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Neptune Shade Series Outdoor TV Review

With a host of features and benefits at a reasonable price, the Neptune Shade Series Outdoor TV by Peerless-AV takes the formerly overpriced market of outdoor television to the masses.

VERDICT: The Neptune Shade Series Outdoor TV by Peerless-AV brings outdoor television to everyday people. With a host of features and benefits at a reasonable price, the Neptune Shade Series takes the formerly overpriced market of outdoor television to the masses. The product is available is through a variety of common retailers instead of only through high-end home theater dealers, creating more pathways to ownership.

Neptune Shade Outdoor TV by Peerless-AV
Neptune Shade Series Outdoor TV by Peerless-AV

Right off the bat, the information available on the packaging brings an appeal to the product. I tested the 65-inch model and was glad to see it was safely packaged and easy to unbox. Immediately, this stellar packaging removed the intimidation of installing a complex TV; there was not an overwhelming sense of complexity, and it was a huge bonus that Peerless-AV included an outdoor wall mount in the box.

I have personally installed hundreds of TVs and displays in my lifetime and found this TV to be faster and simpler than most. The instruction manual was very helpful and clear.

Underneath the protective cover is a host of available inputs and features. After connecting my streaming device, which I was able to power from the adjacent USB, I connected the analog audio output to my powered speakers. The cable management through the protective cover and around the display was very helpful. Once installed, it is easy to notice the quality build of the product. With the ability to operate outdoors in such a wide variety of conditions and temperatures, I am most excited that I will not have to remove and reinstall this product each time there is a big thunderstorm, snow, a cold snap, etc.

The first thing I noticed when I turned on the display is the incredible color, contrast, and brightness. The Neptune Shade Series Outdoor TV does not have crazy-high brightness (5,000 NIT or more); however, it also does not have the high cost of other displays with that brightness either. So, here I am, mid-afternoon on the patio during a party cloudy day, and I am watching TV in the comfort of a recliner outside—it’s a blissful feeling.

Using my Quantum Data test generator, I was able to test a variety of source resolutions and sink tests. I was very impressed with the technical quality of the product. The display supports HDMI 2.0 and HDCP 2.2. Most impressive was the tests for 4K UHD HDR resolution. Some lower-cost displays that claim to be “outdoor” are often only 1080p, but the Neptune Shade Series Outdoor TV offers the resolution expectations of today, and, with the IPS panel and HDR, this display delivers an exceptional image quality. In addition, the image quality is seen at a wider variety of viewing angles than most other displays. Walking around my outdoor entertainment space, the image was uniform throughout.

The display has built-in speakers that do not take away from the aesthetics of the physical display. These speakers sound good, but as an audiophile, I was excited to have the ability to connect an external audio system via optical digital or analog. In this specific case, I connected the analog output to a  low-profile, high-output amplifier and outdoor speakers. Right away, I was happy to see there was no hum, buzz, or audio grounding issues, as these can often occur in lower-cost display circuitry. Using my streaming device, I was able to playback audio through the display on the external speakers with ease.

Neptune Shade Series Outdoor TV by Peerless-AV
With the Neptune Shade Series Outdoor TV by Peerless-AV, I was able to fully see the picture without needing to block out ambient light.

Then came the time for the real-world tests—stream a 4K movie and relax while watching a baseball game. Thirty minutes into the movie, I remembered I was outside; I was able to become engulfed in the story—in part because I was able to clearly see the picture without needing to block the ambient light. The movie was smooth and seamless without buffering. The seamlessness of the video playback is primarily due to fiber internet speeds, however I was using a standard off-the-shelf wireless router inside the house and several rooms away from where the patio is located.

To be honest, I did not have high expectations while installing my streaming device within the protective cover and seal. My first thought as I installed that device was “Great, now I have to get an outdoor access point.” I was delighted to discover this was not the case. The freePATH technology worked perfectly, allowing my Wi-Fi signal to reach the streaming device. In fact, I forgot about this fact for a bit as I watched the movie because it worked so well. Additionally, using a low-cost, over-the-air antenna from my local hardware store that was purchased last minute with the built-in tuner allowed for a relaxing afternoon of baseball outside.

If there is one downfall for this product, it would be that it is missing an integrated Smart component. Having the built-in, common applications of modern Smart TVs would eliminate the extra component needed—in today’s world, most consumers expect their TV purchases to feature popular streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video.

In summary, the Neptune Shade Series Outdoor Display from Peerless-AV brings a high-quality picture to the outdoors at a reasonable cost. High resolution TV shows, everyday sporting events, and family movie nights outside are all possible. The outdoor rating and maintenance-free design will provide for years of worry-free viewing. I would highly recommend this outdoor television; it has made our outdoor recreational and relaxation space complete, and I am personally looking forward to many nights outside with the kids watching movies together.

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