Televisions of 80 inches and up are moving into the mainstream. Research firm Omdia expects global shipments in that size class to climb from about 9 million units in 2025 to more than 13 million by 2029, and its analysts credit much lower prices for the growth. TrendForce put sets of 60 inches and larger at 28.2 percent of all TVs shipped worldwide in 2025, the first year that share passed 28 percent.
As those screens get cheaper, more of them end up outside the living room. A set on a patio or a pool deck has to deal with rain, splashes, sun, humidity, and insects, none of which a standard indoor TV is built for. For a homeowner planning an 85-inch TV by the pool, the harder decision now is how to protect it. Protective Enclosures Company, the Florida manufacturer behind The TV Shield, has been making TV enclosures for more than 15 years and recently expanded its two largest enclosure lines to accommodate larger screen sizes.
Outdoor Protection up to 86 Inches
The TV Shield PRO is the company’s top outdoor model. It is built from powder-coated aluminum and steel, is rated at the company’s extreme weatherproofing level, and now takes TVs up to 86 inches. The front frame is hinged on gas shocks so the back of the set stays easy to reach, and thermostatic fans and an anti-glare shatterproof front panel come standard. It starts at $1,599 for the smallest size, carries a five-year limited warranty, and the company says it is popular with homeowners and businesses alike.
The alternative is a purpose-built outdoor television, a sealed set with its own weatherproofing. According to Protective Enclosures Company, its enclosures cost significantly less than outdoor-rated TVs, though the company also points to considerations beyond the initial purchase price. A sealed outdoor TV has to be replaced whole when its smart features age or when it gets damaged, and a screen left out in the open has little defense against either. The enclosure can remain in place when the TV inside is swapped for a newer model, and it can also accommodate accessories such as a Roku streaming device or game console.
That idea goes back to the company’s start. Brothers Jarad and Justin King wanted TVs on their own Florida patios and found two kinds of options: grill covers pressed into service as TV protection and outdoor TVs that cost thousands of dollars. They founded the company in 2009 and spent two years engineering what became The TV Shield. According to the company, its enclosures are installed in thousands of locations around the world, and customers have reported that units have withstood hurricanes, tornadoes, snowstorms, and prolonged exposure to heat and humidity. “We want customers to know they’re working with a company that stands behind what it makes and is accessible when support is needed,” said Jarad King, the company’s CEO.
Protective Enclosures Company also makes a sustainability case, and it starts with how long the products last. The company says some materials used in its enclosures are designed to withstand harsh environments for more than 20 years, while the added protection may also help extend the life of the TV inside, potentially reducing the need for replacements. In manufacturing, it makes the polyethylene sheets for The TV Shield from regrind material where possible, and it sends all plastic scrap from The TV Shield and The Display Shield production, along with all aluminum scrap from The TV Shield PRO line, for recycling. When an enclosure does reach the end of its life, the company encourages owners to recycle it, and its parts, from the polyethylene housing and aluminum frame to the steel back and polycarbonate front panel, can often be taken by local recyclers.
Covered Spaces and Indoor Walls up to 110 Inches
For the largest screens, the company points buyers to The TV Shield PRO Lite, which now goes up to 110 inches, with a dedicated unit for 98- to 110-inch TVs. It is a lighter design, a 0.177-inch ultra-clear polycarbonate front shield in a powder-coated aluminum frame with no back case, which gives it a flat picture-frame look on the wall. It comes in landscape and portrait formats.
The PRO Lite carries a lighter weatherproofing rating than the PRO. It suits covered outdoor spots such as a porch or the space under an overhang, along with indoor rooms, and the company’s product pages state that it does not protect against rain or wash-downs. For a homeowner, that makes it the option for a supersized screen indoors or in a covered outdoor space that does not see extreme weather.
Most PRO Lite units go to businesses. Banks, schools and courthouses use it to guard large indoor displays against impact, tampering and theft, and it can be fitted with a sloped anti-ligature hood for hospitals, care homes and correctional facilities. Protective Enclosures Company ties the size expansion to buyers on both sides moving to larger TVs and digital displays.
Touch Screens, Signage and Smaller Sizes
The PRO family also comes in touch versions. The TV Shield PRO Touch, PRO Lite Touch and PRO Portrait Touch let a protected screen work as an interactive display, with touch capability on screens up to 86 inches. Those versions are aimed mainly at businesses that want an interactive display in a public space.
Outdoor vertical signage gets its own model. Designed for upright displays used by businesses, the TV Shield PRO Portrait offers the same extreme weatherproofing as the PRO for screens up to 65 inches.
While the company has expanded into larger enclosures, its original product, The TV Shield, remains part of the lineup for consumers with smaller screens and tighter budgets. Molded from high-molecular-weight polyethylene and covered by U.S. Patent 9,235,232, it offers extreme weatherproofing for TVs from 19 to 65 inches and starts at $529. Its sister product, The Display Shield, comes in standard and vertical versions with minor design differences to accommodate different commercial applications. The company manufactures its products in the United States, with the entry-level E-Series and some accessories as the exceptions.
Lower Prices in a Year of Higher Costs to the company
According to Protective Enclosures Company, it reduced prices on select products across The TV Shield and The Display Shield lines in February. The reductions varied by product, and on some of the larger units they came to more than $100 per unit. Its costs for materials, labor, and shipping were still elevated at the time, as they were for many manufacturers, so the savings came from how the company runs.
“Over the past year, my team and I invested significant time improving how we operate, from relocating manufacturing facilities to refining our processes,” King said. The company said the price cuts did not come from changes that affect durability or performance. “Although we continue to face higher costs for materials and shipping, the changes we’ve made allow us to operate more efficiently. Rather than keeping those savings for ourselves, we felt it was important to pass them along to the customers who make our business possible.”
On Omdia’s figures, the number of 80-inch-plus TVs shipped each year will keep rising through 2029, with lower prices doing much of the work. Most of those sets are standard indoor televisions. The ones that end up by a pool, on a porch, or on a lobby wall need protection their makers did not build in, and Protective Enclosures Company now sells indoor and covered outdoor enclosures in sizes up to 110 inches, with outdoor and touch screen options up to 86 inches.
Prices and availability are accurate as of the time of publication and are subject to change without notice. Please check the retailer’s website for the most up-to-date pricing information.
