In his latest smart analysis, Michael Heiss explores the install considerations behind outdoor living projects.
Finally! The dark and dull skies of winter are gone! The arrival of spring, presuming you are in the northern hemisphere, brings to mind two old clichés: “April showers bring May flowers” and “March comes in like a lion, out like a lamb”. Taking a bit of artistic license, I’d like to paraphrase that for those who are mindful of some spring opportunities: “Outdoors for April may bring May business and profits!”
Most of the work you do probably involves interior projects, but as the sun beckons us outside look around – you’ll see there are numerous ways to extend residential technology beyond the house. To give you a broad picture, let’s divide this feature up into two parts: planning requirements and the different types of kit to help you fill those needs.
Let’s start with sound. First, one must consider the room size. Wait! There is no ceiling, only sky. Yet there are still limitations to consider. Inside the house you have reasonable control over the room acoustics: design usually consists of noise floor control and mitigation of external noise infiltration to prevent leakage, bass control, reverb times and more. However, outside you can’t “treat the room” and at the same time deal with impinging noise from passing cars, barking dogs and planes overhead. It’s also tricky to play music or content loud without considering the neighbours.
Given the “room” size is infinite, there are loudness/SPL issues to weigh up. You need to have the content loud enough for it to be heard but not to the extent it disturbs those who aren’t interested. Do you use bigger speakers and push them with high power, or do you go for a distributed approach with smaller speakers scattered around the site?
Audio and video, along with almost everything else these days, require different types of app control beyond phones or tablets. Remotes and keypads will need suitable lighting to suit the bright outdoors. Is there enough brightness and contrast on the screens of your control system? Is that something you can deal with by keypad placement, hoods or shades, or screen coatings?
Another thing to consider is how both the content and control/commands get to the display or speakers. Wireless is key here, but consider the total ecosystem by looking at the type of content, number of devices, security and, as with audio, the size of the “room”. If you have a large space with numerous event areas, wireless may be used at the pool or tennis court – but how far are they from one another? How will you get the broadband feed to each one? When it comes to that, hard wires may be needed to feed outdoor access points with signal and power.
In larger scale installations, you have an opportunity to adapt your entertainment to the great outdoors for wider purposes. Awnings are in many ways the outdoor shades and blinds. Automate them and think creatively about how they fit in with timers and event scenes. Don’t forget to consider how commands from any type of remote will go back to the main control rack in the residence. Is there enough range? Are there enough repeaters to do wireless control, or are wires needed? If the former, will you need to consider other types of wireless besides WiFi? Work closely with your electrician if this isn’t in your remit.
Power is needed for the amps or powered speakers. Power is needed to support remote charging points for everyone’s devices as well as remote access points. Power is needed for displays. You get the idea. It’s not only the electrician, but the landscape architect you will need to deal with. Where will those in-ground speakers and subs go? Will you be able to seamlessly and invisibly get power and content feeds to them?
You should also think about unique applications for various sensors. Do you need additional WiFi to connect to a temperature sensor to control the outdoor grill, maybe a specialised “BBQ camera”? How about sensors and locks for the pool area to control access, preventing children from using it without adult supervision? The same goes for a motorised pool cover – I live in Southern California, suggesting these safety measures to neighbours. What about additional cameras or other types of intrusion monitoring?
Now you know what to consider for outdoors, it’s time for some suggestions to fit your needs.
Let’s start with video. In many ways this is the same as indoors: flat panel, projection or dvLED. However, you must consider screen size in relation to viewing distance. Now add in ambient light conditions, glare and protection from the elements. If cost is not a concern, dvLED is by far the winner. Why do you think it is the display technology of choice for stadium applications and outdoor advertising? As with any dvLED, factor the viewing distance against the pixel pitch and then how that impacts brightness.
For perhaps the vast majority of outdoor video, more conventional display technologies will be the answer – with weather protection as priority. Will a specialised outdoor set like Samsung’s “The Terrace” or SunBrite models do the trick, or are you better served by a standard set housed in a water/weatherproof enclosure? Do you want the set protected and enclosed but always visible? Or will it work best on a lift type device that drops down and out of sight for protection against the elements? Remember, rain and snow are not your only concern: temperatures can make or break a system. Too hot or cold spells trouble for any LCD-based display panel.
UST projection specialist AWOL showed this example of outdoor projection at CEDIA Expo.
You might not think of projection, but why not? The same type of enclosures used for flat panel sets are also available for PTVs. You could also consider one of the many “portable” projectors, a good suggestion if you’ve thought about power and content source/broadband/streaming connectivity. The retractable screen option suits a more permanent installation, but there are also “blow up” inflatable screens and outdoor projection screen paint you could consider. For a complete outdoor projection video system, there are even outdoor short throw projectors from brands such as AWOL (as we’ve seen this year at CEDIA Expo).
On this subject, keep projection mapping in mind when you speak with your client, architect and landscape designer. This is a great area where you can showcase your specialised skills and industry knowledge.
For audio, some of the planning suggestions lead to a number of product options and alternatives. Of course, durability and weather resistance go without saying. However, outdoor installation is also dependent on the relationship between speakers and irrigation. Avoid placing in-ground speakers in the path of sprinklers or other irrigation, and also think about the fact the ground will hold water longer than hardscape surfaces. Consider the speaker finish: will it fade or peel in harsh sunlight?
You can put a decent weather resistant speaker on a pole or the side of a building, but sometimes you need something more directional. Consider more line-array type speakers: after all, you don’t want the neighbors complaining about noise. Take a look at my Letter in the March/April 2024 issue for a good example of that situation.
On the connectivity side it’s also business as usual, but then more. Range, bandwidth and mesh connectivity are key. Branch out to consider the number of devices, something not always at the forefront of our minds. In the home this could be end-devices such as streamers, controls and the like, while an important consideration for entertainment-centric homes is how many guests will often be present. That raises the bar and may well point you to WiFi 6, 6e or even WiFi 7, which can accommodate many more devices than older WiFi versions. Of course, remember to specify outdoor access points!
WiFi is not the only connectivity requirement. Think about phone coverage and Bluetooth too. For the former, is the estate large enough for some areas to be out of phone range? If so, look into options for repeaters. Alternatively, explore the “emergency phones” that our industry cousins use in the commercial and enterprise worlds. You know, the ones on the pedestals with the blue light. Something like that with either a buried wired IP phone connection or VIOP using your private WiFi or 5G network may be a lifesaver in emergencies.
With all this talk of large distances you might think Bluetooth isn’t an option, but that is where the new Auracast technology comes into play. Auracast is “one-to-many”, so that one transmitter may output a BT signal received by many devices at the same time. For example, Auracast could be used at an airport to ensure everyone in a particular gate area would hear announcements over Auracast earbuds. Think what that could do for outdoor music or movie showings. It would be like the old in-car speakers at a drive-in theatre – but using your own buds. The transmitter might be a dedicated one from a Samsung Galaxy device, or purpose-built from Creative, Avantree, ReSound or others. Receivers may be ear buds or speakers from Creative, JBL, Jabra, LG, Samsung, Sony or Xiaomi.
With a range of outdoor activities available, special attention should be paid to cameras. PTZ cameras will help move the field of view to the action, but how will the camera know where to look for unusual activity unless there is someone driving it? One solution is to focus (pun intended) on cameras with enough AI capability to manage monitoring.
Another alternative is a camera with a wider field of view. I’ve recently tested the Reolink brand’s Argus 4 Pro as an example – its 4K, 180° panorama view covers all sides of our streets in a way that would hold up well for a backyard, pool, court or play area. It also brings to mind the thought of cameras with the solar panel edge and onboard storage. You will find the former a benefit where there is unreliable power in remote areas of the property, while the latter means you will have a backup recording in case the WiFi link to phone apps or a home server fails.
Reolink’s Argus 4 Pro has a 180° panoramic view that might minimise the number of cameras needed for a 4K view.
So yes, spring HAS sprung! It is a great time of the year to enjoy a walk, outdoor dining, sports or a book in the sun. That’s for your play, but for work it’s also time to consider how the great outdoors can be a source of increased revenue and profit if you move your skills beyond the walls of residence.
AUTHORS NOTE: Some products mentioned may not be available in your country or region. Always please check with the manufacturers for availability before specifying. Also please check your local prices for the products mentioned as $USD prices may vary along with conversion to your local currency.
Image: This Stealth Home Theatre, as seen at ISE, shows a large size dvLED combined with a lift that lowers it out of the way to protect from the elements or take it out of view when not needed.