Backyard Theater Forum

Hey folks,

Currently we use a 16x9 foot screen, which (I think) has a great design. It goes up and comes back down very easily and quickly. However, I'm getting the itch to go with a 24x10 foot screen, and am looking for ideas.

Who has a great setup with a bigger screen like that? C'mon, share with the class... 

It's been a while since posting, but I wanted to let folks know that after storing the screen "folded" like that all Winter, it was perfectly fine during the first show of the Spring.

I am considering a enw screen setup however, I want to go bigger! I need to create/find a solution that will allow me to go bigger, and still have a quick setup/teardown... I'm on the lookout, if you know of a big screen, 24x10 feet is what I'm thinking, with a quick setup and teardown, please let me know!

Thanks everyone,  especially you AZ folks. While I don't think I could live in that heat, I'm jealous that you can run movies so much of the year. I've got months to wait still!

Thanks again, Warren

Hi folks,

A friend is setting up an outdoor theater in Arizona, and he has an issue I'll never have. It is frequently very hot there, easy to be over 95-100, even in the evenings. He was looking at some projectors that listed operating temps being capped at 95F (35C).

What are your thoughts on running the projector for a few hours when it is 100-105 degrees outside?

Thanks.

Here's mine, full write up on the whole system with around 50 pics.


http://www.TheHomeTheaterBook.Com/outdoor-theater.htm

Hey folks,

I'm getting my Spring projects lined up, and of course the outdoor theater is on the list. Along with running conduit and burying the speaker wires, I wanted to add some more bass this year. Last year I used the powered 12" subs in my Klipsch speakers, but I'd like to go with dedicated sub(s) outside. I'm not going to haul the big old SVS outside, so I'm looking elsewhere.

Does anyone here have any experience with buried subs? I read a little about them, but personal experience would be nice to hear.

Thanks, Warren

Mine is pretty tricky, first name is Warren last name starts with the letter 'P'.   

I rip the video files in DVD Shrink and put them together in Nero. Nero has lots of great built-in features, nice menus, etc...

Recent story in the paper from Pittsburgh:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_471879.html

Note the quote from the police chief at the end of the story. Print this out, and take it to your local paper. You should be able to get yourself an advocate pretty quickly.

Second, if your local police chief really did sound positive, make sure you tell the reporter to ask him for a quote. I'm not sure the timing of this, but if you had the time to get this done before the meeting, you would have a pretty good amount of pressure on your side. You can also ask your neighbors to attend the meeting with you.

Good luck.

Wow, sorry to hear about this. I hope you'll come out of it intact.

I'd guess that the only possible outcome is a fine for playing the music "too loud", although I'm not sure how to prove that after the fact. As far as I know you're allowed to have a party in the US, and I'm pretty sure you are allowed to show a movie, if you so desired, to your party guests, as long as you are not charging them to watch the movie.

Good luck!

I might just have to try that laser pointer idea! Thank you for the kind words.

Did you read the full documentation on my site, or just the pics here? I thought some folks might like the full step by step, so I tried to photo and document everything. I hope people might find that of some use.

You're right, no house is ever really "done". As soon as I get the deck done, then I have to get my office finished, then the basement drop ceiling, then blah blah blah... But, it sure is fun. 

That laser pointer idea still cracks me up.  I really need to test that.

Great setup, Warren!  And GREAT job of documenting things.  Thanks for posting here.

House remodeling is fun.  Been there.  Still doing that.  Feels like I always will be.

Welcome aboard!

Randy

To me I think it is video followed very closely by audio (but I'd rather list them as tied for first place!). Then, the movie choice and atmosphere.

For most of the guests, I think the movie choice and atmosphere is most important, followed by picture and sound.

Thanks for the nice comments about the house. I'm still finishing it, lots of work. My wife and I took on the role of General Contractor, and we did all the electrical, HVAC, plumbing, etc... pretty much all of the house except for concrete, framing, roofing, windows/doors, and drywall.

Yeah, the yard is great, we an open half acre on either side. There is one annoying streetlight that keeps me from putting the screen where I really wanted it, so sooner or later I'll need to plant some nice trees and move the screen into the ideal position.

Thanks for the kind words.

Man, I love that house and that yard is awesome.

Oh yeah, nice screen setup too

Victor

The folded part of the screen isn't folded tight, so it doesn't get a line or crease in it. I'm using the screen material from b-adeals.com and it doesn't wrinkle at all. I do get some lines where I don't have the material pulled perfectly even, but I'm the only one who notices those.

I'll be very interested to see how it looks in the Spring, after it sits for months and months. If it were ever to get some lines from folding, that would be the time!

That's a fine looking setup you've made, Warren.

Do you have to do anything special to get the wrinkles out of the screen fabric, after it's been stored folded?

Hi Movieman,

From the ground to the bottom of the screen is 2 feet. Since the yard slopes up from there, it worked out pretty well.  If I need to raise it, that can be done pretty quickly, so I'll keep on eye on that and see how folks feel about it when they are there, thanks.