Outdoor displays are exposed to extremely high temperatures in direct sunlight. After a while, these high brightness LCD displays often suffer from screen yellowing. LG is using a first-ever certified panel coating and air circulation for its latest outdoor screens to prevent anti-discoloration.
Sunlight-proof outdoor displays in public spaces are one of the digital signage success stories. Hardly any QSR restaurant opens without a drive-thru with digital menu boards. But with regular direct sunlight, the LCD crystals in the panels can discolor and take on a yellow tint. This means that a color-accurate display of content is no longer possible. Colloquially, this is also referred to as screen sunburn.
In hot regions in particular, QSR displays, DooH totems and way-guiding screens often have a yellow tint. For digital signage experts it’s an analysis – faulty cabinet design with insufficient heat dissipation and air flows. High temperatures of up to 80-90° C can be measured between the protective glass and the display panel in direct sunlight and with insufficient air circulation.
Once the LCD crystal structure has been damaged, it cannot be repaired. The only way out is to replace the displays earlier than calculated – if the discolor is even discovered. Remote device management solutions cannot detect color changes of the panel.
First certification of an anti-discoloration technology
To prevent display yellowing, LG has developed an anti-discoloration technology for outdoor screens that has now been tested and certified by the American standards and testing organization UL Solutions.
LG says it is the first visual solution provider to receive UL certification for a display anti-discoloration technology. LG has now developed a comprehensive test methodology and criteria for error assessment that have been independently tested and certified by UL. Until now, there have been no internationally recognized standards or test methods for measuring the resistance of a display to screen yellowing.
To solve these problems, the latest generation of outdoor LG displays now feature anti-discoloration technology. LG achieved that by both modifying the LCD panels (probably provided them with an additional protective layer) and optimized the air circulation between the panel and the protective glass.
