Key Takeaways
- Working directly with a manufacturer like Daktronics gives integrators faster access to engineering, project management and technical support.
- Daktronics tests all components to failure before production and requires supplier notification of any component changes.
- The company offers a 10-year parts guarantee on its NPN display systems.
- Its proprietary speed frame mounting solution can cut installation time by up to 50%.
- Chip-on-board technology is the foundation of the entire NPN/NPP product line, from .7 to 2.5 millimeters.
- MicroLED products are in active development and will be demonstrated at InfoComm 2025.
Daktronics has long been associated with large-scale outdoor scoreboards and stadium displays. But the Brookings, South Dakota-based manufacturer has been quietly building a direct-view LED (DVLED) portfolio aimed squarely at the commercial AV market. Jim Vasgaard, national sales manager, AV partner development at Daktronics, sat down with Commercial Integrator to discuss what sets the company’s approach apart — and what integrators should be watching.
Watch the full video Q&A below:
Why Should Integrators Work Directly With a DVLED Manufacturer?
Working directly with a manufacturer eliminates the information gaps that often slow down complex installations. Vasgaard says integrators who work with Daktronics get access to a consultative sales staff, and can quickly pull in project managers or engineers when questions arise about electrical requirements, signal routing or unusual installation conditions.
“You’re not maybe having to chase information and go through several different phone calls to reach people and get your answer,” Vasgaard says.
Beyond access, he points to product knowledge as a key differentiator. Because Daktronics handles design, testing, manufacturing and service in-house, the team can speak with authority about how a system will perform in the field — and match the right product to a specific application from the start.
How Does Daktronics Design and Test Its DVLED Products?
Daktronics designs its DVLED products with a rigorous testing process that begins before a single product ships. The company operates a dedicated testing lab where components are tested to failure during the design phase, giving engineers a clear picture of how each part will behave over the life of the display.
That testing discipline also extends to supplier management. “If they make any changes to the system, we need to know about it and be able to test it before they make that change and ship us that component,” Vasgaard says.
The company has been building displays since 1968, and Vasgaard says that history has shaped how seriously Daktronics approaches design validation. The goal is a system that arrives on time, works out of the box and performs predictably throughout its lifespan.
What Makes Daktronics’ Supply Chain Different From Competitors?
Daktronics maintains consistent component sourcing so integrators receive the same product performance regardless of when they buy. Vasgaard says one common frustration he hears from the pro AV market is receiving displays from the same provider that use different power supplies or slightly different electronics than a previous order.
“We happen to have consistency in our supply base,” he says. “You know what reliability and performance you’re going to get.”
That consistency also enables a 10-year parts guarantee on NPN display systems. If a customer needs a replacement power supply in year eight or nine, Daktronics can supply it — preventing the difficult conversation about a display that can’t be repaired because parts are no longer available.
What Is Daktronics’ Chip-on-Board Strategy and Why Does It Matter?
Daktronics is committed to chip-on-board technology across its entire NPN and NPP product line, covering pixel pitches from .7 to 2.5 millimeters. Vasgaard says the company selected a chip-on-board component with significantly lower failure rates than many SMD alternatives — a claim backed by its own accelerated life testing rather than manufacturer data sheets.
The company also developed a proprietary encapsulant film that allows light to pass in only one direction. That means ambient light hitting the display face doesn’t reflect back as glare or wash out the image.
“If you’ve got lights in a room shining on the display, you don’t get glare or reflection off of the face, which can wash out your image,” Vasgaard explains.
The cabinets are less than an inch thick, keep well within ADA compliance when paired with the speed frame and run at low thermal output — a practical benefit for conference rooms, training centers and command centers where heat buildup is a real concern.
How Does the Speed Frame Mounting System Speed Up Installation?
Daktronics’ proprietary speed frame system reduces the time required to mount a flat-wall DVLED display by as much as 50%. The system uses just four standardized components that can be combined to accommodate any display size, allowing Daktronics to stock the parts and benefit from consistent manufacturing tolerances.
A built-in slider mechanism aligns with wall studs without requiring plywood or backer board, eliminating that material and labor cost. The system also compensates for up to a half-inch of wall unevenness without the need for spacers, which Vasgaard says is particularly valuable on longer installations where surface irregularities can cause visible seams.
“You get a very flat, even surface, even if it’s 87 feet long,” Vasgaard says.
Panels drop into keyhole mounts on the speed frame rather than requiring bolts, further simplifying the process.
Where Is MicroLED Technology Headed and When Will It Be Ready?
True microLED — defined by LED elements smaller than 100 microns — is still in development but is moving quickly. Vasgaard says Daktronics is working on integrating the constant current driver directly onto each LED, which would double refresh rates and give installers finer color control at the individual pixel level.
“You have much better control over that LED itself,” Vasgaard says.
The company plans to demonstrate .5 and .3 millimeter products at InfoComm 2026, though Vasgaard is clear that full manufacturing release isn’t imminent. The goal is to show the industry where the technology is heading.
What Will Daktronics Show at InfoComm?
Daktronics will feature a broad cross-section of its portfolio at InfoComm booth 9058 in Central Hall. Highlights include a large 1.2 millimeter chip-on-board display, a launch of the Kit Series targeting projector replacement in conference and training rooms, a cylindrical demonstration of the flexible AFN module and a preview of its microLED MIP development products. The company will also introduce a street furniture display series it believes has strong potential for campus wayfinding and communication in the education market.
