How to create the perfect outdoor cinema setup

When the summer weather arrives, gather your friends and family in the garden to soak up the sun. Enjoy the best of the summer sport on TV, or settle in for a cosy movie night under the stars with an outdoor cinema setup. From projectors and screens to sound options and products to make your outdoor space comfortable, read on for more ideas.

Planning ahead will help you make the most of your outdoor space and enjoy your big screen viewing.

The projector is the most important element of your outdoor cinema, so choosing the right projector for your space will make a huge difference.

Why a projector wins for that cinema feel

While an outdoor TV might be appealing for ease of set up and convenience, they don’t give that big screen feel. They are often more expensive and require more space to store. A projector will be more compact, easier to position and many screens are collapsible for convenient storage, while giving the feel of cinema-style viewing.

Brightness made simple

Brightness is going to play a major part in the final experience. The lighter the conditions and the more ambient light around you, the brighter your projector will need to be to prevent the picture from looking washed out. Another consideration is the size of your screen – the larger the screen the brighter your projector will need to be for a vibrant picture.

Top tip: Watch from dusk onwards for best picture quality

Features to look out for

Picture quality – A 1080p projector delivers full HD output and is often more affordable, while a 4K projector will offer better quality especially on a larger screen, but the price will likely be higher. Consider these when making your choice of projector.

Keystone/auto-focus – For ease of set up, go for a projector with auto-focus and keystone adjustment which will make centring your image much easier.

Ports – A projector with HDMI ports will be ideal for connecting laptops, set top boxes, games consoles or streaming devices directly.

Aside from the projector, your screen will be your most important component to making your outdoor cinema setup a success.

Projector screens

Think about the size of your outdoor space when picking a screen. How big you go will come down to how bright your projector is and how far away from the screen you’ll be able to sit. The bigger the screen, the further back you’ll want to sit and the brighter your projector will need to be.

Budget screen hacks

If you’ve got a light-coloured fence or wall and it’s a nice smooth surface, these can work as a makeshift screen. Just make sure they are clean and light enough in colour to sufficiently display the picture. If the available surfaces are too uneven, patchy in colour or too dark you could even get creative with a white flat sheet stretched tight, though picture quality might be impacted.

Creating a steady picture

Consider how you are going to keep your screen steady and stable. Think ropes attached to garden parasol bases to help keep things secure and minimise picture distortion or screen movement.

Bring cinema sound to your outdoor setup with a range of options to suit all spaces.

Streaming content

One of the easiest and most straightforward options for displaying your films and TV outdoors is to plug a streaming stick directly into an HDMI port on your projector and stream your content that way. Just make sure you’ve got a strong enough Wi-Fi signal available.

Laptops, games consoles and tablets

If you have movies downloaded to a device, perhaps for offline viewing, connect your laptop or tablet to your projector with an HDMI cable to stream your media. You can even use a games console and add the option of big screen gaming outdoors to your day!

Watching Netflix on a projector

Compatibility will vary from device to device so check the specifics for the projector you have. Some projectors come with access to Netflix and other streaming platforms built in for ultimate convenience. Where this isn’t included, connecting an external device via HDMI is an easy solution to stream your favourite content. Netflix has a handy guide on how to connect and stream from external devices.

Improve your Wi-Fi and get rid of the buffering

To ensure a strong, stable and buffer-free viewing experience, you’ll want to ensure your Wi-Fi signal is strong enough. Wi-Fi boosters offer a budget-friendly, quick solution with simple set up, but often halve the signal strength. For a stronger, more reliable signal where you’re looking to cover a larger area and more connected devices, mesh systems will be an ideal option, though a higher cost.

Choose a cable reel with enough length for your needs without over-stretching the leads. For added safety, go for an option with an integrated safety cut-off. If you’re using an existing extension lead, ensure its fuses are rated for the items being plugged into it, and check the condition of the cable, sockets and plugs. Electrical Safety First has lots of additional advice when using extension leads.

If you’re using a cable reel, unwind the full length of cable and check it carefully for any damage to the insulation or bends and kinks in the cable. Give all plugs and sockets a check-over before you start connecting devices. When in use, it’s recommended to leave the cable fully unwound to prevent overheating.

Portable power stations offer an alternative solution that lets you set them up closer to your devices reducing trailing cables. Most are made for camping so are more rugged for outdoor use.

Where possible, run your cables and leads where people won’t be walking – think under tables or around the perimeters of your garden. Use cable covers to minimise trip hazards. Keep all plugs, sockets and electrical connections off the ground and well-protected from wet or damp conditions.