Screening sports: Plasma pitfalls
As many pubs buy plasma screens for the World Cup, Mike Clayton identifies hidden problems.
Orders for TV-type plasmas have increased significantly. Plenty of pubs took the opportunity to install them at the beginning of the year to gain extra business from the Winter Olympics, Commonwealth Games and, of course, the World Cup.
As always there are certain dealers out there looking to make a quick buck and this is where I fear many pubs may fall foul - particularly by buying cheaper systems designed to be used in the home.
There are many unknown brand plasmas out there and branded units that are aimed at the domestic market. While they may look good, they are really not designed for the rigours of 11 hours a day viewing in the pub. It's preferable to go with a commercial plasma panel tried and tested in call centres and airport check-ins rather than a budget unit that has appeared on the scene simply to cash in on the World Cup. Here are some other points to consider.
- Do you need a complete TV or just a panel? If you already have Sky the Sky box acts as tuner and the audio is normally taken care of by an existing in-house PA. You are better off putting all your budget into a good quality panel than trying to get a complete TV for your money. Even if you don't have Sky, it is more cost efficient to invest in a simple Freeview digibox to act as the tuner - and you'll get a better picture, too.
- Much has been made of high definition (HD) TV and it will certainly be a big step up. Many dealers are using it as an "upsell" to get the pub to purchase an HD-ready plasma but I'm not sure how many will be willing to pay for the upgraded box and HD service from Sky. A standard digital signal from a Freeview or existing Sky box is sufficient for nearly all pubs.
If you are offered a domestic-style screen of the type you can buy from a high street retailer be wary of the warranty. Most professional units have a two-year on-site warranty, which means that if it fails it will be swapped for a working screen within a reasonable time. Many domestic warranties specifically exclude use in commercial or industrial applications so a pub may find it null and void.
Safety and security can be an issue. Apart from the obvious risk of someone throwing something at the screen when England lose on penalties (protective anti-shatter overlays are available) the main worry for a lot of licensees is theft. Secure brackets with locking screws prevent the easy removal of the unit in contrast to some budget brackets that work on a rail system that enables the screen to be simply lifted off the backplate and taken away.
Positioning the screen needs thought. Plasmas are only half the weight of a CRTTV and solid walls are fine for any size of screen, but you may need to reinforce a partition stud wall with extra studs. Ceiling mounting is a good option as it is not only safer from a theft point of view but enables more people to view it. Finally, plasma screens are highly reflective so think about reflections from windows and in-house lighting.
Mike Clayton is flat panel displays manager at screen distributor Medium UK (www.medium co.uk).
