What a nit is
The number that matters is sustained full-screen brightness, not the peak a consumer TV hits for a split second on an HDR highlight.
A TV sold as “1,500 nits” usually holds 500–600 across the whole panel.
Why glass changes everything
- 100,000 luxDirect sun on a storefront
- 1,000–10,000 luxThe sidewalk on an overcast day
- A few hundred luxA typical room indoors
Direct sun on a storefront is around 100,000 lux. Even on an overcast day the sidewalk sits at 1,000–10,000 lux, and the glass reflects a good share of it straight back at the viewer.
The screen has to out-shine that reflection to be read. Indoors, 500 nits is plenty because the room is a few hundred lux.
In a window, 500 nits disappears by 10am.
Rule of thumb
How bright the screen needs to be, by where it goes. Bars are drawn on a 0–4,000 nit scale.
- Back-of-house, hallway, conference room400–500 nits400–500 nits
- Bright retail floor with skylights700 nits700 nits
- Behind storefront glass, facing the street2,500–3,000 nits2,500–3,000 nits
- Fully outdoors, direct sun3,500–4,000+ nits3,500–4,000+ nits
What to rent
For a pop-up window we rent the Samsung OM55B: 55″, 4K, 3,000 nits sustained, rated for 24/7 operation and built with dust protection and thermal management for a sun-facing window. It mounts portrait or landscape.
- 55″
- 4K
- 3,000 nits sustained
- Rated 24/7
- Dust protection
- Thermal management
- Portrait or landscape
For anything inside the store, a standard 500-nit QM-series display is the right call and costs less.
Content matters as much as nits
One more thing: these read through glass far better than busy video.
- Light text on dark backgrounds
- Large type
- High contrast
- Slow motion, not busy video
We’ll tell you if your reel will struggle before we install it.