Drive-In Theather at Home

Can you imagine having a big vacation home, say in Dominican Republic (yeah, why not), with a wonderful view to the ocean through the backyard, and a nice pool with a big screen where you, your family and friends could float, drink, and watch a movie? Well, you could have that big screen TV on your backyard for JUST $175,000. Call it “Drive-In Theater” without the driving. Of course you wouldn’t want that screen up there all the time or it would ruin the wonderful view to the beach, far, far away in the background.

That’s right. If you’re feeling a little bored in the backyard with your pool, sauna, spa, Jacuzzi, cottage, outdoor kitchen, tennis court, basketball court, fireplace and fire pit… don’t worry…outdoor video is here to stay! Should the doorbell ring when you’re out back playing a video game? No problem! You can switch to a video image of the person on the doorstep.

This technology has been seen here and there in the last few years. But now, with new waterproof technology, an outdoor theater, as well as the idea to move the indoors out, is slowly becoming popular…. Among the rich that is.

Engineered Environments of Alameda, California, created a screen that rises up out of the ground, for the Maui vacation home of a retired software executive. As the New York Times said:

“The house was built into the side of a hill overlooking the ocean; a lanai is on a lower level and beyond the lanai is a pool and then the beach.

The executive, who would spend about $800,000 for his indoor-and-outdoor audio-video system, wanted an outdoor environment where his guests could sit poolside, have drinks and watch the sunset, and then watch a movie or a football game without having to go inside.

Greg Jensen, Engineered Environment’s director of engineering, designed a setup in which a 20-foot-wide custom Stewart Filmscreen is hidden beneath a 20-foot teak bench that runs along the side of the pool nearest the beach. The bench is watertight, and the screen is further protected from the elements by a four-foot-deep concrete bunker. The projector, a Digital Projections Mercury 5000HD, drops from the roof of the cabana across from the pool. The cost of the screen was $50,000; the projector was $20,000. Total cost of the Dolby Digital 7.1 Theater: $175,000. Of course, you can’t watch it until it gets dark. ”

Now you will never be forced to sit in a boring garden and sniff a rose again!

Via New York Times