Frequently Asked Questions
Can your outdoor movie systems be operated in the rain or snow?
Open Air Cinema outdoor movie systems are somewhat resistant to elements. Your screen may get soaking wet. The two most vulnerable units of the system are the projector and the air blower. Projector manufacturer doesn't recommend any amount of liquid substances to enter the projector. So make sure your projector is covered from any liquids. To operate in the rain or snow, use Open Air Cinema projector enclosure.
Use Open Air Cinema sound dampening box to protect the air blower. Specifically designed rain covers for your speakers are also recommended for outdoor movie screenings that may be subject to elements.
You can use plastic trash bags to cover the power outlets.
How do I store my inflatable screen?
Our main and most important recommendation is to not store your screen wet. Make sure to dry it completely before packing it into a bag. Room temperature with normal humidity is good for storing your screen. Inflatable screen made of polyester fabric (Open Air Cinema Home lineup and Pro lineup after 2021) can be stored in freezing temperature without causing damage to the screen.
Inflatable screens made of vinyl (Open Air Cinema Pro lineup before 2021 and Elite screens) need to be stored at temperatures above freezing (32F degrees).
No need to detach your projection surface and/or tethering ropes from the screen frame before storage.
You might be tempted to pack your screen negligently but we recommend you apply care when packing it so that it allows faster installation next time you use it.
What brands do you sell?
Currently we work with Open Air Cinema for inflatable screens and outdoor movie systems.
We work with Optoma as our choice for the best performing outdoor projectors.
We are planning to expand the list of brands that we work with. Subscribe to our newsletter to stay tuned.
Do you ship to Europe?
We ship worldwide. Please note that we don't deal with tax and duty fee. It is the responsibility of the customer to check with their local customs duties authorities.
We ship from Utah in the United States. Outdoor movie systems usually are heavy and ship on a pellet. So shipping cost overseas may be costly. Please contact us for the shipping estimate to your location.
How much time will it take to deliver to my location?
Open Air Cinema products are shipped from Utah, USA.
Our default shipping agent is UPS, ground delivery. Email us for your ETA info@bigscreenpro.com or call +1(385) 297-0027
How do I find Optoma model number on my projector?
First you'll want to find the serial number for your projector.
Projector model number is located on one of the sides of your projector. And should look like this:
Use this link to enter the serial number to find out the model of your projector.
How many lumens does my outdoor movie system have?
The required brightness of your projector depends on the screen size. The larger your screen the more light it requires for vivid image. See our post here to get a basic idea of screen sizes (diagonal) vs. projector brightness (lumens).
How do I clean the outdoor movie inflatables that you sell?
We talk about cleaning your outdoor movie screen in a separate blog post.
Here are also some recommendations from Open Air Cinema, "All of the screens that we have on offer now have a removable surface.
If you have an older model screen without a removable surface, you will want to use environment-friendly soap and warm water. Scrub lightly on the stain with a toothbrush. Then, air dry.
Another option that we recommend is to inflate your screen, clean it using a high-pressure cleaning machine -- with the minimal distance between the screen surface and the high-pressure cleaning hose being 30 inches -- then air dry.
Otherwise, you can detach the screen with the zipper and wash on low in the washing machine, again with environmental friendly soap. Again, air dry. Ideally, you can take the removable surface to the dry cleaners in your area."
How visible are your screens in daylight?
We recommend to begin the outdoor movie screening 20 minutes after the sunset. Unfortunately current projection technology is not able to compete with the sunlight -- no matter the lumens. See this post where we explain it in detail.
How do I calculate projector distance for my venue?
Here is a handy online tool that allows to choose your projector model, specify your projection screen size and get the projection distance as a result of such calculations.
The list of projectors is frequently updated by the developers of the tool.
What are your outdoor screens made of?
The inflatable frames of Open Air Cinema Home and Pro screens are made of a blend of polyester material. It is extremely durable, lightweight and water-repellant. The similar fabric is used for the production of the safety airbags in passenger cars.
Projection surface in both Home and Pro lineup is made of a large seamless piece of polyester fabric with proper light reflection characteristics.
The projection surfaces can get wet. They do not change their physical properties under direct sunlight and are wrinkle-free.
The frames of the Open Air Cinema Elite screens 25' and larger are made of heavy-duty PVC vinyl, with an even denser abrasion-resistant material at the bottom of the frame.
Open Air Cinema Elite screen surfaces are custom-made in Canada by the same company that supplies cinema multiplexes with their screens.
What is the typical power consumption of an outdoor movie theater?
On average, your outdoor movie system will consume 2 kW of power at peak performance and 1 kW on a continuous basis. Larger screens and brighter projectors may consume power than that. Please contact us for free technical advice: info@bigscreenpro.com or call (385) 297-0027.
Which AV components are used in an outdoor movie system from Open Air Cinema?
An outdoor movie system by Open Air Cinema includes a projector, audio system, screen kit, media console, wires and lots of handy extras.
Optoma projectors proved to be the best choice for outdoor screenings. The preferred audio system brand is Mackie. A Pro media console is a rack case that contains a power conditioner by Furman, an audio mixer by Rolls, a Sony Blu-ray player and a wireless mike by Shure.
Do I need to obtain an outdoor movie screening licence?
For the backyard parties with your friends, neighbours and family you don't need any special license. Any movie, TV show streaming or a live sports event broadcast would be considered a personal screening in such cases.
If you sell tickets for the public to enter your outdoor movie event you can obtain the license from this company. It is generally for bigger blockbuster films.
Or this company. Mostly for classic and foreign films.