How to host a summer movie night
Jeff Krause
Introduction
There is nothing better than watching a classic film with family and friends. Here is everything you need to create your own outdoor theater and host a summer movie night.
source
To take your movie experience outside, the first thing you need to do is get your movie outside. This means you need some way to play the movie in a way that connects to your projection and your sound. There are several possible ways to do this.
If your movie is on a streaming service, it can be played on many devices. First things first, make sure you have acceptable Internet outside. Depending on how far away your viewing area is, your household WiFi may not have sufficient signal strength. You can extend it with a WIFI extender installed in an outlet on the outside wall closest to the viewing area. I am fortunate enough to have an ethernet connection outside. If this is an option, my opinion is that a wire connection is always more reliable.
Let’s assume the movie you want to play is on Amazon Prime. There are many ways to watch Amazon Prime but not all of them will work for your summer movie night because not all of them can be connected to a projector and a sound system. For example, you can watch Amazon Prime on your phone or a tablet but that device may not have an output that connects to a projector. If you are thinking that Bluetooth may work, you may be right. However, not every sound system will accept Bluetooth connections nor will many projectors.
A laptop computer may be a better choice. As long as you have Internet connectivity, you can connect directly to any streaming service. You might even be able to play a DVD directly from your laptop or from a USB connected DVD drive. Most laptops have the two outputs you need. An HDMI output is compatible with almost any projector and some models still accept VGA connections. The HDMI output can provide both video and audio output. If your projector has adequate sound, this may be all you need. If not, your laptop likely has an auxiliary output and with the right adaptor you can connect it to a separate sound system. What is the right connector? If your sound system accepts an auxiliary connection, you’ll need a male-male auxiliary cable. If it accepts an RCA connection, you’ll need an auxiliary to RCA cable. Whether you are using an HDMI or audio cable, make sure you have a long enough cable as distances between your equipment may be longer outside. Also, with greater distance, higher quality cables are better at maintaining video and audio quality.
Another option is to simply use a streaming stick or box. Just keep in mind that not every projector will accept a USB streaming stick, even if it has a USB port. However, most will accept an HDMI connection. A streaming box with an HDMI output is your best option but, once again, you need to consider your sound options. Streaming boxes may be WIFI only or with ethernet connectivity. Of course, either will work as long as you can get a signal to it.
Finally, a DVD player with the appropriate outputs works if your movie is on DVD. All of the above tips regarding the types of outputs you need apply in this case.
Projector
When considering a projector for your outdoor movies, you will need to think about five things. Those five things are inputs, maximum screen size as it relates to throw ratio, lumens, sound and resolution. Personally, I would consider them in that order. Each consideration adds more complexity and cost to your projector.
The input sources that the projector will accept are your baseline consideration. Most newer projectors accept HDMI and USB. Many also accept Bluetooth. Older models may accept VGA input from a computer. Personally, I find HDMI the most flexible because streaming boxes, DVD players and most laptops offer this output.
Maximum screen size is measured diagonally from corner to corner. This is the maximum size at which the projector can maintain its listed resolution. However, unless you have a very large screen or are projecting on the side of your house, you may never use the maximum screen size. The more important consideration is throw ratio. Throw ratio isn’t a specification listed for every projector or it may be described differently such as optimal size and distance. It is very important. Throw ratio is the distance to the screen divided by the image width. In other words, what distance does your projector have to be to provide the desired image size. For example, if your projector is 15 feet away, can it fill your new 120-inch screen? Does it need to be closer? Perhaps it needs to be farther away. Make sure that your projector will fill the desired screen width if placed at the distance you have. If the throw ratio is not quite right, you may find yourself having to move either your projector, your screen or both. Maybe that sounds easy because you have lots of room outside but, this is not always the case.
Lumens is how bright the projector bulb is. Most projectors are fine inside, especially in a room where you can turn off the lights and darken any outside light. Outside, there is more ambient light. Even moonlight can wash out a projector that is not bright enough.
Sound is not one of my top concerns with a projector because it is rarely going to be good enough for me. I always use another method for sound. However, some projectors may have adequate sound if you have a family of four and everyone is sitting near the projector. If you have a larger group, built in projector sound may not be adequate. Also, don’t forget that most projectors have a cooling fan and some of them are loud.
Resolution is another consideration that I don’t worry about all that much. The reason is that most for most applications, an HD projector at 1980×1080 is more than adequate. The step up in price to a 4K projector (often more than $1000) is simply not practical, in my opinion, for a portable projector that will be used outdoors. There are simply too many things that can happen, from dropping it to a sudden thunderstorm, for me to take this risk. For a ceiling mounted projector in my indoor home theater, I may look at this differently.
There are hundreds of projectors available on Amazon. Here are some suggestions but, of course, feel free to shop around. The Goodee YG600 projector is very affordable, offers many input options and has an optimal screen size of 98 inches at 10ft. The GROVIEW 8500L is also affordable, accepts many connections including Wi-Fi mirroring from Android or iOS. The –50% reduction function allows you to reduce the projection size by up to 50% without moving the projector, which is very handy outdoors. If you are looking for 4K, the BenQ HT3550 model is a nice choice. Finally, the XGIMI Halo is more expensive than many other non-4K models but offers a lot of flexibility. It is very portable, offers multiiple inputs including both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, a short ratio of 1.2:1 and built in 5-watt Harmon/Kardon speakers.
sound
I am fortunate enough to have an outdoor sound system and simply need to connect the output of my source system to the appropriate input on my amplifier. I typically connect to the red-white connection for left and right sound although Bluetooth is another option. If you are interested in the system I have installed, it is based around the Rockville Rock 4 but details of the outdoor speakers and 70-volt wiring would require another article.
You don’t need a complicated system like mine to provide great sound. HDMI cables carry both video and sound and most home entertainment receivers accept HDMI input while providing both video and audio output. With this setup, you connect your streaming box, DVD or laptop (assuming it provides HDMI output) to the receiver with an HDMI cable. A second HDMI cable from the receiver to your projector provides video and the receiver’s speaker outputs support a variety of speaker connections. The Onkyo TX-SR494 along with two or four wired speakers would provide enough sound to fill most backyards. This setup is not designed to be portable, but it is easy to setup and teardown. It will also set you back several hundred dollars.
There are many simple and affordable options. If your source is a laptop computer, the auxiliary output can be connected to a pair of computer speakers. There are also sound bar options with Bluetooth for even better sound. Either option will provide more volume and higher quality sound than a laptop alone. Of course, for a small group, the sound on your laptop may be more than adequate.
screen
When it comes to screens, my primary considerations are stability and size. Wind is a constant hassle where I live, and I need a projection surface that is not shaking or threatening to blow away. For this reason, I prefer screens with two legs rather than a single tripod type stand. Two legs can be anchored and secured much better than a single leg even if the single leg projector includes tie downs for the lower corners. Two legs also offers the opportunity to better secure the screen with zip ties or some other method to another immovable object such as a fence.
JWSIT offers a series of screens with two legs in a variety of sizes. The 100-inch model costs around $150 and the cost increases along with the size with the 120-inch being the sweet spot at $170. If you need the flexibility of projecting from either the front or the rear of the screen, the J-Ping 120-inch model is an affordable choice.
In a pinch, any large solid surface can be projected to. Our first outdoor “movie” night was watching Sunday Night Football in our driveway with our garage door as the screen.
Conclusion
A source, a projector, sound, and a screen are all you need. It is not necessary to spend a lot up front and you can always upgrade components as you go. An outdoor movie night is fun for everyone. Kids love it and it feels nostalgic for many adults who fondly remember the drive-in theaters of their youth. Enjoy!
