Last week’s CEDIA Expo in Dallas showed the world that 4K Ultra HDTV is coming to the great outdoors with new weather-proof big-screen LED LCD TV options and supporting soundbars.
Outdoor TV kings SunBriteTV and Séura both showed 84-inch 4K Ultra HD LED LCD TVs that can withstand the wind, heat, cold, rain and snow. Both sets will produce 3840x2160p 4K Ultra HD resolution, but neither model will be optimized to read and display forthcoming high dynamic range metadata.
SunBriteTV offers a weather tight sound bar along with the display. Meanwhile, Peerless-AV showed a new weather-tight sound bar designed for its outdoor TV line, and can be made to fit with other displays as well with an optional mounting solution. The sound bar features Bluetooth connectivity with handheld source devices and a wired connection to the display.
More on CEDIA’s outdoor TV solutions after the jump:
Séura unveiled an outdoor 84-inch 4K Ultra HDTV model as the new flagship of the company’s Storm line. The 84-inch set is designed for use in non-direct sunlight, and offers 450 NIT brightness panel with an anti-glare coating. The set also includes Séura’s triple-lock seal for extra protection, a powder-coated metal exterior, tempered safety glass and the company’s thermal-control system that withstands rain, sunshine and snow.
Panel depth measures 2.7 inches. Retail pricing hasn’t been finalized yet, but is expected to run between $12,000 and $15,000, the company said.
“At Séura, we understand that homeowners wish to make their outdoor spaces more entertainment-friendly, and that typically there’s much more space to work with than the indoors” said Gretchen Gilbertson, Séura CEO. “That’s why we added a 65-inch solution to our outdoor TVs this summer, and why we continued to innovate to now launch an 84-inch Séura Storm.”
SunBriteTV, not to be out done, unveiled its first two outdoor 4K Ultra HD TVs in the 84-inch Pro Series model SB-8418UHD and the slimmer 55-inch Signature Series model SB-5574UHD. Both displays will ship later this year at prices to be announced later and are feature LED LCDs that are fully weatherproof, including overheating and freezing resistant.
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“Our new 4K UHD models are no-brainers for integrators eager to offer both potential and existing clients the ultimate in outdoor visual entertainment,” says Jonathan Johnson, SunBriteTV brand marketing VP (pictured at top with the 84-inch Pro Series 4K UHD TV). “We’re proud to have created the outdoor television category in 2004 and now, 11 years later, to introduce our first 4K UHD outdoor televisions to the market.”
Both models feature external enclosures designed to protect internal components from rain, snow, dust, salt corrosion, insects, and humidity, the company said. They also feature specialized high-brightness anti-glare screens optimized for outdoor viewing, produce 3840×2160 resolution and come with a 20-watt weatherproof speaker bar.
The 84-inch 4K SB-8418UHD features a 6mm glass shield to provide extra protection for the LED panel, produces up to 800 NITs of brightness, is direct sunlight readable, and includes built-in heating and cooling systems. The set includes a large rear-mounted media connector bay for USB and HDMI inputs that is large enough to accept a small USB-powered media player and shield it from the elements with a weather-tight bay door. Built-in heating and cooling systems keep the 84-inch model operating in temperatures from -40° to 122°F.
The 55-inch SB-5574UHD, which is part of the company’s more aggressively priced Signature Series line, will measure 3.5-inches deep and was designed for operation in temperatures ranging from -24° to 122°F.
Peerless-AV introduced its Xtreme Outdoor Soundbar designed to easily mount to the Peerless-AV Xtreme line of weatherproof displays. It also offers a universal TV mounting option to integrate with any flat-panel display using a wired connection.
The fully integrated soundbar, which will retail for a suggested $699 when it ships in December, features Bluetooth wireless streaming of audio from Bluetooth enabled source devices, a built-in Class D 60 watt RMS/90 watt peak amplifier, IP65 rated aluminum enclosure with rubber gaskets to seal, isolate and protect the electronics from the environment, high quality (50Hz-20kHz) drivers, and power level, tone, and input selection with the 12-button IR remote control.
The soundbar, pictured above, measures 38.09 x 3.91 x 3.91 inches and it weighs is 10.13 pounds.
Meanwhile, for indoor applications, Peerless-AV also unveiled its DesignerSeries Universal Ultra Slim Articulating Wall Mount (model SUA771PU), which is designed for new ultra-thin flat-panel TV displays measuring between 42-90 inches. The mount offers dual-arm construction, internal cable management, and an innovative I-shaped adaptor plate design that simplifies installation with intuitive adjustments. The SUA771PU will retail for $479 when it hits shelves at the end of November.
By Greg Tarr
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