We are looking for outdoor tv's that we can attach to our pergola. Does anybody have one that they recommend? I feel like its a very small market and they are not a cheap addition, but we want to use our pool and patio as another room verse being just out doors... Thanks for any input!
looking for outdoor TV's
- Thread starter tatertot09
- Start date
I'm in the same spot. Weatherproof tv selection is limited and the products available are rediculously expensive. We've decided to buy the cheapest 22-24" tv we can find at Walmart and go with that. I'll even rig some kind of cover for the days we arn't using it. My situation is slightly different in that I'll be installing it under a water-tight pavilion. It won't receive any direct rain water, just ambient moisture and I'll store it inside during the offseason.
We did the same thing and bought the cheapest TV we could find and believe it or not we use a BBQ grill cover to cover it with. Ours is also installed under a covered area, but not an enclosed area. We have had no issues so far.
Hookem,
Did you run cable programming from the house or are you viewing via antenna? Thanks for the tip about using a grill cover. I'm gonna have to give it a try.
Did you run cable programming from the house or are you viewing via antenna? Thanks for the tip about using a grill cover. I'm gonna have to give it a try.
We ran cable from the house as our covered area is attached to the back of the house. We are thinking of closing it all in, but one thing at a time. Our pool was plastered yesterday and is currently being filled right now.
hookem said:
X2
Our tv is outside, in a covered porch so it's not being rained on, but gets the pollen/temperature/humidity extremes. Going on my third year without problems...
No cover for mine since getting rained on is very unlikely, but search "outdoor tv cover" on ebay - you'll find a bunch.
We actually just ordered one from a website called skyvue. They had awesome reviews and liked that they were LED outdoor TV's. Even has a floating remote... this is the one we ordered... http://www.skyvue.com/product/40-outdoor-tv-sky4010
I would think a grill cover on a TV that wasn't directly exposed to the elements would induce greater moisture concerns due to condensation.
We have not seen any condensation occur yet, we live out in the country and the dust, pollen etc seemed to be a much bigger issue when we did not cover it.
I bought a 46" Insignia LCD from Best Buy and hung it over the mantle on the outdoor fireplace.
Best Buy offers a Platinum Level Geek Squad warranty that is good for four years. It covers everything - even a TV that is hung outside and gets wet, or a single pixel that goes bad.
It was approx. 15% of the price of the TV, but I did verify with a Best Buy rep on the statement I made above - anything and everything is covered under the warranty.
As far as the mounting goes, you can get fairly cheap articulating mounts on amazon these days (make sure you reinforce the surface you are going to hang it on so that it can accept the lag bolts needed
to hold the weight). Nothing better than sitting in the pool in August watching college football!
I have also been using a grill cover for almost two years now - no moisture problems from condensation (Austin, TX).
Best Buy offers a Platinum Level Geek Squad warranty that is good for four years. It covers everything - even a TV that is hung outside and gets wet, or a single pixel that goes bad.
It was approx. 15% of the price of the TV, but I did verify with a Best Buy rep on the statement I made above - anything and everything is covered under the warranty.
As far as the mounting goes, you can get fairly cheap articulating mounts on amazon these days (make sure you reinforce the surface you are going to hang it on so that it can accept the lag bolts needed
to hold the weight). Nothing better than sitting in the pool in August watching college football!
I have also been using a grill cover for almost two years now - no moisture problems from condensation (Austin, TX).
tatertot09 said:
How do,you like this tv? I have been looking at those for quite some time now, but have not pulled the trigger. How is the brightness and overall quality?
CombatYoga said:
Hopefully you dont ever need to use it. I have heard salesmen say pretty much anything to seel extended warranties.
mynewpool said:
This is very true! Unless its in writing and plan black and white I wouldn't hold my breathe.
I opted for a JVC projector and pull down screen, mine is a bit heavy at around 20 pounds, but it is also a few years old now, the newer ones tend to be lighter, brighter, and cheaper. One of these combined with some marine grade speakers makes for a decent option to watch movies while floating in the pool, and can be carried into the house when not in use.
Ike
Ike
I know this is a little late but they actully make a cover for your TV and also they make an outdoor glare screen and it does not diminish the quality. I'm currently using a emrson 32 inch HDTV I paid 200.00 from a friend, and you can get them at Walmart. I have a TV Cabinet I put mine in and I use comcst cable with all the 900 channels. I bring it in in October and take it out in May.
I have used one of the older HD widescreen tube TV's hooked up to an old broken blu-ray player that gets netflix, connected via a run of cat5. Cost me $30 for everything. Has sat outside for 3 years now, by the pool in summer, by the hot tub in winter. Use a grill cover over everything when not in use.
Checked out the skyview link above and it does look really nice but we could never justify that price ($2500) for an outdoor tv. However, the cheaper diy alternatives sound like an interesting idea to further "pimp my pool" and we do have both a projector ($200 when circuit city was closing) and an old TV or 2 that get little use, so we could easily sacrifice one of those. I like the idea for outdoor movies in the pool. Anyone mind posting pictures of their rig?
I purchased a 40" entry level Samsung for $399 on Amazon as a starting point. I then purchased a sheet of high grade plywood with a maple veneer. I made an enclosure 6 inches deep that was a bit wider and taller than the tv. I put a back on it and made a picture frame for the front and hinged it at the top all from the same piece of plywood. I mounted a two way mirror inside the frame. I then finished it with a urethane finish for a beautiful natural look. I then hung the Tv inside and mounted the cabinet to a post on our pergola. The nice thing is during the day it is just a mirror. At night the TV shows through the two way mirror without opening the cabinet. If we watch during the day we open the mirror from the top mounted hinges and hook it to the top of our pergola. This keeps the TV out of the elements and provides a great way to hide it. You should see the look on people's faces when we turn it on with the mirror closed and it just illuminates through the two way mirror. We also have AT&T Uverse and they have a wireless receiver that needs no cable other than the HDMI cable to the TV and power. It sure beats $2500 for a 40 "outdoor" TV!