LG Gets UL Verification For Its Sunlight-Battling Anti-Discoloration Tech for Outdoor Flat Panels

August 2, 2024 by Dave Haynes

LG has started marketing what it calls advanced “Anti-Discoloration technology” tuned to high brightness outdoor flat panel displays that are subject to day after day of punishing direct sunlight and heat – which can lead to the LCD layer irreparably yellowing.

The discoloring can be the product both of heat load and that heat not being fully exhausted, as well as the sun’s rays.

Now LG has UL-verified solution it says helps prevent screen-yellowing: “This innovative tech,” says PR, “simultaneously safeguards display quality and performance stability, ultimately helping extend the lifespan of LG digital signage used in outdoor environments.”

LG is the first company to achieve UL verification for the display anti-discoloration characteristic technology for digital signage. LG developed a comprehensive testing methodology and defect-evaluation criteria, and UL Solutions independently assessed the product to the criteria in support of LG’s marketing claim. Prior to this, there were no internationally recognized standards or testing methods for measuring a display’s resistance to screen-yellowing.
 
The use of outdoor displays in settings such as drive-thru restaurants, bus stops, schools and sports stadiums has become commonplace in recent years and is steadily increasing across a variety of B2B sectors. However, prolonged exposure to sunlight can cause the screens of these versatile display products to turn a yellowish color over time. LG’s Anti-Discoloration technology helps address this issue, reinforcing the quality and durability of the company’s outdoor digital signage solutions.
 
LG developed its protective technology to provide better value to B2B customers utilizing digital signage in outdoor environments. The company’s research indicated that customers were having to replace their outdoor signage products at a faster rate and experiencing service interruptions due to persistent discoloration issues. To address these pain points, LG’s outdoor displays with Anti-Discoloration technology also incorporate advanced thermal solutions and panel materials for added reliability, even in the toughest of conditions. UL Verified product incorporating Anti-Discoloration technology has already been implemented in several of the latest LG high-brightness outdoor signage products, with plans to expand its application to a wider range of solutions in the future.
 
“Our UL Verification of products with Anti-Discoloration technology actively reinforces the performance and quality of our digital signage products,” said Paik Ki-mun, SVPLG and head of the Information Display business unit of LG Business Solutions Company. “Through targeted research and development programs, we will continue to identify and resolve any inconveniences that detract from the overall LG digital signage experience, thereby continuously enhancing customer satisfaction and trust.”

The current generation of outdoor LG displays already includes the new tech – thought to be an additional layer  in the “sandwich” of layers that make up flat panels – adding air circulation.

Outdoor displays are engineered to be bright enough to overpower glare and visible in any conditions, but these screens are not very reflective and absorb most of the solar energy coming at it. That can lead to yellowing and the black spots you may have seen in person at drive-thru displays, or online in digital signage fail posts. The yellowing is a bit like people getting sunburns – just a different color but unlike a typical sunburn, it doesn’t go away after a few days.

Different outdoor display manufacturers have different ways of counteracting that sunlight load, like passive air cooling designs or even the sort of liquid cooling used on high-end, graphics-intense computers.