Starting drive-in movie theatre

[Carsten Kurz]

Again, the screen needs to go up higher, otherweise most of the cars will only see half of the image. Think about a simple construction under it. In most parts of the world, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pallet are easy to source. Or use some simple scaffolding.

Here's something actual and important to learn: All projectors have a spec'd projection ratio. In the case of your mentioned Optima EH334 with a mediocre zoom lens, it is

• 1.47 to 1.62:1 Throw Ratio

That means - to fill a 5m wide screen, the projector distance has to be in a range between 1.47 to 1.62 times the width of the screen.

5m*1.47 is 7.35m
5m*1.62 is 8.1m

So, for 16:9 or widescreen content, your projector needs to be placed between 7.35 and 8.1m from the screen. As you can see, there is no way you could put that projector behind all the cars, the image would be 10 times as big as the screen and extremely dim.
A car, centered in front of the screen at such distance, could already be a base. Or, you save that space and put some sort of pedestal there. A stack of proper bottle crates tied together could also be used. Don't know what's easily available in your area. One benefit of such a small projector on top of a single stack of beer creates is that it doesn't create a huge obstruction to viewers immediately behind it.


May I ask you how old you are, Jake?

- Carsten

[Ronda Love]

Jake, can I ask what country you are planning to run this from?

[Marcel Birgelen]

Yes, i am aware that that screen is too small for what he wants. But I'm just researching.

Would a projector like this work?: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ml/?ap=y&smp=y

Also, I don't really know anything about projecting from the back of the screen. Would that be easier?

And also, do we have to be projecting the image from behind all the cars?

The projectors you keep quoting are all just garbage for the task at hand. Really, just stop it. That's a consumer projector which I won't even use for watching a movie indoors. It's a single-chip DLP projector producing horrible rainbow effects. Barely good enough for a Powerpoint presentation.

If you really want people to pay for the service you're offering, in my opinion, you need to do better than this, corona-crisis or not. Don't even think about projectors in the sub $1000 range. Your cinema isn't running off an Optoma powerpoint-projector either, is it?

I think your best bet is to partner with a local AV-rental company that can provide stuff like scaffolding, screen and maybe even a projector. Maybe they're willing to co-operate for free if you allow them to do a bit of promotion. That's the way we're doing stuff too. We're trying to set-up a "pop-up" drive-in too, so we got together with a few partners, each providing equipment they have available. They're all in for a bit of sponsoring and name recognition and part of the proceeds of the ticket sales, if there is a net-positive in the end. Also, in this time of dullness, it's nice they have something to work on.

Our first plan was actually to go for a giant 4K LED wall. This would allow us to open-up earlier as the LED wall would've offered sufficient contrast during the twilight hours of the day. The problem is though, we want to play DCI movies later in the season, so we're going for a stacked projector setup.

Keep in mind what kind of screen-size you really need if you plan on having 16 cars in a row, three rows deep. As Carsten indicated, you need to place your screen at least 8 feet from the ground, higher would be better, or else the second row will look at cars instead of a movie.

The screen size you proposed is NEVER going to work for what you want to do, heck, it's barely bigger than that of our screening room and you won't even fit three cars in there. A screen the size that would work for 16 x 3 cars will require a REAL projector, something in the $100K range list-price, whether it's a DCI projector or not. It's obvious you're not going to buy that, but there are companies that have such projectors available for big events. Chances are, those companies don't have anything to do at all right now. Chances are, they'll be willing to co-operate with you, if you have a solid plan.

[Carsten Kurz]

If Jakes Profile is correct, he is located in NJ, USA. Come on, there must be some more money and means to organize a pop-up drive-in there...

- Carsten

[Jake Sinn]

Yep. NJ USA.

I am by no means an expert on this, that's obviously why I'm posting in a forum and asking for advice. I don't know why everyone is giving such sassy feedback. I'm simply putting out some suggestions and asking for feedback to see if it would work.

[Marin Zorica]

All small bussines room projector are so bad for this, something like MINIMUM of 9000 real ansi for 7m wide screen should be quoted for outside! One should take into account some moonligt, and other small light sources! While doing much of open air venues is past 15 years, on outside you don't have dark like in closed room or cinema!

There is one other thing which just pop in head, while everybody talks anout drive in's.......what should be screened in them? I just get quick look for this summer movies which were planed to open, and in Best they were prolongued to december, some to summer 2021 and other without date. With experiance i know you cannot do economic bussines in plus with screening art, classic or b stock movies......

[Marcel Birgelen]

Yep. NJ USA.

I am by no means an expert on this, that's obviously why I'm posting in a forum and asking for advice. I don't know why everyone is giving such sassy feedback. I'm simply putting out some suggestions and asking for feedback to see if it would work.

The feedback is so "sassy" because like everybody in this topic now told you that it's impossible to do for the budget, yet you keep on trying and apparently ignoring the advice given to you, by people who know a bit about what they're talking about. You're not going to qualify for the Indy 500 in a $1000 used car you bought from your neighbor either. Let's be real here, you can't even furnish a decent home theater on a $1000 budget.

And people are still actually trying to help you, but what good is it if you keep pushing asking if garbage projector #32 is any good on this topic instead? That's why my advice is: If you obviously don't have the means yourself, look for partners to pull this off.

[Jake Sinn]

Okay.

Can someone give me some relatively cheap options for a Non-DCI Compliant projector?

Can be more than $1,000

That can fit a screen about 60 ft. wide

[Marcel Birgelen]

See, there are no cheap options that can fill a screen 60 ft. wide...

At those screen sizes, you can better go for an option with DCI, because frankly, the difference isn't that big.

I've recently seen a Barco DP2K-23B with lens but no lamp on Ebay for $29.000. The 4kW lamp will set you back your entire projector budget though.
Maybe you can buy an old used Barco DP100 for ~$5000-$8000. Wouldn't want to go with that myself, but if the system is clean and hasn't run for 10 years non-stop... with the biggest lamp in it, it may still light up a 60ft screen?

Keep in mind, you also need something to playback your movie. But yeah, it could be a $50 BluRay player.

[Mark Gulbrandsen]

You need to budget a minimum of 80K dollars for an adequate projector, server, BD PLayer and a screen assuming the latter is blow up. Not sure where there is room in North Bergen, NJ for any drive in, let alone a 60 foot wide screen and that number of cars.

[John Wilson]

Wow. This is painful...

[Tim Androes]

Projector...go look on craigslist and see if anyone is offering a christie roadrunner L6...bunch of those got dumped around here and they have been trying to get between 100 and 350 for them...not a perfect solution.

[Carsten Kurz]

If you buy a second hand rental projector - make sure it comes with a suitable lens for the purpose - as buying a lens separately may cost you more than the projector. Also, many of these projectors do not offer HDMI/HDCP inputs, rendering them useless in combination with todays Bluray players. Well, you may be able to buy an HDFury second hand...

[Jake Sinn]

Projector...go look on craigslist and see if anyone is offering a christie roadrunner L6...bunch of those got dumped around here and they have been trying to get between 100 and 350 for them...not a perfect solution.

Thank you, Tim, for the HELP, but I don't think that will be good enough quality .

[Jake Sinn]

Wow. This is painful...

Why even respond. Thanks for your help.