Visualisation is coming to the fore and the tech landscape is changing. Gan Ta Loong from Barco discusses how the manufacturer is working hard to change the game and raise the bar.
The reports of LED dominating the market are pre- mature. The display solution has soared in popularity, but it is far from being the only choice available to customers. Gan Ta Loong, Vice President of Sales, Large Video Experience and Immersive Experience, APAC, at Barco, expands: “From my perspective, even though I represent Barco which has a stake in the LED market, I think we are getting carried away with how we are interpreting the success of LED. Don’t get me wrong, the migration towards LED is happening and it has been showing high double-digit CAGR, but that is because its market share was small to begin with. LED hasn’t killed the projector neither the LCD videowall display.”
State of the market
Gan believes that as APAC and the global market gets back to the business of growth there is scope for all visualisation technologies to make gains. He elaborates: “We are seeing a drastic change in the corporate sector and a serious workplace transformation being undertaken. It is almost as if the core functions of enterprise spaces are being re-evaluated and changed to meet the modern demands of a hybrid and flexible workforce. Visualisation has a part to play in this transformation, whether it is providing equitable presence for the near- and far-end or fostering connection through enabling effective visual engagement.”
The key phrase to focus on is visualisation. Gan details: “Workplace transformation is driving the interest in LED. But at the same time, it is driving interest in projectors, which are still growing, as well as interest in LCD videowall displays, which are exhibiting double-digit CAGR. With the hybrid workspace, it is no longer about just technology, it is now about the right technology for the customer.”
The changing approach from customers, is something that Barco finds itself uniquely positioned to match and meet. Gan explains: “Barco is the only truly ‘technology-agnostic’ manufacturer when it comes to visualisation and that is because we are not tied to just a single product vertical. Our portfolio comprises the full range of visualisation solutions from LED to projectors to LCD videowall displays. LED is just one of the tools we have in our toolkit, but because it is not the only tool Barco possesses, we can do more for users. What this means is that we are ready to be there for the customer and rather than shoehorning a technology into their spaces, we can listen and really work towards addressing their pain points and creating better, brighter outcomes.”
Filling the gaps
Continuing the thread of the conversation, Gan says that Barco’s focus is pointedly on customer experience. He says: “Over the past two decades, we’ve seen a form of abstraction in technology from the actual product and the experience that it delivers. In broad terms, users are no longer concerned with the actual nuts and bolts of the product. They are concerned with the experience the product provides. Is it intuitive, is it cohesive, is it seamless?”
In Gan’s opinion, this focus on ‘experience’ has been lacking in the wider LED market: “The LED market has made great strides forward. We’ve seen pixel pitches drop, we’ve seen production processes become streamlined and there many more technological breakthroughs. But what hasn’t been done is to demonstrate to the users that these breakthroughs result in a better experience. The LED market has just been banking on the assumption that customers will continue thinking that a lower pixel pitch means better quality and if you ask me, that is not going to last. In the modern landscape, customers are taking a closer look at technology and how it can serve as a tool to empower users.”
According to Gan, this lack of focus on experience can be seen in the LED videowalls: “I see large videowalls installed and operating in premium locations, but they don’t focus on experience. LED is meant to be seamless, but you can see demarcations in the display. LED is meant to provide a premium viewing experience but the colour is not uniform nor is the display brightness.”
This must change, and Barco is leading the way. Gan says: “At Barco, we’ve changed our approach to really try and develop technology and products that are in service to creating better ‘experiences’. For example, we’re taking a ‘three-dimensional’ approach to how we conceive our LED products. We are refining the real meaning of seamless LED with breakthrough technologies in the way we handle x-axis and y-axis of the LED display, to address the black-seam and white-seam issues, which is a common problem among LED. We are currently one step ahead of the market in overcoming the z-axis, in making sure we deliver a true flat display experience to the users. Needless to mention brightness and colour uniformity of the LED display is and will be guaranteed.”
Gan believes that Barco’s approach is possible due to its commitment to R&D: “At Barco we believe in building our own products. The fact that we can control every aspect of our LED offerings means that we are able to pivot with the changing demands of the market and this is the reason we are able to prioritise experience.”
Essential component
Another area that Gan believes is currently lagging when it comes to LEDs is service. He expands: “An LED videowall is only as good as its operation and maintenance. You can have the largest videowall with the finest pixel pitch but if there are dead pixels on your display or tiles that are not providing the correct colour uniformity then the magic is gone. All users will remember is the ‘small’ defect in the visual experience.”
Ensuring operations and maintenance of LED displays is a team effort and Gan details Barco’s commitment to its partners: “At Barco, we are looking to support our partners and our products all the way from the installation to the deployment and after-sales service. We take the matter of support really seriously, so much so that we are willing to commit to providing service on the ground, in the markets our partners are present in along with a wider network of expertise and supply chain logistics.”
As the manufacturer is looking to further improve its offering, Gan says: “We are committed to providing support but at the same time we are looking to build robust LED products that reduce the burden of replacement and maintenance. LED tiles are delicate, but we’ve found that failure is not a result of the product being dead on arrival but due to the installation process which invariably introduces some degree of force and pressure into the equation. We’re working on building sturdier LED products that can withstand the installation process better to reduce the need for service at the source.”
Putting its money where its mouth is, Barco LED EssentialCare service provides partners and customers up to seven years complete peace of mind with guaranteed display uniformity and fast resolution. Gan concludes: “Barco assures customers in operating their LED display with full confidence, dedicated service and support. With over 50 years of visualisation experience in mission-critical environments across all industries, you can rely on Barco as a solid and reliable service partner. Users can now enjoy guaranteed colour consistency of the LED display during the entire contract period. Servicing is exclusively done with fully batch compatible replacement modules that meet the specs of your original tiles. A uniform image, now and well into the future.”