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When we were redesigning our backyard, one thing we really wanted to incorporate was an area to view an outdoor movie using Apple TV. Having two teenage daughters (and no finished basement) we thought they would love this as a spot they could hang with their friends and have some space to themselves. Let me start by clarifying most setups do not need to be this elaborate. We happened to be renovating our patio which is why we took steps to hide cords and drill into the back of our garage to create more of a permanent spot for all the equipment. There are simpler versions which I will try and add on at the end of this post.
Before the work started on our patio we let the designer know that we wanted him to place a PVC from the back of the garage, under the brick pavers to the pea gravel fire pit area. We planned on feeding the wires and extension cord from the garage to the projector and didn’t want anyone tripping over wires in the dark. This was a great way to keep all wires underground. We capped off the PVC pipe and buried just below the gravel so it’s water tight and is not seen when not in use, but can easily be brushed off to find it.
We setup the receiver in our mudroom and ran the wiring through the back of the garage into our mudroom cubby.
The back side of the garage was the perfect place to hang a large outdoor screen. This screen is great because it has holes all around it which we hook onto the back of the top of the garage and bungie cord the bottom so the screen pulls tight and does not flop in the wind; giving the movie a sharper image. It also can be easily folded and stored away during the winter months.
We purchased Bose outdoor speakers which give such amazing sound quality to our movies and we also can use to play music while we are outside too.
We purchased this wireless projector (which is stored indoors) and this projector/laptop stand. We used these HDMI cords and these adapters to connect everything.
Like I said, our set up is a little more complicated since we were using a receiver we had and wanted more permanent wiring under ground. However, I have seen these easier outdoor movie setups (but have not personally used these myself) here and here that are much lower in price ($200-$300 range) and can be used with an iPhone. I think the speakers might be quieter (vs. the Boses) but it makes for a simpler, all in one solution and can be used indoors too in basements, living rooms, etc. making for some fun family time!
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