A video wall allows you to display content on multiple displays for anyone viewing your digital signage. Ultimately, whenever multiple screens are positioned together to show coordinated content, we refer to this setup as a video wall.
Please Note:
This support article does its best to capture the baseline and explain how you can use Carousel Cloud with a video wall setup. However, since our software is only 1 part of any video wall implementation, and because there are many possible video wall configurations, we generally have limited ability to troubleshoot or provide specific details beyond what’s shared below. Please reach out to your A/V reseller or systems integrator for specific questions about your video wall setup, including recommended A/V or player hardware.
When using a single standard channel, as explained below in the downstream processing or multi-output BrightSign sections, please note that Carousel Cloud will only transition one zone within a channel layout at a time. If you need content to transition at the same time, you should instead use a larger zone with templated content that rotates together.
You can not assign multiple channels to a single player in Carousel Cloud
Quick Links
Video Wall Options Overview
There are 3 options you can implement to create video walls using Carousel Cloud. Each has its own pros and cons for both setup and use.
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BrightSign Player Synchronization - This option uses multiple BrightSign players that each display a specific portion of the video wall.
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Pros
Scalable to a large number of screens, only limited by the number of BrightSign players you use
Each portion of the video wall gets maximum video processing power from the individual BrightSign player being used to drive it
Useful for non-traditional video walls where the displays are not physically located side-by-side, but you want to synchronize content on screens in the same area
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Cons
Requires multiple BrightSign players and multiple ‘simple’ Carousel Cloud channels
As noted here, this option has content limitations and requires you to use ‘simple’ channels with single-zone layouts that only support uploaded images, uploaded videos, and certain types of templated bulletins
The content you use will need to be pre-sliced (cut into segments for each BrightSign player to display) and assigned to each ‘simple’ zone/channel for each portion of the video wall
This option requires both wired ethernet networking and matching BrightSign models in order to function
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Multi-Output BrightSigns (Such as the XT2145 or XC4055) - Using a single high-powered BrightSign model with multiple HDMI outputs connected to each portion of the video wall.
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Pros
Reduces overall system complexity by utilizing a single player endpoint
Uses a single ‘standard' Carousel Cloud channel, so no additional content slicing is required
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Cons
Supports only a limited number of connected displays, based on the number of video outputs of the BrightSign player you are using
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Downstream Processing - Typically, downstream processing involves a video processor, which is a separate video appliance that you feed with the output of a Carousel Cloud player. It’s designed to slice the incoming video signal into outgoing signals for each connected display. Additionally, downstream processing functionality could be a feature of the specific display/s you are using that could be used to daisy-chain outputs for each display in your video wall.
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Pros
Can be used with any supported player type in Carousel Cloud
Can easily scale to a large number of displays, depending on the video processor or display hardware you choose to use
Uses a single player endpoint
Uses a single ‘standard’ Carousel Cloud channel, so no additional content slicing is required
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Cons
We have limited ability to troubleshoot or provide specific details when a video processor is being used in the signal chain. You will need to reach out to your A/V reseller or systems integrator for specific questions about your video processor setup
This option requires additional configuration to be completed outside of Carsouel Cloud
Adds additional cost and system complexity when using a video processor
If using the daisy-chain option, it will require specific hardware and features of the displays you are going to use
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Basic Video Wall Setup Information
BrightSign Player Synchronization
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Complete all steps outlined in the following 2 articles:
BrightSign Player Sync in Carousel Cloud (A video wall example using BrightSign player sync is included in this article)
Multi-Output BrightSigns
Complete all steps outlined in Carousel Cloud Player Setup for BrightSign
Review the video wall example shown below
Downstream Processing
Please Note: This video wall process is only partially completed within Carousel Cloud, so we generally have limited ability to troubleshoot or provide specific details when using a video processor
Follow the documentation for your downstream processing hardware and its related software
Complete all steps for setting up and activating your preferred player in Carousel Cloud
Review the video wall example shown below
Video Wall Example for Multi-Output BrightSigns
Please Note: If you have a video wall with a different layout and/or resolution, and/or you are using a different model of multi-output BrightSign player, you can still follow the steps explained below. You will just need to modify the resolution of your zone and channel to align with your deployment, and/or choose the appropriate screen layout for your displays in the BrightSign player settings.
Let’s picture a 2 x 2 Video Wall using a single BrightSign XC4055 player, with 4 landscape 1080p displays for a total video wall resolution of 3840x2160 (4K)
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To start, a single 3840x2160 zone needs to be created and attached to a single 3840x2160 channel in Carousel Cloud
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Note that the XC4055 will handle splitting the 4K content on each 1080p display, so there is no need to create additional zones or to slice your content before uploading
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If the video wall deployment mentioned above (2 x 2 Video Wall using a single BrightSign XC4055 player, with 4 landscape 1080p displays) matches your deployment, use the built-in Creator Library to install the Single, 4K channel as shown below
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After completing activation of your XC4055, following this setup guide, edit the player’s Output Settings to follow the layout of this 2x2 video wall by going to Carousel Cloud > Configure > Players > Dedicated Players > Then click the edit button (pencil icon) to modify the player settings
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While still in the player settings menu, assign your video wall channel to the XC4055
Your video wall should now be displaying content (or a background) from your 3840x2160 zone in Carousel Cloud
If you haven’t already, you can now upload your preferred content into the 3840x2160 zone
Done!
Video Wall Example for Using Downstream Processing (Video Processor)
Please Note:
This video wall process is only partially completed within Carousel Cloud, so we generally have limited ability to troubleshoot or provide specific details beyond what’s shared below
As a general rule, any player capable of outputting the video resolution of your video wall should work. Please direct questions about A/V and player hardware recommendations or setups to your A/V reseller or systems integrator
If you have a video wall with a different layout and/or resolution, you can still follow the steps explained below. You will just need to modify the resolution of your zone and channel
Let’s picture a 2 x 2 Video Wall using a video processor, with 4 landscape 1080p displays for a total video wall resolution of 3840x2160 (4K)
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To start, a single 3840x2160 zone needs to be created and attached to a single 3840x2160 channel in Carousel Cloud
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Note that a video processor will handle splitting the 4K content on each 1080p display, so there is no need to create additional zones or to slice your content before uploading
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If the video wall deployment mentioned above (2 x 2 Video Wall using a video processor, with 4 landscape 1080p displays) matches your deployment, use the built-in Creator Library to install the Single, 4K channel as shown below
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After completing the setup and activation of your preferred player, go to Carousel Cloud > Configure > Players > Dedicated Players > Then click the edit button (pencil icon) to modify the player settings
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Assign your video wall channel to your player
Depending on the configuration requirements for your video wall processor, your video wall should now be displaying content (or a background) from your 3840x2160 zone in Carousel Cloud
If you haven’t already, you can now upload your preferred content into the 3840x2160 zone
Done!
Configure Video Wall Content Across All Displays and Unique Content on Each/Individual Display
It is possible to switch between displaying content as a unified video wall, to showing unique content on each display, as explained below.
For any video wall implementation, you'll need to complete the appropriate video wall instructions explained above
To then be able to show unique content on each display, you’ll need to create another channel (that matches the full resolution of your video wall) with the correct number of zones for each display (zone resolutions should match the resolution of each display), and then upload content to each zone for each display
Lastly, use our channel schedule feature to switch between displaying the 2 different channels (video wall content vs unique content)