Christie’s Marty Waverley talks to JB&A about LED, projection, and what’s new at Christie

Comparing projection to LED is nuanced. Projection can accomplish stunning installations — like projection mapping onto a monument or bringing an immersive experience to life, while LED video walls dazzle in lobbies and eye-catching architecturally inspired displays. So how do you choose?

Christie’s Marty Waverley spoke with JB&A’s Nick Smith in a fireside chat about advances in direct-view technology, up-and-coming markets, and answers the question, “Is projection dead?” (Answer: It’s not.)

What’s new in the market?

The demand for LED is strong and continues to grow as the technology becomes more cost-effective. This is a major shift in the market.

“A lot of visualization and simulation is going towards LED. Its cost is comparable to projection, and it can do 120Hz, DCI-P3 color, and it’s HDR10-compatible, too,” says Marty. “We’re seeing LED displays used in aviation applications and laboratories, where previously they’ve used projection.”

Is projection dead?

“No, laser projection is very hot,” says Marty. “We came out with RGB pure laser projection years ago, and our 35,000 and 50,000 RGB pure laser projectors are hot.”

RGB pure laser projection produces an exceptionally wide color gamut, achieving more than 98%  of the Rec. 2020 color space — more than twice the color of Rec. 709 and 50% more than DCI-P3-capable projectors — for an enhanced viewing experience. And RGB pure laser’s optional high frame rate (HFR) capability achieves 120Hz at 4K resolution or up to 480 Hz at 2K resolution.

“But dvLED [direct-view LED] is really hitting the market.” LED can be configured in a range of shapes and sizes – from flat video walls to inside and outside corners, and concave and convex curves, and scaled to almost any size.

What’s new in LED?

Along with downward momentum on price, advances in LED technology include encapsulation, which provides a protective surface and improves both optical performance and energy efficiency, and common cathode technology, which distributes power proportionately to each RGB module and reduces power consumption. The newest LED models are also lighter for easier handling and installation.

Marty points to our newest LED offering: “Core Series II was a popular LED line. Now, the new Core Series III costs 40% less than the previous generation, is 30% lighter, and 40% more energy efficient.”