[mason]

Well I finally took the plunge. Last night I had the first showing of the outdoor "Cinema and Drafthouse". Although it was probably extremely meager in comparison to most on these boards, it was a great time and well worth the effort!


Here are a few after thoughts for those still considering:

Projector - Used Panny 900 from my indoor set up and it worked well. Fairly simple to disconnect from indoor mount (four screws) and more than bright enough for an evening showing.

Screen - Gemmy 149" Inflatable (courtesy of JoeRod) - Extremely easy set up! Literally took less than 15 minutes. I can see the need to possibly go bigger in the future, but the simplicity of this screen will encourage frequent showings

DVD Player - I used my PS3 and it worked extremely well.

Stand - Actually used our trash can for lack of a better last minute option. Yes it was kind of tacky, but the height was good and it was easy. Need to find something better next time.

Speakers - Originally I thought I would start with only a front left and right, but after testing I determined that a center speaker was also essential. Next time i think i may try surrounds and a sub (happen to have an old svs sitting around), but certainly agree with others that just about anything outside sounds pretty good. I was using extremely old Sonys and it sounded great.

Receiver - Out of necessity, I used my Denon from my indoor setup, but would like to eventually purchase a cheaper dedicated receiver just so I can minimize disconnecting and reconnecting set up time.

Wires - This was definitely the biggest headache. I've already ordered banana plugs to cut down on set up time and with eight adults (drinking margaritas) and seven children, I was constantly worried about someone tripping over them. Until I can determine (and afford) a permanent site and bury them, I'm trying to come up with an idea for some kind of large sheet/blanket to lay over the viewing area.

Viewing Material - The PS3 was great for showing current (downloaded) movie trailers. I also put together an intro using professional voice overs (purchased from this forum) along with various pics and graphics which was a huge hit! Didn't have time to put together a slide preshow, but may try next time. I know a lot of people are worried about the flow without having multiple dvd players or a htpc, but i found it pretty easy to simply eject one dvd and insert the next.


Overall it was a great time and the goal is one showing a month until it gets too cold. Thanks for all the advice and and suggestions or comments are appreciated!

 

[warrenP]

Sounds fun! I have not yet buried my wires as I may be moving the location this summer. What I do is take a garden hose and run it along the wires. It is easier to see than the wires alone, and seems to help, at least a little. I was going to buy these (in the pic) but decided not too. Maybe it is an option for you? Google "floor cord cover" or "floor wire cover" for some ideas.

 

[Tnilsson]

I have been thinking of moving my set-up outside for an outdoor movie showing, but have balked at all the work involved. I decided that I'd get some rear projection cloth to string up for a screen. That way, I can put the projector and all the related requipment behind the screen and remove any risk that someone will trip over wires or knock over the projector. I decided for the same reason to only go with L, R, and C speakers. But that's as far as I have come.


The thought of disconnecting my projector, redoing all the keystone, etc. for outdoor use, disconnecting my amps and pre-pro and speakers and moving them all outside, then later moving them all back inside, without damaging anything, is too much for me to have acted on my impulse yet. I may see about renting a portable audio set-up instead. It would cost more, but I don't plan to do this very often and it removes any risk of damage to my system.


The idea of buying a cheap secondary system for outdoor use is a good one.

 

[Steve Scherrer]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Tnilsson /forum/post/0


I have been thinking of moving my set-up outside for an outdoor movie showing, but have balked at all the work involved. I decided that I'd get some rear projection cloth to string up for a screen. That way, I can put the projector and all the related requipment behind the screen and remove any risk that someone will trip over wires or knock over the projector. I decided for the same reason to only go with L, R, and C speakers. But that's as far as I have come.


The thought of disconnecting my projector, redoing all the keystone, etc. for outdoor use, disconnecting my amps and pre-pro and speakers and moving them all outside, then later moving them all back inside, without damaging anything, is too much for me to have acted on my impulse yet. I may see about renting a portable audio set-up instead. It would cost more, but I don't plan to do this very often and it removes any risk of damage to my system.


The idea of buying a cheap secondary system for outdoor use is a good one.

I agree about the cheap secondary system for outdoor. This is our third year of outdoor movies, and I put in rock speakers in our garden that is along the back fence where the screen is set up. I only use L,R but the sound is great outdoors. I buried the cable, and now setup is MUCH easier. I also have run a line into my receiver in my basement, so the only setup I have is my projector and the screen. I plug the projector into an outdoor junction that runs inside, my speakers are tied to that receiver inside. The screen is still a bit of a pain and requires two people and I would love ways to make that easier, but for the size I have (16 feet wide), it's worth it. But I am still thinking about ways to make the screen easier.


The setup for permanent outdoor speakers, and other things to minimize the day-of set up time is worth it. Spend a day getting all of that together, and you save a boatload of frustrating setup time each movie night.