Protecting outdoor projectors in AV installations.
After such a busy week at work, here comes the weekend; getting outside with friends and family to enjoy the back yard. And one way is to utilize the space is as an outdoor cinema. AV engineers are working non-stop to keep up with the demand of installing the electronic kit into homes and gardens. However, before you rush into planning an out-door party to show off your big screen, with the ball game or latest blockbuster movie, there are several points to think about…
So, where is the best location? Somewhere flat and with the least distraction or interference from a breeze, which can annoyingly flap a flexible screen. And somewhere where everyone can chill out and see the screen – scatter cushions, easy chairs, sun loungers or even a set of old car seats will make an imaginative auditorium. Then there is the projector, itself. After searching on the internet, through AV magazines and electronic stores, you decide on a particular make and model, but one thing you will have forgotten, is to include an outdoor protective enclosure! Can you really expect it to survive in all weathers, dust, accidental damage, let alone having it stolen? A protective enclosure can be fitted by yourself, or by a professional AV engineer. It completely encloses the projector (one size generally fits all) and you can be assured that all the cables into the projector are protected and out of harms reach. A projector is generally considered a piece of electronic kit which is left outside long term, having been installed onto a wall (horizontally or vertically) – which is an ideal platform for installing the enclosure too.
Speakers are another key element to complement the home cinema experience – you can’t have a great movie without quality sound. You may have to play around with their positioning to get the balance right, but it will be worth it. There are an amazing variety of speakers, from ones mountable in trees, to ones which look like stones. The volume is not a reflection of the size of the speakers, it just depends on the quality of what you can afford.
The rest of the setting will suit the mood of the function; cold beers or champagne? Banners and balloons or fairy lights and flowers? Even with one basic system of a home cinema, it can be adapted to suit any occasion, gathering size and back yard. There are any number of back yard styles and foot print; from a decked yard, landscaped pool area or grass and wooded orchard… it can all accommodate the luxury of a projector, particularly when enclosed in a secure housing unit.
Whether you are planning a large gathering, celebration or a small party, a home cinema can provide the perfect backdrop for partying or taking part in one of the nations favourite sporting events.