In the world of LED displays, refresh rate has always been a hot topic of discussion. Many people think that the higher the refresh rate and the smoother the picture, the better. But is it really that simple? Today, let’s talk about the things behind the refresh rate.
First, we need to understand what the refresh rate is. The refresh rate refers to the number of times the display can update the picture per second, and the unit is Hertz (Hz). For example, an LED screen with a refresh rate of 1000Hz means that it can refresh the image 1000 times per second. In theory, the more refresh times, the more stable the picture will be, especially when playing high-speed motion pictures or shooting videos, flickering or smearing will be less likely to occur.
When many customers choose LED screens, the first thing they ask is: “How high is your screen refresh rate?” Indeed, high refresh rates have obvious advantages in certain scenarios. For example, at sports competitions, concert stages or high-end exhibitions, the camera will directly shoot the LED screen. If the refresh rate is not high enough, the screen will have obvious flickers or stripes, which will affect the look and feel. For live broadcast events, the images captured by the camera need to be synchronized with the screen, and a high refresh rate is very important. Otherwise, the video image may “jitter” and the audience experience will be greatly reduced.
But here we should also remind you that the higher the refresh rate, the better. Its effect is limited. For ordinary advertising playback or LED advertising screens in shopping malls and buildings, after exceeding a certain refresh rate, the human eye can hardly feel the difference. Under normal circumstances, indoor LED screens above 500Hz are sufficient, and any higher may only increase the cost. High refresh rate LED screens are more expensive, consume more power, and will increase system processing pressure. If it is not necessary, it is not cost-effective to blindly pursue high refresh rates.
Another point that is easily overlooked: refresh rate is equally important as brightness, resolution, and screen quality. If a high refresh rate is used with a low-quality chip or an unstable power supply, the effect may be compromised. For example, even if some low-end screens claim to have a high refresh rate, they will still flicker or blur when playing high-speed videos. In other words, the refresh rate is only one aspect of ensuring picture stability, and the overall quality of the screen is the key to determining the final effect.
Speaking of refresh rate, there is another little knowledge worth knowing: different driving methods have different refresh rate performance. Common LED screen driving methods include constant current driving and pulse width modulation (PWM) driving. Driven by PWM, a high refresh rate can make brightness changes smoother, making the picture look stable and the colors natural. Although the constant current drive can achieve a very high refresh rate, brightness jitter may occur during low grayscale display, and the effect is not as stable as the PWM drive.
Finally, let’s summarize that there are several aspects to consider when choosing the refresh rate of an LED display:
Usage scenarios: For stage, live broadcast or high-speed video capture, it is recommended to choose a high refresh rate screen; for ordinary advertising playback or shopping mall screens, around 500Hz is sufficient.
Cost and power consumption: A high refresh rate means higher cost and power consumption. There is no need to blindly pursue it when the budget is limited.
Screen quality: No matter how high the refresh rate is, if the LED chip, drive power supply, and control system are unstable, the effect will still be unsatisfactory.
Audience experience: The ultimate goal is for the audience to watch comfortably, not that the bigger the refresh rate number, the better.
Therefore, the refresh rate of LED display is not that the higher the better, but should be selected according to actual needs. Excessive pursuit of high refresh rates may cause a waste of resources, and may not necessarily bring obvious visual improvements. When choosing an LED screen, you might as well look at the overall performance, stability and cost-effectiveness instead of just focusing on a number.
To put it simply, the refresh rate is like the horsepower of a car. High horsepower is indeed good, but it may not be useful for slow driving in the city. What suits you is the most practical.