It may be the first day of winter as I'm writing this, but it's always a good time to talk about outdoor TVs. Using an indoor television outside can be dangerous because they're not made for it. If it gets wet, or the sun gets too bright on the screen, or bugs get inside (because those TVs have quite a lot of openings), your TV will be ruined, or worse, you'll have a fire on your hands.
Can you put an indoor TV outdoors? No. The Theater People will not install any indoor rated TVs outdoors. It's unsafe for you and for us.
Below, I'll share some considerations you need to make when purchasing an outdoor television as well as some important tidbits about them.
First, the right TV and its connections depend on where you are located on the map. Are you near a salty ocean? Are you in a high-humidity area? Does it snow where you are? If so, you may have to purchase different cords or connectors to withstand salt buildups, corrosion, etc. Next, you need to decide exactly where outside you'll want the TV. Think of how the sun sits and where your TV will be. Then, you'll need to go through the following to make sure you're choosing the right outdoor TV. Make sure you read the information of any TV you want to purchase because they'll list what they can handle (temperature, specifically).
Size
So, how big is the space you want the TV? Outdoor TVs come in a variety of sizes just like indoor ones. You can find one that fits your space. This is important to know because not all brands offer the same sizes for outdoor TVs. Knowing what size you will need will help narrow down the TVs you can purchase.
Sunlight + Shaded Spaces
Knowing how much sunlight hits in the spot you want your TV is important. There are three options for outdoor viewing: full sunlight, partial sun, and full shade. Make sure you are getting the correct lighting for the greatest viewing experience. This matters greatly.
Weatherproof
This should be a given since we're talking about outdoor TVs. However, not every outdoor TV is fully weatherproof. A couple of TVs require an additional casing. Make sure you're reading all instructions and information about the TV. Weatherproof TVs are meant to withstand dust, water, bugs, snow, and whatever else.
Even though we're pretty far into television technology, it doesn't quite translate to outdoor TVs. Some things that should be known about a few outdoor TVs:
A number of them are not smart TVs
Many of them don't have any or enough USB/HDMI connections
Audio is an issue on a few or comes with no speakers at all
Some are more expensive than they need to be
I mention those above because purchasing an outdoor TV is more work than an indoor TV. You can assume every TV you're looking at for your living room is smart, or audio that isn't an issue, and so on. Outdoor TVs require you to do a little research.
To recap:
Make sure you know the size of TV that will fit in the space you plan on placing it
Figure out how much sunlight is hitting it and choose the correct lighting
Read the specs and make sure it's fully weatherproof
Lastly, continue reading the specs to make sure you're getting all the features you want and need (smart, audio, connections, etc.)
I hope this post brings a little light to your search so you can know what you need to look for before you go looking. We sell these TVs frequently during the warmer months. If you're interested, check out our Outdoor TV service page or reach out to us. We'll find you the perfect one.