What is an LED sign?

An LED (light emitting diode) is an efficient, effective and ultrabright alternative to incandescent light bulbs. Unlike traditional bulbs, LEDs do not burn out, instead they dim slowly over a longer period of time, typically lasting 100,000 hours, or over 11 years.

LED signs are made up of individual panels, or modules, that measure about twelve inches square. This design allows signs to be configured in almost any size. Each module contains LEDs arranged in pixels. A high-quality color sign will typically have three diodes per pixel: one red, one green and one blue.

The distance between the center of one pixel to the center of the next determines the resolution of the sign. This measurement is expressed in millimeters, and is referred to as pixel pitch. The lower the number, the higher the resolution and the image quality of the sign.

An LED sign is just one component of a sign’s structure. It can also include a business’s identification sign. Messages on the LED portion are programmed and scheduled using software installed on a computer that controls the sign.