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Romancing Mrs Duckman at my DIY Drive-In

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Duckman#72

Joined
14 November 2005
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Along with my beekeeping project, self-taught astronomy hobby, entering a portrait in the Archibald competition ambition and constructing a wood-fired Pizza Oven project, I've decided to add "building an Outdoor Movie Theatre" onto the list.

Like most of Duckman's projects, this hasn't been fully thought through. And in fact it's been done back the front - literally. I have already built the frame for the screen out of PVC piping. The screen size is 16 foot by 9 foot. I'm just waiting for the blackout cloth. I have an old Panasonic stereo system for sound and will use a laptop initially to run the DVD's.

However I don't know what Projector to buy. Any ideas? I'd like something that is not going to break the bank but provides good value for money. Does anyone have an Outdoor Movie set-up or experience with projectors? How many Lumens would I need for a 16 x 9 screen? How important is the contrast ratio?Bearing in mind it is for outdoor use - it doesn't have to be perfect.

Thanks for any help. When I get it up and going I'll try and post some pics.

Who knows..... I might convince Mrs Duckman to go parking with me in the backyard.:bananasmi

Duckman
 
Re: Romancing Mrs Duckman at my DIY Drive-In.

Just get some deck chairs and a big tv out there.
 
Re: Romancing Mrs Duckman at my DIY Drive-In.

Drive in movies have screens ?
 
Re: Romancing Mrs Duckman at my DIY Drive-In.

Call Len Wallace at Lane Cove NSW - they are the absolute experts in home theatre
 
Re: Romancing Mrs Duckman at my DIY Drive-In.

If this was my Mrs Duckman after 10 minutes out doors all I'd heard would be
"I'm getting bitten, can we go inside?"
 
I do hope that you are not my neighbour. Great idea hopefully you have very tolerant neighbours! :

N.T
 
try ebay..my limited understanding is that these things are often a bit impratical inside and get sold off cheap.

maybe do some online research, its amazing what Google will turn up on technology questions
 
newbie trader said:
I do hope that you are not my neighbour. Great idea hopefully you have very tolerant neighbours! :

N.T
Click to expand...
Mrs Newbie Trader is clearly a woman of much good sense.
Duckman: you clearly have too much time on your hands.
 
newbie trader said:
Julia, i'm only 18 and dont want nor need another liability.

N.T
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Many apologies, Nt. I clicked on the wrong "Reply Post". My comment was meant for Razzla Dazzla.
Certainly would not want to burden you with a Mrs N.T. at your tender age.
Sorry!
 
Instead of just using any old chairs you should buy an old holden or something, get rid of the roof, refurbish the seats and let the good times role.

(even though I think you'd use it once then never ever again [the screen that is])

N.T
 
newbie trader said:
Instead of just using any old chairs you should buy an old holden or something, get rid of the roof, refurbish the seats and let the good times role.

(even though I think you'd use it once then never ever again [the screen that is])

N.T
Click to expand...

Yes - I probably have too much time on my hands.

Thanks for all those who responded.

We have about 25 acres so neighbours aren't a problem.

I had thought about a car - but have decided on some old style canvas seats like the "old days".

I have been inspired by some of the people on http://backyardtheater.com/forums/index.php .

Some of them actually have their own popcorn machines and ticket booths!!!

I went to boarding school and some of the best, fun times were Saturday nights at the school's open air picture theatre run by the students. There are some movies like Cocoon, Iron Eagle and Top Gun that I can't watch without being transported back to jaffas, chips, doonas, pecking orders(Gr8 down front and Grade 12 up the back). We received so much enjoyment from something relatively basic. I was hoping to bring that same amount of enjoyment to the Ducklings and their friends.

Maybe I'm just trying to re-live my youth, through my kids.

Duckman
 
HA! Can't believe there is such a big forum on backyard theatres! Will the weather have any affect on your screen? Or do you have some way to shield/protect it?

N.T
 
Duckman, Mr Ghoti (is there something about watery names?) brought home a fat glossy magazine called Home Design recently. I'm not quite sure if he's looking to inspire himself or me, but I did notice a feature article called "Entertaining the Environment", which includes a reference to "tiny, portable projectors such as the BenQ Joybee GP1" . The article says it "uses a 20,000-hour LED and includes a USB port so that you can put all your media on a thumb drive. You can also connect a camcorder, DVD player, TV, video game console, laptop, or even an iPod and with some file conversion, watch what you like." You can probably tell from that quote that this is not a technical magazine, but it might be worth a browse in a newsagent. It doesn't have a date, but it's got a red furniture and a red rug on the cover, and it's Vol. 12 No. 6.

I'll be watching your progress - cinematic progress - with interest. We have a big wedding anniversary next year and we'll probably be celebrating it in a new home.

Good luck
 
newbie trader said:
HA! Can't believe there is such a big forum on backyard theatres! Will the weather have any affect on your screen? Or do you have some way to shield/protect it?

N.T
Click to expand...

Hi NT

I know - they've got a heap of pics. Some of them look great.

As for the weather - if it is too windy I probably won't put it up. Same for raining. Otherwise - no drama. It is pretty stable. It is obviosuly demountable. I wanted it so I could move it around where ever I wanted.

Thanks for the advice Ghotib. I'll keep you informed.

Duckman
 
You cannot beat a CRT projector for blackness or that real movie picture.IMO and any home movie buff will tell you even the best digital projectors cant beat them. Sony 1272's are pretty cheap and take HD . Need to learn a little about converging them but its not brain surgery.
 
Well we had the first screening at the Duckman Outdoor Movie Theatre over Easter and the ducklings loved it!!! Sitting out under the stars - it was great.

I spent most of the day trying to build my screen and then in desperation I put a rope up between two gum trees and threw over a Bunnings painters canvas drop sheet. Worked perfectly. It was great to see the "Wow" factor on their faces. The screen size is about 4m long x 2.5 high (once I get the proper screen built it will be closer to 5.5m x 3m).

Yes there was the occasional mozzie and a nip in the air, but all in all - excellent. Mrs Duckman was kind enough not to complain. For those interested we ended up with an Optoma HD20 projector.

Duckman
 
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