To understand what makes a high brightness LCD monitor different to a standard Public Display monitor you need to first understand how an LCD screen works and how they can go wrong.
In order to produce a visible image on the screen light is passed through the LCD matrix to form a picture on the screens surface. If the light shining on the screen is brighter than the light coming from the backlight then the image will at best look washed out and at worst be totally invisible. So if you are looking to install an LCD screen in direct sunlight or in a high ambient light area, such as a shop window or sporting venue, then you need a screen that can produce more light than its surroundings. Typical Public Display monitors are rated between 300 and 700 nits of brightness. High brightness LCD monitors start at 1,500 nits and go up to 5,000 nits and above.
However having high brightness is not the only thing required to make a good looking daylight viewable screen.
If you crank the brightness up on any television or monitor you will see the on-screen image begin to washout. In order to preserve the colour and contrast of the image you need additional controls. The DynaScan range of high bright screens use a backlight with Local Dimming. This technology allows the screen to reduce or switch off areas of the backlight behind dark areas of the displayed image. By reducing the light behind the image the black levels become deeper and the image contrast increases. All their screens are also colour calibrated to 6500k by default which provides natural looking colour reproduction. 6500K is sometimes described as being the colour of daylight in the Northern Hemisphere but really it should just be considered as a measurement standard that ensures images look the same on a variety of calibrated displays. LCD screens can have a tendency to produce images with a cool or bluish cast. By calibrating to 6500k DynaScan ensure flesh tones and other subtle colours remain true to life.
So we’ve produced a bright image with good contrast and colour but now we need to ensure it stays that way.
If you take a standard LCD monitor and expose it to the heat of direct sunlight, or worse put it behind a window which magnifies the heat of the sun, then very quickly your image will deteriorate. The Liquid Crystal part of the Display (LCD) can be warped by high temperatures. In the extreme temperature of the midday sun ordinary LCD panels begin to warp leading to areas of the image turning black. To combat this DynaScan use an LCD substrate that is rated to withstand temperatures up to 110oC without warping. This combined with their highly efficient cooling system maintains optimal performance in the harshest of conditions.
If you are looking to install digital signage screens in areas of high ambient light then the DynaScan range should be your first choice to ensure your content looks eye-catching, vivid and vibrant in all lighting conditions.