Datapath has owned the integrator channel for video-wall hardware for two decades. Craft Wall represents the software-defined alternative: same outcome, no Fx4 / FxN appliance per wall.
What Datapath does
Datapath ships a family of hardware controllers — Fx4 (4× HDMI/SDI out, Fx4- SDI, Fx4-HDR), FxN, and the modular VSN-series — bundled with WallControl 10 Pro. Wall Designer is free; the heavier WallControl 10 Pro is a paid licence. Strong UK and EMEA distribution; the safe default for system integrators chasing a fixed-bid project.
Where Craft Wall is different
- Software-only. No Fx4 or FxN appliance to buy, ship, install, replace under warranty, scale up by stacking, or end-of-life after 7 years.
- Source count scales with GPU memory, not with the number of HDMI inputs on a fixed appliance. Adding a 25th source to a Datapath Fx4 wall means buying another controller; on Craft Wall it's a configuration change.
- Browser-based control from the start, not bolted on.
- NDI and KVM forwarding built-in — no separate capture cards.
Side-by-side
| Craft Wall | Datapath | |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Software on commodity Linux | Dedicated Fx4 / FxN appliance |
| Output count | Bound by Linux GPU outputs | 4 per Fx4; scale by stacking |
| Source count | Scales with GPU memory | Fixed by appliance HDMI inputs |
| Cloud / remote control | Browser, anywhere | Local network only, WallControl 10 |
| Entry price | ≈ €3,500 per canvas (software) | $1,800–$2,500 Fx4 + WallControl 10 Pro licence |
| Hardware refresh cycle | Standard server lifecycle | Fx4 EOL → buy next-gen appliance |
When Datapath is the better fit
Fixed-bid integrator projects where the BOM must list a familiar appliance, rooms where the operator already owns Wall Designer scenes from a prior Datapath wall, and organisations with a Datapath preferred-vendor agreement in place.
When Craft Wall is the better fit
Greenfield rooms where source count will grow over time, budgets that cannot absorb appliance refresh cycles, and any deployment that wants browser control without an in-room Datapath appliance to VPN into.
Sources
Other comparisons
- Craft Wall vs Barco TransForm N / CTRL
- Craft Wall vs Hiperwall
- Craft Wall vs Userful Infinity Platform
Request a Craft Wall demo
We can walk through a 12-source NOC configuration in 30 minutes. Reach us at sales@craftwall.pro or the form on the home page.