Outdoor Cinema

[Beta Man]

O.K.

The neighbors have talked me into it..... so for the fourth of July (long way off I know) We're having a little get-together, and everyone is urging me to set-up the projector for some movies for the kids..... I need some advice of what to, and not to do.... as this will be a one time, or perhaps once-a-year thing.....

I already don't like the idea of taking my projector down, but it'll give me a good excuse to clean out the vents etc. anyways....

I plan on getting a high-thread-count white sheet perhaps????? And stretching it across the front of the garage maybe.....

I have a 25' HDMI cable.... so I'll try to get my throw distance within that, while getting the biggest image possible.

I have electric run to the garage (detached) as well as a gazebo etc.... so I may just use some surge protectors and extension cords.

I'll use a spare AVR I have.... so I'll probably not run lossless audio... but that's not a big deal.

I'll use one of the PS3's since I'll want to show Blu-ray since the image is going to suffer enough as it is with the "non-ideal" setup.

For speakers, I just don't feel comfortable putting mine outside, so I will use the Cerwin Vega's from the college dorm-room years, so they'll include two towers with 12" woofers, a center, a pair of bookshelf's for surrounds, and a 15" subwoofer .....

I was thinking a subwoofer outdoors was unnecessary...... but then again.... why not!!! I have a 50' RCA cable I can use to connect the sub with.

Any suggestions on hanging the screen? (from the gutters with weights on the bottom to keep it tight? or just nail it right to the garage????)

Anything I'm missing? I'll play CD's on the PS3 too probably during the daylight hours.

[jw]

subwoofers outside? I know someone that placed one in the ground under the patio.............Yea, they work

Sounded good too, just make sure you bury it

Beta Man digging hole in yard below

[Uniquely]

This is the place to go to get good answers I would bet.

http://backyardtheater.com/

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

This is the place to go to get good answers I would bet.

http://backyardtheater.com/

thanks for the link..... lots of good advice there.... I couldn't find anything about "Wilsonart" laminate material..... I wonder if that would be my best bet for a screen..... but it depends on how large of a sheet I can buy it in (or I could put a couple together I guess)

[Uniquely]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

thanks for the link..... lots of good advice there.... I couldn't find anything about "Wilsonart" laminate material..... I wonder if that would be my best bet for a screen..... but it depends on how large of a sheet I can buy it in (or I could put a couple together I guess)

Yeah.... I saw that link in another thread here. One of our members.... I totally forgot who.... has a really nice outdoor set up listed on that site.

Perhaps it's BigDaddy!

http://backyardtheater.com/forums/in...pic,923.0.html

I recognized this guy as a fellow regular commenter on Gizmodo. I told my wife she can't have a pool until I can make a theater like his to go with it.

http://backyardtheater.com/forums/in...pic,983.0.html


I'd be careful of spenging too much time there. I can see how it could easily trigger someone with an HT compulsion to spend LOTS of money

[Uniquely]

Are you going to mount the projector inside your garage and just reverse the image and do a rear projection to a screen hanging at your garage opening?

You could just mount a projector inside your garage, get a receiver and blu-ray player to leave hooked up in the garage.... bury some speaker wire to the desired speaker locations in your yard. Then whenever you wanted to do an outdoor move you'd just have to set up the screen and hook up the speakers.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by robinandtami

Are you going to mount the projector inside your garage and just reverse the image and do a rear projection to a screen hanging at your garage opening?

You could just mount a projector inside your garage, get a receiver and blu-ray player to leave hooked up in the garage.... bury some speaker wire to the desired speaker locations in your yard. Then whenever you wanted to do an outdoor move you'd just have to set up the screen and hook up the speakers.

not planning on a rear-projection..... and I don't want to mount it.... This will very likely be a one-time-only thing.

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

thanks for the link..... lots of good advice there.... I couldn't find anything about "Wilsonart" laminate material..... I wonder if that would be my best bet for a screen..... but it depends on how large of a sheet I can buy it in (or I could put a couple together I guess)

Home Depot sells 4x8 sheets, but if you have a Wilsonart supplier locally(you should, they're everywhere) you can get it in a 5x12 sheet.