Outdoor Digital Screen Protection – What to look out for

Outdoor digital signage is becoming a popular marketing tool. And it is not just advertising that this dynamic, colorful and eye-catching medium is being used for – all sorts of industries and applications are using TV screens in an outdoor location.

From outdoor digital signage; digital posters; menu boards, to information services like wayfinding – a seemingly endless host of applications can be potentially achieved with an outdoor LCD screen.

LCD enclosure

But of course you can’t just take any screen outside into the elements. It needs to be protected and to do this there are a couple of options for Outdoor Digital Screen Protection:

• Outdoor TV Screens
• Standard/commercial screens in a digital signage enclosure

An outdoor TV screens is perhaps the simplest solution. These devices are waterproof and are often high brightness allowing them to be used in almost any outdoor location. However, these devices are highly expensive and while they are more durable than a standard TV screen they are vulnerable to vandalism and quite often need to be protected by sort of enclosure.

Standard and commercial grade LCD screens, normally used for indoor environments, can be taken outside if protected in an LCD enclosure (or plasma enclosure). These devices offer all round protection. They are waterproof (to NEMA 4 or IP65) and more often than not contain heating or cooling elements such as fans (an even air conditioners) so they can be used in any location – and matter what the ambient temperature.

As the cost of an LCD enclosure, combined with the price of a commercial TV (even high brightness) is far lower than bespoke outdoor devices and, furthermore LCD enclosures are manufactured from steel with anti-shatter screen protection providing ant-vandal and impact protection – something outdoor TVs lack.

When shopping for an LCD enclosure – look for a NEMA 4 or IP65 – and ensure it is equipped with cooling fans.