What Is a Video Wall Processor?

A video wall processor is the hardware or software system that manages how content is displayed across multiple screens in a video wall. In control rooms, video walls are essential for giving operators a complete, real-time view of system conditions. 

The processor determines how data, maps, schematics, or video feeds are arranged, scaled, and updated across the wall.

Without a video wall processor, operators would be limited to static or single-source displays. The processor enables flexible layouts, instant switching, and synchronized updates across all screens, ensuring that complex information remains clear and actionable.

Why Video Wall Processors Matter in Control Rooms

Control rooms in utilities, pipelines, transportation, and public safety rely on video walls to present high volumes of information. Operators must be able to track data sources like SCADA data, outage maps, weather feeds, and crew locations at the same time.

A video wall processor makes this possible by consolidating multiple inputs into one seamless display. It ensures that graphics stay sharp when stretched across large surfaces and that updates appear instantly when conditions change. This clarity is critical during high-pressure events such as outages, storms, or safety incidents.

How a Video Wall Processor Works

The processor collects inputs from different sources: SCADA feeds, OMS, ADMS, GIS maps, security cameras, or desktop applications, and converts them into output signals for the video wall. It manages scaling, resolution, and synchronization so that every piece of content fits the layout without distortion.

Advanced processors like Primate’s Grid Guardian™ allow operators to customize layouts, assign priority to critical feeds, and switch between views as needed. In mission critical environments, they also support redundancy to ensure the video wall remains operational even if one component fails.

In day-to-day use, a processor allows operators to arrange dashboards side by side, display live video next to schematics, or scale outage maps across an entire wall. During emergencies, layouts can be shifted instantly to highlight priority data such as fault locations or weather conditions.

This flexibility makes the video wall processor a vital tool for both routine monitoring and crisis response.

How Primate Improves Video Wall Processing

Video walls only deliver value if the visuals are sharp, synchronized, and easy to manage. Primate Technologies ensures this by rendering control room data in distortion-free vector graphics that scale seamlessly across desktops and large video walls.

GridGuardian™ processes incoming data from SCADA, EMS, OMS, GIS, historian, and external feeds into one accurate model. BlackBoard™ handles the visualization, ensuring text, symbols, and maps remain clear at any scale. 

TileViewer extends those displays securely to other locations, while TileBuilder guarantees instant updates across the video wall as conditions change.

With Primate, a video wall processor becomes part of a complete visualization platform. Operators get clarity, flexibility, and real-time accuracy, making control rooms more effective under both normal operations and emergencies.

Ready to see how Primate delivers sharper, faster video wall processing for control rooms?