LED screens have become prominent and ubiquitous in the city landscape due to their aesthetics and wide market reach. According to a Visix study, content played on LED digital screens can capture 400% more views compared to their static versions. But the catch is that the LED screen installation must be properly done and the content must also bring something to the table to catch the market’s attention. The vibrant images on the screen are enough to stop anyone passing by the display. 

Dealing with an LED display is not as easy as purchasing your LED TV that you just need to plug and and turn on. For LED screens, installation and configuration are key so many prefer having experts with experience complete the tasks for them. But if you want a shot and try it for yourself, what you need is an LED screen installation guide to help you step-by-step. 

When installing your LED screens, there are two kinds that you would have to take into consideration. The basic LED screen installation normally includes the cabinet installed on the steel structure and the LED module assembled to the steel structure directly.  

Outdoor LED screen installation steps with cabinet

For the standard installation, make sure you have all the materials and items you need, including the following:

• Steel structure
• LED display cabinets
• Connect plates
• Bolts
• Ethernet cable
• AC cable
• Wrench for tightening bolts
• Sending box or video processor
• Debugging programs and sending programs to notebooks

Once you’ve checked that you have everything you need, here are the next steps to follow:

Step 1: Survey the Location and Size of the LED Screen

The first step in the LED screen installation guide is to survey the location where you plan to place your LED display. For LED wall installation, You need to check if the load-bearing strength of the building you will be installing on that is adequate. For an outdoor LED display installation, you will have to consider whether to use a column type, wall mount, suspend, embed, etc

Survey the Location

You will need to survey the following aspects of the location you chose for your LED screen:

• Terrain
• Chances of rain and storm
• LED range
• Luminance acceptance 

For the LED screen to operate at its optimal performance, the equipment needs to be hoisted in a stable fashion and won’t crash or fall in case of a little wind in the outdoor. 

Calculate the Size of the LED Screen

Another factor to double-check before the actual LED screen installation is the size of the display. You need to make sure that the screen can be accommodated in the location you chose to install it in. Make sure that what you consider is the final size of the LED display, complete with the frames and cabinets when used. 

Step 2: Build the Frame Based on the Measurements From Your Survey

Most of the LED display board installation will require a frame. Building a frame may require the touch of an expert but if you want to try it with your own hands, you can do so. For a standard frame, you will need the following items (based on the LED module’s size):

• 4x4cm or 4x8cm rectangular tubes (6m in length) 
• 2x2cm rectangular tubes (6m in length)
• welding tools

According to the size of the LED display and the designed steel structure drawings, these rectangular tubes are welded into a frame, paying attention to leaving a 700mm to 1000mm maintenance channel for post-maintenance.

For an outdoor LED display installation, specifically for suspended and roof displays, you will need a hoister and crane. If you are quite hesitant about this, hiring a professional for this task may be a good option. 

Step 3: Install the LED cabinet on the steel structure

The LED display cabinets are installed on the steel structure and look like stacked blocks. Fix the cabinet units one by one, from bottom to top, from side to side, on the frame with bolts and connecting plates to form a large LED display.

How do fix an LED display cabinet to a steel structure？

Putting the connecting plate behind the 40x40mm rectangular tube, use M10 x 60mm bolts to pass through the connecting plate and the rectangular tube, and fix the cabinet to the steel structure.

Then use the same method to install the next cabinet, and adjust the splicing gap and flatness of the two adjacent cabinets. When they are OK, fix the connecting plates with bolts to maintain a good gap and flatness of the cabinet.

Step 4: Connect the signal cable

After the LED cabinet unit is installed, signals such as videos, pictures, text, etc. need to be sent to the LED display through a sending box or video processor.
So we need to connect the computer with the sending box or video processor with a signal cable, and then connect the LED cabinet units according to the signal transmission path.

Step 5: connect AC cable

After we have installed the LED display, we need to power the LED display. So we need to use 3-core 2.5 square AC cables to connect from the power distribution box to the LED display. Generally, the load of a 3-core 2.5mm2 AC cable is about 3.6KW. When the ambient temperature is higher, its load will be reduced accordingly.
Note that the brown wire of the terminal block represents the live wire, the blue represents the neutral wire, and the yellow-green represents the ground wire.

Step 6: LED display debugging and sending programs

After completing the connection of the signal cables and AC cables of the LED display, we need to use the control system (Novastar, HD Play, Linsn, Colorlight, etc.) to configure the LED display. Usually, the LED display supplier has already configured the single cabinet, and the file is solidified on the receiving card, so you can directly configure the screen connection or import the screen connection configuration file during configuration.

If you are using a video processor, the LED display will display the same content as your computer or camera; if you are using a synchronous and asynchronous sending box, you can send via U-disk, wifi, ethernet cable, 4G, etc program, it can work without a computer. Of course, it can also use HDMI to connect to a computer, so it has a wide range of applications.

Indoor LED screen installation steps without cabinet (LED module installed directly)

Another cabinet-less LED display installation method we will introduce is to directly attach the LED module to the rectangular tube with magnets. It is usually suitable for indoor LED video wall installations, The advantages of this installation method are

1. There is no cabinet, so the cost of the cabinet can be saved.
2. Without a cabinet, the power supply and receiving card can be fully utilized, reducing the cost of the screen
3. Air transportation can be considered as a transportation method without a cabinet, and the terminal customers can receive the goods faster.
4. After installation, the LED display is thinner and looks more beautiful.

However, its disadvantage is that it can only be applied to smaller indoor LED displays, usually less than 20 square meters.
Let’s introduce how to guide you to install it.

Step 1: Prepare Bill of Materials

Cabinet-less installation of LED video wall requires the following tool list to be prepared in advance

• rectangular tubes;
• LED modules;
• Magnets;
• AC cables;
• Ethernet cables;
• Video processor or sending box;
• Pre-maintenance tools;
• Laptop for the software or sending programs;
• Wrench for tightening bolts;

Step 2: Welding & installing the steel structure

welding steel structure

Similarly, the LED screen installation without cabinets also requires the production of steel structures for installation. Its steel structure is welded from some 40x40mm or 40x20mm rectangular tubes.
When processing it, you need to calculate the length and width of the frame based on the LED modules arranged in the length and height directions or process it based on the designed steel structure drawings.

Installing the steel structure

After the steel structure is welded, we need to use expansion bolts or chemical bolts to firmly install the frame on the wall. If it is a small frame, it can be installed manually with a ladder, but if you arrange a large frame, you can use a crane or other mechanical equipment to assist in the installation.

Step 3: Install the power supply and its cables

The next step in this LED screen installation guide is to assemble the cables and power supply on the tube or on the wall directly.

Installation of power supply

The power supply can be directly fixed to the side of the rectangular tube or the wall using the mounting bracket and self-tapping screws, or it can be fixed to the side of the rectangular tube using straps.
The position of the power supply requires the load of the power supply to calculate the number of LED modules loaded by a single power supply for the horizontal and vertical arrangement of the power supply.

Connecting DC5v cable & AC cables

The installation of the DC5v cable needs to be done before installing the power supply to the steel structure. The red wire is connected to the “+” terminal of the power output, and the black wire is connected to the “-” terminal of the power output.

AC cable is usually a 3-core 2.5 mm2 specification, and two adjacent power supplies are connected in series to supply power. Generally, a 3-core 2.5 mm2 main cable can carry less than 12 pcs 220v 300W power supplies and less than 6 pcs 110v 300w power supplies.

Step 4: Install the receiving card and its cables

When connecting LED control cards, check out the manufacturing guide for instructions on where to put the LED control cards. Connect the receiving card to the data cable and then fix it into the frame using fixing plates or screws.

Flat cable connection

Before installing the receiving card on the steel structure, we usually connect the cables to the J1, J2, and J3… interfaces of the receiving card according to the order of the program file.

Ethernet cable connection

The connection sequence of the receiving card’s network cable needs to be connected according to the sequence and quantity of the designed wiring diagram.

Step 5: Install the LED Module

After the LED module is assembled with the magnet, connect the cable from the receiving card and the DC5v cable from the power output end to power the LED module. Finally, let the arrow on the back of the LED module go up and right to attach it to the steel structure.

Here are some things you need to make sure when dealing with the LED modules:

• First, install the module of one receiving card, wait until the test connection is OK, and then do the wiring in batches.
• Make sure that there are no gaps between the modules and that they are all fitted tightly
• Be conscious of possible uneven screens you’re installing
• Use the short flat cables to connect the LED modules

Step 6: Configure and Debug

After the LED screen installation, it is time to test the screens. Turn the screens on and check if all of them are running smoothly. Press the test button you need to use to check on the control card. The screen will show the following:

• Red
• Green
• Blue
• Line
• Field
• Point information

Next, check if the network cables are working properly through the controlled computer with the same process as when you checked the LED screens individually. You can also maximize the visual aesthetics of the LED display by debugging the light-emitting range. 

Finally, we use the program software to make and send the multi-screen file, so that the individual cabinets can be spliced together to form a large-screen display after being set up.

Practical Tips for Convenient LED Screen Installation

If knowing the basic steps of LED screen installation is not enough for you, here are pragmatic tips you can apply to this task. 

1. Make sure you know how many LED modules you will need for the installation before doing anything and keep some extra modules in hand just to be sure. 
2. Take care of the corners of the LED modules when working with them and make sure to avoid bumping them on anything. 
3. Check all the connections if they are tight enough
4. Consider LED display waterproof treatment, especially when the screen is installed outdoors
5. Make sure to use industrial-grade circuit chips to avoid errors during the cold season
6. Invest in a ventilation system for your LED display
7. Consider using lightning arresters, especially when your LED screen is suspended above the ground

Conclusion

LED screen installation is not that complex if you have a guide to follow. If you don’t want to waste your time learning and installing the LED screen yourself, you can always hire a professional to do it for you. You just need to weigh your values on whether you would rather lose time or lose money for the installation. 

If you decide to DIY the installation, learn everything you can about its installation process so that you won’t waste your time on building a display that doesn’t even work. Check out the tips you can do for a more practical procedure.