Short answer: To choose the right SMD screen size, start from the farthest viewer. For video, make the screen height about one eighth of the distance to the farthest viewer. For text or detailed content, make it about one sixth. Then round the size to whole cabinets (often 500 × 500 mm) and check the resolution: width in mm ÷ pixel pitch = pixels across.
SMD screens are modular, so you can build almost any size. That freedom is useful, but it also makes it easy to order a screen that is too small for the room or wastes money on pixels nobody needs. Here is a simple way to get the size right.
Step 1: How big should the screen be?
Two distances decide the size:
- Farthest viewer: sets the minimum screen height.
- Nearest viewer: sets the pixel pitch. See the pixel pitch guide.
A common AV rule of thumb for screen height:
| Content | Screen height |
|---|---|
| Video and large images | About farthest distance ÷ 8 |
| Presentations and text | About farthest distance ÷ 6 |
| Detailed data (control rooms) | About farthest distance ÷ 4 |
Example: the back row in a banquet hall is 24 metres from the stage. For video, 24 ÷ 8 = 3 metres high. A 16:9 screen 3 metres high is about 5.3 metres wide.
Step 2: How do you turn the size into cabinets?
An SMD screen is made of cabinets locked together, so its size jumps in steps.
| Cabinet size | Common in | Size in feet |
|---|---|---|
| 500 × 500 mm | Rental and stage screens | about 1.64 × 1.64 ft |
| 500 × 1000 mm | Rental, outdoor | about 1.64 × 3.28 ft |
| 600 × 337.5 mm | Fine-pitch indoor walls, such as CL V3 and ALT | about 1.97 × 1.11 ft |
| 640 × 480 mm | Indoor, such as XL | about 2.10 × 1.57 ft |
Formula: cabinets across = width ÷ cabinet width. Cabinets high = height ÷ cabinet height. Round to a whole number.
Useful fact: a 600 × 337.5 mm cabinet is already 16:9. Any grid with the same number of cabinets across and down, such as 4 × 4 or 6 × 6, gives an exact 16:9 screen.
Step 3: What resolution will the screen have?
Pixels across = width (mm) ÷ pixel pitch (mm). The same applies for height.
On a 500 × 500 mm cabinet, common pitches give these resolutions:
| Pitch | Pixels per 500 × 500 mm cabinet |
|---|---|
| P2.6 (2.604 mm) | 192 × 192 |
| P2.9 (2.976 mm) | 168 × 168 |
| P3.9 (3.906 mm) | 128 × 128 |
| P4.8 (4.81 mm) | 104 × 104 |
So a 6 m × 3 m screen (12 × 6 cabinets) gives:
| Pitch | Resolution | Compared with Full HD (1920 × 1080) |
|---|---|---|
| P2.6 | 2,304 × 1,152 | Higher |
| P2.9 | 2,016 × 1,008 | About the same |
| P3.9 | 1,536 × 768 | Lower, but fine from 8 m or more |
The screen does not need to match Full HD exactly. The video processor scales the picture to fit. What matters is that the image looks sharp from where people stand.
What aspect ratio should you choose?
- 16:9 suits normal video, TV feeds and presentations. Most content is made in this shape.
- Wide formats (for example 32:9 or wider) suit stage backdrops. They usually need custom content or a split layout.
- Portrait (tall) suits shop posters and menu boards. The PO series is a ready-made 640 × 1920 mm portrait display.
- 21:9 suits hybrid meeting rooms. The X Ultrawide comes in 151, 178 and 205 inch sizes.
If you are not sure, choose 16:9. It works with almost all content without editing.
Common SMD screen sizes in Pakistan
| Use | Typical size | Suggested pitch |
|---|---|---|
| Shop window poster | 0.64 × 1.92 m (portrait) | P1.5 to P2.5 |
| Meeting room | 2.4 × 1.35 m (about 108 inch) | P1.2 to P1.9 |
| Showroom wall | 4 × 2.25 m | P2.5 |
| Wedding hall stage | 6 × 3 m to 10 × 4 m | P2.6 to P3.9 |
| Concert stage | 10 × 5 m and larger | P3.9 to P6 |
| Roadside billboard | 6 × 3 m to 12 × 6 m | P8 to P10 |
Feet to square feet: 1 square metre is about 10.76 sq ft. A 6 × 3 m screen is 18 m², or about 194 sq ft.
Where should the screen be mounted?
- Raise the bottom edge above the audience’s heads. For standing crowds that is usually 1.5 to 2 metres. For seated rooms it can be lower.
- Keep the centre of the screen near eye level in meeting rooms, so people do not strain their necks.
- Check that the wall or structure can carry the weight. Ask for the weight per square metre on the datasheet.
- Leave room for service. Front-service screens can sit flat on a wall. Rear-service screens need a gap behind them.
The size and pitch together drive the cost. See SMD screen price in Pakistan, or start from the basics with what is an SMD screen. The Absen Pakistan team can measure your site and suggest a cabinet layout. Browse all Absen LED series or contact us.
Frequently asked questions
Multiply width by height in metres, then multiply by 10.76. A 4 × 2 m screen is 8 m², or about 86 sq ft.
Measure the distance to the back row and divide by 8 for the height. Most halls end up between 3 × 2 m and 10 × 4 m. See SMD screens for wedding halls.
No. The pitch depends on how close people stand, not on the screen size. A bigger screen at the same pitch simply has more pixels.
It depends on the size. Each 500 × 500 mm P3.9 cabinet has 128 × 128 pixels, so a 12 × 6 cabinet screen is 1,536 × 768.
Almost. The size must be a whole number of cabinets, so you choose the nearest cabinet grid to the size you want.
About this guide: Written by the Absen Pakistan team at Irfan Corporation, the authorised Absen distributor in Pakistan, with offices in Karachi and Islamabad. Product details come from Absen’s official specifications. Last updated: 19 October 2026.