What Do I Need for Outdoor Movies? 

You can create stunningly impressive outdoor movies at home with a few simple components. Imagine sitting in your own backyard with a brightly lit 16' by 9' tall screen with surround sound stereo under the stars. Your own personal drive-in theater! If you are too young for that visual, then picture an indoor movie theater... outdoors! Click "read more" for the complete story about choosing your components. 

OutStanding Screens Outdoor Movie Theater

Outdoor movies? Why? And then, "Oh, that sounds cool!" How often do we consider how it is all done, or that we can do it in our own backyards? So, what components do we need to make this all happen? We need the following to project a movie, video game, home movies, or whatever:

  • A Video Projector
  • A Source of Video
  • A Source of Sound
  • A Screen Surface

A Video Projector - Given some thought, many people already have access to a projector, they just haven't thought about it yet. If you do need to buy one, you can get a very decent projector for

around $500. On top of that I recently found a place online that rents very nice projectors over the weekend for about $120. If you are shopping for a projector, here is an article that will help you navigate the various features available. And the good news is that projectors are just getting cheaper and better. 


A Source of Video - Many people use their laptop as a source of video. You can play DVD's, online movies, or even games. Two other common sources of a video signal would be a DVD/VHS player, or a game console, some of which can output Blue-ray quality images. The best signal cable quality coming from your video source is from HDMI, Component or 15-pin PCI plugs. 


A Source of Sound - I see a picture, but I can't hear anything! Oh yeah, we need sound. You can use something as simple as external speakers connected to your laptop video source, or you can drop $40 at a garage sale and pick up a stereo that has 5.1 surround sound that you can plug into your computer or any other video source. If you need longer speaker wire because you want to spread our your speakers, 12 gauge low-voltage wiring is a great solution. Low voltage wiring is designed to be buried in the yard so you can leave it in the ground for your next movie event. 


A Screen Surface - After you have everything else ready, its time to throw that image up onto your screen! Of course we would love to have your use our OutStanding Screens 220" outdoor projection screen, but there are other options. Here is a link to a screen considerations article that may be helpful as you shop for that screen. If you visit our Pinterest page you will see images of other outdoor theater arrangements. Many people create do-it-yourself screens with mixed results. Not everyone has the skills, the tools, or the inclination to build their own screen. At OutStanding Screens we have done all the thinking and building for you. Our screen is huge, a single person can stand it up, it is weather-proof, and it is light-weight, portable, and stores away very easily. 


Summary - If you think about it, you probably have access to many of the components you need, if you don't already own them. If you do an outdoor movie, we have embraced the idea that bigger is better. Why go to all that trouble if you could just as easily bring a TV out into the yard? We also try to build-in what we can for future movies. With a little consideration you can assess what particular configuration works best for you. Like anything, there are many levels of entry into the outdoor movie experience and you can always add more later and learn as you go. If we can offer any help, please don't hesitate to contact us. We built our screens because we love the experience. We think you will too! We know that our customers do. Enjoy. 

Link to Projection Screen Review at Sound & Vision magazine
Facebook Link
Link to OutStandingScreens setup video

Link to OutStandingScreens Pinterest page