Commercial Displays vs Consumer Televisions

Choosing the right screen for the job:

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Many people are unaware of the differences that set a professional display apart from its residential counterpart. The frequent questions that arise without fail: What are professional displays? Why do we need them? Why are they more expensive?

Consumers of audiovisual systems in the corporate world often question the feasibility of installing professional flat panel displays (commercial displays) as opposed to consumer displays (aimed at the residential market) in a commercial environment. The decision makers in these audiovisual projects are often exposed to pricing from consumer television promotions. These consumer screens are manufactured to be aesthetically pleasing and cost-effective in order to catch one’s eye and not hurt one's pocket. When a professional solution is then presented to the same individual, the price difference is often frowned upon. 

Video screens in commercial spaces are hardly ever used for entertainment purposes. In 99% of cases, these screens and their surrounding components are business tools that required a significant level of investment. These units could be used in training rooms to display presentations, in meeting and video conferencing venues to show a remote audience, or could run for long hours in public spaces while flashing colourful promotional messages. Even in environments with an entertainment component, the purpose would be to entertain profitable clients or provide personnel with a well-deserved revitalising distraction.

Getting what you pay for

Professional displays are designed by manufacturers to be used in a commercial environment and usually include extra features. Firstly, they are designed and built to a higher quality, with commercial applications in mind. Possible product failure needs to be minimised or eliminated. The displays need to be more robust, and therefore more durable materials are used. Electronic components and levels of engineering are of a higher quality than in consumer panels - which invariably pushes up the cost.

Professional display panels are also capable of being operated remotely by external command protocols, usually via RS232 or Ethernet, from a central control hub. Most high-end audiovisual components operate as part of a bigger system. The central control element then communicates with these units over a network and manipulates them individually by using different control signals and protocols. Users would only interact with a single interface, such as a touch panel or keypad. With the simple press of a button, an entire system can be shut down or powered up, while other results can also be easily achieved based on predetermined logic. Said logic is programmed into a central processor that sends command macros to pertaining devices, which professional screens are capable of receiving.

Another feature that puts commercial displays in pole position is their installed firmware. The on-screen display menu offers features that are suited for commercial use. These features are mostly intended to be used by AV installers or integrators during system configuration and support. Examples would be the ability to customise automatic on/off-schedules or disabling infrared remote controls in order to prevent tampering.

Commercial displays are often used for extended periods of time and are therefore designed for round the clock-operation, or a large part thereof. Displays that are rated for 16- or 24-hour cycles often need additional cooling management of the various components. Fluctuating or increased thermal levels could easily affect the perceived colour on a screen, which could, in turn, affect colour-specific branding or monitoring.

Depending on the brand or model, the architecture of professional displays may incorporate the option for an OPS slot (Open Pluggable Specification). This slot allows for a variety of optional cards to be inserted. These could be computers (Android or Windows), HDBaseT-receivers or media players. Thus, the OPS slot offers additional functionality such as on-board processing or the ability to receive alternative signal formats over and above the manufactured specifications.

Professional screens usually have extended warranty periods, as well as options to extend these even further - in many cases up to five years. In conjunction with these warranties, better after-sales service is offered compared to consumer displays. The latter generally only offer a one-year warranty which could be rendered void if they are used in a commercial environment.

Designed for a purpose

Modern-day consumers are exposed to touch screens in almost everything that they do. Interactive surfaces have been around for many years and are becoming more topical by the day. Many commercial displays offer a standard interactive touch surface, or an optional touch overlay can be added at a later stage to make the display interactive.

The threat of tampering is a serious consideration in professional audiovisual systems. Whether the motive is criminal or pure mischief, unsolicited operation could easily result in an expensive system failing to perform or operate as intended. Professional panels usually incorporate tamper-proof controls or enclosures such as hidden controls, concealed USB ports or lockable remote commands.

Most professional displays also have various orientation options. This feature allows the display to be used in either landscape- or portrait orientation. Although not intended for normal use, portrait orientation is popular for marketing campaigns or information kiosks. It is not possible to change the orientation of consumer displays, as the cooling vents don’t allow for it and natural airflow would be insufficient - thus placing the screen at risk of overheating.

Screen protection is a key feature offered by commercial displays. When a static image is left on a display for an extended period, it can ‘burn in’ as a fixed shadow-like effect on the screen, even when powered off. This is known as image retention. Most professional screens offer image orbiting, which is the ability to slowly and imperceptibly rotate the image so as to reduce this effect.

Consumer displays are simply not designed for the demanding environments often encountered in a commercial space, and aren’t adequately durable. An example of this would be public areas where the display is used for digital signage while running for long hours or receiving constant interaction from public users. The Flat Display Mounting Interface (FDMI) or VESA Mounting Interface Standard (MIS) is the international standard for wall brackets and stands to be attached to digital displays, as established by VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association). VESA-compliant mounts ensure compatibility with any display, regardless of its manufacturer. All professional display casings are designed with this standard in mind. Consumer panels don't always meet these standards and, in some cases, offer their own aesthetically sleek design stands instead. These are easy on the eye but not very functional when one has to achieve an alternative installation design. 

  

Why does one need a professional display?

The answer to this question depends largely on the application or intended use for a display product. In a digital signage application such as displaying a promotion or a new product range, the user may be tempted to use a consumer television. It is important to remember that these carry risks such as malfunction, poor picture quality or reduced functionality that may affect the image the brand intended to portray. In a guest post on the digital signage website Sixteen-Nine, Irfan Khan (CEO of digital signage platform Skykit) writes that 55% of people looking at digital signage remember what they see. Digital signage is one of the most successful ways to raise brand awareness and drive sales. It is, therefore, important to ensure that the investment includes a professional display product as an important business tool. A vibrant image, combined with well-designed digital signage content, already provides a leading edge.

In contrast, there are many risks associated with using a faulty consumer display in a commercial environment. If the application is a control centre, a failure could have serious consequences - especially in a mission-critical environment that requires 24/7 operation. The design consultant would need to consider in-depth control room architecture and use high-quality video wall displays.

During events such as video conferencing, presentations and training, or in a collaboration environment, the failure of a screen will waste time and could damage the reputation of a brand or compromise a company’s credibility. If the video conference is held with a remote branch within a company, the cost could be measured in a few hours lost, but when the receiving audience forms part of the paying clientele, the damage could be immeasurable.

Furthermore, if a vendor sells advertising space and time slots on a digital signage platform and a screen fails, it could result in lost revenue or even penalties owed to the advertiser who paid for exposure. Damage control and time to rebuild relationships also form part of the losses. A failing consumer display could limit sales when used to market one’s own products and services. In the same article, Khan says that “19 percent of consumers claim to have made unplanned, impulse purchases of products they’ve seen advertised digitally”. If the signage display fails, the lost opportunity could directly result in lost revenue.

Why do professional displays cost more?

There are a number of reasons why the price of a professional display is higher than for consumer models. For the professional environment,  the LCD panels are the prime selection from the manufactured stockpile. If even the slightest slight defects are detected, they are used to manufacture consumer displays at a lower price. Only the best panels are graded for professional use. Commercial displays have better specifications (including calibration options) and are made from higher-grade materials and components. These high-quality products are produced in much smaller quantities, adding to the cost of manufacturing. The pre-production process also includes extensive research and development in order to stay ahead of technological developments. Professional-grade displays come with a much better warranty and after-sales service, whereas consumer displays usually have a shorter warranty period and often need to be shipped back to the original service centre for repairs. This could leave the end user without displays for extended periods of time and turn it could turn into a costly exercise for the institution.

The challenge is to avoid being pennywise and pound foolish when selecting displays for your professional audiovisual installation. In the immediate term, commercial screens are definitely more expensive than consumer displays, but the total cost of ownership could prove to be a lot less when calculated over a number of years.  Ultimately,  professional displays play a critical role in the screen market, especially when used for specialised applications