Visuals divided into multiple LEDs that vary in size

I was watching this video of a guy called Weirdcore who does the live visuals for Aphex Twin;
youtube.com/watch?v=-0vrrTQFCjA

Between 23:20 to 24:00 he is describing how they use various LEDs and map them differently or alternate between them live. Knowing that it can be achieved with TD, I decided ask here.

The problem is that, I have never worked with LED panels, don’t have an idea where to start and kinda have to in a few weeks time.

Hardware wise
I’m assuming it can’t be done with just a high-end laptop and simple video output, right?
What kind of hardware would be required for this kind of a task assuming there would be approx 5-6 different panels with varying sizes?
Does this things vary between different models and brands of LED panels?

Software wise
As these LED panels come in pixel sizes, what would be the workflow of the TD sketch, at this point if any tutorial would kick start, that would be fantastic.

I do not have a chance to try them in advance before the actual performance, therefore need to make sure that it will work.

Thanks very much and sorry for the clueless question.

Hey ailgun,

Weirdcore is referring to the types of LED walls used on most tv shows, concert stages, etc you see out there these days. To you as a person providing video content, there isn’t too much difference between sending video to LED walls and a projector or television.

For example, this is how you plug your computer into a tv:
Laptop (HDMI, DVI, Displayport) > TV

vs plugging your computer into an LED wall:
Laptop (HDMI, DVI, Displayport) > LED Processor > LED Wall

Usually the LED Processor and LED Wall are provided by the same people.
The LED Processor is there to translate the video signal from your laptop into something the LED Tiles understand (and also to configure the LED Tiles when they’ve been put together in a new arrangement)
If you’re in a situation where someone has just LED Tiles and is asking you to address them, then that’s a different topic from what I’m writing about here.

A pixel map is a way for the LED provider to tell you where exactly to place your content in the video output so that it shows up on the screens. Often a goal of the LED Provider is to fit as many sections of LED into each output as possible.

Here is an example pixel map from a nightclub that has 8 unique panels, all placed in a single 1280x1024 output. Check out how the panels on the pixel map translate to the panels in the real world. Most of the time, pixel maps and the actual physical arrangement of the LED Walls will be different.

To answer some of your specific questions:
I’m assuming it can’t be done with just a high-end laptop and simple video output, right?
You can use anything that outputs video. Plugging into an LED Wall processor is conceptually the same as plugging into a projector or monitor.

What kind of hardware would be required for this kind of a task assuming there would be approx 5-6 different panels with varying sizes?
Your laptop should be fine, though it will depend how many pixels and how many individual outputs you’ll need to fill the LED walls. Some led walls have huge pixel counts, and require you to feed them multiple outputs in order to cover them all.

Does this things vary between different models and brands of LED panels? There are lots of different models/brands of LED walls/processors, but ultimately all that should really matter to you is how they’ve been arranged, the pixel map, the pixel pitch, and what kind of connection the processor needs (HDMI, DVI, etc)

As these LED panels come in pixel sizes, what would be the workflow of the TD sketch
There are many different ways to go about this. A simple one is to make all your content and a standard size (1920x1080 for ex) and then at the end of your network, crop it into pieces and place them in the right places on the pixel map before outputting.

It sounds like you’ve got a gig coming up where you will be plugging into an LED wall?
You should ask for two things from the stage designer / led provider:

  1. A drawing or render of the stage (so you can see how the led panels are going to be arranged in the real world)
  2. A pixel map for each output that has coordinates, sizes, and pixel pitch for each panel.

Hopefully this makes sense. It can take some time to wrap your head around the whole pixel map/led mapping concept. There are lots of good videos/tuts out there as well if you google around (check out Resolume tutorials on led mapping).

Hello,

Wow, thanks so much for the very detailed answer, means a lot really and already have a better notion of it all + an idea where to start!

I already have did a bit of research and realised that most LED panels come in approx 96 to 128 pixel size, so I’m preparing my content according to that. It seems it is much more simpler than I thought it would be; just sending a single video output and after aligning the pixel map and output it all fits together. I’ve seen a few tutorials for Resolume and for now it seems I’ll go using Resolume.

Thanks very much once again!