I recently had a small outdoor movie night at my in-law’s house. It was the first time for most of those that showed up. They all loved seeing movies on a big screen outdoor. They constantly commented on how clear the movies were.
Below is a list of products I used for the outdoor movie setup. I will try to break down the different components and how to connect them.
I hope this gives you some ideas on how you can have your own outdoor movie setup.
1. 120″ Projector Screen
- ▶【Easy to Set UP】JWSIT 120 inch projector screen with stand is ready for quick set-up in a few minutes. Just press the metal snaps around the portable frame to quickly fasten the projector screen to the one-piece frame flatly, detachable legs can be assembled easily with no tools required.
- ▶【Excellent Projection Display】1.1 Gian, Active 3D and 4K Ultra HD, decent size 16:9 aspect ratio, 160 degrees wide viewing angle, the outdoor movie screen is designed for providing sharp and high-resolution images, enriched colors, and supreme watching experience from the different viewing positions. Projector screen with stand, perfect for home theater, schools, offices, weddings, the church; can be used for PowerPoint presentations and other displays
- ▶【Convenient to Carry】JWSIT projector screen outdoor is made of lightweight but sturdy aluminum, the portable projector screen frame can be easily transported anywhere with included soft padded carrying bag and be well protected. The 120" outdoor movie screen folds super compactly than most 4K HD projector screens, making it easy to travel for family trips, camping, backyard movie night, etc.
- ▶【Stable Stand Wrinkle Free Screen 】Premium PVC Matte makes the projector screen wrinkle-free and easy to clean. And the frame is durable for freestanding in light wind for outdoor use. The Stability-Ensure Kit is included: 4 ground stakes, 2 rigging cords, and 2 support rings. You won't have to worry about the frame or legs bending or breaking in the wind.
- ▶【100% WORRY-FREE ORDER】JWSIT movie screens for projectors outdoor cover a 1-year manufacturer warranty, 100% satisfaction, and Lifetime Technical Support. Just purchase outdoor screens for movies freely! Any doubt or assistance please feel free to contact us.
Read Full Review: 120″ JWSIT Outdoor Projector Screen Review
The first thing you want to do is set up a projector screen. I chose this particular projector based on its 5-star reviews on Amazon.
This is a solidly built projector screen. Creases are nonexistent when you stretch and button down the screen to the Aluminum frame.
This is a two-person job to set up the screen; that should take no more than 5-10 minutes. You’ll need one person to pull the screen while the other person buttons it down.
I believe that over time as the screen stretches, the projector screen setup can be done with one person.
I didn’t need to anchor down the screen as there was no wind.
2. 100 FT Electrical Cord And Power Strip
- Water, weather and abrasion resistant & flame retardant
- Works in temperatures from -40°F up to +140°F
- Nickel coated brass blades won't corrode which helps prevent arcing
- GROUNDED plug and connector 10Amps/125Volts/1250Watts
- Agency tested and certified for use in the USA & Canada
You’ll need a 100 ft outdoor electrical cord that can provide power from your nearest outlet to where you will put your outdoor projector.
Try to position the cords away from foot traffic as much as possible.
People will often get up for a different reason, and you don’t want them tripping on the cord in the dark.
- 6 AC Power Strip Weatherproof: It's IPX4 rated waterproof and electric shockproof can be used safely indoors and outdoors in Rain and thunder, which can prevent short circuit or electrics shock and other safety issues caused by water splash or lightning.
- Surge Protector Power Strip with 3 usb Ports: 1000 joules MOV has over-current and over-heat protection, and will automatically disconnect and automatically recover the dual functions, which can protects your devices against lightning strike and sudden power surge.
- Electric Shockproof Outlet: Loitinsy's USTPO patent uses a unique electric shockproof structure designed specifically for American standard plugs, Which means forks, tweezers, keys, and even children's fingers can't get powered through these Electric Shockproof outlets.
- All-round Safety Design: ETL listed quality product with UL certified 6 feet 16AWG heavy-duty (3*1.3 mm²) extension cord. The built-in circuit breaker can automatically shut off when overload(1875W), preventing overheat-caused fire. Environmental protection and fire-resistance PC shell with flame retardant at 1382℉ makes it more durable and longer lifetime.
- Suit for Outdoor and Indoor: The versatile safe waterproof power strip can be used in bathroom and kitchen where get wet by water splash, in bed room and baby room where should eliminate the risk of electric shock, in patio, deck, garden, gazebo where are humid and wet sometimes by rain and lightning. 2 installation methods make charge safer and easier.
Invest in a good power strip. You’ll need to be able to plug in your projector, Your streaming stick like a Roku stick, The Bluetooth transmitter, and any other Blu Ray player you might use.
3. Projector Stand
- UNIVERSAL PLACEMENT: The cool Pyle foldable device stand supports laptops, recorder, projectors, music notes, books, sound media equipment, etc. It can be used by musicians, DJs, performers, engineers, teachers, and students
- ADJUSTABLE HEIGHT: This heavy duty portable tripod floor stand features an angle/tilt adjustable device holding tray with a plate size of 14 inch x 11 inch . Its height is adjustable from 22 inch to 35 inch for your convenience
- VERSATILE USE: The thin folding computer table can be used for a variety of tasks such as for presentation, recording, reading, and speeches. With the stand’s quick and easy setup it is perfect for home, on stage or in studio, indoor or outdoor use
- GREAT FOR TRAVEL: The flexible professional projector mount stand is easy to travel with as it conveniently folds for storage and transport. The foldable tripod leg base and easy telescoping height adjustment makes this stand extremely portable
- COLLAPSIBLE FRAME: The slim, light weight and ergonomic desk stand is collapsible and locks in place once set to the desired height. It is made from rugged and durable metal construction while its plate is made from ABS plastic
I went through about three different projector stands till I found the right one that works for me.
The 1st one I bought was a projector tray that you can screw onto a camera tripod.
I’ve found that the setup works only for cheaper LED projectors.
It didn’t work for my projector as it sat too high, and I didn’t feel like the camera tripod leg was wide enough to give the projector stability.
Amazon made the 2nd one I bought. It’s heavy-duty, and I really like it, but it didn’t work for the outdoor projector as, again, it sat too high (36″) while my outdoor screen starts at 24″ from the ground.
The stand could only tilt up but not down. I needed a projector stand that sits really low and can tilt up or down.
This projector stand made by Pyle did the trick as it sits low enough (22″) to work for an outdoor projector screen, and I felt it was stable enough to put my projector on. You can tilt it up or down, depending on the height of your projector screen.
Tips: add some type of strap to hold down the projector to the stand for more stability.
4. BenQ HT2150ST Outdoor Projector
- UNPARALLELED PICTURE QUALITY:: Native 1080p Full HD image quality with 2200 ANSI Lumens, 15, 000:1 contrast ratio, 6x RGBRGB color wheel delivers rich colors and crisp details that are calibrated for movies and gaming.
- VIDEO GAMES ON THE BIG SCREEN: superior short throw projection enables you to project 100 inch screen from just 3 Feet letting you fully immerse into your games. Project up to 300 inches
- LOW INPUT LAG: The specialized low input lag and unique game modes ensure gamers an ultra-smooth and comprehensive gaming experience
- INDUSTRY LEADING WARRANTY : 3-year limited parts and labor coverage makes you rest easy that our us-based customer service team is here when you need it
- AWARD WINNING PROJECTOR - Best Overall - Best Projectors for Gaming 2019 - IGN
You’ll want to place the projector onto the stand and strap it down.
This is a short-throw projector meaning it can project a large image from a short distance. In my opinion, this is an excellent outdoor projector.
The only thing I dislike about this projector is that it does not have Bluetooth. So you can’t connect a Bluetooth speaker without a Bluetooth Transmitter.
5. Bluetooth Transmitter
- ✅【2-in-1 Bluetooth Transmitter Receiver】 In TX mode, the Bluetooth transmitter is plugged into non-Bluetooth devices such as TVs, PCs and MP3 players via AUX/RCA jack and transmits audio to Bluetooth headphones/speakers/soundbars; in RX mode, the Bluetooth receiver can be connected to wired speaker/earphones and to receive audio from smartphones via Bluetooth.
- ✅【Stable connection, stereo sound】 Equipped with Qualcomm Bluetooth 5.0 chip, the Bluetooth transmitter for TV is an up-to-date audio adapter, not only helps to upgrade your old audio devices to Bluetooth capable without replacing them but also promises you a CD-like auditory feast. Note: Bluetooth adapter without volume control button.
- ✅【Seamless streaming, never miss a beat】 With low latency encoder applied, the audio delay has been minimized to approximately 40ms, the Bluetooth transmitter will present fully synchronized audio and video. Note: Bluetooth headphones/speakers are also required to support low latency technology.
- ✅【Dual Devices Pairing】 Being able to pair with two devices simultaneously, Aisidra Bluetooth transmitter can fulfill your thoughts of watching movies together with your partner using Bluetooth headphones, or to volume up music with two Bluetooth speakers playing concurrently.
- ✅【Working while charging, nonstop fun】 Installed battery could support the Bluetooth adapter to work for 10 hours per full charge. When in the low battery status, the adapter could be plugged into power to get charged while working at the same time.
This Bluetooth transmitter works. You’ll need to power on the Bluetooth transmitter by connecting to the power strip. Then connect to your projector using the AUDIO OUT.
Here’s how to easily connect to your Bluetooth speaker.
- Power on your Bluetooth speaker and press the Bluetooth icon on your speaker.
- Power on your Bluetooth Transmitter by pressing the power button for 3 seconds.
- Double-tap the power button again to have your Bluetooth transmitter find and connect to your speaker.
When the movies are over, and you are putting everything away. You can press the power button for 3 seconds to turn it off.
When you are ready to use it again, you can turn it back on, and it should automatically connect to your speaker again.
The Bluetooth transmitter can go 10 hours on a full charge. I recommend you keep it plugged in so as not to have any disruption.
I forgot to charge the Bluetooth transmitter one time when I had a small get-together for an outdoor movie.
I let the Bluetooth Transmitter run without plugging it in, and halfway through the movie, the sound cut off.
The Bluetooth Transmitter ran out of battery.
I tried connecting it to a power source, and it would work and then shut off within a minute. Apparently, the power supply is to charge the battery to power the Bluetooth transmitter only and not directly power it.
Luckily I had a corded speaker as backup, and the movie ended without any other problem.
6. Bluetooth Speaker
- POWERFUL JBL ORIGINAL PRO SOUND: Four drivers and two JBL Bass Radiators effortlessly deliver dynamic, immersive sound with deep bass and plenty of detail. You'll get lost in the music wherever you are.
- PORTABLE DESIGN: The included carrying strap with built-in bottle opener makes it easy to bring your speaker wherever you go.
- 15 HOURS OF PLAYTIME: The fun doesn't have to stop. Packed with an incredible 15 hours of battery life, JBL Xtreme 3 lets you party all day and into the night.
- WIRELESS BLUETOOTH STREAMING: Wirelessly stream music from your phone, tablet, or any other Bluetooth-enabled device.
- IP67 WATERPROOF AND DUSTPROOF: To the pool. To the park. In the shower. JBL Xtreme 3 is fully waterproof and dustproof, so you can bring your speaker anywhere.
- Wireless Bluetooth streaming
- 12 hours of playtime
- IPX7 waterproof
- Pair multiple speakers with party boost
- Premium JBL sound quality
I used TWO JBL Xtreme 3 Bluetooth speakers and TWO JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth speakers. I position the Xtreme 3 speakers on the front and the two smaller Flip 5 speakers on the back.
The sound is amazing!. Did you know you can pair up to 100 JBL speakers as long as they have a “party boost”
To easily pair all 4 of my JBL speakers. All I did was press the “party boost” on the speaker connected to the Bluetooth transmitter and then press “party boost” on the rest of the other three speakers, and they were all connected.
You really don’t need to have four speakers like me. You can get away with just one speaker if you have a few friends over for an outdoor movie night. I recommend either one Jbl Xtreme 3 speaker or two JBL flip 5 if you want the stereo sound.
You’ll want to make sure your Bluetooth is fully charged before using it.
7. Streaming Device
- Hides behind your TV: The stick design plugs right into your TV with a simple setup
- Super-fast startup: Start streaming channels like Disney plus, Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV plus, Netflix, Sling, and Hulu in a snap—just turn on your TV
- Long-range Wi-Fi: Enjoy fast, smooth TV streaming in any room with a strong Wi-Fi connection, now with up to 2x the speed
- No more juggling remotes: Power up your TV, adjust the volume, and control your Roku Streaming Stick with the Roku remote
- Voice search & control: Quickly search, play entertainment, and control your streaming device with the voice remote
I have a Roku streaming stick to stream all the movies to the projector screen. I connect it to the power strip and attach the Roku stick to the HDMI outlet on the project. I have subscriptions to Netflix, Disney+, HBOmax, Prime Video, Paramount+, and Hulu.
If for some reason your projected image is small, you’ll need to go into Roku “Settings” then “Display Type” and then select “1080p TV”. Do not select “Auto Detect” as you’ll it will sometimes auto select 720p and give you a smaller projected screen.
8. Picnic/Beach Blankets
- 【80*80 Oversized for 4-6 Adults】ZAZE Picnic blankets unfolded size is 80''x 80'', it’s large enough to fit for 6-8 adults for siting or 4 adults of lying, giving your children and pets a large area to play.
- 【Soft and Durable with 3-Layers】Made of 3 layers, our picnic mat has thickened and sturdy fabric on the top, soft cotton for middle and durable fabric backing. Perfectly suitable for siting or lying on grass, beach, floor or any kindly of surface, giving you soft and comfortable feelings.
- 【Easy to Clean & Machine Washable】Outdoor picnic blanket is super easy to clean due to its durable and waterproof backing, easily shake & wipe off dirt, mud, wet grass, and beach sand. And you could put it into washing machine to save your time and free both hands.
- 【Easy to Fold & Lightweight】 XL picnic blanket can shrink down to a very portable size of 15''x 5''. With the help of the velcro, it will not loose easily and take too much space. The weight of the mat is only 2.3lbs, you can fold it with simple steps, carry or store it anywhere you want.
- 【Widely Used for Outdoor& Indoor】Extra large picnic blankets is not only designed for outdoor occasion,such as the park, the beach, family picnics, camping, travel,etc, but also prefect for your indoor activities such as family dinners and baby plays. Meet your different needs for all seasons.
Lastly, you’ll need several blankets to spread around the projector so you can sit and watch. You can have chairs set up behind the blankets in a semi-circle facing the projector screen for those who don’t want to sit on the blankets. For more seating ideas, you can go here.
What’s the Best Time to Start an Outdoor Movie?
That’s pretty much what you need for an outdoor movie setup. I like to do an outdoor movie once a week with friends and family during the summer months. It’s been great, and I plan on continuing.
