It is a common misconception that the LCD enclosures provided by Armagard and other manufacturers, are simply waterproof fabricated cases in which standard TV screens are placed inside to protect them in outdoor locations.
Providing outdoor protection for devices like an LCD screen that has not been designed for outdoor or even out of home use, has many challenges and requires more than just a fabricated box.
Of course waterproofing is an important aspect of outdoor screen protection, but LCD enclosures require far more protection than just that if they are to allow an LCD to operate in an outdoor location all year round.
Temperatures outside can vary. During hot weather there is a need to ensure the housed screen is kept cool as overheating will lead to permanent failure; while at other times of the year, temperatures can plummet to below zero, which too can disable the screen.
Because of the varying temperatures, LCD enclosures have to provide controlled environments for the screens to operate within. Cooling fans are essential to carry heat away from the screen—which itself acts like a heat source—and the LCD enclosure is often fitted with heaters and/or insulation to cope with sub-zero temperatures.
And there are other protective factors to consider too. The sun, which can cause screen glare; burning of the screen, when beaming directly on it; overheating, not to mention washing out the brightness of the display or making it unreadable.
LCD enclosures need to counter these effects of the sun and use varying systems from air-curtains ™ to cool the face of the screen, to anti-reflective glass to prevent glare.
Another consideration for an outdoor screen is security as most outdoor digital signage displays are left unsupervised, which is why Armagard enclosures are designed to withstand impacts and attempts at vandalism, and are also securely lockable.
As you can see, protecting screens in outdoor locations requires more than just waterproofing which is why Armagard spend large sums developing and researching the best methods of providing outdoor protection for modern LCD and plasma type screens.
