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Outdoor Home Theatres
With the popularity of outdoor entertaining only increasing, it’s a natural progression to include a home theatre in your outdoor entertaining area. It’s not as difficult as you may think.
Locating the Outdoor Theatre
The first thing that you will need to do is decide upon a location for your outdoor home theatre system. Ideally, it will be in an area that is relatively well-protected from the elements, especially if you have elements that you plan to leave outdoors permanently, such as the screen or speakers. Ensure that the theatre is in an area where it is easily visible and not adversely affected by light.
Some ideas for locating your home theatre include on a deck or a gazebo, where people can lounge on day beds or in comfy outdoor chairs as they watch a movie, or you can even set it up near a pool – providing of course that delicate equipment that cannot be waterproofed is not in danger of being splashed.
If you wish to have a dedicated outdoor theatre, consider building a specific storage structure to hold the components of the system – especially the DVD player and the projector. Ensure that the structure is weatherproof and not subject to wind or rain – electronic equipment’s worst enemy.
The Components of the System
The screen is perhaps the most vital element of the system and it can be as simple as a large sheet. Surface paint such as Screenkote or Screen Goo, is highly reflective and allows you to transform a smooth wall surface into a screen as large as you want. You can even opt to use the standard screens that you would traditionally use indoors – just be sure that these are protected from the weather when not in use. Other options include fibreboard, plywood, tarps, canvas sheeting, or blockout cloth. Most projector screens will need to be mounted (unless you are using a painted method), so you will need to decide if the mounting will be permanent or temporary. The mounting is done using a frame and this can be built yourself using standard items from a hardware store. It is simply about making sure that the frame is able to support itself when in use. Try a wooden or a PVC frame.
You will also need a video source such as a DVD player. Laptops are an excellent choice due to their sheer portability. If you don’t want to take your laptop outdoors, try a portable DVD player – the kind that has a built in screen. Home DVD players can also be easily used outdoors but they must be placed in an area that will not get moisture. You can bring them indoors when not in use or build a special area that will house both the player and the projector. It is now possible to find an excellent quality DVD player for a very low price.
The projector is another essential component of your home theatre system. A cheap option is an LCD projector that can be used in a variety of different lighting conditions. You will need a projector that is capable of projecting at least 1500 lumens at 800x600 pixels, with a contrast ratio of 500. DLP projectors are also available and these have better brightness and contrast specifications, generally speaking, than LCD projectors. What you choose is ultimately up to your requirements and your budget.
Outdoor speakers are the best option for the outdoor home theatre as they provide great sound, without being affected by the weather in the same way that normal speakers are. They can be mounted underneath the eaves of your home, or even be disguised in your garden in the form of a rock. Speakers can be wired (with the cable buried), or wireless.
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