Autumn Years Summer 2024

TECHNOLOGY TRENDS

Outdoor televisions have become increasingly popular in the past few years as con sumers look outside to host family gatherings and celebrations. The idea of enjoying an evening in the backyard watching one’s favorite baseball team or streaming a favorite movie has captured the imagination.

T here are several things to consider before you invest in an outdoor TV. Start with where you want to watch television. For example, will you be on the deck, on the patio, by the pool, close to the house or far away? And be sure that proper infrastructure is in place to support TV watching outdoors. These items are essential for a successful set-up: • Electrical needs to be available • If you want to watch cable services, then a coax cable needs to be connected to the cable box and the TV • If you want streaming services, then good WiFi is essential, or a network cable needs to be run to the TV When & where will you be watching? Will you be doing most of your TV watch ing in sun or shade? During the daytime or at night? Consider these factors before you make an expenditure. Outdoor TVs are brighter than indoor TVs. However, there are also differences among outdoor TVs. Choose a TV based on when and where you are likely to be watching and its rating for brightness. Outdoor TVs are also rated for weather extremes. Whenever possible, place TVs under an overhang or within a covered area to reduce weather impact. Size matters You do not want to make a substantial pur chase of an outdoor TV and then discover that the screen is too small and not immer

as for an outdoor TV. Potential cost savings may come later when a replacement TV is needed since indoor TVs are significantly cheaper than outdoor TVs. Outdoor TVs are not cheap Adding an outdoor TV to your life will cost you. A 42” outdoor TV is approximately $1500. A 55-60-inch TV rated for use in the shade can range from $2500-$4000. An out door TV rated for sun can cost substantially more. Add to this installation any electrical or WiFi work that may be needed. Some of the best outdoor TV brands to consider are Sunbright, Samsung and Furion. Figure on TV life of about 5 to 7 years, depending upon exposure, whether the TV is covered in winter, etc. Also, do not assume that these outdoor TVs would all have built-in smart features. Check the feature set for any specific TV. If smart capability is not included, then Roku, an Amazon Firestick or Apple TV can be added to provide streaming services.

sive enough. On the other hand, you do not want it to be too big and have the picture overwhelm you and your guests. Consider how far away from the screen you will be sitting. Is the TV for background entertainment or the central experience? Weigh all this against what your budget can support. Indoor TVs are not built for outdoors Outdoor TVs are designed to provide sub stantial weather resistance. They have been solidly constructed and sealed in order to battle and withstand elements like humid ity, freezing temperatures, heat, wind, dust and bugs. An indoor TV is not designed for this type of constant combat. It is more fragile, and insects, dust and moisture can get in more easily. The picture is not as bright as it is on an outdoor TV, and the audio will be harder to hear. For very occasional use you could try the low-cost alternative of putting an indoor TV on a cart and then moving it in and out of the house as needed. However, remem ber: the TV experience will not be fully satisfactory because of the dim quality of the screen. You also need to make sure that the TV comes back inside after use because otherwise it will be damaged by weather. One option to consider is putting an indoor TV inside a weather-proof enclo sure that is designed for TVs. However the enclosure costs approximately $1500 for a 42-to -50-inch TV, which is about the same

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60 AUTUMN YEARS I SUMMER 2024