How to use TV screens in Hostile Environments

TVs have come along way over the last decade or so. The old cathode ray tubes that have sat in our living rooms since the 50’s are now virtually obsolete, with the flat screen LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and plasma screen becoming ubiquitous in our homes.

But family rooms are not the only places televisions are used. Because of the slender nature of modern devices they are being used in all sorts of locations. Digital signage, for instance, is a common sight in shopping centers and retail units, and many businesses are installing LCD and plasma screens to provide internal messages to staff and visitors. Backyard TVs for recreational use are also increasingly more popular.

And even hostile environments such as outdoor locations where outdoor digital signage is being installed, factories and other industrial locations are using screens as a means of communication.

These locations, however, are not well-suited for using standard TV equipment as they contain many hostile elements that will very quickly disable a modern LCD or plasma, quite possibly permanently.

An outdoor TV has obviously got to cope with rain and other weather elements while screens used in industrial type locales have other hazards such as dust, possible impacts, and varying temperatures to contend with.

A common solution for coping with these hostile environments is to house standard LCD and plasma screens in protective TV cabinets – designed to keep hostile elements away from the device and allowing them to function in these environments.

These plasma and LCD enclosures are often made of steel and produced to relevant national and international guidelines (IP and NEMA). They are designed to prevent the ingress of any moisture, dust, grease and virtually any other hostile elements, whilst also containing internal cooling fans and other climatic systems to ensure the internal temperature of the LCD enclosure is always a the optimum for the screen.

Being steel, LCD enclosures are also tough, able to withstand accident impact on the factory floor, and also vandalism when used outside for outdoor digital signage.

LCD enclosures provide a cost effective and comprehensive method of installing TVs in hostile locations enabling standard LCD and plasma screens to bee used almost anywhere.