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I'm going to start this topic and I expect it's going to get messy, but eventually I hope we can all contribute to
something fairly streamlined that can be made into a sticky message or an FAQ item.

By way of introduction, I am an admitted cheapskate. My wife and I both come from farm families who grew up in
the Depression, and it rubbed off on us both. So, I try to do everything in my "extravagant hobby" on a minimal
budget. (Victor, I still haven't found any $20 projectors, but I'm looking!)

So, in the interest of making this crazy undertaking as widely accessible as possible, I'd like to propose some
advice for starting a backyard theater as inexpensively as possible, but with as high a standard as can be
achieved on the cheap. I think it will be more productive to go with guidelines, rather than product
recommendations, since products come and go, every backyard is a little different, etc., but a philosophy and
some techniques will help everyone.

Here's a first pass, straw man guide. Please look it over, give it some thought, and whack away at it. I definitely
won’t be hurt if you think something needs to be added, deleted or changed, so give us your best ideas and
experiences. There will be multiple approaches to solving each problem, and that's good. Some of what I include
below is from personal experience, but a lot more came from reading these forums. A big list of alternatives is
better than a "do this or forget it" approach, since it allows everyone to find the method that’s right for them and
their conditions.

Remember, we’re not after an ideal setup, but rather an installation that’s as inexpensive as possible. We should
be willing to sacrifice quality where necessary in order to let someone get into the hobby. They can grow into more
expensive equipment as their budget and interest dictate.

Thanks in advance to everyone for your thoughts.

Vance

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To set up a backyard theater, you need the following components:

1. a video source (usually a DVD player)
2. a video projector
3. a screen
4. a sound system

Some people have all of these things already in a home theater, and if they can be easily disconnected and
moved into the garden or on the patio, then you're ready to go. If not, then you'll have to acquire the items that you
don't have or can't take outside. Mostly, this is an exercise in finding good prices on components that will do the
job. Those components don’t have to be the same quality as a home theater; the crickets and starry night will
more than make up for any differences in component quality.

The “weakest link” question: There are differing opinions on what is most important in the backyard theater
experience, but almost everyone agrees that the first impression of any large projected image is WOW. This is
true regardless of the quality of the projector, the screen or the sound. So, you shouldn’t worry about having to
buy top-of-the-line equipment to get started. Just spend enough to get the job done; if something seems
inadequate at the end of your first season, upgrade it, but only if other people complain about it! Remember, you’ll
be the most critical viewer out there, so if it seems good to you, most of your guests will find it totally awesome.

There are many other things that can go into a backyard theater experience, such as popcorn machines, drink
coolers, fancy seating and so on, but those are the four basic components to getting a picture on a screen. Let's
take them one at a time, assuming that you must buy (or find) the item, rather than using something from inside:
1. Video Source.

- A laptop computer is an excellent signal source, since it can play DVDs, CDs, stored media, slideshow
presentations, etc. (with the right drive type, of course). You don't have to have a state-of-the art laptop for this
purpose, so if you don't have one, you can find an older model with a DVD drive and it will suit your purposes fine.

The free program VLC media player (http://www.videolan.org/) allows you to take multiple source formats and
merge them into a single show with previews, cartoons and the main feature.

- There are many portable DVD players on the market now, designed for people who can't travel without their
DVDs, with built-in screens. A screen is a big advantage for putting on a "professional" show, since it lets you
blank the projector and navigate menus on the built-in monitor without showing them on-screen. Many are
available in the $75-100 range.

- Home DVD players in the lowest price range have fallen below $50. There's a small progressive scan player
available at the big-box discount stores for only $30. These are no-frills players, but many have progressive-scan
output for better picture quality, even though they lack some of the "bells and whistles".

You should be able to find a good DVD player for well under $100. Look for one that plays a variety of source
formats: DVD, VCD, MPEG, Divx, etc.

2. Video Projector.

The cheapest models these days seem to be “business-class” LCD projectors. “Business class” generally means
that a projector is designed to be used in different conditions than a home theater projector: it many be used in
bright rooms, it will usually be used to show computer presentations. Bright rooms call for projectors that are
relatively bright, but don’t have to have high contrast ratios. Computer inputs usually mean a 4:3 aspect ratio and
resolution of 800x600 or 768x1024.

So, a typical business-class projector would project 1500 lumens at 800x600 pixels, with a contrast ratio of only
500. Business-class projectors can be found on every street corner for between $500-1000.

There are now DLP projectors available for under $1000, too. They generally have better brightness and contrast
specs than LCD machines. There is a good Buyer's Guide available at ProjectorCentral.com that will help you find
a model with the right features and price for you: http://www.projectorcentral.com/buyers_guide.cfm

The near-legendary Victor D started a thread on how he finds inexpensive projectors here.

3. Screen.

Sizing the screen can be tricky. You want it to be big enough to give a wide view to your audience, but not so big
that it overwhelms your space. The projection distance calculator at ProjectorCentral.com is a good place to start
(http://www.projectorcentral.com/projection-calculator-pro.cfm), but it is designed with home theaters in mind. If
you're in a small space (patio, driveway, deck) then this is probably the ideal tool. If you have a larger space and
audience, then it's hard to get a screen that's too big.

Victor D suggests 8-12 feet width for a small area, 10-16 feet width for a medium area and 20 feet or larger for a
large area. (How big can you build it?) Of course, the size of the screen will influence what materials you use,
whether it's portable or (semi-)permanent, etc.

If you have a large expanse of fairly smooth white wall, there’s your screen. (Obviously, lap siding and brick
aren’t optimal projection surfaces.) While there are gradations of quality in projectors and sound, there is a go/no-
go test for screens: if it’s flat and white (or some light color) and the surface is not too shiny, it’s good. Otherwise,
you will grow tired of the quality very quickly.

The question of whether to mount the screen permanently or make it removable is left to you, as it will depend on
the space you have to work with, how your family and neighbors feel about it, etc. Some of the following
approaches are clearly only suitable for portable screens, while others can be put up semi-permanently or
permanently.

Most of the materials below are portable and more or less easy to store, but require a rigid frame of some sort.
This can be wood, PVC pipe, metal electrical conduit (EMT), aluminum angle or tubing, steel pipe, etc. Shop
around for used or cheap framing materials; this may influence your choice of projection surface. If you have a
fence, trees or some other structure that lends itself to use as a screen support, all the better.

Using standard parts from a hardware store (e.g. PVC tees and angles) can make it easier to design, assemble
and tear down your screen.

- Cardboard, fiberboard. Pros: very cheap, ubiquitous. Cons: must be finished and painted before use, storage
may be a problem (they don’t fold or roll up easily). May not hold up against repeated handling or weather.

- Bedsheets. Pros: widely available, cheap (free?). Cons: Only come in predefined sizes. Pro/con: light
transmission through fabric means they can be used for back projection, but can also mean less reflected back to
audience when projecting from the front.

- Tarps. Pros: cheap, durable, widely available, often come with reinforced grommets. Cons: Plastic-backed paper
tarps can have permanent wrinkles. Plastic tarps are too shiny (will throw hot spots from the projector). Canvas
tarps are very heavy.

- Dazian stretch fabric. Pros: durable, lightweight, easy to store, light transmission (see bedsheets). Cons:
expense, light transmission (see bedsheets), not widely available. Note that Dazian comes in two weights. The
heavyweight Dazian does not transmit light, so it is unsuited to rear projection, but has excellent front reflectivity.

- Blackout cloth. This fabric is used to line curtains so they block all light from passing. Pros:widely available at
most fabric stores and even cheaper with coupons. Availablility also makes it easy ot replace. Durable, two sided
(one brighter than the other - EXPERIMENT), no light leaks through and folds easily (may wrinkle, but not crease,
so most fall out). Cons: 54" wide is widely available, so it needs to be sewn to make larger screens (although it IS
cloth so it sews easily and the seam is virtually invisible). Wider BOC is available online, but is more expensive.

- Plywood. Obvious choice for permanent installation, but could be used for smaller portable screen, too. Pros:
widely available, flat, durable. Cons: expensive, heavy, almost requires permanent installation.

- Inflatable. This was once the province of the professional only, but the recent introduction of inflatable screens
priced under $200 makes them affordable for the backyard hobbyist, too. Pros: very fast setup and breakdown,
simplicity (no construction needed), price. Cons: fans can be to noisy for some situations.

- Commercial roll-down screens. If you have a protected eaves or a children's swing-set, you might consider
mounting a pull-down screen there. Some people even use them as portables. Pros: ready-made, relatively
inexpensive, widely available. Cons: tend to permanently wrinkle and bend in the breeze, flat-tensioned screens
much more expensive, limited mounting possibilities.

- Vinyl sign material. Several people use vinyl screens made by sign shops. In many ways, this material is ideal,
since the requirements for large signs are very similar to those for large movie screens. Sign shops can put
grommets in the screen, with tough reinforcement, and the material is very durable. But if you work it right, you
might be able to get a billboard-sized piece of vinyl free. Of course, it will have an ad for something like an
ambulance-chasing lawyer on the back, but that's not the side you care about!

Estimating the typical price of a low-end screen is difficult because there are so many variables This could end up
costing you nothing (using scrounged or dirt-cheap material) or thousands. The price of all the other components
depends on finding the lowest-cost product that will fill the need. The screen is the one place where your ingenuity
and elbow grease will really make the difference.

4. Sound system.

Remember going to the drive-in, before FM radio transmitters? If you don’t, you won’t believe what people had to
put up with: an ultra-cheap 4-inch speaker, encased in a cast aluminum housing about the size of a fat cookbook,
which you took from a pole and hung on the window of your car. Mostly, you could understand the voices, but
music, sound effects and such were mangled. No one much noticed, because that’s all there was and it was fun
just being there.

So, if you can do better than that, you’ve already made great progress. You don’t really need surround sound
outdoors, though it’s very nice.

- You can use a stereo amplifier and achieve great sound. When surround systems appeared, millions of people
upgraded and left the simple stereo amps behind. If you don’t already have an old one stashed in a closet or the
basement, thrift stores and pawn shops are overflowing with them, cheap.

The same is true for speakers. Everyone wants tiny satellites and big subwoofers, but the floor-standing speakers
of the past are still great for the BYT. Your audiophile friends might sneer at an old Pioneer tuner and Cerwin
Vega big box speakers in your den, but they'll love them in your drive-in. Be sure to check the foam rings around
the speaker cones, however. These can deteriorate over time and must be replaced for the speaker to work
properly. Pop off the grill and see if the material surrounding the cone is still soft and flexible (just push gently with
your finger).

- Computer speakers, especially those three-piece sets with subwoofers, often have good sound at a low price.
They are self-amplified, so they’re easy to store and set up. And you may already have a set in the home.

- Boom boxes or other compact radios/CD players. These must have auxiliary inputs, similar to those on the back
of a home stereo amp. They are very portable. Some of the “premium” table radios (e.g. Bose, Cambridge) have
excellent sound in a very compact form.

- “Home theater in a box” sets (HTIB). These are (often) inexpensive packages that include DVD player,
surround-sound amp and speakers all in one. Sound quality varies, but they are widely available, may be
inexpensive and offer high convenience factor for a backyard setup.

- Check the big-box stores for demo models, open box returns, etc. Places like Best Buy often have a
"clearance" table of these things at big discounts. Often, you can get a 5.1 surround system quite inexpensively.

Optional equipment:

- For the dedicated components that don't go back into your TV room, it's a good idea to have a storage box of
some sort to keep them clean and dry between shows. The big box hardware stores carry molded plastic trunks
that will store equipment safely and inexpensively. They also have rolling plastic storage units that look like a
cabinet on wheels. Open the front doors, flip up the top and you're ready to go.

- Wiring management is important, both for quality of operation and for safety. A garden hose can be split open
lengthwise (leave an inch intact every couple of feet) to use as a conduit for your cables. (Pro sound people call
this bundle a "snake".) Then, after the show, you can roll all the cables up in the hose for storage.

- Projector mounting. Most projectors are designed to be placed near the top or bottom edge of the screen. So,
you want to have a mounting platform that is a little taller than the bottom edge of your screen, or a little shorter
than the top edge. Low-mounted projectors may just be set up on a table or on a purpose-built platform. Pros of
low mounting are simplicity. Cons are the space “taken up” by the projected cone of light, where guests can’t sit
without blocking the image. Projectors can be mounted high under a deck cover, on a ladder, purpose-built
platform, etc. The projector must have a setting for ceiling projection, which inverts the image while the projector is
hung upside down. Pros are increased seating around and in front of the projector. Cons are complexity of
mounting.

Some people are able to mount the projector permanently in a “projection booth” – by a window inside the house
or in a shed in the garden. This simplifies everything, of course, since you don’t have to consider the
setup/teardown issues, weather, and other nuisances.
5. COMFY SEATS

Like a cushion or have some many pillows scattered on the floor and so the audience can sit or lie down on the
floor in a comfortable way (maximum customers per hour is 40 – 50 )

NOTE: ( Rent a LCD Projector ) Davao City: Torres St.

Web surfing: 09437077949 Projector For Rent

09192985211 A high resolution Projector

Subcategory: Events and planning Clear angle viewing with a stand

Date Posted: June 12, 2016 Acer Brand

Location: Davao Del Sur

Web surfing: 09322658257(sun)

09178752890(globe) “RESERVE NA !”

TIPS:

1. Share the work and have more fun! Create Subcommittee with a chair responsible for key teams.

Ticket Sales Concessions Rentals Sponsorships Publicity Booth

Raffle of Auction Music and Entertainment Setup/Cleanup

2. Choose a theme to tie the carnival together. Your carnival can be planned around any theme.
3. More stuff means more money, Offer a variety of booths and activities attractive for ages. Once you
have a theme, let it guide your booth and entertainment choices.
4. Good Publicity and signage drives attendance. Start spreading the word 4-6 weeks before your event.
At the carnival, hang brightly colored signs identifying booths and concessions stands. Prominently
recognize sponsors on banners and signs.

HOW CAN WE TURN OUR CARNIVAL INTO A FUNDRAISER?

1. Sell tickets! (have a discount at first also) Set a ticket price for each booth or food item.

WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO BESIDE GAMES?

Magic Show , Puppet Show , Talent Contest , Skate board Freestyle Demo , Dance Performances , Short Play ,
Choral Groups , local Bands , Art Show .

ACTVITIES FOR OLDER KIDS

- American Idol (like karaoke stage)

- Who wants to be a millionaire
- Hot Dog or pie eating Contest
- Chalk mural, Group Graffiti Canvas or Trash Sculpture
- Temporary Hair Coloring, hair braiding and tattoos
- Balloon Dartboard
- Basketball shoot
- Silly Photos
- Guest how many pennies in the jar
SPREAD THE WORD

- Fliers (information,date, time, location, what kind of things you have in your carnival and list of sponsors)
- Newspapers, newsletters and local websites
- Posters and Banners (date , time , location )

FOODS AND DRINKS (first 30 costumers) (Discounts first 20 customers less price) (Give some prices like
wristbands)

- Popcorn
- Cotton Candy
- Soft drinks/Juice
- Cookies
- Candies
- Pretzel

 Supply some snacks

 Give out free stuff
 Consider your décor
 Bring a positive attitude
 Say the right amount

GAMES :

- Fish cup
- Soda toss
- Toilet toss
- Knock down
- Hole in one
- Ball toss
- Ring toss
- Spinner
- Races
- Reading Colors (Computer Time)
- Karaoke Booth
- Photo Booth