Christie FHD551-W Debuts as First in the Series of Outdoor Displays

The new Christie WeatherAll Series of LCD outdoor flat panels made its global debut at the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) show in Amsterdam, Netherlands, setting the standard for outdoor LED-backlit LCD technology. Rugged and versatile, the first of the WeatherAll Series is the 55" Christie FHD551-W, a professional grade full HD (1920 x 1080 resolution) solution designed to perform in a wide range of applications including outdoor sporting venues, outdoor live events, architectural applications, entertainment parks, public displays, the hospitality and resort industry, transportation services, and numerous other outdoor environments not typically applicable with standard LCD panels.

"Christie is at the forefront in offering what customers need, and the WeatherAll Series is designed to be the clear choice in an outdoor weatherproof display solution," says Frank Anzures, senior product manager. "First in our WeatherAll Series, the [flat panel] is easy to maintain while providing robustness and the vivid picture quality needed when presenting your message outdoors."

The LCD panel features optically bonded glass for increased protection against harsh impacts and scratches in public display environments while enhancing visibility in outdoor venues by reducing reflection. It is designed to provide high contrast ratio, rich vibrant colors, and superior brightness to overcome high ambient light.

The ability to use the screen in landscape or portrait mode is ideal for rental staging applications, resorts, hotels, and restaurants, to provide impactful content in public areas while being rugged and durable to withstand rain, sleet, snow, and human interaction. The panel's integrated speakers and sleek design makes this a visually appealing solution compared to traditional LCD products that would require enclosures when used in outdoor environments.

"The typical flat panel displays are not designed for outdoor use and the risk of damage when exposed to the elements is very high. However, the high definition Christie FHD551-W is designed to be IP56 rated / NEMA4 and has a DACS filtration system to protect it and allow for it to be used in harsh weather conditions and withstand the abuse of public display areas," Anzures says. "With the addition of optically bonded glass, it increases sunlight readability by up to 400 percent when compared with standard flat panels and increases scratch and impact resistance by up to 300 percent."

For superior dependability in the most challenging outdoor environments, the DACS cooling and filtration system provides a thermostatically-controlled active system that protects sensitive electronics from temperature extremes, moisture, and dust. The advanced easy-clean solution eliminates the need for core filter replacement. The FHD551-W features a weather rating of IP56/NEMA4, providing protection against solid foreign objects such as falling dirt or windblown dust in addition to rain, sleet, snow, ice, and splashing or hosed water.

"The [panel] can easily manage temperatures ranging from a scorching 45 degrees Celsius (114 degrees Fahrenheit) all the way down to a bone-chilling minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit), as well as rain, snow, dust and high humidity, without those factors affecting performance. This new outdoor flat panel also boasts integrated weatherproof speakers to provide a full solution for outdoor use," adds Anzures.

The optical bonding on the panel improves sunlight readability up to 400 percent; increases impact and scratch resistance up to 300 percent; eliminates parallax, the apparent displacement or the difference in apparent direction of an object as seen from two different points not on a straight line with the object. It also prevents condensation on the LCD panel; significantly improves durability against vibration, extreme temperatures, altitudes, water, and dust; and vastly improves contrast and color saturation readability.