How to DIY Your Own Outdoor Movie Theater

You probably want to be able to hear your movie, too. Technically, you can use the projector’s built-in speaker. As we mentioned above, the one built into the Nebula Mars 3 has solid dynamic ability. If we’re talking about a few people seated closer to the projector, that internal speaker might be fine. But if you’ve got a big yard or any kind of background noise (quiet, kids!), it could be hard to hear. Besides, if you’ve got a big screen, wouldn’t it be great to have big sound to go with it?

The easiest way to add a better speaker is to use the projector’s analog audio output, which lets you connect any speaker that has an analog input. Many Bluetooth speakers have this, as do most soundbars and, really, just about any speaker system. You’ll need an audio cable to connect the two, either a 3.5-mm–to–3.5-mm stereo cable or a 3.5-mm–to–RCA cable.

If you want (or need) to go wireless instead, you’ll have to use Bluetooth. A growing number of projectors have a built-in Bluetooth connection to easily send the audio to a higher-quality Bluetooth speaker like the battery-powered W-King X10 we recommend. However, this approach may create a noticeable lip-sync issue, wherein you see something happen on screen and hear it through the speaker an instant later. This is a common Bluetooth issue, but for an outdoor movie night it’s probably not a dealbreaker.

You also can connect a Bluetooth speaker to a streaming stick, if you’re using one. With a Roku, you can make this connection via the Roku mobile app on your phone. It’s a little convoluted, so stick with me (pun intended): You connect the Roku app to your Roku stick, which is easy as long as you’re on the same Wi-Fi network. You then connect the Bluetooth speaker to your phone or tablet. The audio from the streaming content will go through your phone to the Bluetooth speaker.

If you’re not using a Roku — or another source device that has Bluetooth, like a laptop — another wireless option is a Bluetooth transmitter. These devices connect to the audio output of the projector or source and send the audio wirelessly to your Bluetooth speaker, just like if the source had built-in Bluetooth.