When AV goes outdoors, it can present very real challenges to integrators as well as end users, who want to protect their equipment from the harsh elements of the seasons.
That is certainly the case at the Canadian Brewhouse, a popular sports bar and restaurant chain across the great white north, where each location features an outdoor patio with several displays on which diners can watch the games. But temperatures in northern Canada can drop far below freezing, making outdoor AV no small feat.
The Canadian Brewhouse recently opened a new location in Saskatoon, one of the first outside of Alberta, and customers come through the restaurant doors seeking shelter from chilling temperatures in the harsh winter months.
In the summer, the new 3,500 square-foot patio, able to seat up to 200 patrons, should attract sports fans hoping to soak up the sun and catch a game. Because the televisions on the patio have to function perfectly in the summer after surviving harsh temperatures in the winter, the Canadian Brewhouse needed durable, weatherproof displays to fit the bill.
The patio was outfitted by SunBriteDS, a dedicated outdoor digital signage division of SunBriteTV.
“I can confidently say that we have more TVs per square foot than any other sports bar in Alberta and every location has SunBriteDS’s on the patio,” says Jim Martyn, business advancement manager at the Canadian Brewhouse. “Our new location opened in Saskatoon, SK, at the end of May. It’s our biggest patio yet and has six SunBriteDS units.”
Photos of the Canadian Brewhouse Patio
The six displays make up a permanent outdoor installation, arming patio entertainment from the elements throughout the year. SunBriteDS models feature specialized heating and cooling systems, enabling the displays to function in temperatures as low as -40 degrees fahrenheit (-40 degrees celsius) and as high as 122 degrees fahrenheit (50 degrees celsius).
“We’ll be running games on the SunBriteDS’s every day this summer, from open to close,” says Martyn. “And we’ve never had an issue with content delivery. They’ve always worked seamlessly with our Apple TVs and satellite feeds.”
None of the SunBriteDS models have ever failed from the cold, says Martyn.
To protect against hot temperatures as well as the patio’s direct sunlight, the SunBriteDS models are equipped with Extended Solar Tolerance to prevent isotropic blackout of the screen.
“From the full glare of daylight to the dark of night, our SunBriteDS’s have consistently provided a clear, full-HD 1080p image,” says Martyn.
As for the other elements, like moisture, salt corrosion and insects, the watertight Cable Entry System protects both aesthetics and internal wiring. It’s a good thing, because the Canadian Brewhouse plans to continue its eastward expansion into British Columbia, where the coastal salty air could present another challenge to outdoor electronics.
