An LED screen can turn a conference, product launch, concert or wedding into something people remember. It can also be an expensive mistake if it is too small, too dim or badly placed. This guide covers what we explain to every client in Dar es Salaam before they rent a screen.
Step 1: choose indoor or outdoor
Indoor LED screens are built for halls, hotels, churches and conference rooms. They are less bright and usually sharper up close. Outdoor LED screens are much brighter so they stay visible in Dar es Salaam sunshine, and they are sealed against rain and dust (look for a rating such as IP65). An indoor screen used outdoors in daylight will look washed out.
Step 2: pick the right pixel pitch
Pixel pitch is the distance between the tiny lights on the screen, in millimetres (P2.6, P3.9, P4.8…). A smaller number means a sharper picture and a higher price.
- Audience close to the screen (meetings, weddings, shops): around P2.6 to P3.9.
- Audience far away (stadiums, outdoor concerts, roadside): P4.8 and above is clear enough and costs less.
Quick rule: the minimum comfortable viewing distance in metres is roughly the pixel pitch number. A P3.9 screen looks clean from about 4 metres back.
Step 3: size the screen to the room
Measure from the screen to the furthest seat. The visible picture height should be at least one sixth of that distance. For a 150 to 300 person hall, around 3 m × 2 m is often enough; bigger venues may need a larger wall or two screens on either side of the stage.
Step 4: understand what affects the price
- Screen size and pixel pitch
- Indoor or outdoor
- Number of days, including set-up and take-down time
- Transport and location (inside Dar es Salaam or upcountry)
- Stand, truss or rigging, and backup power
- An operator during the event, and content production
We explain each of these in detail, in Swahili, in our LED screen rental price guide.
Questions to ask before you book
- Does the price include transport, installation and take-down?
- Will a technician run the screen for the whole event?
- Is there backup power if electricity goes off?
- Can you connect live cameras, laptops and presentation slides?
- Can you produce the videos and graphics at the exact screen size?
Step 5: plan the content
A screen is only as good as what plays on it. Logos, sponsor adverts, speaker slides and event videos must be made for the screen's exact resolution. Elleven Sparks designs content as well as supplying the screen, so the picture fits perfectly on the day.
Rent or buy?
If you need a screen a few times a year, renting makes sense. Churches, shops, hotels and companies that use a screen every week often save money by buying. We do both: LED screen rental and LED screen supply and installation across Tanzania.
