projector for outdoor patio.....

[Sounds Good]

with the addition of a new patio on the rear of my house, i thought it might be fun to build a outdoor projector set up... i know somewhere (maybe skymall) i saw inflatable screens, or i could possibly build a screen stand out of PVC.

my question is, what are some decent projectors that are maybe a few years old now that are still really decent in their own way. being that the projector is going to be used outside in a patio/party environment i dont want to spend a lot of money on it... maybe a a few hundred, defiantly no more than $600 or so...

what amount of lumes should i be looking for for outdoor use?

 

[BMXTRIX]

with the addition of a new patio on the rear of my house, i thought it might be fun to build a outdoor projector set up... i know somewhere (maybe skymall) i saw inflatable screens, or i could possibly build a screen stand out of PVC.

my question is, what are some decent projectors that are maybe a few years old now that are still really decent in their own way. being that the projector is going to be used outside in a patio/party environment i dont want to spend a lot of money on it... maybe a a few hundred, defiantly no more than $600 or so...

what amount of lumes should i be looking for for outdoor use?

First off, you understand that it is only possible to use a projector outdoors after dark right?

Second, buying used is a crap shoot. It's your choice, but you have a bright hot light, which is surrounded by electronics - you figure out if you want to gamble your money on used.

Yes, you can build a screen yourself, there are plenty of ways to do this. Keep in mind that any envrionmental exposure will put significant wear and tear on the screen.

Finally - the same is even more true for projectors. You can NOT leave a projector outdoors, even in a protected space. The extreme hot/cold and humidity changes will destroy the projector very quickly. Instead, you must have it in a portable location which you can get to easily.

There are many HD projectors which can be had, but for just a few hundred bucks, you will be struggling.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4631355&CatId=1753

That was one of the best deals going, and it sold out in just a day or so.

Frankly, I would go with this one, and take it inside after usage...
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4499984&CatId=1755

 

[Sounds Good]

i would definitely be bringing it inside when not in use... i am thinking some kind of tripod mount... and the screen would also be a temporary solution... something that could be taken down and stored in the garage or something....

 

[BMXTRIX]

i would definitely be bringing it inside when not in use... i am thinking some kind of tripod mount... and the screen would also be a temporary solution... something that could be taken down and stored in the garage or something....

With that in mind, you really need to shoot for a target size and a real world expectation.

If you intend to show no HDTV and just some DVDs (not Blu-ray) and quality really isn't that important to you overall - but needs to be reasonably acceptable. The cheap business class XGA monitors will deliver decent brightness and a decent image. Don't expect a lot in the way of smooth motion handling, or superior black levels, etc. But, for an image that 'works' the price is hard to beat.

BenQ puts some refurb units up on their site which aren't bad for home theater and the price is very good:
http://shop.benq.us/benq-us/searchresults.aspx?dept_id=21&culture=en-US

Specifcally:
http://shop.benq.us/benq-us/product.aspx?sku=3591737&section_id=566&culture=en-US

You get 720P HD projection w/HDMI connectivity.

One of the big lacks of the XGA cheapie business class projectors is that they most often won't have a HDMI (or any digital) input, and likely don't have a direct component video input.

This BenQ model will fill a 120" screen after dark without issue.

For a screen - you have a ton of DIY options which work.

I've made a screen from a sheet twice. I use one version for front projection outdoors and one for rear projection in my garage on Haloween. It is passible, but not really very good overall. Still, it is fun.

Better is going with black out cloth or one of the DIY options from AVS Forum which are extensive.

For FAR more ideas than even I can come up with, you definitely want to look at:
http://www.backyardtheater.com/

Have fun with it all! Oh, and don't forget the audio.

 

[Sounds Good]

PQ is definitely low on the list... but i dont want it looking like bob sports bar either... hdmi isnt high either because the dvd player that would get demoted to outside duty only has composite/svid/comp. maybe vga would be doable then i could use my laptop as the dvd player....

ive been thinking more about this... it would be awesome if i could find an old 2ch rack mount receiver and a rack mount dvd and build a "box" of some sorts and load it with all the equipment so it doesnt look like someones last minute idea to set all this stuff up in the backyard.. lol