Summer Outdoor Entertaining - Do I Really Need an OUTDOOR TV?
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With the summer warm weather upon us, homeowners want to spend time outdoors enjoying their patios and decks. If you want to enjoy outdoor entertaining, there are some important things to remember with TV’s. Can you just put an indoor TV outside? Or do you need a specific Outdoor TV? Read more to find out!
Whether your family is full of movie-lovers, gamers, or sports fanatics, an outdoor screening area is the perfect place to relax and unwind — but it is important to have the right technology for outdoor viewing!
While the idea of a night spent under the stars with one of your favorite TV shows is appealing, without the right gear, you may end up with more headaches than fun! People commonly want to know whether or not it’s okay to use a typical indoor TV outdoors. The simplest answer is “no” — it is not advisable to use a television intended for indoor use outside. Mother Nature is tough on electronics, and regardless of where you live, there will be extreme weather at some point in the year to contend with.
Indoor TVs are also temperature sensitive. Some indoor can only be stored between 95-113 degrees, but we well know that summer afternoons in the direct sun can exceed those temps. Indoor TVs aren’t going to hold up outside under those conditions! In comparison, tv’s that are specifically made for outdoors made can sit outside in temperatures up to 140 degrees. Indoor TVs are sensitive to moisture and exposure to direct sunlight, but outdoor TVs are built to endure outdoor climates and hold up against extreme heat and cold, snow, rain, insects, humidity, and dust. And while durability and aesthetic considerations are obviously important to consumers, safety issues and insurance liabilities are also major considerations. If, for example, an electrical problem were to occur and the indoor TV that you were using outside produced sparks resulting in a house fire, your insurance might not cover damages.
There are also visibility differences, which make outdoor TVs better suited for outdoor viewing. Ambient lighting tends to be much brighter outside, which means that indoor TVs often are not bright enough to be used outside. Outdoor TVs are built to withstand direct exposure to ultraviolet radiation, and some are even designed to be used in partially shaded areas outside. These TVs offer significantly brighter screens (up to three times brighter than your standard indoor TV), less glare, and a sharper image, which makes for a much better outdoor viewing experience.
While this technology used to be very expensive, it is now more accessible than ever. It’s going to be a great summer for all kinds of outdoor family entertainment, so why not enhance your yard with a weather-ready screen? Let us bring the screen…… you bring the popcorn! Contact us to discuss your options and get your entertaining space ready now!