THE CONNECTED LIFE

Outdoor Entertaining, Part 3: How to Take it to The Next Level

John Sciacca  |  Mar 19, 2024

Now that spring is here, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about how and where you will entertain outdoors.

In my previous two blogs I discussed ways to improve outdoor entertainment. Whether you want to upgrade your audio (Creating an Audio Oasis in Your Backyard) or your video (Creating a Video Oasis in Your Backyard), there are tons of solutions at varying prices that will keep the party going well past sundown!

But let’s say you are looking for a true backyard theater experience, or want something bigger than an 85-inch display? That takes a bit more doing, and is what I’ll cover in this blog.

Big Spenders
The ultimate in outdoor video entertainment would be a MicroLED display. These are fantastically bright, have vibrant color, and come in a variety of sizes up to 200 inches (diagonal). There is probably no greater expression of this technology than the models produced by C SEED, which are functional sculptures designed for the outdoors (and luxury yachts!) that magically rise from the ground and unfold into beautiful, cinema-sized displays.

Of course, with the “cheap” models selling for nearly 200 grand, C SEED displays aren’t for everyone. But to quote Ferris Bueller, “It is so choice. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.” For the rest of us, getting a big-screen experience outside will be the same as it is inside — via a video projector.

Setting Expectations
As you likely know, a projector cannot actually project “black.” Instead, they just project “nothing” where black should be and the actual black level on screen is determined not only by the projector’s limitations, but even more so by how dark the room/environment is. And one of the biggest issues with using a projector outside is that it is almost impossible to get the light level even close to black — and you can all but forget about using it before sunset. Between star/moonlight, street lights, neighbors’ lights, cars driving by, etc. you have to remember that watching a movie outdoors is never going to be a reference experience: it’s more about having fun.

Temporary vs. Permanent
Say you’re looking to have an occasional outdoor theater — something you pull out for special events. You could use just about any projector for this, but generally the more lumens (brightness/light output) the better. Using one of the portable projectors offered by Hisense, LG, Samsung, or Xgimi is another great solution. These are small enough to tote around with ease (we take ours on trips) and generally have Wi-Fi and streaming built-in or support casting or AirPlay. Portable projectors also typically provide plenty of adjustments for correcting image geometry on the screen.

If you expect to use the projector regularly and don’t want to have to tote it around, a permanent projector might be the way to go. But that will require a weatherproof installation, which might involve mounting the projector in a weather-resistant enclosure from a company like DeerTV. Or, you could install the projector inside a protected space and have it fire through a piece of glass.

Along with a projector, you’ll need a relatively flat/smooth surface to project on, and there are a variety of quick and easy solutions that are also inexpensive. We’ve watched movies on the side of a white wall, up on the ceiling, and on our garage door; not perfect, but certainly good enough to entertain friends and family. You could also hang up a sheet, or purchase a portable screen that sits on a tripod.

Of course, if you’re going to be watching outdoors on-the-regular, you’ll want to invest in a better screen designed for outdoor use. Two great options are the Yard Master from Elite Screens and the Solo 3 Outdoor from Screen Innovations. Both use screen material designed to withstand the elements in widths up to 16 feet (for the Solo 3) and offer a variety of power options, including battery and solar.

Audio and Video
While some projectors have built-in speakers, this usually won’t cut it for entertaining a group of people in your backyard. But tying audio and video together can be a bit of a chore. You could pair the projector with a Bluetooth speaker or run an audio cable from it to a soundbar for a boost in sound quality. But if you have something more permanent — and cinematic — in mind, you are likely looking weatherproof speakers powered by an amplifier (or system) that lives inside the house.

In Creating an Audio Oasis in Your Backyard, I recommend several options that vary in price and complexity, from using a portable Bluetooth speakers like the Sonos Move to installing outdoor speakers you can hide in your landscaping, including subwoofers that can deliver awesome bass from above ground or below ground.

But if you want to achieve a true theater/surround-sound experience in your backyard, you’re looking at a more sophisticated installation plan that will require six or more speakers positioned just so around the space you have in mind.

A couple more thoughts…

In setups where there is a good bit of distance between the audio and video systems, you will need special cabling. I recommend using fiber-optic HDMI cables, which are available in lengths up to 200 feet, or an HDMI extender kit that will send signals over Category-rated cabling at distances up to 330 feet.

I’ll leave you with one final thought: system control. It’s important to think about how you will operate your outdoor speaker setup. At the very least, you’ll will want to be able to adjust volume and pause playback, tasks that can be easily accomplished with a universal remote that works over RF (radio frequency) instead of line-of-sight infrared, or IR. URC is a good place to start.

The Author
Since 1998, John Sciacca has worked as a custom installer in South Carolina. In his free time, he enjoys drinking craft beer, playing pickleball, and watching movies on his 7.2.6 surround system.

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