D-Tools Podcast #24: ‘What’s the Buzz’ About Neptune TV & the Outdoor Market

The single biggest mistake integrators continue to make in the outdoor entertainment market is the simplest one to fix: putting an indoor TV outside. That was the unambiguous message from Earl Naegele, Head of CI, Retail and Entertainment at Neptune TV, on the latest episode of D-Tools' "What's the Buzz" podcast. It's a habit that costs integrators safety, satisfaction, and referrals.

"You should never ever ever ever, and I repeat, ever use an indoor TV outdoor," Naegele told hosts Jason Knott and Tim Bigoness of D-Tools. He notes that even in mild markets where dealers think they can get away with it under an overhang, "that sin will eventually catch up with you, because Mother Nature can be very hostile."

The risks, Naegele explains, stack up fast:

• ​Spider webs can bridge circuit boards on a non-rated chassis and arc, creating a fire hazard.
• ​Indoor mounts aren't built for the weight of an outdoor-grade display, which "is going to be 2x 3x heavier than an indoor TV" and can eventually shear loose, especially in harsh climates or near saltwater.
• ​The viewability problem is just as punishing. Outdoor ambient light is brutal. “The sun is about 35,000 nits. You're never going to outshine the sun," Naegele says, and the spec sheet games most TV brands play don't help. He compared the industry's peak-nit ratings to the bygone watts arms race in audio: peak figures are measured against a full white screen, but "no one watches white. If they do, they're a pretty boring person."

Neptune Spun Out of Peerless-AV 14 Years Ago

Neptune TV, originally called Peerless-AV UltraView, is now a standalone brand, and it is on its eighth generation of products with nearly 14 years of dedicated outdoor R&D.

"I like to think we've forgotten more than most of our competitors know in the space," quips Naegele, who credits the integration channel for its consistent feedback over the years that has helped shape the Neptune line of displays and their features.

"The trade is our best R&D,” he comments.

"The biggest challenge you're going to have to success in outdoor is the consistency and frequency of bringing it up on every single project." — Earl Naegele, Neptune TV

Neptune rates its displays on continuous, sustained brightness, from 500 nits for shade models up to 1,500 nits for full sun, and pairs that with LG in-plane switching to expand the viewing angle from a typical 60 degrees to 75 degrees out to 178 degrees. For poolside, patio, and cabana installs, that's the difference between a happy client and a callback.

Naegele brings 42 years of perspective to that advice. He started in specialty hi-fi retail in western Kansas, moved into wholesale distribution serving Blockbuster and Pic 'N' Save, opened his first independent rep agency in 1989, and later served as VP of Sales and Marketing at AudioQuest before joining Peerless-AV 12 years ago.

‘Cocooning’ Is Driving Outdoor Entertainment Market

The market opportunity is meaningful and growing. Naegele described a "cocooning" trend reminiscent of the Gulf War and COVID eras, with high mortgage rates and geopolitical uncertainty pushing affluent homeowners to invest in the homes they have rather than move.

Neptune saw a 50% year-over-year spike coming out of last fall's CEDIA Expo, and the commercial side — bars, restaurants, cabanas, and digital signage — is "just as strong if not stronger." According to Naegele, Neptune displays are in an estimated 80% to 90% of major sports venues, including more than 110 units alone at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, home of the MLB St. Louis Cardinals team.

Naegele's prescription for integrators to succeed in the outdoor market is straightforward: display product whenever possible, partner with pool builders and landscape designers competing for the same outdoor budget, and use D-Tools to cut friction out of specifying the right model for each sun condition. Above all, bring outdoor up on every project.

"The biggest challenge you're going to have to success in outdoor is the consistency and frequency of bringing it up on every single project," he says. "I cannot overstate that."

Neptune TV has guidelines on its website that assist integrators on when to spec particular units based on their location and sun exposure. And when sun exposure is a judgment call, his rule is simple: "When in doubt, move up."

Watch the full episode for Naegele's deeper take on product selection, solar load, and how to build a profitable outdoor practice.