What Protects Best - An Outdoor TV Cover Or Outdoor TV?

Outdoor TV Cover vs Outdoor TV: The Best TV Protection Options

Outdoor TVs have become very popular in recent years and so have the ways in which you can protect them from the weather. When you’re buying a TV for outside, you’ll need to decide whether you need an outdoor TV cover or a full enclosure to maintain your investment.

Traditionally, if you want to watch TV outside, you had to grab a buddy and haul your living room set outside, find somewhere to plug it in, and then carry it back inside when you were done. Now, with today’s smaller, lighter screens and protective technology, you can enjoy a permanent outdoor viewing setup without having to recreate the wheel or worry about damage to your TV.

There’s no doubt your TV needs protection. Rain, sprinklers, storms with flying objects, moisture, theft, hot and cold temperatures, and bugs are just a few threats to electronics outdoors. But in the outdoor TV cover vs enclosure debate, which one do you really need? Let’s look at some specifics. 

 Outdoor TV Cover vs Enclosure:  
 What’s the Difference? 

An outdoor TV cover is a piece of cloth or material that is made to fit over a TV. They come in different sizes to give you a “best fit” option for your TV, with the goal of protecting your TV’s screen from some minimal weather elements, debris, and other damage when it’s not in use. When you want to use your TV, you do have to remove the cover, then replace it when you’re done. Removing and replacing it every time you want to push the power button and watch TV can be a pain. Also, this is not all that practical if your TV is hung in a location that you will need to get a ladder to remove and replace it. However, the cloth used does give it a layer of water protection, but does not protect the screen from flying objects, bugs, theft etc. Longevity is a consideration too. We have probably all had water resistant covers on our patio furniture that may have lasted a year or two before needing replacement, if it is a really good outdoor fabric. Typically, this is the same material used for an outdoor TV cover.

Outdoor TV enclosures are like permanent armor for your TV, offering a major upgrade to the TV cover. TV enclosures provide 360-degree protection against weather, bugs, debris, vandalism, and other hazards, and don’t require removal for you to enjoy your TV.

 Important Details to Consider 

Even if your outdoor TV is weatherproof, you’ll need a way to safeguard your screen and media devices from non-weather-related hazards, such as theft, vandalism, bugs, and debris. As you’re comparing your options for outdoor TV protection, consider the following points to help you make the best decision.

 Protection 

Outdoor TV covers can be effective in keeping out moisture and minimizing exposure to outdoor elements, but their protection can’t compare to an outdoor TV enclosure. Covers are susceptible to getting holes from wear and tear and don’t seal your TV. They also offer no protection against impact.

An outdoor TV enclosure is made to withstand impact and protect against bugs, rain, moisture, debris, and even vandalism. Plus, you can include external media devices, such as a Blu-ray player, in the enclosure for added protection.

 Convenience 

Outdoor TV enclosures are “permanent” fixtures. Though they can be removed if needed, most people leave them in place year-round. There’s no need to remove covers or clean and adjust your TV when you’re ready for outdoor viewing, which isn’t the case when you opt for a TV cover.

 Price 

Outdoor TV covers and enclosures vary in price, with covers being the less expensive option. But purchase price doesn’t always align with value. Replacing your outdoor TV cover due to wear and tear can get expensive and the cover doesn’t offer nearly the defense of an enclosure in the first place, so you run high risks of ending up with a broken TV and frequent TV replacement as well. Or worse, if you’ve invested high dollars in a weatherproof outdoor TV (which costs significantly more than an outdoor TV enclosure and TV) you may have to replace your expensive outdoor TV if it sustains impact damage from lack of proper protection.

An outdoor TV enclosure’s higher level of protection means you only have to make one purchase for ongoing protection. It might be a higher initial investment, but its benefits will last for years to come.

Bottom Line:
Outdoor TV Enclosures are the Superior Choice

When it comes to protection AND value, an outdoor TV enclosure wins over an outdoor TV cover. Ready to explore the most popular outdoor TV enclosures for homes and businesses? Browse our The TV Shield outdoor TV enclosure options…. We manufacture The TV Shield and our other enclosure lines in the USA, have been the leading manufacturer of TV enclosures for over 10 years, and we’re available any time to answer your questions and provide support.