Glossary A–ZLetter D
Daisy chaining
Daisy chaining means passing a signal from one device to the next in a row instead of connecting each device to the source individually.
It applies to video signals, control commands and network connections.
In video walls, a screen passes the video signal on to the next one through an output, often DisplayPort or HDMI; each device shows its own section. Control commands over RS-232 or the network can likewise be handed from device to device, so that one controller can switch the whole wall on and off. The modules of an LED wall are usually wired this way as well: the data runs from cabinet to cabinet.
The chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If a device in the middle fails or is switched off, all the following ones often lose the signal. The number of devices in a chain is limited, depending on resolution, interface and copy protection. Operators should check in the data sheet how many screens can be chained at the required resolution and, for LED walls, plan a second data path as a fallback.