THIS IS A PROMOTED POST 

By Amelia Vrabel
Vice President of Sales, HD Distributing 

LED, LCD or projection? Maybe you haven’t decided yet. Maybe you have, and the clear winner is LED due to its vivid imagery, high efficiency and long lifespan. If that’s the case, you already know there will be some added complexity. With LED, even as far as it has come, there are still a lot of what-ifs. But this is the AV industry, and no one loves making the choice with the most what-ifs. But ultimately, if your application needs LED, your application needs LED, because the benefits of LED over LCD and projection are clear (which is probably why you chose it). Integrators and designers choose LED for its amazing brightness and rich color, that “wow factor” we often talk about and, of course, the ability to design it exactly the way you need it. LED is the most scalable solution, and it does things LCD and projection only hope to do.

This conundrum, the push-pull of needing LED but sadly having to accept the hurdles that come with the technology, is how HD Distributing was born. HD Distributing is the AV industry’s only — yes, only — full-service, value-add distributor focused exclusively on direct-view LED (dvLED).

It was 2006, and LED was growing fast and furious. With that growth came a lot of questions and challenges for the AV industry. But rather than shy away from the complexity of LED, HD Distributing embraced it. Thus the Minneapolis-based distributor found a unique position and purpose for itself as a distributor focused only on LED, serving a rapidly growing customer base: integrators and dealers who wanted LED but didn’t like the complexities that came with it. Over the last several years, HD Distributing has experienced almost every LED what-if you can imagine, and it’s found a solution for each. Because when you’re specifying LED for your customers, there can be no what-ifs.

How HD Distributing Figured Out (the Distribution Side of) LED

Let’s talk three of the most prominent challenges in LED today. For each, we’ll discuss how HD Distributing found a solution and helped its core customers do LED better.

One of the biggest challenges with LED is ensuring color consistency when modules need to be repaired or replaced. Unfortunately, not all LED modules output color the exact same way, even from the same manufacturer. Every batch produced is unique — varying red, green, and blue base colors means ensuring an exact color, or white, match isn’t likely. It’s also unlikely dealers have the space to store a bunch of extra bulky modules, especially for a huge application like a video wall. Plus, it wouldn’t make sense for them to order extras not knowing how and what they’ll need anyway. Sure, you can order directly from the manufacturer — but the majority of LED manufacturers are overseas, with extremely long lead times for shipping. These are added layers of complexity that, frankly, integrators just don’t have time for. Thankfully, HD Distributing manages the logistics and inventory-management side of the transaction completely; the distributor stocks replacement modules from the exact batch of original LEDs that customers ordered and will continue to service for years. With this confidence, there is no question when it comes to color-matching replacement LEDs for your customers’ applications.

Most LED is custom, which means added complexity — and, usually, a bigger time commitment — to determine appropriate aspect ratio, resolution, pixel pitch, and specifying the correct processor. If integrators don’t have the time to evaluate multiple manufacturers’ LED solutions in real-life environments before specifying them, they can’t be certain the LED is exactly right for what they need. But your trusted partner, HD Distributing, does have the time. It’s what they do. HD works closely with best-in-class manufacturers to learn the ins-and-outs of their solutions. HD takes that knowledge and guides customers through the complex process, whether their LED is fully custom or all-in-one. (By the way, for the latter, we’re talking about MAXHUB: currently China’s number-one all-in-one LED product. MAXHUB just landed in the U.S. for the first time in history through a special distribution partnership with HD Distributing.) HD gives integrators the attention they need when specifying LED, so they can feel absolutely confident in their choices.

Third, evaluating LED is not as simple as referencing a universal standard — like Dante for audio. Judging the performance and output of one LED product over another is a value-add only a distributor focused exclusively on LED can provide. HD knows the industry top to bottom, and these insights mean it can help customers make the most informed choice. That knowledge led HD Distributing to represent only the highest quality LED and complementary solutions, as the distributor established itself as a thought-leader in the niche space.

What You’re Really Getting When You Hire a Distributor

Any distributor will tell you it offers only the best (HD Distributing does, in fact, stand by the fact that its partners are best in class). But working with a distributor is so much more than access to great products. It’s top-notch service and support — one of the biggest points of pride for a distributor — usually above and beyond what the manufacturer can provide. It’s access to a larger industry vision and information on trends and technologies, a step beyond the short-term win of deploying one great project. It’s certified solutions from trained professionals with manufacturer-specific and industry-specific accreditations. It’s both bundled and custom solutions, no matter your needs or your budget. When you hire HD Distributing to help you successfully manage and deploy your dvLED, here’s what you’re getting:

• A better (and closer) source for your AV products, with consistently available stock
• Representation for the best ProAV LED, including Absen, NovaStar, MAXHUB and more
• Expertise on complementary products from partners like Kramer, Peerless, tvONE and T1V,
  with solutions in LED software, signal distribution, control, video-wall processing, etc.
• Quick quotes and flexible payment terms
• No minimum orders, competitive pricing and fast (often same-day) shipping
• Ongoing consultation — before, during and after the install

HD Distributing built its business by taking the guesswork out of LED to help integrators offer the best display technology on the market. Instead of trying to be everything to everybody, HD carved out a niche that was very much needed in the industry. With almost 15 years of experience partnering with the finest (scroll down on HD’s homepage to see some of the reputable partners we’re talking about), HD Distributing has helped its customers in the AV industry realize their LED potential.

Have you realized yours?