Setting up an outdoor movie theater in your backyard is a lot easier than you think. Prices for outdoor projectors start out fairly low, with even the most affordable models potentially producing a huge picture. Built-in speakers and homemade projection screens can make the process cheaper, but an outdoor-appropriate model and special speakers will produce a much higher quality picture and sound (if they fit within your budget).
It’s worth remembering again that we’re talking about outdoor viewing. Natural backlighting may be beyond your control, and even large speakers may play too quietly outdoors. So striving for perfection will only lead to disappointment. Calm down and try to get the most out of the available conditions. It is not necessary to bring yourself to a breaking point in the fight against the elements.
The process of creating a garden theater includes determining the necessary functionality, choosing the right equipment, taking into account the budget, and respecting the interests of the neighbors. Don’t forget extras like seating and refreshments to make your evening even more entertaining.
So you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. We’ve done the research for you. Whether you only need an outdoor projector or a complete set of equipment, we’ve got insights into all your garden cinema needs.
From source to screen, from cables to connections, this overview tells you everything you need to know to set up an outdoor movie experience.
Projector and screen rental: https://rentforevent.com/la/projector-and-screen-rental/.
Outdoor Cinema Projector: Choosing the Best Model
Epson EH-TW7000 Projector
First of all, you should choose a projector, because it is for it you will spend most of the budget. It’s important to remember that there isn’t just one type that’s right – and sometimes the best outdoor projector may very well be the one you already have.
You don’t have to use a portable model or look for one with a “special for the garden” sticker. We haven’t come across any waterproof or weatherproof projectors, which makes sense: no one wants to sit outside and watch a movie in the pouring rain.
Instead, think about where and how you’re going to use it. Will it only be for the garden outside the house, or do you plan to take it with you on a camping trip? Some portable models are equipped with batteries, but in the first case, an extension cord of a decent length will be enough to organize the power.
It is worth thinking about the signal source. Do you need built-in Wi-Fi to play movies and sports broadcasts from Netflix, Player, or other Internet services? Does your home wireless network have enough bandwidth? Do you need to buy a wireless access point for the garden? Should you limit yourself to digitally pre-saved movies played from a USB drive or even from the projector’s internal memory? Something to think about! And we haven’t even moved on to sound.
All these extra features – built-in speakers, a smart platform, its own battery, and storage drive – increase the price of the projector, leaving you with less money for picture quality. So first, make sure you really need them.
Home Theater Projectors
A traditional home theater projector – such as the Epson EH-TW650 or Epson EH-TW7000 – may be fine for you. Add an extension cord and an inexpensive network media player to it and you will get a much higher quality and brighter picture than any portable projector costing less than 100 thousand rubles. One of the most important features you should definitely pay attention to is the brightness or luminous flux, measured in ANSI lumens.
Brightness is of key importance because, unlike in a specially prepared home cinema hall, when viewing outdoors, you usually have to deal with the ambient light of varying degrees of intensity. Even on a starry night, you may be disturbed by light from your house, a neighbor’s house, or a street lamp. In order to avoid ambient light completely, you have to go far out of town.
Moreover, in summer, the sun goes down quite late, so viewing is very likely to be in twilight or late evening – especially if you are going to have a live broadcast of a sporting event. So the higher the value in lumens, the better.
Portable projectors
On the other hand, there are portable projectors; these are quality, convenient and flexible all-in-one solutions. Their brightness may be in the hundreds of lumens compared to the thousands in traditional home theater models, but they make up for that with a lot of useful features. Some portable models – such as the Xgimi Halo, at 800 lumens – are quite sharp.
Moreover, portable projectors often surpass stationary models in terms of sound – almost all of them are equipped with quite decent sound systems. For example, the Epson EH-TW650 boasts a brightness of 3000 ANSI lumens, but its single speaker with a two-watt amplifier is no match for the Yamaha-designed 2x5W stereo system built into the Epson EF-12. A great picture needs sound to match it. For those who can afford it, we recommend the LG Cinebeam HU80KSW – a portable and very bright projector with the claimed 2500 ANSI lumens.
To get the most mobile projector possible, choose one that doesn’t need mains power at all. Most built-in batteries only provide a few hours of operation, but that’s enough to watch a couple of movies. One of the best examples might be the Nebula Solar, but there are also more affordable models, including the popular Nebula Capsule and Nebula Mars 2, as well as the Xgimi MoGo and MoGo+ Pro.
UST (Ultra Short Throw) Projectors
UST projectors are not portable, but they usually have decent built-in speaker systems and are endowed with the high brightness of home theater projectors. They are quite expensive, but for an outdoor theater, they may be the best solution.
Especially for living rooms, models such as the Optoma UHZ65UST and BenQ V6050 are laser UST projectors with more than 3,000 ANSI lumens and up to 19 watts of audio. With smart platform support, this could be just the option you need.
Outdoor Cinema: Sound
JBL Charge 5 portable speaker
When it comes to setting up a garden theater, sound needs special attention. Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions available, from large speakers to built-in speakers.
Another warning: don’t expect your room speakers to perform as well as they do indoors. Dialogue and detail will be clear enough, but they will have difficulty recreating large-scale changes in dynamics and tangible bass.
For better sound, purchase an audio system designed for outdoor use. You can buy or even rent one from a local rental company. If you prefer to limit yourself to home audio systems, there are a variety of options at your disposal.
