A long post... lots to cover.... litterally
I've read & reread over this thread a few times now, trying to picture your back entertainment area. It's unfortunate that you can't post pics or attach images yet, but I think I have a good understanding as to where you're coming from.
Last year we did a client's home & it went something like this....
I will list MSRP pricing for you so you get the idea of maximum cost. There's a little bit of play in some of these things & a lot in others. All in all the total comes out to be $5129, but under $5K should easily be attained. We did this for our client and included installation & wiring at no cost so, there's certainly wiggle room for whoever you decide to go through to set this up. I will number the pieces I would recommend 1-5 so you can keep track of the MSRPs easier at the end....
1 - Around the pool (our client had landscaping so these were perfect) we used Phase Technology SPF-85
http://www.phasetech.com/products.html?product_id=SPF-85&od=1 . They come in Sandstone or Green & the bottom portions get buried a bit in the ground so weed whackers, etc. don't damage them. Virtually indestructible, sound AMAZING, and use a coaxial 8" down firing woofer & 1" tweeter. They have real world chest thumping bass outdoors so no need for a sub, do stereo imaging up to 25' apart (we usually do them further because they can do 35' easily), and can get stunningly loud while remaining clear. Because of the coaxial setup they disperse sound 360 degrees so coverage is fabulous in all directions.
2 - In your covered porch (I'm imagining some sort of covering or ceiling?) I would do a single pair of Jamo 8.5CST (white/paintable)
http://www.jamo.com/eu-en/products/8-5cs-t-description/ . These are 8" in-ceiling speakers that are built to withstand outdoor use and moisture. We do them all the time outside & in bathrooms where people shower & such. They've all held up perfectly well & we've never gotten a service call from them being damaged. They sound excellent and I would strongly recommend them. If in-ceiling doesn't work, there are a million different surface mount outdoor speakers all under $300 a pair. The Dayton Audio 6 1/2" models (white/black/paintable)
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=310-056 are fabulous for the money at roughly $150 a pair. I like the clean look of the recessed Jamos, but either way works. If 1 pair of Jamos won't cover enough of the covered patio/deck add a 2nd pair.
3 - Sonos. This is what I would use as your music source/player. It streams Rhapsody, Napster, Pandora, Sirius, any music on your PCs, and virtually any internet radio station in the world. You will need an amplified ZP120 (Labeled "Patio") to source & power the one or two pair of speakers on your covered porch. You will need a ZP90 (labeled "Pool") & an amp (see #4) for the PhaseTechnologys in the landscaping. Lastly you will need a Sonos ZoneBridge to plug into your router. Easiest thing in our industry to set up & control. You would use an iPad/Droid/iPodTouch/iPhone or any PC in the house as a remote to control the system's volume & what it's playing. One of my favorite pieces of equipment currently on the market.
http://sonos.com/ . You will NOT need volume controls as whatever you use to control Sonos with will allow you to adjust the volume. This will allow you to play on thing on the porch & one thing around the pool as well as the same thing in both areas. Even if two different things at once is not an option I like the idea of being able to independently do the volume from the remote instead of getting up to go to a volume control somewhere. You can justify the expense or savings based on preference & application.
4 - Amplifier for the ZP90
http://parasound.com/ParasoundZ/zampv3.php . Parasound Zamp V.3. It's very small, bulletproof - important because this thing will be outside in the heat, and stable down to 2ohms. The Phase Techs are power hungry big time and 4ohms. This amp will take the abuse of playing loudly at 4ohms outside in the heat without any problem whatsoever. I would caution against the longevity of a typical stereo reciever or whole house audio amp in those conditions. They typically run hot.
5 - SunBrite SB-3230HD 32" Outdoor TV
http://sunbritetv.com/pdf/3230hdspecsheet.pdf . I went with the 32" because of your budget. As BMXTrix pointed out, the 46" is twice the price. I understand the want fo outdoor TV, and even the need for sports fans or those who entertain. But, it's still considered a luxury in a luxury market. There's only one company I would even think to use and that's SunBrite. Your choices are "expensive" for the 32" or "EXPENSIVE" for the 46". Either way, the products are as advertised and worth it for those who will use them.
So, let's recap. MSRPs for total equipment in each section....
1 – PhaseTechnology SPF-85 $1360/pair
2 - Jamo 8.5CST $369/pair
3 - Sonos ZP90, ZP120, ZoneBridge $950/For All
4 - Parasound Zamp V.3 $350
5 - SunBrite 32" TV $2100
TOTAL MSRP: $5129
This should all be able to be had for under $4900 (including the mount for the TV) fairly easily and will blow your expectations away. Also, the source eqipment and amps are small enough that I can basically stack them all in one hand - so fitting them someplace in your outdoors or inside is as easy as it gets. Sorry for the book or if I got your details or plans wrong. Tough to do without a drawing. If you have any questions, comments, or want to PM/email a drawing let us know!