HD Televisions are everywhere! We see them being used for a variety of applications in almost every type of business and venue. They may look identical to your home tv, but they are not. So why are commercial TVs more expensive than their consumer counterparts, and what is the difference between the two? In this blog, we’ll compare commercial TVs vs consumer TVs and explain why commercial models cost more.
Commercial TVs often have more robust construction to withstand constant use. They also have features like USB and RS232 ports that allow them to be integrated into professional AV systems or digital sign software.
Commercial monitors are often on for long hours in bright environments that are much more hostile than a typical family room. They need to withstand continuous use and remain impervious to varying room conditions without failure.
The higher quality construction of commercial-grade televisions results in a better overall picture and increased durability and lifespan. Commercial TVs also have more input/output options, allowing them to integrate with professional AV systems.
Commercial TVs’ higher quality components and features come at a higher price, making them more expensive than consumer models.
Because commercial TVs are made with higher quality materials and components, resulting in increased durability, they tend to have longer warranties than their consumer counterparts.
The fact that commercial TVs usually come with an extended warranty is another reason why they cost more than consumer models.
The market for commercial TVs is much smaller than the market for consumer TVs, so the cost of manufacturing them is higher. This is because fewer businesses use commercial TVs than homes using consumer models.
The higher cost of manufacturing commercial TVs is another reason why they are more expensive than consumer models.
Let’s take a closer look at the differences between commercial-grade television monitors and consumer-grade televisions.
The physical appearance of commercial digital signage displays and personal display screens is the first significant distinction. The design of commercial monitors tends to be clean, industrial, and basic, often with very slim bezels that give the monitor the appearance of an edge-to-edge picture. Commercial televisions are typically mounted with a VESA wall mount or built into a custom enclosure.
Consumer displays tend to be more visually interesting to appeal to consumer tastes and include a television stand.
Commercial monitors can do almost everything a consumer monitor can and much more. Consumer TVs are built for cable TV, movies, and video games. On the other hand, commercial television monitors are designed to display a wide variety of source material, from digital sign content, videos, social media feeds, motion graphics, presentations, or promotional content.
Commercial television monitors are often built with no user-accessible controls on the front panel to prevent customers or patrons from changing settings. This “Public Mode” lock-out design eliminates or disables standard controls, using instead a custom hand-held remote control or a centralized control computer to control volume, input source, power, and other television controls.
The viewing angle is much wider on commercial displays – 178 degrees horizontal and 178 degrees vertical, compared to a viewing angle of around 160 degrees horizontal and 160 degrees vertical. This means that people off to the side of the screen will still be able to see the image quite clearly. This is especially important for waiting rooms, trade show booths, restaurants, or anywhere that people might be standing or sitting off-axis from the screen.
When it comes to durability, the designs differ considerably. Consumer displays aren’t designed for extensive, nonstop usage and are easily damaged if dropped or struck by a hard object. Commercial television monitors are built to operate 16 hours a day, seven days a week. They are also constructed to protect against heat, impact, dust, and other hostile environmental conditions.
Commercial television monitors are built to display static images for long periods of time without the screen burn that would occur on a consumer TV.
Commercial televisions are your only option for outdoor or high-humidity environments.
Because consumer displays are designed for residential settings, they function best in low light.
The majority of business environments, such as retail outlets, hospitals, malls, and airports, are very well-lit, however, so a consumer display’s brightness levels may not be enough to be clearly seen. Commercial televisions have higher brightness and contrast ratios than consumer model television monitors.
To compare the brightness between the two, consumer monitors typically top out at 350 cd/m2 brightness, whereas commercial monitors can reach up to 2,500+ cd/m2.
Due to their limited cooling capacity, consumer monitors cannot be used effectively as vertical digital signage displays. They are highly susceptible to overheating, which can severely damage the monitor. Commercial TVs, on the other hand, can easily display portrait mode and are designed to operate vertically around the clock.
When it comes to input source types, consumer televisions are rather basic. They generally only have HDMI and cable/antenna ports, while commercial displays include a variety of inputs, including HDMI, VGA, display ports, USB, DVI and LAN ports. Commercial television displays also support video-loop out connections for video wall installations – a matrix of monitors that display a single image.
The R232 remote control allows digital signage owners to operate and monitor business television displays without needing a remote. This is essential since it enables you to regulate screen features and functions using a computer or other connected device. This option is not available on typical consumer television monitors, offering very little functionality when it is. Most commercial monitors, on the other hand, provide total RS-232C management.
Commercial television monitors are constructed with superior-quality parts that last considerably longer than comparable consumer TV components. A commercial screen running continuously can last anywhere from 70,000 to 100,000 hours. Most consumer televisions have a continuous running life of around 30,000 hours.
Most commercial television monitors come with a three-year warranty, while most consumer televisions only include a one-year warranty. Almost all consumer television warranties state that commercial use will void the warranty – meaning you have no warranty at all.
You will usually benefit from extended on-site service and support when you purchase a commercial television monitor from a commercial AV vendor. That way, if something goes wrong with the monitor, the installation, or the connections, you won’t need to remove the monitor and bring it in for support.
With a consumer-rated model, you are on your own to remove the display from its mounting system – bring it to the repair center – and then reinstall it once repaired. And don’t forget, you’ll be paying out of pocket for those repairs, probably in the form of a new monitor!
The high price tag of a commercial television may scare some business owners away, but when you compare the features and benefits to a consumer model, it’s easy to see why commercial TVs are worth the investment. Commercial screens outperform their residential counterparts from durability and viewing angle to brightness and lifespan.
OLED and QLED TVs are more expensive than other types of TVs because they use a different type of display technology that is more expensive to produce. OLED (organic light-emitting diode) and QLED (quantum dot LED) TVs are newer technologies that offer better picture quality than traditional LCD TVs.
The answer to this question depends on how you plan to use the TV. In most cases commercial grade TVs are more suitable for business use, because they are built with appropriate features and durability. Consumer grade TVs can be used when use will be more occasional and the limited features are suitable for the application.
It is a good idea to consult with your AV integrator to discuss the trade-offs of function, durability and cost when choosing a TV for your business.
A smart TV is a type of TV that has internet connectivity and allows you to access online content. A regular TV does not have internet connectivity and cannot access online content. Smart TVs have other features, such as the ability to run apps that standard TVs do not have. These added features come at a higher price, which is why smart TVs are more expensive than regular TVs.
An LED TV uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to backlight the display. In contrast, an LCD TV uses cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs). LEDs are more energy-efficient and have a longer lifespan than CCFLs. LCD TVs are cheaper to manufacture than LED TVs, which is why they are typically more affordable. However, LED TVs offer a better picture quality, so they are worth the extra cost if you can afford them.
Plasma TVs were discontinued because they were too expensive to produce, and their picture quality was not as good as that of LCD and LED TVs. Plasma TVs also used more power than other TVs, making them less energy-efficient. The technology behind plasma TVs is now being used to create OLED/QLED TVs, offering better picture quality and greater energy efficiency.
The answer to this question depends on how you plan to use the tv. A consumer TV may suffice if you are simply looking for a television that will be used in a waiting room or break room. However, if you are looking for a tv to use in a more public area, such as a lobby or reception area, you should consider a commercial TV.
