There’s nothing like watching a movie on a flat-screen TV… but how cool would it be if you could take that flat-screen outdoors?
With summer just around the corner, forget holing up in your living room and start thinking about moving outdoors instead. It’s actually quite easy to DIY an outdoor home theater system to enjoy movies with your family under a star-filled sky.
You’ll just need a few tech gadgets to make it work.
The best part is that you can easily scale your home theater to fit your own budget. You can go with a projector and screen and keep the price low or go all out with a full-fledged theater instead. Feel free to upgrade or keep it as budget-friendly as you need.
Here’s a look at everything you’ll need to create an amazing outdoor home theater that will wow your friends and family.
Get a projector
Though you might be able to drag your TV outside, it won’t have the same mesmerizing effect as a big-screen projector. Modern home theaters offer superb picture quality that flat-screen TVs just can’t compete with.
They also project a brighter image than you’d expect.
Just remember that you’ll need at least 10 feet of space between the projector and the screen if you want to project an image that’s 100 inches or more. Measure your outdoor space carefully before making your purchase!
If you’re looking for the best budget projector for your home, check out some of the models Samsung offers. The good thing about shopping at Samsung is that they allow you to redeem coupon codes on all your purchases.
Just head to a coupon website like BravoDeal and choose any free Samsung coupon to get started: BravoDeal.
Choose a projector screen… or not
The simplest way that you can use your projector outdoors is to shine the projected image on any wall outside your home. While this is the most affordable option, it also does not produce a clean or crisp image. For that, you’ll need a projector screen.
When choosing a projector screen, look for a model with a sturdy frame and ground stakes so it won’t blow over on windy nights.
Another budget-friendly option that’s still an upgrade from any old wall in your home is to go for an all-white bedsheet. Just make sure you practice setting up your sheet before your big movie night to avoid disappointment!
A speaker system
While most projectors come with built-in speakers, you’ll probably want to upgrade to a speaker system in order to enjoy the best sound quality. Besides, if you’re taking the time to build a big outdoor home theatre, why skimp on the sound?
Your projector should come with an analog audio output that you can use to hook up a new set of speakers. If you want, you can also go wireless by choosing a pair of Bluetooth speakers instead.
For this option, you’ll want to make sure that your WiFi connection is strong enough outdoors to avoid your films constantly buffering.
A media player
Now that your outdoor theater is all set up, what are you going to watch? And even more importantly, how are you going to watch it?
While you can still drag your laptop or a DVD player into your yard, one of the easiest ways to enjoy movies with a projector is through a streaming device or stick.
You can connect your device to your projector directly from its HDMI input and it will use your home WiFi network to stream movies and TV shows from the web.