'21 T@G XL Boondock - Watching a movie under the stars while boondocking

packetjunkie

For several years I've really enjoyed watching movies outside in the fresh air - mostly on my deck where I designed a surround system with sub-woofers and a 15' screen and projector. This became a regular activity for friends and family to come over and watch movies while hanging out. I try to be courteous and have spoken to my couple of neighbors (none of whom live behind me) and the answer has always been that they don't hear it. Now there are times I've gotten carried away and had some complaints from people across a 4 lane busy road and down a couple blocks, but that's unusual and honestly a bit surprising considering the distance.

When I got my T@G XL Boondock and went camping, I had the thought that I would enjoy watching a movie at our campsite. I've only ever heard of one complaint (the complaint was they didn't think it was "appropriate" to be watching a movie - not the movie we were, any movie at all - not that it was too loud or being run during quiet hours - it wasnt and we didn't). But we've also had some great times meeting new people - including an evening with up to 20 people in our site and a bunch of kids lined up watching Fabulous Mr Fox.

So - if this isn't your thing, I understand. But given the work that went into figuring it out, I thought I would share what I learned in case others are interested in trying it because this isn't just about camping - this can be a great setup for something you do at home for friends or your family. But this setup is for when I am camping.

Moonrise Kingdom

First, the issue to overcome is Power. At home with outlets I can run everything and not even give it a second thought. While out camping, you need to be aware of what your power needs are. And in this solution the only thing that needs power is the projector - so I use a Rockpals 500 (which I dont see available right now, but here is an alternative - https://www.amazon.com/Jackery-Portable-Solar-Ready-Generator-Emergency/dp/B07SM5HBK1/ ). The Rockpals 500W will give you about 4 hours of projection time and can be recharged by solar.

Projector. Unlike at home where I don't have to worry about moving the projector around, having one for the road meant getting something fairly durable, but also less costly in the event the abuse requires a new unit every 1-2 years. I settled on this - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XKS5PQG/ - which is in the $260 range. It has a good image and the only thing missing I would want is a variable screen size, but it does look good and gives you 1080P. I read that it uses 125W of power.

Screen. I've tried 3 of them, including an inflatable one that seemed interesting. What I didn't know is that the inflatables require a motor to be running constantly to keep it inflated, so that's going to use half your battery right there. You'll get a two hour movie and a dead battery. I highly recommend this setup - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08J6Q59TB/ which is a 150 inch screen with a sturdy base for $120. Even with wind, this held steady while tied down and the assembly was very easy. Also, when not in use, the screen folds down in half and doesnt get dirty. (One note, I've used this new setup once and what I do not care for is that unlike another setup I use the back of the screen is not blacked out, so there is light that shines through - I'm debating how to address that, if at all).

Speakers. I recommend the waterproof JBL Boombox 2's - a pair of them. It's easy to connect them together and they sound great. At $500 each they are pricey, so that's a downside - https://www.amazon.com/JBL-Boombox-Waterproof-Portable-Bluetooth/dp/B086C14ZPY/ - but in terms of quality they are outstanding. The battery life on these are incredible, too. 12 hours+ of use on a single charge.

Source. I use a Samsung S5e Tablet as my source for movies and music videos - I can download movies to it from Amazon Prime, Disney+, YouTube and others. I can pair to my bluetooth speakers easily and the tablet is portable and uses its own power source. You'll only need a USB-C to HDMI adapter - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JW7GT7H/ - to connect to the projector via HDMI and the video gets shared automatically. I assume you could use an iPad as well. But having 1TB of space means I have a nice selection of movies to pick from at any time.

I hope you find the information useful should you be interested in trying something like this. Like I said, it may not be what you like to do - but there are many different ways to enjoy camping outside and watching a movie can be one of those.

JamesDow

I use a LG PA70G projector along with a couple of 1tb hard drives full with movies, concerts, etc. For power, I generally use a 300 watt power inverter connected to my vehicle (2012 Toyota Rav4). The projector and hard drive pull around 98 watts. Idle the car about 50+ feet away from where we are sitting. Noise is considerably less than a generator. Never any problem whatsoever. Also on occasion use a generator.
I show on either a sheet hanging from a rope or on occasion directly on the back of the T@G. I have had the projector since 2013 and it has gone through lots of abuse, sandstorms and still keeps performing. For sound, I usually use one or two Bluetooth portable speakers. The projector also has internal speakers to use in a pinch.

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packetjunkie

I went with a full battery setup to avoid using a generator and using a battery pack to avoid using my trailer battery - I do plan on installing a 2000W inverter to the trailer to allow use of the AC outlets, but the external battery works great if you don't mind the cost.

HellFish

I may sound like a curmudgeon here, but, as we (and most others I think) camp to get closer to nature and further from the things we have in our tech world at home, I hope you are respectful of the other campers. As campgrounds are more often than not full to the brim now days, it's increasingly important to be aware of our camping neighbors. Again, not trying to start an argument, just expressing an alternative view of appropriate campground activities.

JamesDow

I camp blm. No neighbors. yes I respect neighbors. and yes 20% of my camping is still using a tent.

Bob297

I just can’t relate…..I must be older than dirt.

packetjunkie

I think that when you have hundreds of campsites you'll find a variety of opinions around what 'camping' is or should be - and I think that over time that opinion may change based on your age, background and the things you enjoy doing. What may be considered 'appropriate' for some, may not be for others - but I think we can all agree that a foundation of consideration, respect, politeness and even tolerence goes a long way to a good environment that is accepting of different experiences.

JamesDow

I agree. Camping respect, tolerance, politeness are a must.