Projectors

Though you could take your TV outside for a movie night, it won't have the same "wooow" factor as a projector. So finding the perfect projector should be your first step in planning your backyard movie night. The important factor to remember is that there is no one-size-fits-all projector for every use.

Instead, consider where and how you'll be using your projector. Is this simply for your backyard, or do you want something to take camping with you? It'll be best to choose one that is small enough to take outside and set on a table, but not so little that it won't provide enough light to illuminate your screen. Some portable projectors also include a built-in battery, but a long garden extension cord could also do the job.

Media Player

Another thing to think about is the source material. What will you be watching? Or, more importantly, how will you watch it? The days of bringing a DVD or Blu-ray player out to the yard along with the projector are virtually gone. Sure, you could do it, but there are way more convenient solutions.

You can find projectors with built-in streaming apps or you can use streaming sticks or your laptop. Whatever you choose, make sure you have a good HDMI cable or reliable and strong WiFi, so you can view your movie with no lagging.

Speakers

Some video projectors have a built-in amplifier and speaker, but the output level is designed for small rooms, such as conference rooms and classrooms. However, if you have a large yard or any kind of background noise, it may be difficult to hear. But with outdoor speakers connected to your home projector, you can have incredible sound to match your huge screen!

Types of Lighting

Before getting into anything else, you’ll want to determine which type of lighting you need for your home: wall lighting, landscape lighting, or security lights.

Wall Lighting 

These modern outdoor wall lights flank doorways and can be mounted anywhere there is a wall and wiring. Others integrate into your home’s exterior or have style features to accent your space. Some produce ambient light, while others provide more directed light. Most outdoor wall lights will be rated for their particular exposure to the elements, so make sure you pay attention to the UL rating. An outdoor wall sconce will not only help you find your keys, but some designs wash walls in uplight and downlight to help emphasize your property.

Landscape Lighting 

This type of lighting includes path lights, deck and step lights, and recessed ground lights.

• Path lights are meant for pathways but can also be used for water features and gardens or home perimeter lighting.
• Recessed lights are meant to blend in with your landscape, so you only see the light they emit, not the fixture itself.
• Deck and steps lights are a more permanent style of lighting that is installed directly into the steps and/or decks outside your home to enhance safety and design.

Security Lights

Security or safety-based lighting includes flood lighting, recessed lighting, and path lights. These lights can have a dual purpose in that they are for security but also add curb appeal. Typically you can program these lights to turn on and off with the sun, activate with movement, controlled by a switch, or even a smart home hub. And you can find options that are solar-powered, battery-powered, or hard-wired.

UL Ratings

Each fixture will be given a UL grade depending on its weather resistance. These UL ratings indicate which outdoor areas are most suitable for your fixture. It’s important that you understand what you’re buying.

Light Up Your Home — Automatically!

If you have smart lighting in your home, there's a lot you can do with it, especially when it works in tandem with other devices or motion sensors. This way, you can have your lights turn on during specific actions or at particular times. For example, you can:

• Set a rule for your lights to turn on when your security alarm goes off to scare away possible intruders.
• If you have a late schedule, have your lights turn on after punching in a specific code in your smart lock, lighting up the path to your bedroom, and automatically turning off!
• Turn off the lights with a single tap on the app or create a timer around when everyone in your home goes to sleep.
• Set up night lights to turn on whenever you get up in the night and keep them dim.
• If you get up for work while it's still dark out, set it so your lights turn on and imitate the soft glow of sunrise to start your day better.

The more connected your home is, the more you can do with your smart lighting!

Breath of Fresh Air — Whenever!

When it comes to smart thermostats, there's more to it than simply programming your home's temperature. While fine-tuning when your HVAC system turns on is always helpful, you can also integrate it with your smoke detector or smart shades. This broadens your horizons, letting you do any of the following:

• Sync your thermostat with your smoke detector, so it knows to turn off your HVAC system if it detects smoke and keeps the smoke from circulating in your home. Less chance of smoke inhalation!
• Always know if the AC is running, even if you're not home, and turn it off remotely. Or set up a timer to get the AC or heater running before you get home from work.
• Program your smart thermostat to turn off whenever your windows are open for more than 15 minutes to let in natural air.
• Set it up so your smart thermostat is off when your smart shades are open to reduce your energy usage.

The more you use and adjust your thermostat, the more it learns and makes adjustments to suit your preferences!

Forgot to Lock Up? Don't Sweat It!

If there is someone in your home that never remembers to lock up when they leave, smart locks are your savior! No more running to get to the house or asking your neighbor with the spare key to lock up for you — you can lock it yourself remotely and do so much more, like:

Which Waterproofing is Which

Before diving into the different types of speakers, you first need to understand the terminology. Weatherproof speakers and waterproof speakers do not mean the same thing, nor do waterproof or water-resistant speakers. But it's vital to understand which you’re looking to determine which will suit your outdoor audio needs.

• Waterproof Speakers: Are covered or treated with materials to prevent the permeation of water so that they can come into contact with water without damage.
• Water-Resistant Speakers: Provides lower protection against water, with coated or treated materials that don't allow water to pass through easily.
• Water-Repellant Speakers: Offers more protection than water-resistant speakers because they are covered in thin-film nanotechnology.
• Weatherproof Speakers: Made to withstand the elements, whether that means humidity, steam, rain, or light sprinkles, and come with tough casings and sealed cabinets.

Pro Tip: To survive submersion, waterproof speakers must have an IPX level of 7 or higher.

Wired vs. Wireless Speakers

Deciding whether you need wired or wireless speakers for your outdoor audio is essential since you need to keep the possibilities of wires in mind.

With wired outdoor speakers, you'll have more capacity and control over your musical setup and speakers that outperform any day of the week. These usually have underground wires and an omnidirectional design so anyone can listen to crisp audio from any spot in the yard. But you would need to find more outlets to plug in every speaker.

Wireless weatherproof speakers are designed to be relatively invisible with enclosures meant to blend in the background like rocks, animals, lanterns, flowerpots, etc. You can make your music appear from out of nowhere and have your guests solely focus on the good times!