What is Pixel Pitch

What is Pixel Pitch

So, what is Pixel Pitch? And what does it really mean for you? Let's take a quick look at this basic term and how it should inform your decisions.

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To start, let's define a pixel. In the LED display industry, a pixel is a cluster of light-emitting diodes that represents the smallest addressable element in a display image.

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Typically, there are three LEDs in each pixel – one red, one green, and one blue.

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As each LED is driven to various levels, the pixel, and overall display, is capable of displaying trillions of colors.

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Pixels are usually spaced out evenly on a display surface. The distance between pixels, measured from one pixel's center to the next, is known as Pixel Pitch.

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Pixel Pitch is typically measured in millimeters, and for reference, there are slightly more than 25 millimeters in one inch.

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The smaller the pixel pitch, the closer the pixels to each other, meaning there are more pixels overall, increasing resolution and image clarity.

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If you increase the pixel pitch, the pixels are spaced farther apart, resulting in less pixel density.

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Let's look at an example. Here we have an LED panel measuring 12 inches high by 12 inches wide, or one square foot.

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With a 10 millimeter pixel pitch, we have 30 pixels high and 30 pixels wide, or 900 pixels.

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Using the same size panel, if we reduce the pixel pitch to 5 millimeters, we now have 60 pixels high and 60 pixels wide, quadrupling our pixel density to 3600 pixels per square foot.

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As you can see, our image quality is now considerably better. For displays where the viewer will be close range, a tighter pixel pitch usually makes the most sense.

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For some applications, however, a wider pixel pitch may be a more practical and cost efficient option.

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But viewing distance isn't the only consideration. Distance from grade, ambient conditions, total surface area, content detail, competition with other media, branding goals, and much more can be important factors.

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SNA offers an industry leading range of pixel pitches for both interior and exterior applications, from more than 25 millimeters to less than one millimeter, giving our customers plenty of options.

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You should work with a knowledgeable LED display manufacturer that can help you determine what pixel pitch works best for your needs.