Indoor vs outdoor LED screens: which one do you need?

Indoor and outdoor LED screens look alike when they are switched off. They are built very differently, and choosing the wrong one is an expensive mistake.

Brightness

Indoor screens run at about 600 to 1,000 nits, which is comfortable in a lit room. Screens in direct sunlight need 5,000 nits or more to stay readable. An indoor screen placed outdoors simply disappears in daylight; an outdoor screen indoors is far too bright unless dimmed.

Weather protection

Outdoor cabinets are sealed to IP65 on the front and the back against dust and water jets. In Kolkata that matters for the monsoon, humidity and summer heat. Indoor screens are typically IP30 – IP40 and must stay dry.

Pixel pitch and viewing distance

People stand closer to indoor screens, so indoor pitches are finer: P1.5 to P2.5 is usual. Outdoor screens are seen from the road, so P3.9 to P10 is normal. A rule of thumb: the closest viewer should be at least as many metres away as the pitch number.

The shop-window case

A screen behind glass facing the street is technically indoors but competes with daylight. It needs a high-brightness indoor screen, often 1,500 to 2,500 nits, not a standard indoor panel and not a full outdoor cabinet.

Structure and permissions

Outdoor screens need a steel structure, earthing, drainage and ventilation, and usually municipal approval for advertising. Indoor screens need a wall or frame that can take the weight and a nearby power point.

Quick guide

• Showroom, banquet hall, auditorium, lobby: indoor P2.5.
• Boardroom or jewellery counter: indoor P1.86 or finer.
• Shop window facing the street: high-brightness indoor.
• Facade or shop front: outdoor P3.9 – P5.
• Highway or rooftop billboard: outdoor P6 – P10.

Compare the indoor LED walls and outdoor LED screens we supply, or see the full specifications.