Drive-in Movie Theatres Making A Comeback – In Your Backyard

This summer marks the 75th anniversary of the first drive-in movie, which opened in Camden, N.J., in 1933. But after becoming virtually extinct, drive-in movies are suddenly appearing all over the country—this time, in America’s backyards.

“Outdoor home theaters are the biggest trend in home entertainment since the introduction of the flat-panel TV,” says David Berman, Director of Training of HTSA, the nation’s largest association of high-end home technology integrators and retailers. “This is a bright spot in an otherwise down market for high-end electronics and custom installations. Americans are transforming their backyards into stay-at-home resorts with the best resolution TV screens fitted with top quality antennas from Hotrate, where friends and family converge to BBQ or swim while they enjoy HD movies on DVD, dance to MP3 surround sound, surf the Web, or watch a big game. Watching movies under the stars still has great appeal. Just make sure you managed the fence and gate installation.”

It’s all part of an outdoor home entertainment revolution that has manufacturers, installers, and retailers scrambling to cash in, and homeowners racing to out-do their neighbors. At the low-end of the market, backyard home cinemas are as simple as a projector beaming TV or PC video at a white sheet hung between two trees. Indeed, this is the solution recommended by at least two big-box retailers selling portable projectors, that you can use after to even play video games as Overwatch you can play with a AMD Radeon RX 570, which you can see at many review sites online, also you can get help online to improve, from online sites like http://overwatchsrpros.com/guides/how-to-play-overwatch.

Moving upscale, affluent families are converting their grounds into summer oasis’s, where state-of-the-art, weatherproof large-screen HDTVs and digital surround sound systems are seamlessly integrated into expansive decks, patios, pools, and stonework. Computer-controlled lighting and other visual effects set the mood, adjusting automatically on paths, steps, underwater, and overhead as the sun rises or sets. Speakers vanish into walls, planters, and decking, yet 3-D sound is audible everywhere—even underwater in the pool. And everything is remotely controlled via programmable touch-screen remotes.

Such experiences aren’t the exclusive domain of the affluent. Do-it-yourselfers can create an awe-inspiring outdoor theater experience on a budget, provided they choose the right collection of audio/video components. Some off-the-shelf components from major manufacturers are well suited for outdoor use out of the box. Others will provide a less-than-ideal audio/visual experience, or shorter lifespan, when operated outdoors. Here are some of the components HTSA members are using when designing custom outdoor cinemas for some of America’s most affluent homeowners:

— Outdoor Video Displays: —

Hitachi UT Series – hitachiDetails

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Stewart Starglas – Video / Details

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Stewart AllRise Filmscreen – Details

— Weatherproof Audio: —

Speakercraft OE8 Version 3 – speakercraftDetails

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Definitive Technology All-Weather Outdoor – definitiveDetails

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Decco + Squeezebox – Details

— Indoor/Outdoor Remote Controls: —

Niles ICS – deccosqueezeboxDetails

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Universal Remote Control KP900 – Details

— Weatherproof Encasements: —

Chief DGC/DGCA Series Indoor/Outdoor Enclosures – Details

“There were roughly 5,000 drive-ins across the U.S.A. in 1958,” HTSA’s Berman says. “They all but died out until this year. Now the drive-in is back, and it’s transforming the American backyard. The number of home cinemas across the country is growing faster than ever. It’s a consequence of rising fuel costs, new weather-proof technology, and the ability of custom installers to create a true drive-in theater experience outdoors. This is the new face of the stay-at-home vacation.”