Top Considerations for Outdoor Displays

The professionals in the commercial AV integration industry certainly know that you can’t just take any old display, put it outside and expect it to perform. How exactly do you select a display that is right for commercial outdoor use? Here’s what you should be looking for in an outdoor display:

IP Rating

It is crucial for your outdoor screen to have a high IP rating, to enhance the durability of the display and secure it from dust, water and insects. Our Outdoor screens have the highest rating of IP68 and a patented Dynamic Thermal Transfer System, meaning our displays are fully-sealed, maintenance-free with no fans, vents or filters, fully protecting against the elements.

Temperature Range

You will need to think about the climate your display will face. Will it reach soaring heights in the summer? How will it perform in the freezing cold winter? With an operating temperature range of -35°C  to 60°C, our Xtreme High Bright Displays are designed to thrive outside year-round, without worry of extreme hot or cold temperature waves.

Safety Glass

Simply put: this is very important for durability and longevity in outdoor spaces. Your display will face the elements and potential security issues associated with an unattended display. You’ll want to ensure your display is protected from scratches and blunt force. Safety glass will protect your display, your investment, and your customers. Our robust displays are all IK10 rated to give you peace of mind.

Optical Bonding

Optical bonding is a process used in the manufacture of outdoor displays that accomplishes many things. First, it reduces glare through the UV absorptive gel. The gel is inserted in displays between the protective glare and the screen, eliminating reflection. Secondly, optically bonded displays are much stronger – a nice byproduct of the process, as it’s very important to have something that’s durable if it’s going to be outside at all times. Finally, optical bonding reduces the display’s solar load, which keeps it cooler and prevents it from going isotropic and blacking out, avoiding the hassle of having a display down. This is especially important in digital signage, since the intent is to provide engaging content and that cannot be accomplished if the screen is blacked out due to sunlight. While optically bonded commercial displays may cost an integrator about 20% more up front, the long-term operational costs will most definitely be reduced. With optical bonding, the need for fans and filters or air-conditioned, protective enclosures is negated. Users will see a decrease in energy consumption and maintenance costs over the life of the display. All our Outdoor Displays are optically bonded to provide amazing picture quality all year round.

High Bright Output

Our Xtreme High Bright line of commercial displays offer 2500nits of light output to combat high ambient lighting conditions. They also incorporate a built-in ambient light sensor. If it is cloudy or the sun is setting, the panel will adjust lighting based on the ambient light outside, in a fashion similar to how your smart phone’s screen will adjust to lighting conditions. Again this is an important feature in outdoor settings to keep everything legible and readable. Ambient light sensors also optimise a display’s power consumption.

Polarisation

One of the features we’ve incorporated into all of our outdoor displays is polarisation. Too often, a customer drives up to the menu at a quick service restaurant while wearing polarized lenses and they are either unable to read the content properly or the menu board appears completely blacked out. The secondary polarization film we’ve added ensures content is always readable, even in direct sunlight. Polarisation is a critically important consideration when putting a display in direct sunlight.

Professional Vs. Consumer

At first glance, many integrator's may be enticed to buy a consumer display at a lower price. However, you have to look at items like warranty – for example, as soon as you put a consumer display outside, the warranty may be null and void. Commercial weatherproof screens should have a two-year warranty that covers 24/7 outdoor use. This is important to consider as an integrator so that you may give peace of mind to your customer and eliminate service calls and other maintenance costs.

We’re confident that our professional Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Displays will update and modernise the look of your establishment and allow you to keep customers entertained and happy. Have you thought about adding outdoor digital displays to your business? Drop us a line and let us know how you plan on integrating these displays!