can cold temperatures kill an lcd touch screen brands

Cold weather can damage electronics, best to keep them indoors. While you"re planning to keep yourself warm during the cold weather, make sure you consider your electronic devices, too. Tech experts say the cold can drain your battery in minutes, cause permanent damage and it can also freeze an LCD screen.

While normally a cool environment is preferable to a warm one when it comes to keeping your electronics up and running, if it gets too cold, certain components can suffer sudden failure. For instance, LCD screens contain fluid and at extreme temperatures can freeze.

Electronics begin to break down and fry at temperatures above 120 degrees. Most systems tend to run 10 to 20 degrees hotter than room temperature, so anything you can do to reduce the build-up of heat will help to protect your investment better.

After a few hours in the cold, your battery will likely be drained completely, rendering your gadget useless until its next charge. Damage is done to screens and monitors when left out in the cold.

2) What are the temperature limits of electronics? At the low end, operation of semiconductor-based devices and circuits has often been reported down to temperatures as low as a few degrees above absolute zero, in other words as low as about −270°C.

Circuit systems within electronics work best at lower temperatures. Allowing systems to run for prolonged periods of time in high temperatures can decrease the longevity and reliability of devices. Solid-state electronics actually begin to break down and fry at temperatures much above 120 degrees.

An LCD or LED TV may not perform well under extreme temperature conditions. In the cold, the response time of an HDTV picture may lag. For this reason, many LCD and LED television manuals will specify a safe-operating-temperature range. In most HDTVs, this range is about 50–90°F.

It"s okay to store it in the garage but if you bring it inside from a very cold/damp place, I"d recommend you let the TV sit for a while to allow for any condensation to evaporate before plugging it in. An hour should do it.

Do not leave a laptop in a cold car for more than an hour if the temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius. Leaving a computer in freezing conditions can actually cause permanent damage to the battery and LCD screen. Reduce the risk by storing the computer in an insulated box in the trunk.

Laptops have been designed to work within a safe temperature range, typically between 50 to 95 degrees F (10 - 35 degrees C). This range refers to the optimal usage temperature of the outside environment and the temperature the laptop should be warmed to before using.

However, you do need to make sure your electronics are protected from moisture, water, wind, and extreme hot and cold temperatures. You should also make sure your electronics are made for outdoor use and not indoor-only use.

The trick to properly storing electronics in heat and cold is to avoid those temperatures altogether! Electronics are best stored in HVAC regulated environments between 50 and 80 degrees.

LCD stands for liquid crystal display. When temperatures dip below 32-degrees Fahrenheit, liquid freezes which can cause permanent damage to your LCD screen. That"s the number one reason to make sure you never leave your computer in a cold car or even on a cold floor overnight.

Best case scenario, the cooling system needs to be repaired and the internals of the Xbox would need to be cleaned. Worst case, you have a stylish $500 paperweight. I"d advise against leaving the Xbox in the car overnight if it"s 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.

Cold temperatures are not as dangerous to a computer as overheating is, but problems can still occurs. If computers get too cold when left powered off, their components can be damaged upon boot because the electricity heats the circuit.

Generally, once it hits 90° or 95° Fahrenheit, you want to start shielding your laptop and smartphone from the heat. Remember that the inside of your car will get hotter than the outside, too, so even if it isn"t quite 90° outside, you should keep it in your bag or leave it at home.

Extreme heat and cold can damage your battery. For example, don"t leave your smartphone in the glove compartment of your car on very hot or cold days. A common myth is that batteries last longer if they are put in the freezer. This is not correct and can damage your battery.

Safe temperatures vary from when the TV is being used or when being stored. LCD and Plasma Operating temps: 40 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. LCD and Plasma Storage temp: -5 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

What Temperature Is Too Cold for a TV? Ideally, it would be best to store your LCD between 40 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit to avoid freezing the liquid crystal fluid. LCD televisions should not be stored below minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. In the cold, an HDTV image"s response time may lag.

Electronics. Most electronics are not meant to stand up to the outdoors, and that"s essentially what your garage is like. Not only will your electronics collect dirt and dust, but they will also become damaged. Humidity and temperature fluctuations will destroy batteries and other operating pieces to your electronics.

Cold weather can damage your laptop in multiple ways, from disabling your display and corrupting your hard drive to shattering your screen if it is warmed up too quickly. Both using and storing your laptop in a cold environment can cause problems.

Since the individual pixels utilize a fluid-like crystal material as the ambient temperature is reduced, this fluid will become more viscous compromising performance. For many LCD displays, temperatures below 0°C represent the point where performance degrades.

Cold weather can damage electronics, best to keep them indoors. While you"re planning to keep yourself warm during the cold weather, make sure you consider your electronic devices, too. Tech experts say the cold can drain your battery in minutes, cause permanent damage and it can also freeze an LCD screen.

Never leave your smartphone, notebook, tablet, or any other mobile device in your cold vehicle for extended periods of time. Even with a case, such extended time can cause permanent internal and external damage.

PC World found that different gadgets can withstand different temperatures of cold, but to be conservative, we recommend taking precautions once the ambient temperature reaches freezing, or 32° Fahrenheit.

Well, most consumer electronic devices use lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and those batteries cannot be charged at subfreezing temperatures (below 32°F or 0°C) without causing damage.

Laptops have been designed to work within a safe temperature range, typically between 50 to 95 degrees F (10 - 35 degrees C). This range refers to the optimal usage temperature of the outside environment and the temperature the laptop should be warmed to before using.

An LCD or LED TV may not perform well under extreme temperature conditions. In the cold, the response time of an HDTV picture may lag. For this reason, many LCD and LED television manuals will specify a safe-operating-temperature range. In most HDTVs, this range is about 50–90°F.

Cold temperatures can degrade the functionality of an LCD/ LED television or cause harm to sensitive electronic components by forming condensation on them.

Do not leave a laptop in a cold car for more than an hour if the temperature is below 10 degrees Celsius. Leaving a computer in freezing conditions can actually cause permanent damage to the battery and LCD screen.

LCD stands for liquid crystal display. When temperatures dip below 32-degrees Fahrenheit, liquid freezes which can cause permanent damage to your LCD screen. That"s the number one reason to make sure you never leave your computer in a cold car or even on a cold floor overnight.

LED TVs can be stored in cold weather as long as it"s not in use. Samsung recommends that their LCD TVs are stored at temperatures ranging from -4° to 113° Fahrenheit.

Electronics are best stored in HVAC regulated environments between 50 and 80 degrees. Humidity control is another important factor in climate controlled indoor storage as moisture can be one of the biggest culprits for electronics damage.

Cold weather can damage your laptop in multiple ways, from disabling your display and corrupting your hard drive to shattering your screen if it is warmed up too quickly. Both using and storing your laptop in a cold environment can cause problems.

Can a regular TV be used outdoors? Even if it is well placed out of direct rain, a regular TV should not be used outdoors unless it is properly protected with some type of specific built-to-last outdoor TV enclosure. There are many weather and environment threats like rain or bugs to consider.

Safe temperatures vary from when the TV is being used or when being stored. LCD and Plasma Operating temps: 40 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit. LCD and Plasma Storage temp: -5 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ambient temperature below 35 F/1.7 C: Generally speaking it"s too cold to operate at this point. You"re dangerously close to freezing and that"s when the physical properties of computer hardware change by flexing (usually). It"s just not a good idea to operate a computer below this mark.

While many electronics are designed to withstand up to 176 degrees Fahrenheit, the recommended temperature limit is 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Consistent high temperatures can lead to permanent damage to your device. Some devices will power themselves down to avoid this risk.

Don"t put it in a fridge. Condensation will kill it eventually. If you really can"t upgrade the machine, use an airconditioner. Put the laptop near the vent, and it will do what you need.

Circuit systems within electronics work best at lower temperatures. Allowing systems to run for prolonged periods of time in high temperatures can decrease the longevity and reliability of devices. Solid-state electronics actually begin to break down and fry at temperatures much above 120 degrees.

You can protect your electronic devices from damages due to cold weather by merely keeping them inside. Most electronic devices are designed to work between the 32 and 100 degree temperature range. Make sure that your device stays in that range when you have to bring it out in the cold.

All electronic components are subject to failure due to overheating. Any increase in temperature can result in a reduced lifespan. This includes increase in temperature due to ambient temperature of the environment, heat produced by the device itself, and the product"s efficiency at heat removal.

The ideal operating temperature of a computer"s environment ranges from 50 degrees F to 82 degrees, though it should be as close as possible to room temperature, 72 degrees. Laptops should operate between 50 and 95 degrees.

While you"re planning to keep yourself warm during the cold weather, make sure you consider your electronic devices, too. Tech experts say the cold can drain your battery in minutes, cause permanent damage and it can also freeze an LCD screen.

I don"t know if a freezer would get the units cold enough to see what happens. I"ve used both grayscale and coler etrex units outside in the winter, and find they"re good to a little below zero fareheit most of the time if you use lithium batteries. Somewhere around zero or a little below, the sreen will get really sluggish, and start doing strange stuff where only parts of it update and stuff like that. The unit will keep recording good tracks though long after the display stops working. On the other end of the spectrum, having taken the Grayscale units into the desert many a time, I can report that direct hot sun on the display will cause the constrast to change to the point you can"t read the screen anymore, and that with eTrex units or a G-III at least you can"t adjust the constrast enough to make them useable. I haven"t observed similar behavior with color units yet though.

On the Teton snowshoe backpacking trip I went on where it got cold enough to cause my VistaC display to fail, I just used the lanyard and kept it inside my coat worn around my neck most of the time. You can then pull it out and use it for a considerable amount of time before it gets cold enough to cause any problems. Other than the rare occasion, most of time though I don"t expose my units to the cold for a long enough period of time to experience problems. As I age, I find I"m a lot less likely to expose myself to that sort of condition. (Who knows, maybe it"s wisdom)

Both Apple and Android companies are warning customers to bring their electronics inside, and not leave them in their vehicles for an extended period of time because the cold air can cause permanent damage, and in certain cases cause items to explode.

- Please be advised that the recommended storage temperature should be between -20 Celsius and +60 Celsius. However,thetelevision cannot be plugged in until the television"s internal temperature is 0-40 degrees Celsius. Please ensure that you unplug the television prior to storing it, and that the television is well warmed-up before plugging it in after the storage period. Regards, Panasonic Canada Inc. - Customer Care Centre - bg

- Thank you for submitting your inquiry to Samsung.For all 3 different technologies, LCD, DLP or PLASMA, the manufacturer recommends a storage temperature (TV off mode) between -4°F to 113°F (-20°C to 45°C). Same storage temperatures for all. We also recommend that regardless of what type you buy, that you unplug the TV from the wall socket when not in use for a very long period and to let TV warm up by just plugging it for 12 hours before operating the next time. - Samsung Limitless Support

- I"m glad to provide you the information regarding the operating temperature and storage temperature of the Sony TV. The television can be placed in storage with environmental temperatures between -4 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit (F) and 20-90% Relative Humidity (RH). The recommended temperature for proper operation is between 41°F to 96°F. Proper operation outside of this temperature range cannot be guaranteed. Thank you for your time. Sony of Canada, Ltd. C6EL Jason

No way in heck would I leave my scope (a Rigol) out in the garage. I have most of my stuff in an unheated storage unit at the moment and while I"m not using the scope for anything currently, it is still waiting patiently in my bedroom. I think you made the right choice by being more careful with yours as well.

When I said earlier that LCDs don"t like the cold... they can actually crack or otherwise completely break. I wasn"t just referring to sluggish performance, though sluggish performance is almost a definite in the cold whereas cracking is just a slight possibility (if your equipment is good).

Across the Midwest today, hundreds of schools and businesses are closed, dozens of flights and trains have been canceled, and the governors of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Michigan have declared states of emergency as a bone-chilling, breath-taking Polar Vortex bears down on the region. While I slept in Minneapolis, overnight wind chills in the city topped –50 degrees. With temperatures like that, you can’t stay outside for more than five minutes without running the risk of frostbite.

As a native Midwesterner, I’m used to the annual assault of winter weather on the human body, hairless and adapted over millennia to indoor living as we are. Despite our thermoregulatory shortcomings, we’ve managed to survive extreme cold through technology—from insulating clothing to systems that pump hot air and water around our homes.

But much of the tech that facilitates our connected modern lives itself loses functionality as temperatures drop below freezing. Batteries, screens, sensors, lightweight materials—the things that power our modern mobile lifestyles—just don’t work when it gets this cold. Here’s what to expect of your gear.

Think about all the gadgets that you regularly plug into a power strip. It’s a lot, right? Besides everyday items like a phone and laptop, you might also have a fitness tracker, smart watch, Bluetooth headphones, digital camera, e-reader, vape pen, drone, or rechargeable bike lights, just to name a few. Most if not all of them are powered by lithium-ion batteries, whose high energy density and ability to handle both low and high currents have made them the industry standard for personal electronics. But those same properties become a problem as soon as temperatures dive below 32 degrees F.

“Lithium-ion batteries suffer so badly in freezing temperatures because they have very little internal resistance,” says Hanumant Singh, an electrical engineer at Northeastern University who builds cold-weather robots for places like Antarctica and Greenland. Less resistance means these batteries generate less waste energy as heat (a good thing in more mild climes). But the absence of waste heat also means they’re more vulnerable when temperatures plummet. The colder it gets, the slower the metabolism of the chemical reaction inside the battery. The battery drains faster as a result. If you’ve ever been texting someone at a healthy-looking 25 percent charge only to have your phone die mid-eggplant emoji two seconds later, you’re familiar with how steep the drop-off can be. “It’s very dramatic,” says Singh. Carrying around a smartphone in any weather colder than –35 degrees F, he says, will kill it completely in 5 minutes—right around the time frostbite would strike the hand holding it.

Such deficiencies are particularly pronounced in devices like smartphones, which are designed to sit mostly inactive for long periods of time throughout the day. Their batteries never draw enough current to heat themselves. But vehicles like drones and electric cars, which demand very high power for shorter periods of time, can generate enough warmth to keep the batteries going, just at a greatly reduced level of performance. While cold weather is a challenge for all electric vehicles, the small size of electric scooters can make them especially vulnerable to failures, as noted by several “juicer” forums on Reddit. Companies like Lime monitor the performance of their fleets, including battery life, but say they are not yet aware of any trends coinciding with this week’s plummeting temps.

The performance of individual products will of course vary based on the manufacturer, battery model, and wear and tear on the device. Apple suggests not operating its phones below 32 degrees F. Amazon says the same for the Kindle. Fitbit, on the other hand, recommends a minimum ambient operating temperature no colder than 14 degrees F for its wellness wearables, which should maintain better temperature control based on continuous contact with your skin. But the same general rules apply to anything that uses lithium-ion battery technology.

Smartphones are the opium of the people. If you need proof, just watch the average person’s reaction when they break “their precious”. Repairing smartphones has become a huge business. The most often broken item on phones is of course the front glass. In most cases, the screen itself doesn’t break. On newer smartphones, even the touchscreen is safe. The front glass is only a protective lens.

The easiest way to repair a broken front glass is to swap the entire LCD assembly. For an iPhone 6 plus, this will run upwards of $120 USD. However, the glass lens alone is just $10. The problem is that the LCD, digitizer and front glass are a laminated package. Removing them without breaking the wafer thin LCD glass requires great care. The hardest part is breaking down the optical glue securing the glass to the LCD. In the past that has been done with heat. More recently, companies from China have been selling liquid-nitrogen-based machines that cool the assembly. Now immersing a phone screen in -196° C liquid nitrogen would probably destroy the LCD. However, these machines use a temperature controller to keep a surface at -140° C. Just enough to cause the glue to become brittle, but not kill the LCD.

[JerryRigEverything] doesn’t have several thousand dollars for a liquid nitrogen machine, but he does have a $5 block of dry ice. Dry ice runs at -78.5°C. Balmy compared to liquid nitrogen, but still plenty cold. After laying the phone screens down on the ice for a few minutes, [Jerry] was able to chip away the glass. It definitely takes more work than the nitrogen method. Still, if you’re not opening your own phone repair shop, we think this is the way to go.

Broken phones are a cheap and easy way to get high-resolution LCD screens for your projects. The problem is driving them.[Twl] has an awesome project on Hackaday.io for driving phone screens using an FPGA. We haven’t seen it done with iPhone 6 yet though. Anyone up for the challenge?

I have an inexpensive flash-based MP3 player that I got for skiing, and finally got around to using it this weekend with Giro Tune-ups (which work really well, FYI). Temps were 5-15 degrees. Player was in my pack on the first day, no problems, and was in my jacket for the second (colder) day. At the end of the second day, the LCD screen on the MP3 player had developed a big blotch across the middle, such that 80% of the display was no longer legible. After warming it back up inside, overnight, the screen is still 80% gone. Player works fine -- just can"t see anything on the screen. I"m returning it for another one.

Anyone have this happen with any LCD device in very cold weather? I"m glad it was a cheap MP3 player, under warranty, rather than my camera. I would"ve thought that it would remain warm enough inside my jacket, but maybe not.

Laptops are ideal for “at the moment” work, but they can still crack. Particular components of a laptop require special attention and care. It is essential to take good care of the laptop when you take it outdoors. Cold weather has various ways to damage your laptop.

For starters, it can disable the display, and shatter your crash on your hard drive. Warming the laptop too quickly can also lead to serious problems. Laptop owners often ask; how cold can a laptop tolerate? Well, that depends on the make and model.

Other than that, using your laptop in both cold and hot temperatures can have an effect on your laptop. But our main topic is cold. When the winter comes, it is important to consider the impact of cold on your laptop.

We often worry about the heat damaging our devices, but we pay little to no attention to the impacts of cold weather on our devices. The cold weather is just as dangerous as the warm weather. The cold weather can freeze your laptop and destroy its battery within minutes. In most cases, the screen even gets shattered because of the extreme cold.

Furthermore, there is no determining how much cold laptops can tolerate, it depends on the period. The effects of cold weather are just as same as hot weather on laptops. Other than the cold weather being a factor, laptops can also collapse because of carelessness.

Some people might not believe this, but laptops can freeze. The temperature zones really matter. Even laptop cases don’t help in protecting the screen and the internal components. Don’t ever use your laptop while it is kept inside a laptop case. The heat will have no place to go, and chances are, all your memory will be lost.

According to the LaptopsChamp, some particular devices can handle the extreme conditions of weather, but just to be clear and cautious, it is best that you take no chances with your laptop.

Some high-end technology laptops can withstand all kinds of temperature zones subtly, but some are built from average technology which is not always right to keep in the cold weather. However, if you still have to leave your laptop in the cold weather, it is recommended to use a laptop cover or a bag.

Wait a couple of minutes to let the laptop regain its safe temperature. Other than just the cold weather, you should also not leave your laptop in the hot weather. Basically, always have a laptop bag with you wherever you carry the laptop.

The answer is clear; your laptop will not be able to withstand a wide amount of cold. You should always be cautious and treat your laptop with full care.

Whenever you have to travel with your laptop, means when you need to carry it around, you must always put it inside a laptop case. The laptop case should be properly insulated and of high quality.

This way, the cold will be warded off and your laptop will stay as good as new. However, even with the case, it is possible for your laptop to gather moisture and this may lead to damage. That is why; it is best suggested to keep your laptop out of humid areas and damp.

It is always recommended to keep your laptop indoors where the temperature is controlled. Never leave your laptop inside your vehicle or in other places where there are chances of temperature damage. You can’t always rely on the carrying case to be of service, sometimes it doesn’t even work.

When it comes to the component of your laptop; it’s the screen. If the laptop is exposed to the cold for too long, it can freeze the screen, and it might even shatter when you boot the system. This is not just dangerous for the screen, but the pixels can also lose their integrity.

Whenever you are transferring your laptop to a warmer area after it has been in the cold, do not turn it on right away. Wait at least fifteen minutes for the laptop to reach a temperate zone.

Keep in mind; you shouldn’t warm your laptop up by yourself, because that is not appropriate. Using different warming devices will not be helpful; in fact, they will damage your laptop. If you warm up the laptop too quickly, it can shatter your screen and other parts of the laptop.

To avoid any damage, always shut your laptop entirely by turning off all applications and closing tabs. When you shut the laptop, the hard drive retains rest. On the other hand, if you put your laptop on sleep mode, the hard drive will still be running.

This unnecessary movement can cause the hard drive to malfunction, lose data, or get corrupted. If you leave your laptop in the cold by accident, as mentioned above a thousand times, do not boot it until it gets enough time to acclimate. Closing the lid without turning off the laptop is also dangerous.

Well, there is no amount of cold that your laptop can tolerate. Sure, a laptop is an easy investment, but how can you even have it when you can’t take care of it? Buying a laptop comes with great responsibility.

You should be able to take all the required steps needed to take special care of your laptop and make it long-lasting. Keep all of the tips mentioned above and tricks in mind when it comes to avoiding cold weather and managing the maintenance of your laptop. If you take care of the temperature zones, you can protect your laptop from damage.

You’ve just built the perfect snowman: top hat, carrot nose, corncob pipe, the works. You whip your iPhone out to snap a photo for your Instagram feed, but the screen won"t come on. It was fully charged when you left the house, so what happened? Did the cold weather kill your phone?

While this scenario is bleak—the dead-as-a-brick phone, not your empty Instagram feed—there"s no reason to panic, says Matt McCormick, owner of Jet City Device Repair in Chicago and Seattle.

“In the winter, especially on iPhones, it’s easy to see your phone simply die if you’re standing out in freezing weather,” he says. “I personally had this happen a few years ago when I was hiking with some friends in Wisconsin. The cold weather made the phone unusable as long as I was outside.”

In fact, “bricked” phones aren’t as common as you may fear. In the traditional software sense, a phone “bricks” when “the hardware is perfectly fine but the software has the phone locked up and unusable,” McCormick says. The most common causes of that are when someone tries to jailbreak his or her phone—hack it to access its master files or install third party apps—or if someone stops an update partway through the process. Neither of those are weather dependent. (While a bug on the new iPhone X did cause the phone’s screen to freeze when exposed to cold weather, Apple has since released a software fix to solve the problem. Other times, catastrophic hardware failures can permanently brick phones.)

“However, we do frequently see phones that appear dead,” McCormick says. Some common causes of that include water damage, a broken or blocked charging port, and the occasional software glitch that prevents the screen from coming on. But the most destructive and widespread is a bad battery.

Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, the kind used in iPhones, are vulnerable and volatile. According to Apple’s guidelines, iPhones should be used between 32°F and 95°F. Some tests suggest that the phones’ batteries can stop discharging electricity altogether when in frigid temperatures.

“Low- or high-temperature conditions might cause the device to change its behavior to regulate its temperate,” Apple says. “Using an iOS device in very cold conditions outside of its operating range might temporarily shorten battery life and could cause the device to turn off. Battery life will return to normal when you bring the device back to higher ambient temperatures.”

If your phone dies while you are in the cold weather, the solution is to keep your phone warm or warm it back up. That’s how McCormick ultimately revived his seemingly dead iPhone: He hiked inside.

To prevent this from happening when you’re outside, keep your phone in a sturdy case and store it close to your body—in a pants pocket, for example, instead of in a coat pocket. And while force-closing apps isn’t recommended for saving battery, it’s still a good idea to look at what’s using your power both onscreen and in the background. (You can check to see how much power your apps are using by following these instructions.)

If your phone screen still goes black, wait until you’re back inside and the phone has warmed up before trying to turn it on. Also, go easy on the charging while the phone is still cold—Battery University says never to charge consumer grade lithium-ion batteries in temperatures below freezing, which can cause permanent damage.

You’ve left your TV in your unheated garage this winter, and temperatures reached below zero. When you finally return, you’re about to turn on the TV, but something stops you.

If you live in a place with cold, icy winters, it’s best to store your TV inside your heated home, rather than leaving it in your humid, below-freezing garage or basement.

You may already know from middle school physics that materials expand in the heat and contract in the cold. The same philosophy applies to your TV’s internal hardware.

Your TV is made up of delicate and complex logic boards, wires, and other carefully placed metal parts. When frozen, these metal pieces will contract and pull away from each other, which could lead to wires detaching and breaking.

This could completely break your TV and pose a fire hazard when you try to turn it on. If your TV has condensation inside, you may notice water inside the screen.

Fixing water damage on a TV is a complicated process that yields low success rates and often requires you to completely take apart your TV. This is risky if you’re unfamiliar with a TV’s anatomy and you could struggle to put it back together correctly.

This could make tasks like changing the channel or volume quite frustrating and may make it almost impossible to game as the input lag would be too slow.

If you’re thinking of mounting your TV in your garage, it’s best to monitor the temperature and humidity levels to make sure it’s a safe environment for your TV.

This Haozee Smart WiFi Temperature and Humidity Monitor connects to an app on your phone, so you can monitor how cold and humid your garage gets at night without having to get out of bed and check it yourself.

Instead, bring your TV inside your home and let it come back down to room temperature. This will give the metal components time to expand back to their original size. It will also allow any condensation to evaporate.

Extremely cold temperatures could severely damage your TV, leading to hundreds of dollars worth of repairs. In the worst-case scenario, you may even have to purchase a replacement.

Yesenia Achlim is a technical copywriter and editor with a focus on AV equipment. She aims to break down complicated topics and make technology accessible, no matter your technical expertise. When she’s not teaching you how to replace a projector lamp, you can find her reading and baking.

If you plan on filming in a cold environment there are several precautions you must take - the health and safety of your crew being the most paramount. But what other safety measures should you observe? Here are our top ten tips.

It goes without saying you"ll need to be warm. But the art of dressing for extreme cold conditions is slightly more subtle than that. For a start, the choice of clothes depends on whether you are going to be very physically active or standing around a lot. It also depends on whether temperatures are likely to vary considerably. As a general rule, it"s best to have lots of layers. This way you can take them on and off depending on what you are doing and what happens with temperatures.

Sweating can be a problem because you can get very cold when damp. So wearing layers means you can change more easily. Terry Woolf, a filmmaker based in Yellowknife, Canada, says choice of material is important. "When dressing for the cold, wool is the best thing you can use. It retains much of its thermal efficiency even if wet. Down is good but when wet is useless. Fleece is good stuff. Cotton is the worst thing to wear. Loose clothing is better than tight because trapped dead air is your insulator. Wear long underwear. Fleece or wool pants, a good windproof over layer like nylon wind pants etc. (although nylon and gortex stuff gets pretty stiff and makes noise which is bad for sound)."

Having the right body armour is only part of the process. You also need a hat that covers your ears and something for your neck. Terry Woolf uses a wool neck gaiter rather than a scarf, because scarves can get in the way. Boots with good grip and warm lining are crucial. Rubber bottoms are better than plastic. It"s good advice to wear a couple of pairs of socks to keep the heat in (one of them wool). But make sure your boots don"t feel too tight because the cold will transfer from outside to your feet more easily if they are.

Gloves are also critical - but most experts struggle to find gloves that can a) keep their hands warm and b) allow them to operate equipment. Options include Flashpoint Finger Shooting Gloves (which allow you to uncover your fingertips without removing the entire glove) and Isotoner Smartouch Gloves (the kind of gloves that allow you to use touchscreen devices without taking them off). A more standard approach is to wear fingerless gloves and then have a pair of thick mittens to put over them when not filming. One other tip from Woolf is to put chemical hand warmers in your mittens or pockets but "watch them around the gear, they contain salts and if opened could damage things," he warns.

Don"t underestimate the debilitating nature of cold weather. Always stay in shelter when possible, eat well to store up energy and consume warm drinks. Rest is also important. Team leaders need to make sure they aren"t pushing people too hard and are monitoring when people are starting to suffer. Factor in extra time because people work slower in extreme cold conditions. Also be on the look-out for serious conditions like frostbite. If your skin starts to feel numb and hard, don"t panic. But you do need to get out of the cold and warm it up.

Filmmakers tend to cite two issues most frequently. The first is battery preservation. Cotton Coulson and Sisse Brimberg, who have been taking photos for National Geographic magazine for more than three decades, say: “When shooting in below-freezing weather, it is critical to have a fully charged set of batteries, since the cold temperatures can quickly drain them. Should your battery discharge too early, you can extend its life by placing it in a warm pocket, close to your body, to warm it up. Remember to always bring along two batteries: one for the camera and another to keep charging in your cabin or room.”

The other problem that producers encounter in cold conditions is condensation. Director of photography Alister Chapman says: “When you take a very cold camera inside you will get condensation. If the camera is very cold this can freeze on the camera including the glass of the lens. If there is condensation on the outside of the camera, there will also be condensation inside and this can kill your camera. To prevent or reduce condensation, place the camera in a large ziplock bag before taking it inside. Then allow the camera to warm up to the ambient temperature before removing it from the bag.” [Some other film-makers use see-through plastic garbage sacks].

Chapman also says you can leave your camera outside to avoid condensation but not if it gets below minus 25 degrees Celsius because “you risk the LCD panel freezing and cracking. Very often in cold regions houses will have an unheated reception room or porch. This is a good place to store you camera rather than taking it inside into the warm. Repeatedly taking a camera from cold to warm without taking precautions against condensation will shorten the life of your camera.”

“If you can, leave the camera on between shots. The camera generates some heat internally and this will prevent many issues.” Some experts says film-makers should use “ lithium, nicad, or nickel metal hydride batteries, which function well in the cold”. But Chapman’s view is that Nicads or NiMh batteries are "all but useless" below freezing.

The other kit issue that can cause headaches is how to protect lenses. Most filmmakers advise taking a paintbrush to wipe off slush or snow if it gets on the lens (or any other equipment for that matter). Don’t blow snow off the lens because this can cause moisture to freeze on it. Better to use a paintbrush or cloth to do this.

You also need to be thinking about protective devices such as a rubber lens hood and a rain/falling snow cover. In general, the best advice is not to change lenses outside unless absolutely essential. Even carrying or changing lenses beneath your coat can create a condensation problem.

As for tripods, some filmmakers advise that lightweight versions aren’t very good in extreme cold conditions. If you have to use them, keep the legs as short as possible.

This seems to contradict the tripod advice above. But as far as possible don’t take too much stuff. It’s probably going to increase costs, because you’ll need more vehicles and/or porters. And you’ll increase the risk of damage. Worst of all, messing around with kit might mean you miss the big shot. If you do have to take a lot of kit, don’t skimp on vehicles, drivers and porters because you need to make sure your crew members aren’t burdened by non-essential jobs [though ultimately these are judgment calls based on budgets].

Some kit can get brittle in cold weather, either losing its flexibility or snapping. Woolf says: “Watch your cables. Most of them are plastic and will become very brittle. There is a cold-weather mic cable out there from Canare.”

Referring to the previous section, also note that snow/rain covers can get brittle. Look for specially-designed products. Tripods can also experience issues. If outside in very low temperatures for extended periods, the grease in the tripod may freeze. Companies like Vinten can winterise the tripod by replacing normal grease with arctic grease.

Terry Woolf says: “If you are working in mine buildings or truck stops remember a lot of them have nylon carpets and this is a very arid environment. Walking down the hall can build a hefty static charge. Watch your gear. If it’s very static-y I find holding a key or some kind of metal in my hand and discharging it against something neutral before touching the gear helps.”

Any extreme adventure requires good emergency planning. It’s important to undertake a thorough risk assessment when planning your shoot. This will be needed in order to adequately insure your crew and equipment. Your location scout or manager should have a solid knowledge of the risks involved in filming in their chosen area. This includes access and evacuation routes, where medical facilities are located and how to access them.

Larger productions should have their own medic with them on location and it would also be useful to ensure other members of crew are trained in basic first aid. All crew should be briefed on how to keep themselves safe and healthy during filming. The key message is to be prepared for every possible eventuality because conditions change quickly. Keep in mind also that equipment like generators, mobile or satellite phones and radios may also be adversely affected by the weather. Think in advance about how to resolve this.

You don’t want anything to stop your shoot. And you don’t want to show any signs of ignorance. But don’t be so stubborn that you ignore advice. Local knowledge can be invaluable in helping to plan a safe and efficient shooting schedule. Heed warnings from guides, their advice could be crucial to maintaining your crew’s safety. Be prepared to use local specialists if confronted by complex or treacherous conditions.

With winter well upon us I thought it would be good to share some of my arctic shooting experience. I’ve shot in temperatures down to -45c in the arctic in winter.

Overall modern tapeless cameras do OK in extreme cold. The most reliable cameras are generally larger solid state cameras. Larger cameras cool slower than small ones and larger cameras will hold on to heat generated internally better than small ones. Cameras and electronics with lots of cooling vents can sometimes also be troublesome as the vents allow them to cool more quickly. But cold is not necessarily going to be the biggest problem.

Condensation is the big deal breaker. When you take the very cold camera inside into a warm house/hotel/car/tent you will get condensation. If the camera is very cold this can then freeze on the body of camera including the glass of the lens. If there is condensation on the outside of the camera, there will almost certainly also be condensation inside the camera and this can kill your camera.

To prevent or at least reduce the condensation you can place the camera in a large ziplock or other sealed bag BEFORE taking it inside, take the camera inside in the bag. Then allow the camera to warm up to the ambient temperature before removing it from the bag. Peli cases are another option, but the large volume of the pelicase means there will be more moisture inside the case to condense and the insulating properties of the case mean that it could take many, many hours to warm up.

I don’t recommend storing a cold or damp camera in a Pelicase (or any other similar waterproof case) as there is nowhere for the moisture to go, so the camera will remain damp until the case is opened and everything dried out properly.

Rather than moving a camera repeatedly from outside to inside and repeatedly generating risky condensation you should consider leaving the camera outside. You can leave the camera outside provided it does not get below -25c. Below -25c you risk the LCD panel freezing and cracking. LCD  panels freeze at between -30 to -40c. If you are using a camera in very cold conditions and you notice the edges of the LCD screen going blue or dark you should start thinking about warming up that LCD panel as it may be close to freezing.

LCD displays will become slow and sluggish to respond in the cold. Your pictures may look blurry and smeary because of this. It doesn’t affect the recording, only what you see on the LCD.

Very often in cold regions houses will have an unheated reception room or porch. This is a good place to store your camera rather than taking it inside into the warm. Repeatedly taking a camera from cold to warm without taking precautions against condensation will shorten the life of your camera.

Li-Ion batteries are effected by the cold but they are not nearly as bad as Nicads or NiMh batteries which are all but useless below freezing. li-Ion battery life gets reduced by between 25 and 50% depending on how cold it is and the quality of the battery (very cheap cells may have a higher water content which can freeze causing the cell to dramatically lose capacity and the ability to deliver power).

Down to about -10c there is only a very marginal loss of capacity. Down to -25c you will lose about 20%-30% below -25c the capacity will fall away further and it becomes impossible to use the full capacity of the battery.

Keep your spare batteries in a pocket inside your coat or jacket until you need them. After use let the battery warm up before you charge it if you can. Charging a very cold battery will reduce the lifespan of the battery and it won’t fully charge. One top tip for shooting outside for extended periods is to get a cool box. Get some chemical hand warmers or electric rechargeable handwarmers and place them in the cool box with your batteries to keep them warm. If you don’t have hand warmers you can also use a hot water bottle.

If your lens has and snow or ice on it, don’t be tempted to breath or blow on the lens to blow the ice off.  Do not to breath on the lens when cleaning it as your warm breath will condense on the cold glass and freeze.  Also try to avoid breathing out close to the viewfinder.  When it is very cold and if you are warm in your nice thick winter clothes even standing close to the camera can lead to frost and ice building up on it.  Small amounts of sweat from your body will evaporate and this moisture will find its way to the camera, even if you are a few feet (1 or 2m) from it. If doing a timelapse of the Northern Lights, once the camera is running you should move away from the camera.

A small soft paint brush is good for keeping your lens clean as in very cold conditions you’ll simply be able to brush and snow or ice off. Otherwise a large lens cloth.

Your lens will get cold and in some conditions you will get frost on the front element. To help combat this wrap some insulating fabric around the body of the lens. Wrist sweat bands are quite good for this or an old sock with the toes cut off.  For time-lapse long sessions in very cold weather you might want to get a lens heater for the lens. These are normally 12 volt or USB powered and wrap around the lens. They don’t use lots of power but they do warm the lens just enough to keep the worst of the condensation, dew and frost off the lens. They are sometimes also called “dew heaters” and are sold by most good telescope suppliers.

Conventional plastic rain covers become brittle below about -15c and can even shatter like glass  below -20c. The clear plastic panels in other covers can also suffer the same fate. So use if you use a cover use one made out of fabric. Special insulated cold weather covers often called “polar bears” can be used and these often have pockets inside for chemical heat packs. These are well worth getting if you are going to be doing a lot of arctic shooting and will help keep the camera warm. As an alternative wrap the camera in a scarf or cut the sleeves of an old sweater to make a tube you can slide over the camera. If you have a sewing machine you could make a simple cover out of some fleece type material.

For DSLR’s and stills cameras a balaclava can be used to cover the camera body to provide some protection. However unheated covers don’t make a big difference when the camera is outside in very cold temperatures for extended periods, eventually the cold will get to it.

Plastics get brittle at low temperatures so be very gentle with anything plastic, especially things made from very hard, cheap plastic. The plastic Sony use appears to be pretty tough even at low temps. Wires and cables may become as rigid as a steel rod. Be gentle, bend then too much and the insulation may split and the cable break. I try to avoid bending any cable once it has become very cold.

Other considerations are tripods. If outside in very low temps for more than 30mins or so the grease in the tripod will become very thick and may even freeze, so your fluid damping will become either very stiff or freeze up all together. Contact your tripod manufacturer to see what temperatures their greases can be used over. Vinten and some of the other tripod companies can winterise the tripod and replace the normal grease with arctic grease. If you are unsure put your tripod head in your deep freeze at home for a few hours and see if it still works when you take it out.

I find that the best way to operate the camera is by wearing a pair of large top quality mittens (gloves are next to useless below -15c), Consider getting a pair of Army surplus arctic mittens, they are very cheap on ebay and from surplus stores and will normally have an additional “trigger finger”. This extra finger makes it easier to press the record button and things like that.  If you can get Swedish or Finnish military winter mittens, these are amongst the best. I wear a pair of thin “thinsulate” fleece gloves that will fit inside the mittens, i can then slip my hands in and out of the mittens to operate the camera. If you can get gloves with finger tips compatible with touch screens this will allow you to use any touch functions on a camera or your phone.

I keep a chemical hand warmer inside the mittens to warm my fingers back up after using the camera (or use heated mittens powered by a USB battery pack).

The hardest thing to keep warm is your feet. If you’ll be standing in snow or standing on ice then conventional hiking boots etc will not keep your feet warm. A Scandinavian trick if standing outside for long periods is to get some small twigs and tree branches to stand on and help insulate your feet from the cold ground. If your feet get cold then you are at risk of frostbite or frost nip. Invest in or hire some decent snow boots like Sorel’s or Baffin’s.  There is almost nothing worse than having ice cold feet when working. Don’t forget that if you do get cold, moving around, running on the spot etc will help get your circulation going help war you up. Also a flask with a hot drink is always welcome.  I have an arctic clothing guide here; Arctic Clothing Guide |

The temperature in New York City on Tuesday was a high of 19°F and a low of 4°, which is being blamed on the Polar Vortex that is ravaging most of the country with icy weather.

Stepping into the bitter cold, you may have noticed such bodily effects as numbing of the extremities and difficulty breathing. But people are not alone in battling the effects of the cold. Some of our most prized possessions also react to the dipping thermostat: our mobile devices.

Smartphones are known to withstand cold temperatures much better than hot; however, extreme cold temperatures can have adverse effects on our favorite gadgets. Studies have shown that many Android devices fare better in the cold than Apple devices, but smartphones across the board appear to succumb equally at about -40 Degrees, where all functionality ceases.

Though it may just feel like its -40 out, recent temperatures are actually low enough to elicit negative effects on smartphones. Here’s a list of issues than can arise in your smartphone due to the cold.

Battery drain is one of the most immediate effects of cold weather. Devices may spontaneously shut down with a dead battery in the extreme cold. Over time, extended exposure to cold temperatures can kill a smartphone battery all together.

Smartphones with LCD displays are more susceptible to the cold than those with AMOLED displays. With LCD displays in particular, users may experience delayed touchscreen reactions as well as smudging and ghosting of text and colors. Display panels are also more susceptible to shattering when dropped as the cold makes the panel rigid.

In extreme cold temperatures smartphones may begin to register various errors of a their internal components. Devices may have difficulty reading a SIM card or executing a number processing functionalities.

As said, extreme cold causes components of smartphones, both internal and external, to become rigid, which could lead to physical damage like spontaneous screen shattering. Drops or blunt movements can also crack a screen and dislodge or damage internal components. Devices left in extreme cold temperatures for an extended time can be susceptible to permanent damage, especially when left in ‘sleep mode.’

Smartphones are susceptible to liquid condensation underneath their displays if they are used soon after being brought into a warm area after an extended time in the cold. This can cause various liquid damage issues and can also make the screen hard to read.

Don’t take your smartphone out in the cold/limit use in the cold. Leave your smartphone in your pocket, jacket, bag or purse. Leaving devices in a pocket close to your own body heat is most recommended.

Protect your smartphone with a heavy duty, weatherproof case such as an OtterBox or Lifeproof case. Such cases are dirt proof, waterproof and drop resistant.

Use warming gloves when handling a smartphone in the cold. Whether gloves are warmed or not, protecting yourself in the cold will also help prevent accidental drops due to your own physical reactions to the cold.

Don’t leave your smartphone in a cold vehicle for extended periods of time, especially not overnight. Such extended use can cause permanent internal and external damage.

Keep your smartphone away from or protected from snow related activities such as shoveling or sledding. In addition to the cold, the opportunity for the device to get wet is also great and extremely damaging.

Use headphones or a Bluetooth earbud and mic in order to keep smartphones put away while out in the cold. Not only do many Bluetooth devices have call answer buttons, many smartphones have quick answer options, which will allow users to take calls without handling the device.

Charge your smartphone before going outside. If your battery is fully before going out into the cold, it is less likely to experience battery drain. Keep a mobile charger around for long trips as well as an extra battery for backup.

If your smartphone happens to be exposed to extreme cold, the best thing to do is to turn the device off and allow it to warm back up to room temperature before turning it on again for use. This not only helps prevent condensation, but also helps prevent any other damage that might occur while the device is warming up.

I"m the one that started the thread that SIKSUKR refers to. I had 2 Samsung 40" LCD TV"s. Below is what I found. I"ve had no problems at all. I do put a wool blanket over the TVs when closing down and I do wait for operating temp to turn on when going up in cold weather.

Samsung TVs can operate safely in rooms or areas in which temperatures range from 50� F to 104� F (10� C to 40� C). Temperatures outside the listed range will negatively affect the operation of your TV.

Samsung TVs can be stored unused at temperatures ranging from -4� to 113� Fahrenheit (-20� to 45� Centigrade). Storing your TV at temperatures outside this range can damage your TV.

The Panasonic Toughbook FZ-T1 is part of the latest fully-rugged handheld series from Panasonic and I know that when thinking about the toughest phones, most people will point to the Samsung Active series (or some other Chinese brands), but Toughbook devices are simply on another level in terms of ruggedness. I found it a bit amusing when Panasonic was referring to its 5-inch handsets as tablets that can make phone calls (which is not really wrong) and the Toughbook FZ-T1 is now a handheld and the Wi-Fi/4G version has all the functions of a normal smartphone. The way it is built and the additional features it has, clearly sets it apart even from the rest of the rugged smartphones and the closest device that I could find is the Cat S61 (due to its thermal imaging camera).

I held myself back for a while to include this product for more than a couple of reasons: it is unfortunately not suitable for the usual consumer and it’s specifically built for industry workers (mostly due to the integrated barcode scanner). That’s right, the Toughpad FZ-T1 features a thick case (which measures 3.0 x 6.1 x 0.7 inches including the barcode reader section – significantly slimmer than the N1 model), a fairly rounded back panel to keep the device comfortably in your hand and the black matte finish does help with the grip (so you don’t drop it). On the front of the device, just above the display, there’s a small battery indicator (when it’s red, the battery level is 10% or less), the ambient light/proximity sensors and the microphone.

Underneath the display, there is a mono speaker (can go up to 95dB) and a microphone – yes, the three physical buttons (Back, Start and Search) are now gone and replaced by the on-screen alternative. I think that all rugged smartphones should keep the physical buttons and not migrate towards a display-only approach, but I’m willing to give Panasonic a pass due to the glove mode (allows you to use the phone with thick gloves) and rain mode (makes sure that there are no misoperations if the display gets we – (the process involves limiting the touchscreen multi-touch usability from 10 fingers to just one finger).

The sides of the Toughbook FZ-T1 are a combination between the gray plastic that stretches towards the front bezels and a black rubberized material (this combo does help move the Toughbook FZ-T1 slightly outside the industrial look).

Furthermore, on the left side, a protective cover hides the microUSB port (there is no USB-C), on the top, there’s a 3.5mm headset jack which sits next to a 1D/2D barcode reader, while on the right, there’s the Power button, a programmable Side button and the volume buttons (on the bottom of the device, there is an expansion bus for attaching an optional cradle – useful in an industrial environment where you can easily misplace the device). The rear side of the FZ-T1 is quite interesting since there is a slightly inflated portion towards the top (to accommodate the barcode reader) with the camera embedded within it, while towards the bottom, there is a latch which, once operated, will expose the removable battery.

The large part of the front side is occupied by the 5-inch display, which has a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels (a bit disconcerting for a 2-year old rugged phone), a pixel density of around 294ppi and up to 500cd/m2 brightness levels (seems to be the same as on the far older Toughpad FZ-E1). Yes, the display is outdated and I know that the focus was more towards functionality and less about entertainment, but even so it’s a bit ridiculous considering the price tag (the CAT S61 is also fairly industrial, but has a far batter display). That being said, the pixel density is low, the colors aren’t really as vibrant as what other cheaper phones from the competition have to offer and the viewing angles aren’t that great. Now, since this is a rugged device, it is expected that the screen won’t shatter easily and this is true for the most part since it can be dropped from 10 feet without taking any damage (the thick border that surrounds the display plays an important part) and it will survive without problems a lot of drops (yes, even face-first ones – it’s surprisingly difficult to destroy this device).

Furthermore, the Toughbook FZ-T1 is also MIL-STD-810G certified, so it can handle both high and low temperatures (the operating range is between -4 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit), explosive atmosphere, humidity, sand and dust, vibration (including loose cargo transportation), shock, freezing rain, acidic atmosphere and more. As expected, the Toughbook FZ-T1 is also waterproof and dust resistant, being both IP66 and IP68 rated, so you can submerge it down to 5 feet underwater for about 30 minutes. Inside the case, the Panasonic Toughbook FZ-T1 is equipped with a quad-core Qualcomm 210 MSM8909 chipset (the clock rate can go up to 1.1GHz), an integrated Adreno 304 graphics card, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of eMMC storage memory – you can add up to 64GB by using a microSD card. The device is also compatible with the following wireless and