You have likely seen consumer TVs everywhere you look. You have probably also seen commercial TV displays – you just might not have thought much about it. So what should you choose for your business when you would like to add digital signage for your lobby or other areas, install a TV in a break room, plan for TVs to be used in hospitality applications like hotels and motels, or install a large-screen display or touch display for use in a conference room? What is the difference between a consumer and a commercial or professional display? Are all commercial displays the same, and how do you choose the best one for your application? These are some of the questions that you may have. Let’s talk about them. Of course, if you still have questions, feel free to reach out to us and let us help you determine what makes the most sense for your needs.
Ok, first let’s take a look at some general application differences. Typically, a consumer TV is designed just for viewing TV so that you can take it home and watch consumer video formats such as TV, Blu-ray, streaming services, etc. and they are normally used a few hours a day, and that’s about it. The uses for a display in a commercial setting vary widely. Examples include a display in a lobby or waiting area displaying TV programs, digital signage, way-finding kiosk, menu board at a restaurant where there can be higher temperatures, more exposure to dust, grease, etc., or perhaps a large-screen touch enabled display for use in a conference room. The amount of time they are typically on vary anywhere from a couple hours a day to 24/7 and 365 days a year. Because of this, there a wide variety of commercial displays built for different types of applications; most professional displays have quite a few differences, so let’s take a look at some of the key differences.
Consumer displays are warrantied for just that: consumer use. That means it is warrantied for a period of time, (usually one year) for use in your home. If you look closely at consumer warranties, you will almost always find somewhere that specifies the warranty is only valid for consumer use. Some will say that the, “warranty is void if used in a commercial space,” while there are one or two that will say something like, “For commercial use, the warranty is 90 Days parts and labor.” In any case, if you are looking for a display for your business, the warranty is something to take into consideration. Most commercial displays typically carry a 3 years parts and labor warranty – with some extending to 5 years, and a few light commercial displays only covering 2 years. Often times, businesses may use consumer displays simply because they weren’t aware that commercial options exist, or, they didn’t know where to find them. Another difference between a consumer and commercial warranty is that a consumer warranty is typically warranted to carry-in-service, whereas a commercial warranty likely covers on-site service. Who wants to have to bring in an 80” or 90” display for repairs, right? With a commercial set, they come to you and take care of it if it needs to go in for service and can’t be fixed on site.
Jerry
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