In an effort to get this site ramped up, I figured I would reach out to see who has had what experiences with certain Outdoor TV's. From my years of experience, I can honestly tell you there are 3 companies offering good products in this marketplace.
On the top my list is SkyVue, which is a newer company on the list that hit the market in the past few years. The customers whom I have installed the SkyVue TV's for, have had nothing but great things to say about the product. SkyVue differs from Sunbrite and Pantel in using exclusively the more durable higher end LED video panels. SkyVue Outdoor TV has also addressed a big outdoor TV industry problem, which is the lack of good sound volume. SkyVue came out with a big 150 watt speaker bar that blows away the competition. The answer of addressing poor audio volume was long over due, and I would bet you the rest of the market place will follow SkyVue's lead in great sound soon. SkyVue markets their product only factory direct, which provides a customer the opportunity to buy a TV with better specs for less money than Sunbrite or Pantel.
SunBrite: www.SunBriteTv.com
Pantel: www.PantelTv.com
We have worked with the SunBrite TV for years. SunBrite is a good company and they have sold the most outdoor TV's, and from my personal experiences they produce a good product in the outdoor residential and light commercial outdoor TV market place. SunBrite sells their product through a bunch of Internet resellers and also through big National chain stores such as Best Buy, Sears, Wall Mart, JC Penny, Frontgate, etc.
I am also familiar with Pantel Outdoor TV's, after working on a handful of projects in the last several years, which were mostly for very large commercial applications where the dollar wasn't so much the issue. Pantel makes a good quality product. Pantel claims to be better in direct sunlight than Sunbrite, but personally I can't see a difference. But to tell you the truth, I have found no outdoor TV that works well in the direct sunlight.
Pantel has positioned there pricing structure for the very high-end luxury market. I guess, more power to them, if they can get that kind of premium!
I have also been around the Mirage TV. In being an outdoor TV Professional, I have seen it all. "Let the Buyer Beware" should apply to the Mirage TV. The Mirage TV is not in the same league as the Sunbrite, SkyVue or Pantel TV's. Anyone knowledgeable in our industry knows that an outdoor TV must have cooling fans survive, and a Mirage TV does not have cooling fans. I have known more than one customer who has tore apart their Mirage TV after failure from premature heat failure. They found duct tape covering up the ventilation holes in the back housing. Covering ventilation holes does keep the dirt, insects, and some moisture out. But, if you don't replace covered ventilation holes with cooling fans to exhaust the internal canibalistic high temperatures, you've got a guaranteed recipe for premature electronic circuitry failure. The ventilation holes you see in the back housing on an indoor TV are there for a good reason, and its only common sense that you even need more heat to escape with a TV outdoors. Sunbrite, SkyVue and Pantel all use cooling fans for a good reason. In my opinion, you don't have a good and long lasting outdoor TV, unless you have cooling fans.
Now that I've opened up with the good, bad and ugly in this forum, what have been your experiences???
Happy Holidays!
Adam S..
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