The Hidden Specs: Why Your Stream Flickers
(And How to Buy an LED Wall That Actually Works on Camera)
You can buy a gorgeous, high-resolution LED wall…
…and still end up with flicker, rolling lines, or weird banding on your livestream.
If you’ve ever thought, “It looks great in the room but awful on camera,” this post is for you.
The problem usually isn’t resolution.
It’s timing.
1. It’s Not Just About Resolution
Here’s the uncomfortable truth:
A “4K” LED wall can still look terrible on camera.
Why? Because cameras and LED walls speak different timing languages.
Cameras capture images line-by-line
LED walls refresh and scan in electronic cycles
If those cycles don’t align, the camera sees artifacts your eyes never will
That’s where flicker, scan lines, and rolling bars come from.
And no amount of color grading will fix it later.
2. The Three Specs You
Must
Check (Non-Negotiable)
These are the specs that separate a camera-safe wall from a Sunday-ruiner.
1. Refresh Rate (This One Is Huge)
What it is:
How often the LED wall redraws the image each second.
What you need for streaming & broadcast:
Minimum: 3,840 Hz
Preferred: 7,680 Hz (especially for high frame rates)
Here’s the trap:
Your eyes won’t see low refresh flicker
Your camera absolutely will
If the refresh rate is too low, you’ll get:
Flicker
Rolling brightness
Exposure instability
If a vendor can’t clearly tell you the refresh rate, that’s a red flag 🚩.
2. Scan Ratio (The Spec Everyone Ignores)
Also called: Multiplexing
What it is:
How many LED rows the driver chip cycles through to create the image.
High scan ratio (1/32):
Each row is lit very briefly
Less stable for cameras
Can reduce brightness consistency
Low scan ratio (1/8 or 1/6):
Each row stays lit longer
More stable exposure
Better camera performance
What to look for:
1/8 or 1/6 scan ratio whenever possible
This spec matters way more than most brochures admit.
3. PWM Frequency (The Silent Banding Killer)
PWM = Pulse Width Modulation
It’s how the wall controls brightness.
Here’s the problem:
You will dim your LED wall
Candlelight services, moody worship sets, prayer moments
Low PWM = banding, flicker, and rolling lines on camera
Camera-safe PWM range:
Minimum: ~5,000 Hz
Preferred: 10,000–30,000 Hz
If PWM is too low, the wall may look fine at full brightness—but fall apart the moment you dim it.
3. Brightness (Nits): More Is
Not
Better Indoors
Brightness is one of the most misunderstood specs.
Outdoor vs Indoor Reality
Outdoor LED walls:
Need extreme brightness to fight sunlight
Indoor video walls:
Should usually be under 1,000 nits
Why?
Because in real life:
You’ll likely run the wall at 20–30% brightness
To balance with stage lighting and cameras
If you buy a super-bright outdoor wall and dim it to 1–5%:
Color depth can collapse
Banding becomes more visible
PWM issues get worse
Pro tip:
Buy the right brightness wall and run it comfortably—not one you have to choke down.
Bottom Line (Camera People, Listen Up)
If you’re responsible for livestream quality, don’t stop at resolution.
Ask these questions every time:
- What’s the refresh rate (actual number)?
- What’s the scan ratio?
- What’s the PWM frequency at low brightness?
- What brightness range is it designed to operate in?
An LED wall should make your stream better—not turn your shader into a crisis counselor.
