for an LED screen at a trade fair? The size and shape to suit the stand, the right pixel pitch and good content – at a trade fair, first impressions are everything.

Is any screen suitable for outdoor use? No. An outdoor LED screen requires significantly higher brightness and genuine weather protection.

Are you already planning a specific event? Tell us the venue, space and occasion – we’ll suggest the right LED solution. Enquire without obligation →

Rent or buy an LED screen?

The first question is always: should you rent or buy an LED screen? For one-off events, trade fairs or temporary installations, renting is almost always the right choice. You only pay for the actual usage, get the size and resolution suited to the occasion, and don’t have to worry about storage, maintenance or technological advancements. For those who use a space regularly – say, on a weekly basis – it may make sense to buy an LED screen; for the events sector, however, the advantages of hiring clearly outweigh those of buying.

The same applies to the term ‘video wall’: whether you rent an LED screen or a video wall, in an event context this usually means the same thing – a large display surface made up of modules that can be flexibly adapted to the specific venue. You can find an overview of our rental range on the event technology page.

Assessing pixel pitch and viewing distance correctly

What is pixel pitch? The pixel pitch (also known as pixel spacing) indicates the distance between the centres of two adjacent LED pixels, measured in millimetres. A pixel pitch of 2.6 therefore means that there are 2.6 millimetres between two pixels. The smaller this value, the closer the pixels are packed together – and the sharper and more detailed the image appears. Pixel pitch is often denoted by the abbreviation ‘P’ followed by a number, such as P2.6 or P1.58.

The pixel pitch determines one thing above all else: the distance from which an image appears sharp. As a rule of thumb, the minimum comfortable viewing distance in metres is roughly equal to the pixel pitch in millimetres (under average ambient lighting; more precise calculations assume two to three times the pixel pitch). 
A screen with a P2.6 pixel pitch therefore looks crisp from around 2.6 metres, and certainly from further away; a finer screen with a P1.58 pixel pitch allows viewers to get significantly closer without being able to make out individual pixels. For a large stage area viewed from a distance, a larger pixel pitch is therefore entirely sufficient and more cost-effective. For an area where people walk past at close quarters, a smaller pixel pitch is worthwhile.

The City of Düsseldorf’s exhibition stand at EXPO REAL demonstrates what this means in practice: there, SIGMA AV installed a wraparound, 70-square-metre LED strip with a pixel pitch of 2.6 millimetres – ideal for viewing from a moderate distance – and, to complement this, a finer LED wall with a pixel pitch of 1.58 millimetres for content intended to be viewed at close range. The choice of pixel pitch is therefore not purely a question of budget, but a question of viewing distance.

Not sure which pixel pitch suits your space? Take a look at our https://sigma-av.com/en/projects/event and trade fair projects or ask us directly. Go to the contact form →

Brightness: why daylight and an outdoor LED screen make all the difference

The most common mistake in outdoor installations is insufficient brightness. What looks brilliant indoors fades outdoors in sunlight. The brightness of an LED screen is measured in nits (candela per square metre): For indoor use, moderate levels of around 600 to 1,200 nits are usually sufficient, whilst for outdoor use and daylight events, many times that is required – in direct sunlight, 4,000 to 5,000 nits or more is advisable. An outdoor LED screen must also be protected against the weather – specifically, it must have a suitable protection rating against rain and dust – and be built to be mechanically robust.

When hiring an outdoor LED screen, you should therefore always specify the location and the time of day. Only then can it be determined what level of brightness and weather protection are required.

LED screens at trade fairs: what exhibitors should bear in mind

When renting an LED screen for a trade fair appearance, there is a specific set of considerations. At the fair, your stand is competing with many others for attention – and this is precisely where an LED screen comes into its own. Three things are important: the right size and shape for the stand (a wraparound display has a different effect to a single wall), a pixel pitch suited to the viewing distance and – often underestimated – good content. After all, even the best display will fail to make an impact if it isn’t showing anything compelling.

For its EXPO REAL appearance, SIGMA not only provided the technology but also designed the content and adapted it flexibly on site. Just how impressive dynamic content can be is also demonstrated by the ERAZER brand’s Gamescom appearance: There, SIGMA showcased two LED walls, each measuring 15 square metres, with constantly changing screen content – at a trade fair where it is particularly difficult to stand out. This interplay of screen size, resolution and content transforms an LED wall into a real eye-catcher rather than just a large surface.

Are you exhibiting at Messe Düsseldorf?

Things are particularly straightforward at the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre: as an official service partner, SIGMA provides the technology for your stand directly via the OOS portal – from LED walls and displays to sound systems.

Are you exhibiting at Messe Düsseldorf? Order your exhibition technology conveniently online. Order exhibition technology →

Permanently installed or for hire: two different worlds

Not every LED or display wall is available for hire. Permanent installations – such as in a lounge, a foyer or a showroom – have different requirements: they are permanently fitted, often discreetly integrated into the design and designed for continuous operation. One example is the NEW AG VIP lounge at Borussia-Park, for which SIGMA implemented a permanently installed display wall with intelligent source switching, on which different content can also be displayed simultaneously.

So, if you want a permanent display in a room, you should plan for a fixed AV integration rather than a hire – for content that is permanent and centrally controlled, the transition to a fixed media installation is seamless.

Permanent installation or hire for an event? We’ll help you choose the right option. Get in touch now →

Content, technical control and special formats

Particularly at larger events, the LED screen is just one part of the whole. This includes the appropriate processing (the technology that displays the image clearly on the screen), lighting, sound and a control room that brings everything together. Panasonic’s presence at the IFA in Berlin demonstrates just how comprehensive a trade fair stand can be: There, SIGMA handled all the sound, video and stage technology for the exhibition stand and press conference – from product presentations to audience guidance. For you as an organiser, this kind of full-service approach means you can rely on a single point of contact, rather than having to coordinate individual trades yourself.

Sometimes the greatest impact can be achieved where there is no space left at all – in the sky above the venue.

Are you looking for that extraordinary moment for your event? A drone show complements the LED screen and stage with an image that nobody will ever forget. More about the drone show

Frequently asked questions about hiring LED screens

Conclusion

Hiring an LED screen is easier than the many technical terms might suggest – provided you ask the right questions. The key factors are the viewing distance (for the pixel pitch), the lighting conditions (for the brightness) and the location (for weather protection). If you clarify these three points and view the LED screen as part of an overall concept combining technology and content, you’ll create a display that really grabs people’s attention.

Whether it’s a trade fair, a corporate event or a permanent installation – you’ll find an overview of all our services under ‘Our Competences’, and further specialist articles in the Newsroom.