Have you ever wanted to have your own private theater in the comforts of your own home? Imagine, summer evenings, winter nights, Christmas Eve, and it’s just you, your loved one(s), and all the privacy and comforts you could ever need – nothing beats movie nights when done within the comforts of your own home. And best of all, with the advancements of technology in home entertainment, it’s not gonna cost you a fortune.
Now, in this article, we will go over every little detail that you will ever need to know to have your own perfect backyard cinema experience from:
- how to create a cinematic atmosphere in my backyard cinema
- what kind of decorations do you need, chairs, seat cushions, etc
- what kind of sound system do I need?
- what kind of canvas do I need?
- what projector should I use?
- and many more. . .
If at any point, you feel confused or you want further clarifications, please just type a comment and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
Creating the Cinematic Experience
Table of Contents
Creating a cinematic experience starts by establishing the atmosphere through a process called visual mindscape. There are natural elements to your backyard that can enhance the atmosphere and yes, I know, this may feel a bit too much but let me say this, what you have is a blank canvas or a blank yard, and you have the freedom to create a controlled experience.
You can take advantage of the breeze at night, if there’s a certain scent, how the moon and/or stars shine at night – this controlled experience is the same tactic used in Disneyland, there are sets that cater to a specific experience. Remember that an experience can either be spontaneous or controlled. In your backyard cinema, it will a controlled experience.
Important to Remember
Please remember that with the creation of theaters or cinemas, drive-in movies haven’t been as popular, not since the ’50s especially the ’60s, so the expectation of people isn’t high. Most people would just enjoy it because it’s “different.” Creating the atmosphere is what matters with a backyard cinema experience, it’s a time to be a little bit reminiscent of a past where it felt a bit more intimate where people talked in person more, had meaningful conversations, and there was a sense of camaraderie.
Now, before we get into the styles or setups, let’s answer some questions.
Q: How do I position my projector?
A: It is highly recommended that you enclose your projector along with your sound system as much as possible in a portable little box. Imagine, a shelf-like, tall like a birdhouse, box design where your projector, DVD Blu-ray player, and sound system are taped on that can easily be carried into your home in the event it rains.
Q: How comfortable does my backyard cinema have to be?
A:When you’re thinking of comfort, it’s not so much about the decorations, the chairs, the food or snacks; it’s about comfort or protection from the weather. For example, if your backyard gets a lot of mosquitoes at night or it tends to drizzle, you might want to install a landscape fabric cover or add some mosquito coils.
Q: How do I bring the cinematic atmosphere to my backyard cinema?
A: Set the mood, set up lights even lanterns in certain key spots in your backyard. Add a flower bed or potted plants. Imagine, walking into a secret, lust garden-scape, full of color, lighting with an overall inviting vibe. We’ll go into further details on this; on the different backyard styles.
Q: How dark does my backyard have to be?
A: Generally, a good time to begin the backyard cinema is twilight time to project a bright picture. The sun has set and is below the horizon. You want it dark as to not get distracted by other elements and just focus on the film. Now, of course, if you have a projector that can produce over 1,000 nits (that’s over 3,200 lumens) of brightness, you shouldn’t have problems watching your movie or show at night time, even at day time hours such as 3 PM to 6 PM.
Now, please note that if you want to watch a movie at noon with direct sunlight – consider purchasing a projector that can produce nits of over 2,500 if not higher.
Q: What do I need to have a great backyard cinema experience?
A: Follow this order:
- Super-clear movie, preferably on Blu-ray or you can stream a movie if you want. Just pray that your Internet connection will be stable, the last thing you want is to disconnect when you’re watching a crucial scene in the movie or T.V. show.
- Food. Big, delicious outdoor foods… burgers, hotdogs, popcorn, pizza, nachos, chicken wraps, dips, sauces, pizza rolls, snacks, fries, fried chicken, and a whole bunch more food that is perfect for the outdoor setting.
- Chairs, sofas, seat cushions, or just lay on the grass with a blanket, cardboard, or some kind of fabric.
- Lighting. Use soft, yellow bulbs or you can use those fairy light bulbs. Use them between two poles, and you got yourself a very simple but effective mood lighting.
Now, when it comes to the budget and decoration, there are 3 different styles you can create starting with the most simple, to average, and your tailored experience.
#1 – Natural Style
The natural style is based on simplicity and the memories that come with it. Nothing overly complicated. Everything is based on a needs basis meaning should you ever encounter a sudden downpour of rain or a moderate drizzle, all your equipment and furniture are easy to pack and put away. You used very little decoration with the natural backyard cinema style.
The setup is as follows, imagine, walking to your backyard. It’s night time and the moment you step onto your backyard cinema, the first thing you see is fairy light bulbs, softly illuminating their yellow glow giving you a warm, inviting feeling as if you’re walking onto something special. A time to be treasured with loved ones and friends.
The fairy lightbulbs are positioned in a way (think diamond-shape or a softball field with your house as the home plate) that acts as both a barrier and guide as to where the screen is and where the area ends; then you find the chair that you want, it’s not extravagant but it’s enough, you have everything you could everything.
Food is usually snacks or popcorn, of course, if you want a good meal – the best way to go, almost anything grilled is perfect, such as burgers or hotdogs. Mixed some mustard, mayonnaise, ketchup, diced onion, and a little bit of pickle and you have yourself a fantastic burger or hotdog sauce.
Budget: under $100
All you need are chairs or just lay on the ground, fairy light bulbs, some poles, and possibly a couple of umbrellas (just in case, it rains) – of course, depending on the type of projector, canvas, and sound system. This is can easily cost over $500.
Here’s a picture of what it could look like
#2 – Drive-In Style
The drive-in style is based on convenience. It sparks memories for those who are older, of times of their youth and nostalgia. For those who are younger, this style sparks curiosity as if they’re walking or experience a time period that isn’t their own. It’s different, it’s unusual, a unique experience to be treasured in the years to come.
The setup is way more simple, as you only need a bunch of poles or a rope then some soft yellow incandescent lightbulbs or halogen lightbulbs, but stick with yellow. You can also create a bunch of barriers or fences made out of fairy lightbulbs so people know where to park and not to park. The design of this is similar to a football field with the goal post as the screen.
Now, you would definitely want to do outdoor cooking for this. Make sure that your griller is positioned where the wind is, you want that aroma to travel downwind toward each and every vehicle. Not so much popcorn (you could) but more burgers, short ribs, steak, t-bone – think of it as more of an outback dining experience fused with TGI Friday vibes. This would be great if you can add an odorless smoke or mist machine.
Budget: under $100
All you need are soft, yellow incandescent lightbulbs or halogen lightbulbs, combine those with fairy lightbulbs and you have a mystical looking backyard cinema atmosphere. And as always, prices will increase depending on the type of projector, canvas, and sound system you can but generally, for decorations, it’s under $100 as most 12-pack 40-watt incandescent lightbulbs are only $12.
Here’s a picture of what it could look like
#3 – Enchanted Forest
The enchanted forest is a controlled experience where you go through a path that by the end encloses you and your guests in a capsule-like structure where the screen is located at the front. Think igloo, but not necessarily the same structural design. It can be more like a square. The reason why you’d go for a more igloo design is that feeling of ‘intimate camaraderie’ – it’s as if you’re wrapped by a warm blanket. And it just feels special.
The setup can be tedious. It’s not complicated but it will take a lot of bending and twisting of branches, wooden poles, or steel then you want to cover the walls with vinyl wallpaper, the roof with a cover, add a couple of potted plants inside with fake vines, fake grass, a lot of pillows and seat cushions. And of course, a whole bunch of mixed and matched lightbulbs.
The reason we go with fake vines and grass is, it’s too much maintenance to have the real thing. No worries, as long as it looks and feels real, it’s good enough. Anyway, here’s a picture of what it could look like –> link
You can cook inside but I don’t recommend using a standard griller. Use instead one of those multi-function grillers such as a samgyupsal (picture). It’s a type of multi-griller that Koreans and Japanese use. This is perfect! The enchanted forest theme is all about intimacy, it’s about being close to each other. Don’t forget to use wooden utensils and plates. Nothing brings more community or camaraderie than a group of people cooking food, talking, and drinking.
Budget: under $400
Honestly, it could cost a bit more or less depending on the type of material you use for the structure and decorations. The Korean BBQ or samgyupsal itself isn’t that expensive and because it’s a small, enclosed structure. The projector that you use doesn’t necessarily need to have the highest amount of lumens or nits, any projector that produces over 2,500 lumens should serve you just fine. Overall, if you include the price of the projector, canvas, and sound system, you’re easily at over $1,000 but the quality and memories will last you for a lifetime.
The Importance of Peak Brightness in Projectors
Before we proceed further, let’s have a quick and simple but important discussion on the importance of peak brightness often called nits or lumens. Nits, lumens, or lux are just measurements of light. Generally, the higher the number, the brighter or ‘clear-er’ an image output is.
Easy Comparison of Light Units:
- The latest 2020 Samsung and Apple tablets are rated at 500 nits
- Most average HDR TVs are rated at 500 nits
- Most affordable projectors are rated at 3,300 lumens (or 1,000+ nits)
- Most projectors in small auditoriums are rated around 5,500 lumens (or 1,500+ nits)
- Screens of over 40×22.5ft must have at least 12,000 lumens (or 4,000+ nits)
To avoid massive headaches and confusion, let’s keep this simple and give you an idea of how light units work from someone who uses a computer monitor. There are 3 light units that you will encounter lumen, lux, and nit which can be defined as:
- Lumen is the glow strength of visible light. It’s that feeling that you get when you look at the sun and you have to cover your eyes because it’s too bright – literally the brightness of your monitor, that’s the idea.
- Lux is how illuminated a certain area is in a cone of light. Think of it this way, when you shine a flashlight onto a shiny object for example a watch, a diamond ring, or a metal bowl; you will notice there’s a very specific illuminated glow of light that follows your eye – that’s lux.
- Nit is how well-defined the quality of an object(s) in an overall bight interface. Think of it as you wearing sunglasses, and you staring into the sky and you look at how well-defined the clouds are. It’s almost as if, they’re 3-D. If you look hard enough, you’ll notice a border around a cloud – that’s the idea, nits are what makes things clearer or more defined in an already well-lit environment.
Now, if you want something just a little bit more technical. A lumen is the quantity of visible light emitted by a source. By visible, it is weighted towards your human eyes’ capabilities for radiant intensity often disregarding certain wavelengths to help you better define luminous intensity.
The luminous intensity or lux is how illuminated a specific area is in an illuminated sphere of visible light from a very specific angle. For each object, lux touches – levels of luminous light radiate units of reflection based on its surface material.
Nit is the capacity of contrast between pixels, from defined to dynamic cyclical units of candela or ‘color vibrance’ – a simple way of thinking about this is contrast ratio. The higher the difference, the sharper, or more defined the colors ‘look’ on your monitor or screen. Think of it as, immersion vs typical viewing experience. There’s a typical movie theater and then, there’s IMAX – that’s contrast or nits for you.
Backyard Cinema Technical Setup Guide
Before we get into more details, here’s something interesting you can do with your backyard cinema because it’s very unlikely that anyone is gonna be enjoying a movie night at the theaters anytime soon. Depending on how big your backyard is, there’s not much stopping you from turning your backyard into a mini-cinema that your neighbors would gladly pay for the experience and this, will recoup your expenses. You can even serve salty buttered popcorn.
Expensive vs Budget Projectors:
why buying cheap actually costs you more
The average lifespan of a projector differs per manufacturer, most will claim that their standard projectors will last you for over 2,000 hours of lamp or bulb power. Now, all things considered, you’ve heard it before, what you pay for is, well, the ‘quality’ that you get. It’s simple business really; the cheaper you go, the more it will cost you in the future.
Now, the most expensive part of a projector is the lamp or bulb that powers it. If you’re on a tight budget, yes, you can get away with a very affordable projector but always remember, not only will your image quality be poor (regardless of how much the manufacturer tries to sell it to you) but the warranty and life span, will usually only last for 6 months to 18 months along with limited features, functions and by the time, you have to replace the bulb – the warranty’s expired and the chances of that specific projector’s bulb will be gone and they will want (force) you to upgrade.
Listen, there are “expensive” projectors that will last you for over 20,000 hours, that’s 10,000 2-hr movies. If you’re having problems picturing that, here’s simple math for you. 10,000 movies divided by 365 days is 27.3 years of movies; every, single, dayfor 27.3 years, or if you only watch on weekends, that’s about 96.1 years – quite literally a lifetime of service and warranty.
Not only do you get a lifetime of service and warranty with an “expensive” projector but the memories that you will create with your friends, family, and loved one(s) will be treasured and envied forever whether it’s a weekend cinema party with your friends, co-workers, or family. You can have it all without the frustrations of limited features, washed-out video image quality, lifeless colors, not clear and just not bright enough.
How dark does my backyard have to get the perfect picture?
With a bigger and better projector, you can easily watch movies even at dusk and noon. Most projectors of that caliber can produce lumens of over 12,000 lumens. Now, of course, if you want the perfect picture, get it as dark as you can. 8 PM is a good time to watch movies outside. if you happen to be watching at noon, just make sure you get over 12,000 lumens and you should have little problems watching your movie on a sunny bright day.
How big does my backyard have to be?
Honestly, not that big, it’s all a matter of you having enough space to accommodate a massive canvas. Always remember that one of the biggest advantages you get with projectors especially high-end ones is they’re very adjustable, screen sizes can easily be 50” if you want or even a massive 250” outdoor cinema screen.
This is more of a question of how big of a canvas can your backyard handle rather than how big the backyard itself is. Now, if you happen to have a huge, blank wall or even a garage door, there you go. You have yourself a canvas. An important thing to note here though is unless you get the high-end projectors, most projector speakers are terrible – this is where a decent sound system comes to rescue you from the dullness of lifeless speakers.
How to Set Up your Backyard Cinema Projector
- Grab your extension cord.
- Bring your box-like set that contains your projector and sound system to your backyard – it looks sort of like this
- Hook up your fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, laptop, hard drive, or smart device; anything that can provide you content.
- Bring your HDMI cable, power leads, and other analog tools like that.
The setup is pretty simple, it’s more being alert to the environment. Just in case it rains or some unforeseen event such as a hurricane happens and you need to immediately go inside the house. It’ll be easy for you to bring everything in because they’re packaged into one box-like set piece that’s light and compact.
How far away should the projector be from the screen?
This is an important question to which customers rarely have an exact answer. The main guide is to have projectors placed at a specific distance, depending on the particular image size. This distance also varies with the projector model used. Generally, projectors sit about 1 1/2 x the image width. Therefore, if your image is 2m wide, most projector models would sit 3m back.
Blu-ray. Netflix, or Harddrive?
You have three plans:
- Plan A: Netflix
- If you have a stable connection to the internet, go for it.
- Plan B: DVD Blu-Ray player
- If sometimes your internet just disconnects at the worst times.
- Plan A: Harddrive or Smart device
- If the specific movie or show isn’t on your hard drive or Blu-ray and you have an unstable internet connection – you can just download the movie onto your smart device. Use a USB or HDMI to connect it to your projector.
Now, if you’re looking for the best in image quality. Blu-ray, always go with Blu-ray. There’s no compression when you’re playing a Blu-ray movie, no 25 MBPS Netflix compression. Enjoy all 82 to 128 MBPS (megabit per second) or about 82-128 billion per second of information being shown to you i.e. beautiful, clear, ultra-high-definition pixels/quality.
Backyard Cinema Projectors
The general features of an ideal projector for backyard cinema, are its portability, it is light, compact, and convenient for outdoor use. The model must be durable, and resistant to dust, water, and outdoor environmental factors. Weather conditions and sudden, unexpected changes must be anticipated and planned for.
The long battery life of a projector is also an important feature.
3 Essential features of a projector
#1 – Resolution
Resolution measures how many pixels are in an image. With a higher resolution, you get more details.
A projector for backyard cinema has one of the following resolutions:
SVGA = 800 x 600
WXGA / High Definition (720p) = 1280 x 800
WUXGA / Full High Definition (1080p) = 1920 x 1080
1280 x 700 is the standard resolution format for a blue ray. A resolution format of 1280 by 768 produces higher quality. Expensive projectors have a very high image quality with their resolution format of 1920 by 1080: the level needed for gaming and HD videos.
#2 – Contrast Ratio
With a high ratio of dark to light in an image, details will be seen in sharp relief, and the high ratio brings about picture quality. This means that you’ll need a high contrast ratio to produce a higher quality of the medium. A contrast ratio of 3000 to 1 means that the lightest areas in the medium are 3000 times brighter than the dark areas. Sharp images in films are determined by the contrast and the degree of ambient light that kills this contrast.
#3 – Brightness
Lumens or candle feet are the measurements of the brightness of a projector. Lumen stands for the light that comes from a small candle thrown 1 foot away. 1100 lumens are the standard brightness emitted by a 75 watt incandescent light bulb. In a viewing area, there is generally a lot of ambient light.
So the lumen must be higher, with the presence of more ambient light in the area. Outdoor venues have many variables of extraneous light and sound control. Indoor movies only have minor problems in light control, such as light from corridors, ceilings, or windows. Outdoors, there is always the moon and the stars, even if you cover light coming from neighbors’ homes or the streets.
‘When you’re buying a projector for backyard cinema, you will notice that each projector has a lumen measurement. In a garden after dark, at least 3000 lumens are recommended for backyard cinema settings. It is easier to see the projected image with a brighter projection.
How bright must be the projector?
If you use the projector for backyard cinema, the brighter the projector, the better. The size of the image and time of day or night will guide the minimum brightness needed. If it is an evening backyard cinema in a dark viewing area, a projector with 2000-2500 lumens brightness will be fine.
If you are watching a movie at Twilight and sparse sunlight remains, it is recommended to use a projector with brightness over 3000 lumens. If movie time is daytime, it is best to use a projector with a brightness of 4000 plus lumens. Remember, sunlight is powerful and strong so the projector image must be viewed in a shaded area.
It is important to connect the projector to a video source:
The video source can be a DVD or Blu Ray player; you can use your laptop or a streaming device such as an Amazon Fire TV or Apple TV box. This will be connected to the projector through its HDMI port.
4 of the Best High-Quality Projectors
#1 –
ViewSonic PX 701 1080p Projector
The ViewSonic PX 701 comes in as #1, not just because it has over 1,000 ratings on Amazon but it is one of the most versatile projectors in the market; producing 3,500 lumens as well as maintaining 1080p quality at screens as large as 300 inches.
Product specifications
- Connectivity technology: HDMI, USB
- Image brightness: 3500 lumen
- Image Contrast Ratio: 16.9
- ASIN B07QG6FRB7
Main Features
- Full HD resolution: 1920 x1080p produces immersive theater-like colors on a 300-inch screen
- 3,500-lumen brightness provides a rich cinematic experience, even in a bright viewing area.
- The projector has a lamp life of up to 20,000 hours, with its super eco+ mode. No maintenance problems
- Cinematic colors: featuring Sonic’s exclusive super color technology, an exclusive 6-segment color wheel, and lamp control features. Provides a wide color range in any viewing environment, bright or dark. This does not compromise image quality.
- Easy installation: 1.1x optical zoom. A vertical lens shift enables adjustments for flexible set up
- You are given a 10 percent flexibility of vertical image adjustments; no distortions of images on the screen when you shift it
- It is compatible with V color tuner functionality
- Creation and adjustment of color profiles, as well as sharing of the profiles, can be done through a cloud-based color profile exchange. You can customize the projector’s color settings.
- It has a dual HDMI input and powered USB A ports. This combination enables you to connect to a broad range of multimedia devices for films, presentations, and games.
Pros
- It has a built-up speaker chamber with a powerful amplifier for powerful sound
- Additional speakers are optional
- 3D viewing is immersive
- 3D content can be projected directly from blu-ray devices as well as HDMI enabled devices such as tablets, laptops, and others
- Simple, accessible, and convenient software updates
- ViewSonic software updates are available online; no need for regular trips to a service center for software updates
Con
– more expensive than other projectors
#2 –
Optoma HD39 HDR
With over 500 ratings, the Optoma comes in as a serious contender in the higher-end market with its beautifully clean, minimalistic design boasting a refresh rate of 120Hz, 4,000 lumens, and a whopping 15,000 hours of power (lamp).
Main Features
- Resolution: 1080p (1920 x 1080) (4K with pixel shifting)
- Brightness: 4,000 lumens makes the lamp on the projector powerful and bright. Sources of ambient light do not affect it.
- Contrast ratio: 50,000:1 ; Hi-definition content with sharp, detailed images
- Color accuracy: with 6 segment color wheel (RYGCWB)
- HDR10 technology with 4K input shows colors as they are and provides brighter whites, deeper black levels
- Lens: easy and flexible installations with 1.3x zoom, in any environment
- Quick response time of 8.4ms at 1080p; refresh rate of 120Hz
- 10-watt speaker
- Lamp life of 15,000 hours: an average of 4 hours daily for 10 years or more
- Wide Connectivity: to media players, gaming consoles, other HDMI devices
Pros
- Excellent colors, with a 6-segment color wheel
- Great for movie watching: with lowest input lag at 8.4 ms and high frame refresh rate of 120Hz combined with the bright lamp and 3D support
- Compatibility with HDR10 technology, 4K input
- Bright lamp suitable for any light levels
- Easy installation and picture adjustment
- Lightweight at 8 pounds: convenient for backyard cinema
- 3D content displayed from any source
- Affordable price
Cons
- It cannot display its 4K content in 1080p
- Short lamp lifespan compared to projectors of the same category
#3 –
Epson EB-2250U LCD
The Epson EB-2250U is a Full HD Widescreen LCD Multimedia Projector, this beautiful projector offers you 5,000 lumens, 8,000+ hours of lamp life, and to top it off, a 15,000:1 contrast ratio producing some the clearest you’ll ever experience in such a small form package.
Main Features
- Resolution: 1920 x 1200 WUXGA 16:10
- Brightness: 5000 ANSI Lumens
- Maximum Contrast: 15,000:1
- Weight: 4.8kg
- Warranty: 3 Years
- Lamp Warranty: 12 months
- Lamp Life Up To 10,000 hrs
Product Assets
- Far more accurate color with Epson EB-2250U
- 3LCD, 3-chip technology for three times Higher Color Brightness (1) and up to three times Wider Color Gamut (3) than competing DLP projectors
- Twofold Brightness :
- 5,000 lumens: 1) Color Brightness for more accurate, vivid color 5,000 lumens (2) White Brightness for well-lit rooms
- Bright, widescreen images up to 300″ – WUXGA resolution (1920 x 1200); Full HD 1080p support
- Contrast ratio: 15,000: 1 – excellent sharpness and detailed images; added clarity in the display of text and graphics
- Optional wireless networking – optional module required; enterprise-level security, compatible with security protocols WPA, WEP, WPA2-PSK, and WPA2-EAP security protocols
- Split Screen (4) feature – can show 2 images simultaneously, either in video format or as still images; side-by-side from two different sources
- Remote management and control tools – included software allows for remote monitoring and control of Epson networked projectors; you can also use with Crestron RoomView
- Long-lasting lamp life – up to 10,000 hours in ECO Mode
#4 –
DR. J’s Professional HI-04, Mini Projector
The DR.J Professional is an Outdoor 1080p Movie Projector with 100 Inch Projector Screen. We take a special look at this budget package with over 20,000 ratings, this is one of the highest-rated budget projectors in the market as even for its relative affordability, it comes with a lot of technological features that can (almost) rival higher-end projects.
Main Features
- Portable LED Video Projector: use of healthy, diffuse reflection technology; i.e Diffuse LED Light source, not using a direct light source
- upgraded Native Resolution to 1280 x720 and Full HD 1080p
- Upgraded the projection color contrast ratio to 3800:1 – this restores the projection display’s true colors, with vivid video images
- Improved brightness
- Included a 100″ Portable Projector Screen in the package.
- Contrast Ratio: 2000:1
- Lamp lifetime: 40000 hours,
- Recommended watching Size: 32″by176″ with a projector distance of 1.5m-5m. [Not suitable for PPT, word, excel, or business presentations.]
- Multimedia Portable Projector: compatible with a wide range of devices such as PCs, tablets, laptops, Blu-ray DVD player, SD Card, USB Flash Drive, Video Games, Media players, Smartphones (except Wireless HDMI Dongle).
- Dr.J LED projector can be used for indoor and outdoor cinema, for video games with the use of an HDMI port connection. To achieve a better quality of sound, connect to the surround sound system or your home theater system. The recommended viewing area is a dark environment.
Dr J Professional HI-04 Mini Projector is a big hit with its buyers – as evident in their raving customer reviews:
“Works great. We had purchased to use outside for movies for the kids. I plan on using it in the fall to watch college football with my friends. The picture is clear on the 10 ft screen. Works with amazon fire stick which was another bonus.”
“I purchased this for an outdoor party for my kids. As a projector, I knew it would have to be at night. EVEN with our exterior light on, this picture is still very vibrant. Again, I am not comparing this to a movie projector or an Epson brand but for the price paid, it is very good.”
Brightness:
“While I would like the unit to be brighter, it is brighter than I expected.”
USB:
“I played 3 different movies as a test. Using different movie formats and it played them just fine. Even with a resume function. “
Cons
Picture Adjustment: “
I do wish it had a little more adjustment in the focus area. But I imagine I am viewing the picture outside the recommended viewable area.”
What Kind of Sound System Do You Need?
For your backyard cinema, you and your family may want good powerful sound. You can connect a speaker through the 3.5 mm jack of the projector. Another way is to beef up the sound is to look for a model with Blu-tooth. With the latter choice, you can connect wirelessly to a bluetooth soundbar or speaker. And your backyard cinema will turn out to be a great experience for your family or friends.
A projector with its 10W audio system is not enough for a backyard cinema setting. In both indoors and outdoors, you can have better sound quality. if you connect to a speaker system that is externally powered. How do you match a speaker system with a projector, with straightforward connectivity? It is advised that if the projector has a 3.5mm output, a common interface, the speaker you use must have a 3.mm input.
The size of the speaker you choose will also depend on the amount of space the sound has to cover. It is always to go for the bigger choice since you can always decrease the volume if it’s too loud for the viewing space.
Edifier R1700BT Speakers
Edifier’s R1700BT Speakers is a quality technical piece of audio gear for your backyard cinema, your indoor home movie, or your computer.
Main Features
- Upgrade the sound of your backyard cinema setting, get a pair of Edifier’s R1700BT powered speakers. They contain an amplifier: no need to connect them to a stereo receiver,
- It must be plugged into an outlet in order to work.
- The R1700BT speakers have 2 drivers (the part of a speaker that creates sound): a 4-inch woofer that manages the bass and midrange frequencies, a .75-inch tweeter that manages treble.
- t is important to spread the frequencies between the 2 drivers, to come up with a sound that is better-balanced sound. How can small adjustments be done? The left side of the right speaker has the bass and treble knobs: twist these bass and treble knobs.
- Offers Bluetooth, headphone jack, RCA inputs, as well as wireless connectivity
- Edifier includes a remote control with the R1700BTs, so the volume can be conveniently adjusted. You can also switch inputs on the fly if the volume becomes loud or decreases.
Eero WiFi Routers
A big problem in backyard cinema may be the diminishing power of the projection screen. It is important to have a reliable, far-reaching WiFi network. The Eero Wifi Routers is a set of three routers made to cover a maximum area of 3,500 square feet with an internet connection of up to 350 megabytes per second.
The Eero Routers comprise a mesh WiFi system. One router must be connected to your cable modem. The other routers can be connected to any power outlet nearby. A continuing internet signal is sent by the three routers between one another. In turn, your cable modem connects to the router nearest to it, to lessen crowding.
Fast internet speeds are available when you stream videos inside the house or building, but the outside scenario creates physical distance between your WiFi router and the outdoor cinema setup. This set of Eero routers will improve the quality of your backyard cinema setting.
Which Canvas is the Best for Backyard Cinema?
NIERBO 200 Inch Large Projector Screen 16:9 3D
Portable Movie Screen of Canvas Material
Available in: 200 Inch screen $96 and 250 Inch screen $125.88
Main Features
- The canvas screen has a 1.6 gain. This assures you of good picture quality.
- The viewing angle of 160�. with a clear image and excellent resolution.
- The canvas screen measures 200 inches up to 300 inches, with a 16:9 format. Its viewing area is 446 X 257 cm or 176 inches X 101.2 inches. It is suited for areas of 9 feet, 10 ft, and 11 ft. , for indoor and for backyard cinema settings.
- This projection screen has Metal Eyelets. You can easily install the screen, using nails, ropes, or hooks or a combination of hook and loops, or bungee ball cords. You can stretch the screen from every direction, with its 28 reinforced metal eyelets, to obtain a very flat picture. Many customers have installed it on a PVC frame.
- The canvas is durable. It is thick, environment-friendly. It is odorless. The canvas screen can be washed and ironed before it is stretched on a proper frame.
- It is foldable and packaged for shipment in a black, projector bag. The package size is 15 x x 4 inches. You can fold the screen.
Product Details:
Dimensions 14 x 4 x 9 inches
Weight 6.61 pounds
Manufacturer NIERBO
Conclusion: Backyard Cinema
Now that you’ve reached this point, you would have learned the best outdoor projector for your backyard. The simple technical setup of your projector, what light units are and their differences, the many styles of outdoor designs you can create, the many advantages of purchasing an expensive projector, and the type of foods you can serve or eat during your backyard cinema experience.
Having your own private backyard cinema experience is a reality that only a few people can enjoy, you are one of them. It’s an experience to be treasured with family, friends, and most of all loved one(s). A lifetime of adventure and memories, full of history, masterful acting, and storytelling. Start creating memories today.
If you have any questions at all, please contact us or leave your message in the comments section and we’ll respond as fast as we can.
