At Barco, we are fortunate in having 21 years of experience in the 24/7 control room market – expertise we can immediately use when looking for weak links. So, when we design a video wall – and every mission-critical product, for that matter – we first identify the common sources of failure and try to eliminate them. That is why our RGB laser video walls have a lifetime of about 25% longer than traditional LED-lit models.

Eliminating failure
There are a number of ways to solve the weakest link problem. You can simply make the link stronger. You can double or triple the link (add redundancy) − so that, when the original link fails, a spare one automatically takes over. Or you can turn the entire system around so that you just don’t need that link anymore.

When designing the RGB Laser video walls for 24/7 control rooms, we actually used all of those solutions. First of all, it goes without saying that we used the most reliable and durable materials on the market. Well, within reasonable limits: the frame, for example, is made of solid aluminum – well above industry standards – but it’s not expensive titanium.

Redundancy is another one of Barco’s strong points. We have been working with lighting source redundancy for more than 10 years – since the lamp era – and have been applying this technique rigorously. Not only for the illumination sources themselves, but also for the drivers, the input units, and even the power supplies. The objective is to guarantee uptime all the time, with as few maintenance interruptions as possible – which can be scheduled well in advance.

And then there’s the ultimate solution to the weakest link problem: simply make sure you don’t need that link anymore. Indeed, during our design choices, we’ve always striven to eliminate common sources of failure as much as possible. For example, we have opted resolutely for RGB laser illumination. Not only because it delivers the best possible brightness, image quality and lifetime − but also to eliminate the color wheels, which are known sources of failure and thus highly unsuitable for 24/7 operations.

For your peace of mind
Then there are also a number of additional features that can further boost reliability. Because Barco places maximum importance on user safety, we have tested the ODL-721 with NoGap screens for immunity against seismic activity to a value of 1G in accordance with the DIN IEC 60068-2-6: 2008-10 standard. Furthermore, the optional redundant and remote power supply makes it easy to replace failed units without powering down the wall − and it’s remote location in an IT room (away from the wall itself) means that critical operations in the control room are never interrupted. Plus, Sense X − the advanced automatic calibration system − ensures that you never need to interrupt critical operations to calibrate color and brightness levels.

Lastly, when it comes to investing heavily in a mission-critical control room, uncertainty about the future might be the weakest link of all. Barco knows that the assurance of continuous long-term support from your technology supplier is the best remedy for such concerns. That’s why Barco is one of only two manufacturers in the entire world who can claim that their entire system − including the engines, structures and dark-boxes − has been designed by the video wall manufacturer itself. Core components (like engines and dark-boxes) are manufactured in our own plants. Because, with a lifetime of over 11.5 years, it’s very important that your vendor has complete control over every part that goes into the product. Buying from a vendor who does not have such complete control, throws the availability of spares, or a possible technology upgrade path in the future, into doubt. And the concerns return!

We know the critical nature of your operations, so we want to ensure your uptime. That’s why we take weak links seriously ... and take them out of our products.