Looking for Outdoor TV Ideas? Here's What You Need to Know...

Imagine the warm breeze on your skin, the sound of children playing in the distance, and a group of friends gathered on your deck to watch the big game while someone turns meat on the grill. If this sounds like an ideal afternoon, it's time to look into outdoor TV ideas. Before you set up a card table outdoors and plop your living room LED TV on it, ensure you understand what's involved in proper installation of a backyard TV. Spoiler alert: You're not going to want to use the card table or your indoor TV.

Furrion Aurora® Outdoor Entertainment Experience.

What Makes for a Good Outdoor TV?

Get your living room TV wet or expose it to dust and insects, and its life is likely cut short. Outdoor televisions are designed to withstand the elements, so you can install them and leave them in your outdoor living space for whenever you want to use them.

Furrion Aurora TVs are built to withstand extreme temperature changes. From -27.4 degrees F to 140 degrees F, these outdoor televisions withstand the elements and keep working thanks to built-in fans that help to keep the units cool. With an IP54 rating, Furrion Aurora TVs can also withstand the impact of rain, UV rays, humidity, snow, salt fog, insects, and dust. You might need to wipe the screen clean, but the inner workings are protected by the special casing and other design features.

Excellent resolution and brightness are also essential to a good viewing experience. While outdoor TVs are best used in partial or full shade (or at night), you still want a big screen that can compete with bright outdoor light during daytime viewing. Furrion Aurora TVs  deliver 4K Ultra-High Definition Resolution for crystal clarity and bold brightness appropriate for use in full-shade or partial-sun viewing areas. 

Built for outdoor, Furrion Aurora features auto-brightness technology for optimal viewing in changing light conditions.

When shopping for an outdoor television, don't just consider the brightness. Outdoor light conditions are ever changing, and your TV must be able to keep up. Look for options with auto-brightness control so your screen evolves with the movement of the sun or cloudiness of the day. Auto-brightness control on Furrion Aurora outdoor TVs uses an ambient light sensor to measure the brightness of the environment and change screen lighting levels for optimal picture quality and viewing experience at any given time.

Another feature to look for in an outdoor television is an antiglare screen. If you've ever tried to use a standard laptop outdoors, you know it can be almost impossible to get work done when you're staring at your own reflection on the display. An antiglare screen TV reduces the impact bright light can have on your viewing experience — and Furrion Aurora TVs come equipped with this feature.

Furrion Aurora is designed for both partial sun (left) and full shade (right) backyards.

Full Shade v. Partial Sun: Where to Mount Your Outdoor TV 

Choosing the right backyard or patio TV involves understanding whether your entertaining space is fully or partially shaded. An outdoor area that is fully covered, such as a screened-in porch or a deck with a cover that extends over all areas, requires a slightly different TV than a partially covered outdoor patio.

It comes down to the amount of direct sun that might hit the area where your TV is located. In a fully shaded area, the TV doesn't have to work as hard to outshine the ambient light.

To understand whether a television meets the needs of your outdoor living space, check its specs and look for the number of nits. The more nits a screen has, the brighter its image.

The Furrion Aurora Full-Shade television has a 350-nit LCD screen, making it ideal for use in a fully shaded area. For comparison, a residential flatscreen TV has 250 nits on average. But, if you're installing a television in a partially shaded area, you need more brightness. In this case, opt for something with a 700-nit LCD screen, such as the Furrion Aurora Partial Sun Television. Or, if your TV will be in a very sunny location, you can even go as high as a 1,000-nit LCD screen with the Furrion Aurora Full Sun Television.

Outdoor TV Mount Ideas and Accessories

Installation is a key component in ensuring long-lasting satisfaction with your outdoor television. You might see people sharing outdoor TV ideas where they set their television up on a stand as they would indoors, but this is less ideal than a wall mounted TV. A gust of wind could send your outdoor entertainment components crashing to the ground, and while Furrion Aurora outdoor TVs are robust enough to withstand temperature changes and dust, they're not designed to take a direct hit with concrete or even grass-covered earth. Instead, plan to have your TV mounted on a wall.

Check out Furrion's outdoor TV mount options, including a range of universal TV mounts, such as our Outdoor Fixed Tilt Mount, Outdoor Full Motion Mount and Outdoor Ceiling Full Motion Mount.

Accessories, such as the TV cover and wall mount, ensure the best viewing experience possible. 

When buying your outdoor television, don't forget to invest in a outdoor TV cover. Furrion Aurora TVs come with great built-in protection to keep elements and debris out. But you might still have to wipe down the screen or casing for aesthetic reasons periodically. Using a cover minimizes cleaning and maintenance, so all you have to do is uncover the unit, turn it on, and enjoy your favorite sporting event, television show or movie outside.

Outdoor TV Sound

Sound doesn't work the same outdoors as it does indoors. You'll want a sound system that's built specifically for the outdoor environment. Additionally, you should look for a system that is water-resistant and has a robust housing. For example, the 50W Furrion Aurora 2.0 Outdoor Soundbar is built to withstand rain, snow, dust, insects and humidity. Or, if you really want to kick your sound up a notch, the 70W Furrion Aurora® 2.1 Outdoor Soundbar has a built-in subwoofer that is specifically designed to deliver great outdoor TV sound.

Put Your Backyard TV Ideas into Action

Now that you know what you need, shop Furrion Outdoor TVs & Accessories here.