Dinner and a Movie

UncleFred

Been kicking around the idea of "Dinner & a Movie" nights this year to give the kids a sense of what it was like to go to a drive-in.

...Fire up the egg, cook something awesome., have an ice chest or two of sodas and adult beverages and show a classic movie on a screen (or bed sheet) in the yard (or the cul-de-sac for the neighbors).

I need some experienced recommendations for a portable DVD/Blue Ray projector that's bright enough to use outside, easy to set up quickly with good sound output capabilities.  I don't need 4K or ultra Hi-Def (come on, think bed sheet), and although price isn't necessarily a deal breaker, I'd like to stay under $1,000.

Are any of you doing anything like this?

hapster

Sounds like an awesome idea...

Tinyfish

Thats thinking...

UncleFred

Nobody is doing anything like this?

Jeremiah

@cazzy. Help the man out. C'mon man wave that geek flag!

Chicklet

Our neighborhood, private pool association does "dive in movies" several times during the summer months.  We  hire a DJ that has a portable set up like you are talking about.  This guy has the big inflatable screen and a projector but I've also been to stuff where he just has a "regular" screen too.  

The parents all pay a few bucks for the kids to go and we sit around socializing and having a few drinks.  

I'll be you could call around some AV / music vendors and find something.  

theyolksonyou

@Ladeback69‌ is another audio/video geek.

cazzy

If you don't want 3D, I highly recommend this projector. $799 shipped no tax

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/981958-REG/epson_v11h416120_powerlite_home_cinema_8345.html

If you need 3D, or if you don't, you can't go wrong with this BenQ. $689 shipped no tax

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=913362&Q=&is=REG&A=details

I'm currently in the process of building my home theater room, so I have actually been researching a lot. Both of these projectors are what I'm lesning towards to hold me over until my 4K projector comes out in america.

Here is where I'm at so far:

cazzy

You're going to need some speakers/receiver or something to put out audio. The sound from the projector will not be adequate. Maybe a good sound bar!

Blu-Ray players can be had for less than a hundo these days.

Jeremiah

See, like I said: Nerd. :P

erniemcclain

We use one at church almost every week. Hookup to laptop. The projector was like $350.

UncleFred

cazzy said:

If you don't want 3D, I highly recommend this projector.

Thanks!  It looks like it ain't as simple as I figured.  ...sez something about needing "an up-link converter" to plug in a DVD/Blue Ray player and I couldn't see a lot of info on the audio out (stereo, surround sound, wattage, etc).  ..don't need 3D (gives the wife a headache)

I have a powered speaker rig, heck I've even got a 16 channel mixing board 'round here somewhere if I need it, so that shouldn't be a problem.

From what I can find on the net, no one makes a projector specifically for outdoor use, so it's a compromise fro the get go.

Questions abound.  Like, being out doors where it isn't "theater" dark should I go with the maximum Lumens I can find? etc.

cazzy

Jeremiah said:

See, like I said: Nerd. :P

I'm a geek...get it right!

cook861

Ya but you can  cook realy good to

cazzy

UncleFred said:

cazzy said:

If you don't want 3D, I highly recommend this projector.

Thanks!  It looks like it ain't as simple as I figured.  ...sez something about needing "an up-link converter" to plug in a DVD/Blue Ray player and I couldn't see a lot of info on the audio out (stereo, surround sound, wattage, etc).  ..don't need 3D (gives the wife a headache)

I have a powered speaker rig, heck I've even got a 16 channel mixing board 'round here somewhere if I need it, so that shouldn't be a problem.

From what I can find on the net, no one makes a projector specifically for outdoor use, so it's a compromise fro the get go.

Questions abound.  Like, being out doors where it isn't "theater" dark should I go with the maximum Lumens I can find? etc.



The 8345 doesn't have audio out, but you can connect HDMI from your blu-ray player to the projector. Most players have analog out, so you can connect the analog signal from the blu-ray player to your rig. If your gear is new and can support HDMI, you can get a player with twin HDMI ports and use one for video and one for audio.

Most don't want to run cables to a projector, then out to another component. You typically handle that from the audio/video source.

cazzy

Lots of info can be had here:

http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/amaze-your-friends-and-annoy-your-neighbors-with-your-own-backyard-theater/

BTW. No bed sheet...get a screen!

UrbanForestTurnings

UncleFred said:

Been kicking around the idea of "Dinner & a Movie" nights this year to give the kids a sense of what it was like to go to a drive-in.

...Fire up the egg, cook something awesome., have an ice chest or two of sodas and adult beverages and show a classic movie on a screen (or bed sheet) in the yard (or the cul-de-sac for the neighbors).

I need some experienced recommendations for a portable DVD/Blue Ray projector that's bright enough to use outside, easy to set up quickly with good sound output capabilities.  I don't need 4K or ultra Hi-Def (come on, think bed sheet), and although price isn't necessarily a deal breaker, I'd like to stay under $1,000.

Are any of you doing anything like this?

Heck I would not do that at all. Sounds nasty to me. That's how I got my daughter. Giving your kids a drive in experience. You sick f&&k.

McStew

@crazy can you provide the link for the wall unit you have pictured?

BYS1981

Lagunitas does this by me.

cazzy

McStew said:

@crazy can you provide the link for the wall unit you have pictured?

Totally in love with my AV Rack.

http://www.omnimount.com/products/rack_systems_and_carts/rack_systems/re27/

UrbanForestTurnings

cazzy said:

@crazy can you provide the link for the wall unit you have pictured?

Totally in love with my AV Rack. http://www.omnimount.com/products/rack_systems_and_carts/rack_systems/re27/

And I could use some help with my rabbit ears. And a new pair of vice grips.

cazzy

UrbanForestTurnings said:

cazzy said:

McStew said:

@crazy can you provide the link for the wall unit you have pictured?

Totally in love with my AV Rack.

http://www.omnimount.com/products/rack_systems_and_carts/rack_systems/re27/

And I could use some help with my rabbit ears. And a new pair of vice grips.

theyolksonyou

Well, he asked for it...

saluki2007

@cazzy  I thought Sony had a true 4k projector (not up converting to get 4k) in the US for about $20,000.  My dad was looking at it, but decided to go with this one instead.  How big of a screen are you going for?  What are you using for speakers and receiver?

cazzy

saluki2007 said:

@cazzy  I thought Sony had a true 4k projector (not up converting to get 4k) in the US for about $20,000.  My dad was looking at it, but decided to go with this one instead.  How big of a screen are you going for?  What are you using for speakers and receiver?

Yes...they do. They've had the 1100es (28k) and 600es (15k), but I've been waiting on the 300es that was already released in the UK. It's a lil cheaper than the 600, but ultimately, it just is all around better fit for my room. I am now seeing the 350es on Sony's website, so it does appear that it has dropped with a different name. Very excited...now to get the wife on board again.

saluki2007

@cazzy  You could always take the route my dad did when they moved into their new house back in the day.

Dad to Mom: "You can decorate and do whatever you want to the house, but I get one room to do what I want."

It worked and he and I spent about 4 months demolishing a room in the basement and creating a full blown theater room.

cazzy

saluki2007 said:

@cazzy  You could always take the route my dad did when they moved into their new house back in the day.

Dad to Mom: "You can decorate and do whatever you want to the house, but I get one room to do what I want."

It worked and he and I spent about 4 months demolishing a room in the basement and creating a full blown theater room.

Haha...she knows me and it's only a matter of time. I'm using Klipsch for speakers and will be replacing my Denon 4308CI with a Denon x7200W in about a week or so. I will be running a 7.1.2 speaker configuration. Do you have any more info on your dad's theater? Pictures?

saluki2007

@cazzy  I don't have any pictures right now.  We did this about 14 years ago, which at the time was one of the most high tech home theater systems I had seen.  Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures of the process.  I'll try and take some this week though.

We started by ripping up all the carpet and tearing down the dry wall.  We put pink insulation in between the studs and then placed sound board on top of that.  We then covered it with sound fabric.

The screen is 110 inches and is a sound perforated screen.  Meaning that it allowed sound to pass through it undistorted.  We hid the center channel behind the screen.  We used a Zenith Pro 900x with a Crystal Image scaler.  We had HD before you could get HD on cable or satellite.  Back when it was only local channels through an antenna.  For components we used Integra Research for the Amp, DVD player, and Processer.  It was a 7.1 system.  We used B&M for all the speakers; 803s for the two fronts.  HTM2 for the center channel.  DB1 for sub.  CWM7 series (in-walls) for the side and rear.  It was controlled through a Phillips Pronto touch screen remote.

He just upgraded the projector to the one mention above.  He also now uses an Oppo with a Roku stick and Raspberry pi.  Uses a Synology for his NAS.

While the technology has greatly improved on the video front and there are much nicer home theaters out there, it is still one of the best sounding theaters I have ever heard.  When we play a DVD audio disc in there and you close your eyes, it's as if the musicians are right in front of you playing live.

cazzy

saluki2007 said:

@cazzy  I don't have any pictures right now.  We did this about 14 years ago, which at the time was one of the most high tech home theater systems I had seen.  Unfortunately we didn't take any pictures of the process.  I'll try and take some this week though.

We started by ripping up all the carpet and tearing down the dry wall.  We put pink insulation in between the studs and then placed sound board on top of that.  We then covered it with sound fabric.

The screen is 110 inches and is a sound perforated screen.  Meaning that it allowed sound to pass through it undistorted.  We hid the center channel behind the screen.  We used a Zenith Pro 900x with a Crystal Image scaler.  We had HD before you could get HD on cable or satellite.  Back when it was only local channels through an antenna.  For components we used Integra Research for the Amp, DVD player, and Processer.  It was a 7.1 system.  We used B&M for all the speakers; 803s for the two fronts.  HTM2 for the center channel.  DB1 for sub.  CWM7 series (in-walls) for the side and rear.  It was controlled through a Phillips Pronto touch screen remote.

He just upgraded the projector to the one mention above.  He also now uses an Oppo with a Roku stick and Raspberry pi.  Uses a Synology for his NAS.

While the technology has greatly improved on the video front and there are much nicer home theaters out there, it is still one of the best sounding theaters I have ever heard.  When we play a DVD audio disc in there and you close your eyes, it's as if the musicians are right in front of you playing live.

Awesome! This is probably no where near the quality of your dads theater from an acoustical stand point. The media room came from the builder so it isn't properly insulated. There is just spray foam on the walls, ceiling and sub-floor. I'm using great equipment, so it will be nice but it lacks the foundation that he has.

I just got the approval for my projector and screen from my wife. I'm shitting myself and am going to buy it tonight.

saluki2007

 I'm using great equipment, so it will be nice but it lacks the foundation that he has. I just got the approval for my projector and screen from my wife. I'm shitting myself and am going to buy it tonight.

That's awesome.  Denon makes some great equipment, and I have heard a lot of great things about that new receiver.  I have never actually listened to Kilpsh's higher end stuff, but my brother has one of their sounds bars and it sounds good.  I know they bought a company while back called Jamo, which makes great speakers.  I used to sell those along with B&W's.  

cazzy

saluki2007 said:

 I'm using great equipment, so it will be nice but it lacks the foundation that he has.

I just got the approval for my projector and screen from my wife. I'm shitting myself and am going to buy it tonight.

That's awesome.  Denon makes some great equipment, and I have heard a lot of great things about that new receiver.  I have never actually listened to Kilpsh's higher end stuff, but my brother has one of their sounds bars and it sounds good.  I know they bought a company while back called Jamo, which makes great speakers.  I used to sell those along with B&W's.  

Oh, on the fence about an Oppo. I wish I could rent one, instead of buying since 4k Blu-Ray Players should hit the market at the end of this year.

B&W's are nice....but I love my horns. This will be what I use for my next theater room:

http://www.klipsch.com/thx-ultra2-home-theater-system