LED Education Center
We understand that finding an LED sign that is right for your organization can be a confusing ordeal. At Stewart, we strive to make the purchasing process as easy and straight-forward as possible.
The following information gives insight to LED technology, and applies to both our DayStar and TekStar lines of LED signs. Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information.
DayStar & TekStar Comparison
Which LED product is right for your organization? Some of the feature differences and similarities are shown below. Please speak with your Stewart representative for more information.
Feature DayStar TekStar Available matrix sizes From 16x96 to 64x192 or larger 16x80, 16x112, 24x80 or 24x112 Available display colors Red, amber or full-color Red or full-color Display programming Computer
softwareComputer
softwareDisplay width options 6, 8, 10 or 12 feet (custom sizes available) 6 or 8 feet Lines of text Up to 8 (depending on model) Up to 3 (depending on model) Viewing cone Full 180 degrees horizontal and vertical 140 degrees horizontal, 70 degrees vertical LED display warranty 5 years 3 years Vandal and graffiti resistant Makrolon SL® face 
DuPont™ powder-coated frame UV resistant 3M™ vinyl graphics (when applicable) Transition and display effects UL listing LED brightness control 100,000 hour (11+ years) LED lifespan Lifetime warranty for support structure and faces Instant recovery from power outages Use your own images, pre-recorded video clips and animations Show different messages on each side of the sign Ability to reuse messages without rekeying Ability to scroll text Available software password protection Separate NEMA 4X style weatherproof LED cabinet LED display integrated with sign face Access to our online graphics library Shaded graphics Schedule messages to display during certain hours and/or on certain days Connect to computer network / control from multiple computers Fan cooled cabinet Heated cabinet Current date and time Current temperature
Why Does Brightness Matter?
There are two important things to consider related to the brightness of your sign: how well and how long it will compete with the Sun.
How well a sign competes with the Sun
Ensuring that your sign is readable during the day is vital to the success of having passers by read your sign. The brighter the display, the better able it is to compete with the Sun.How long a sign competes with the Sun
LEDs do not burn out, however they do grow dimmer with use. The closer an LED gets to 1500MCD, the less effective it is at competing with the Sun. Starting with a brighter display ensures that your investment will be readable for many years into the future.Stewart LEDs are among the brightest available to provide you with a sign that will be visible 24 hours a day, and for years into the future.
LED Definitions
LED
A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that illuminates when electricity passes through it. LEDs do not contain filaments like regular light bulbs, and they do not have delicate parts that break or burn out over time. Industry standard LEDs are rated at 100,000 (11+ years) of constant use.
Pixel
A pixel is a point of light. An LED display is made up of an array of pixels, multiple points of light appearing as dots. A pixel can be as small as one LED or it may contain a cluster of LEDs that act as a unit.
Pixel Pitch (Center-to-Center)The pixel pitch or center-to-center measurement is the distance from the center of one pixel to the center of the adjacent pixel. Pixel pitch can be measured in inches or millimeters.
MatrixThe matrix of a sign is the number of pixels vertically by the number of pixels horizontally. For example, if a sign has a matrix of 32x96, this means it has 32 pixels from top to bottom and 96 pixels from left to right. A larger matrix allows more text and more of a graphic to appear on the display at the same time.
Millicandela (MCD)
A millicandela is a unit of measurement for the brightness of a single LED. A millicandela is equal to 1/1000 of a candela, which is comparable to a single candle's brightness.
Nit
A nit is a unit of measurement for the brightness over one square meter of a display. This value takes into account the number of LEDs per pixel, pixel pitch and millicandelas. Your sign's nit rating can help you determine which sign is a better value when comparing products and companies.
Viewing Angle & Viewing ConeThe viewing angle is the maximum angle that text and images can be seen on a display. A narrow viewing angle causes the text or image to "disappear" from the display as a viewer moves away from a position directly in front of the sign. The viewing cone is simply double the amount of the viewing angle.
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