Laser Outdoor Cinema Bundle: Australian review

News.com.au

a day ago

There's something nice about watching a movie on a giant screen in the great outdoors.
Gathered together with family and friends, a picnic blanket, a few camping chairs, a glass of wine or a beer and a picture the whole family can watch, it's a good way to spend a couple of hours.
We have good friends who make a habit of having a movie in the backyard.
They bring out the projector, pin up a white sheet and plug in a bluetooth speaker and enjoy the experience together.
As a family of seven, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than going to the cinema.
My initial experience with the Laser Outdoor Cinema Bundle though, to be honest, was not quite so special.
I first pulled it out during a hot night with my wife wondering what contraption I was reviewing this time.
Putting up the massive 144 inch inflatable screen was simple. You just lay it out on the grass and turn on the electric air pump.
I got my son to help me with the rope tie downs to ensure the screen didn't blow away.
Hammering in the pets, it was like we were camping again. A bonding moment, almost.
The Full HD (1080P) projector can connect with via HDMI to various devices to allow you to stream videos, watch music video or even use it for outdoor gaming.
It comes with a Laser bluetooth soundbar which can also be directly connected using the 3.5mm audio cable.
One of the tricks to the set up is ensuring you have the projector on a flat, stable surface (like a table) and that it is positioned a suitable distance from the screen.
The further you position the projector, the larger the screen image, although brightness can decrease accordingly.
Like any projector, the darker the environment the better, so if you have neighbours with big lights in the backyard that can effect your viewing quality.
Our backyard backs onto a farm, so it was perfect.
Once I'd set up, Queensland's mosquitoes moved in, so it's also a good idea to have some repellent on hand.
For a bundle that can now be bought for about $280, down from the original $400, the quality is actually pretty good.
On Amazon, the outdoor cinema is given a 4.4 out of 5 stars review while those buying it from Big W have given it mixed reviews.
Some love it, one complained about compatibility issues with MP4 formats on a flash drive, while others said the bluetooth speaker was a bit average.
After being hit by torrential rain the night after we set ours up, I was wondering whether it would still be working the next day.
I was pleasantly surprised that after letting the deflated big screen dry out, it was fine and inflated again fine the next day.
We gave it to friends who also gave it a whirl and they really loved it.
Their son and his girlfriend even enjoyed a movie on it for Valentine's Day.
While it can go to 144 inches, Laser recommends a screen size of 80 to 100 for good image quality and brightness.
For the cost, the Laser Outdoor Cinema Bundle is a good option for camping, kids birthday parties or just creating great family memories in the backyard.