Outdoor Movies - Inflatable Screens and Package from Outdoor Movies

Inflatable Movie Screen - Seasonal - Store and Cleaning

2012-09-18T16:35:00.002-04:00

How to store your inflatable movie screen – fall Cleanup & storage

A cool wind is blowing in from the west for our friends and customers in the mid and northern climates. As the weather cools and the leaves are come off the trees, it time to think about caring for your AIRCSREEN. A little time now may save you effort and money next spring.

We recommend a thorough cleaning of your inflatable frame and screen surface. At this time of year, be especially careful that organic like leaves are not trapped in the screen when it was last used or cleaned, as these will leave permanent marks on the screen surface. Also make sure the screen is completely dry!

Clean your outdoor movie screen surface with water with Fantastik or Simple Green.

We strongly recommend checking all of your outdoor movie equipment for damaged parts. It makes sense to also make a list of what you have. That way, next spring, you can be sure that nothing is missing.

If you need a new surface or movie screen bungees, a spare blower or a repair, call us at Outdoor Movies at (301) 838-4544 x102 or connect with us through our website at www.outdoor-movies.com and we'll help.

Examples of Competing Inflatable Screens

2012-05-15T09:45:00.000-04:00

During the outdoor movie buying season, the most frequent question we get is, "what is the difference between the AIRSCREEN inflatable screen and the competitor's?" For comparison purposes we thought that it would be helpful to post some images taken from the public Internet.

For images of AIRSCREEN - from Outdoor Movies - Inflatable Screens, and AIRSCREEN's outdoor screen gallery.

Outdoor Movies Awarded New Patent for Inflatable Screens

2012-05-03T08:33:00.002-04:00

Outdoor Movies received a new patent for the invention of the airtight seal in use on all Aeropro and many Classic AIRSCREEN inflatable screens. This invention improves the performance of the movie screen in wind. This represents a major improvement over zippers and standard closures in use on a typical inflatable screen. The benefit to the outdoor movie screen user is that the AIRSCREEN frame does not feel soft like a typical inflatable but is as hard as a solid structure. The AIRSCREEN inflatable screen does not flex or move in wind and/or weather.

The patent was applied for in 2008 and awarded without amendment making the patent broad. The patent additionally applies to all inflatable structures, not just inflatable screens.

For more information
www.outdoor-movies.com
www.airscreen.com
866-448-3456 (USA)
301-838-4544 (Direct)

Glasses Free 3D Coming?

2012-04-24T22:34:00.001-04:00

Might the following "preview" the possibility of large outdoor 3D displays for a outdoor movie presentations without glasses? I will write a follow up next week.

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB) and Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG; AEX: PHI) today unveiled Dolby® 3D, a 3D HD format and suite of technologies designed to deliver full HD 3D content to 3D-enabled devices, including glasses-free displays. Dolby 3D is being demonstrated at the NAB Show® (April 16–19, 2012) at booth SU1212.

The two leading companies have undertaken the joint project to improve the 3D viewing experience on displays of all sizes, including smartphones, tablets, PCs, and televisions. Dolby 3D is a complete system designed to work throughout the chain to deliver clear glasses-free 3D content that operates over existing distribution systems.

"Philips® has a long history in 3D technologies and video innovation, and Dolby has a proven track record of enabling technologies to enhance entertainment experiences. Together, we identified a business need where we could bring a unique offering to the market that improves the end-user experience," said Ruud Peters, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Philips. "By unveiling Dolby 3D, we introduce a 3D HD format capable of powering glasses-free 3D displays of any size, enabling broadcasters, operators, content aggregators, and device manufacturers to deliver HD-quality 3D on any device."

Ramzi Haidamus, Executive Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Dolby Laboratories, stated: "We believe that Dolby 3D can help drive the adoption of 3D—creating a comfortable, customizable, truly enjoyable glasses-free 3D viewing experience while enhancing 3D display performance. Armed with the innovative glasses-free 3D display technology from Philips, based on years of extensive research and development in the field, we plan to bring the same philosophy to 3D that Dolby has brought to the audio space—integrating our technologies and strengths throughout the entire content chain. Consumers will know that when they see Dolby 3D content on a 3D-enabled device, it will look its very best."

"Dolby and Philips are committed to taking the 3D experience to the next level and delivering a high-quality solution for all 3D display devices, including today's glasses-based devices and tomorrow's glasses-free displays. Working on cutting-edge technology with two leading companies is very exciting, and I'm thrilled to lead this unique joint effort," said Guido Voltolina, General Manager of the joint project.

The focus of the project will be to work with original equipment manufacturers of display panels and entertainment devices to enhance the performance of 3D consumer devices to make viewing of 3D content just as convenient and appealing as viewing of 2D content on a high-quality screen is today. This project is uniquely positioned to enable the industry's adoption of 3D by working on standardization and licensing of the technology.

The Dolby 3D experience will seamlessly integrate into the use cases and viewing patterns of consumers on the go and in the home, making the use of 3D devices an enjoyable daily experience. Content owners and broadcast operators have the unique opportunity to differentiate their offerings by encoding 3D titles in Dolby 3D for maximum fidelity on Dolby 3D enabled devices while maintaining compatibility with existing 3D products. The system will enable a 3D HD format, including tools for 3D content creation and real-time 3D content conversion.

Future of projection - 4K cinema, 13.1 Surround, 55k Lumens

2012-03-09T11:56:00.000-05:00

The article below offers a stunning look at the future. It is from a blog posted to Rental & Staging Magazine:

The 2nd Annual Moody Gardens Digital Cinema Symposium kicked off Monday at Moody Gardens in Galveston, Texas. Barco, teaming with museum cinema integration company D3D Cinema, is the event’s host, and Barco–as much of the electronics industry played with gadgets at CES in Vegas– unveiled some impressive large-screen milestones here in Galveston, on day one of the two-day event.

In demos for an audience of select reporters, theater owners, consultants, and analysts, Barco has demo’d its Enhanced 4K DLP Cinema 3D offering, Auro-3D multi-channel three dimensional audio system, and a new prototype Laser projector.

Barco first released its 4K DLP Cinema projector in 2010– but Barco is now exploring higher frame rates. The specification of 48fps in the DCI spec ushered in 3D. But further evolution of frame rates will see the ability to achieve 60, 96, and 120 fps performance– to be able to do 30fps, 48fps, and even 60fps 3D. And DLP technology– that Barco (as well as the other DLP Cinema licensees Christie and NEC) uses for its light engine– can more easily move to these faster frame rates– with a software upgrade– than can Sony’s SXRD technology.

We all learned years ago– in film school or in the field– that great audio can make the difference in the movie experience. And we attendees of this Digital Cinema Symposium were reminded today by Brian Claypool, Sr. Director, Strategic Business Development, Media and Entertainment, Barco, that in fact Barco got it’s start in audio– as the “Belgium American Audio Company”. And we experienced a very impressive demo Monday of the new Auro-3D system from Barco and Auro Technologies. Auro-3D is a sound system designed along three spatial axes (width, depth and height) rather than the two axes as found in traditional surround sound.

The full Auro-3D loudspeaker layout is defined for up to 13.1 channels, but 11.1 will be the more common format for movie theaters. Auro-3D technology is compatible with existing formats, standards and distribution mechanisms, so according to Barco, “only a minimal hardware and installation investment is required to upgrade from traditional 5.1 to the Auro-3D 11.1 audio format.”

In the demo at Moody Gardens, Barco played some custom-produced recordings of city streets in Brussels, Belgium, as well as clips from “Red Tails”, the new movie that will be released to theaters this month, that is produced by George Lucas and based on the Tuskegee Airmen, the group of African-American combat pilots during World War II. I can say that the only time I’ve ever heard such dynamic, three dimensional sound was in a very custom (and expensive) demo in a Cirque Du Soleil theater in Las Vegas. The aural modeling achieved in the Barco demos Monday was awe-inspiring. The addition of the “height” channel that adds on a layer, and particularly the overhead channel really brings the audio to life.

Barco is trying– in competition with Dolby and a small group of other companies– to bring audio back into the movie theater experience in way that is as dramatic, and market-defining, as was the introduction of THX in movie theaters years ago. Auro-3D goes beyond Dolby’s previous 7.1DS format, and it does not use the rather complex and expensive “wave field synthesis” approach that IOSONO tried a few years back but alters the perception of spatial sound by adding multiple speakers in a hemispherical array. And key to this offering from Barco is that no extra distribution is needed from the studios. With Auro-3D, audio tracks can be created in the multiple source points originally, or upmixed from 5.1 to 11.1. But if a system is 5.1, it can extract just those tracks from 11.1 material. No need to release separate 5.1 and 11.1 material.

Barco has completed the first Auro-3D installations in the United States at select commercial theaters for Cinemark (in Dallas), Regal Entertainment Group (Los Angeles) and AMC Entertainment (Miami).

But certainly the most dramatic demo at the Digital Cinema Symposium was Barco’s showing of a prototype Laser projector. How many “prototype” demos have I seen, over the years, of new projection technology? Too many to count, and typically demos are done in smallish, darker-than-the-inside-of-a-cow rooms, and showing material that avoids things like skin tone. Not so this demo. I was very impressed. Although Todd Hoddick, Vice President Entertainment, North America, at Barco, prefaced the demo by asking the audience to bear with any glitches in the prototype demo, I can report that the admonition was totally unnecessary. The audience saw a stunning display on a massive screen (about 80 ft. wide at least), with a light output they have never seen anywhere. 600 watts of laser light into the 4K DLP (with a 1.38 inch chip), super high contrast, with amazingly uniform light output to the last inch of every corner of the screen. And although Hoddick explained that the “de-speckling” necessary for the laser-produced image still had a bit more to go in development (speckle is the introduction of image artifacts resulting from the interference of narrow bandwidth light), Barco did an amazing job of eliminating the speckle. Clips from “Pulse” (upcoming movie release from the producers of the Broadway hit “Stomp”) and from original 4K material shot with a Red 4K camera, projected onto the massive Harkness screen, were stunning. It’s impossible to describe the combined, synergistic effect of simultaneous very high light output (55K ANSI Lumens), higher contrast, and 4K resolution.

The benefits of Laser projection are easily listed:

• higher brightness (55K now, in this prototype– and in ANSI, not Center, Lumen measurement)

• unlimited dimming for 2D and 3D

• more energy-efficient than a high lumen projector using a Xenon lamp

• higher contrast, because of the more collimated light source

• wider color gamut (Barco projected, for comparison, the DCI standard color bar, vs the native color gamut color bar in the demo. The native color bar showed deeply saturated color)

• no light fall-off in edges or corners of screen

The challenges yet to overcome for Laser: cost is still too high for significant penetration; and very importantly, regulatory bodies have not signed off on the safety concerns (the light beam emitting from the projector onto the screen is not an issue, it’s the safety concerns surrounding the projector housing that is at issue).

Barco is showing Laser to the cinema and large venue world now, and stressing that when it does come, owners of their Xenon lamp DLP projectors will be able to retrofit to the new technology. In the meantime, there is plenty of keen interest in what’s available today, from the company: things like their “Dual 4k”– double stacked 4K Barco projectors that can put 83K Lumens on a single screen, and the new Auro 3D. And– coming soon from the company, their own Media Block. That last development will be another milestone– more on that to come.

Outdoor Movies - Trends in Playback - iSeries Outdoor Movies Package

2012-03-03T19:11:00.001-05:00

At home, how do you watch a movie? Do you use your iPad, AppleTV, Netflix, laptop... is portable media obsolete or almost obsolete? Does this affect the Outdoor Movie business. I believe that it does. The studios hate discs because encryption is easy to break so the content is so easily pirated. I believe content will live on a device ie iTunes but eventually moves onto the cloud ie iTunes match.

Turning this "belief" into something actionable required us to rethink how we look at our outdoor movie packages, so we devised the iSeries Outdoor Movie Package, which offers a Mac based playback platform with BluRay and storage/cloud based capabilities. The goal was to offer something for today and tomorrow.

What do you think?

Outdoor Movies 3D Package?

2011-11-17T13:33:00.000-05:00

It is with interest that we have seen a seller of outdoor movie screens announce plans to offer a 3D outdoor movie system. Their press release and website are understandably short of details. We will be interested to see which technology they have chosen.

As a leading pioneer in Outdoor 3D, and with our experience screening a 3D movie to 5,000 viewers using the RealD system on our projectors, we know what the challenges are! Pioneering technologies comes at a price.

The basics of 3D are simple, there is a movie for the right eye and a movie for the left, so you actually show two movies. A 3D projector and polarizing filter alternates the image very quickly. The glasses make sure each eye only sees the movie it is supposed to see. The challenge for outdoor display is that showing two movies at once (3D) requires enough light to show the two movies. So the projector must be 50-100% brighter for an equivalent brightness to a 2D display. So there is no real "cheap" 3D.

Stay tuned, there will be more news on this topic! We welcome your comments and feedback.

Winterizing your outdoor movie screen and projector

2011-09-25T21:19:00.002-04:00

It is that time again and we want to remind you that some time spent on easy maintenance now means you will have an easier time come spring. Here are some posts that may be helpful:

Bob Deutsch

www.outdoor-movies.com

Outdoor Movie Season hits records

2011-09-25T20:57:00.000-04:00

Despite a lousy economy and municipal budget cutting nationwide, anecdotally from our partners and from press mentions (Google alerts), it seems as this outdoor movie season has been the biggest on record. More cities and towns in more states have added to the phenom. Everything from bicycle, golf carts and motorcycle drive-ins to a drive-in series sponsored by Fiat in quite a number of markets. Pretty impressive if you ask me!

Let's hope that the fall is strong for our friends in the southern part of the USA, and that the rest of the season brings good things to all of you.

Largest Inflatable Screen in Americas - Traverse City Film Festival uses 100' AIRSCREEN

2011-07-24T10:15:00.001-04:00

When it comes the big inflatable screens, it is Outdoor Movies. And If you want to see a big screen, come up to Traverse City, Michigan. Here is our 100' AIRSCREEN installed for the Traverse City Film Festival. Front sound is all line array 24 Vertec 4888's and 10 Vertec 4880 subs. Center channel is provided uses a 180' reach crane.

Great trade article featuring AIRSCREEN!

2011-07-20T13:04:00.000-04:00

Here is a link to a great new trade article on the quality difference of an AIRSCREEN inflatable screen.

A Typical D-Cinema Day

2011-07-19T16:01:00.000-04:00

Hearing impaired and deaf outdoor movie viewers

2011-07-09T17:44:00.001-04:00

We regularly are asked to display subtitles at our outdoor movie events and endeavor to provide subtitles when requested by deaf and hearing impaired patrons.

I recently received an email from a colleague with a good question, "Most of the time when we get a request for captioning, we simply select the English subtitles. This week at a show the dvd didn't offer English subtitles and we could not figure out how to access any closed captions. It seems the problem is in the authoring of the dvd. Broadcast signals must have closed captions but apparently the same rules do not apply to dvd authoring or dvd player manufacturers. Anyone else have any experience with this issue?".

I answered that he was correct. Most newer DVD's are authored to offer accessibility to our deaf brothers and sisters using subtitles. Older titles often offer subtitles only in other languages. The DVD description online has this info so you can be prepared in advance.

IMDB used to offer more complete DVD/BluRay details but no longer does. Amazon does however off this info. So for outdoor movie operators, it is fairly easy to do the research.

Your projector selection - cheap 1080p projectors?

2011-06-28T18:19:00.000-04:00

If you are looking at purchasing an outdoor movie screen (hopefully from us), you often need a projector. The biggest question that we get these days is, "do I need 1080p." or instead of a question, it is, "I want 1080p." And here is the quandry, in the low lumen market (2500-4000 lumens), Sanyo and Christie do not offer product that is 1080p native. Our customers' are often tempted by good specs and low prices on brands such as Optoma. Our strong opinion is that these projectors offer an lousy picture (losing in shootouts with lower resolution projectors), and worse reliability. You will note that while many users have a good experience, the rate of failure is not acceptable for commercial use. While not representative, here is a link to a number of reviews on Amazon in which buyers had issues. Some have great headlines:

Lamp Failure after 38 hrs of usage
Problems right out of the box
Don't buy unless you read this
Very Disappointed
Don't buy any Optoma projectors
Buy this projector if you don't like to watch the Super Bowl
Made to make money. Unacceptable. Expect more.

Our advice, is not to rush into the least expensive consumer grade 1080p projector and use it commercially or at a Park & Rec. There are high quality brands if you are willing to spend a little more. Or if you can be happy with 720p until more product is available, you will have a much more reliable outdoor movie system or package.

Bob Deutsch
Outdoor Movies

AIRSCREEN Celebrates ten years of inflatable screen sales in the United States

2011-06-23T12:16:00.000-04:00

The leader in outdoor movie screen manufacturing and innovation, AIRSCREEN is celebrating its 10th anniversary of inflatable screen sales in the United States. As the distributor of AIRSCREEN inflatable screens since 2006, we offer our congratulations! Learn about the AIRSCREEN inflatable screen.

100' AIRSCREEN Classic Inflatable Screen

New Patent Issued to Outdoor Movies for Improvements to Inflatable Screens

2011-06-17T13:23:00.000-04:00

Outdoor Movies announces the allowance of US patent 7961388 for improvements to the inflatable screen frame for outdoor movie screens. Robert Deutsch and Shane Spruill are the co-inventors. Here is our patent.

Outdoor Movie Operators Feel the Heat - Really!

2011-06-10T18:37:00.000-04:00

So if the economy isn't so hot, the weather sure is! The Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast have been suffering through record heat.

Outdoor movie operators have definitely lost a few pounds sweating through their load-ins! During load-in for the first Screen on the Green, the temps stayed pretty steady at 103 degrees. I want to show my respect to our crews, and to all those who work their butts off in this heat on a regular basis. Paul and Susan Murray, our partners at Southern Outdoor Cinema, Nick Toutoungi at Twilight Features, and Joe and Barbara Williams at Blue Moon Cinemas in Texas. Hey, I know I didn't mention everyone... but those in the heat belt that do this regularly... they are my heroes.

You don't need me to tell you to stay hydrated (if you don't you pass out).

If you are a customer of an outdoor movie operator, show your appreciation by paying your vendor fairly and handing them cold water!

Stay cool!!

Bob Deutsch
Outdoor Movies

For your outdoor movie screen, what lumen projector is right?

2011-06-07T22:51:00.001-04:00

We get asked this question all the time. We also get asked if a brighter projector can help get their outdoor movie event started earlier.

Here are our answers:

The math for calculating brightness is easy. We are going to use 16:9 ratio projectors and inflatable screens for this exercise. Take the lumens and divide it by the square feet of the screen surface. So for example, we sell a 5,000 lumen hidef projector with our 24'x13.5' Aeropro HD-PRO Package. 24x13.5'=324 sf. 5000/324=15.4. The resultant calculation is a measurement called foot lamberts. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers and the Research Council of the Academy of Motion Pictures has set 14-16 foot lamberts as the standard. So 15.4 is plenty of light!
Does more brightness mean we can start our outdoor movie earlier? The answer is - yes and no! More brightness means you may see a picture. However, in projection, the color black is created by darkness any ambient light destroys black levels and washes out colors.

Comments and questions are always welcome!

Bob Deutsch
Outdoor Movies

The future of 3D is in question

2011-05-30T07:20:00.000-04:00

3-D Starts to Fizzle, and Hollywood Frets - NY Times May 30, 2011

Outdoor Movie Safety -Part 4 -Trip Hazards

2011-05-28T14:52:00.001-04:00

At events, trip hazards are one of the most common forms of injury. Luckily ther have been few of the these type injuries at outdoor movie events but given the increasing popularity of outdoor movie events and the inflatable screen, it is a good time for the industry to look at its potential hazards and respond accordingly. Given the use of audio and power cabling at outdoor movie events, it is critical that this hazard be managed in order to reduce the risk of injury. It is one of the most basic things but often overlooked by outdoor movie operators. The bottom line is that no cabling should run through the area in which an audience is without being covered by a mat or placed in cable tray. In any case, exposure to the risk of injury and or liability should be minimized at every opportunity. It is best practice to cover anything that may be a trip hazard. Many companies online sell inexpensive outdoor rubber matting in 50' rolls. Look for heavier matting with grooves or a pattern in it. These rolls may be sliced lengthwise with a utility knife to yield 100' of cover at reasonable cost. These can be used to cover power lines coming from a generator or panel. Audio cables should be routed around the center of the audience where possible or covered. Bottom anchor tether lines coming from an AIRSCREEN inflatable movie screen (or a knockoff of the original AIRSCREEN design) should lie flat on the ground and not be tensioned in a way that they rise an inch or two off the ground. What are other trip hazards and how do we mitigate them? Comment on this post and share how you minimize trip hazards on your outdoor movie site.

These bits of advice may seem completely common sense but you would very surprised at how often they are not followed. Public safety is paramount, so act in a responsible and conservative manner. Staying uninjured and comfortable through the season is our wish for you and your audience from Outdoor Movies!

Bob Deutsch
Outdoor Movies

Inflatable screen - Safety Part 3 - You

2011-05-16T12:21:00.000-04:00

In this series we look at possible injuries you might sustain operating an outdoor movie screen or package. This list is by no means complete and is meant simply as thought provoking article, not medical advice. Speak with a doctor about your particular situation if you have a concern.

1. Back strain/injury - when moving heavy items, exercise basic common sense! If in doubt get help! If you haven't lifted anything over the winter, you are out of shape. Use good biomechanics or a back brace. Also, if you can get the equipment to where you will be using it, there is less wok for you. In short be careful, get help, don't be a hero.

2. Shoulder injury - any work involving stress which takes place above your shoulder involves the risk of shoulder injury. Generally speaking, while holding screen tethers, do not do so above shoulder level. This is important! Also, repeating myself, use good biomechanics. I dislocated a shoulder trying to lift a subwoofer into a cargo van, I was stooped over and turned so that the speaker was slightly behind me. You don't want to do this it hurts!

3. Sun and dehydration - doing a setup on a 95 degree day with 95% humidity will drain you. Drink fluids to the point where you urinate every hour up to one liter of fluid per hour. Take breaks and know your limits. Do not wear a black outfit and use a baseball cap as well. It is tempting to forgo sunscreen when doing an install because you sweat it off pretty quickly and its sticky nature just makes more dirt stick to you. Use the sunscreen anyway! And reapply frequently.

These three bits of advice may seem completely common sense but you would shocked how often they are not followed. Staying uninjured and comfortable through the season is our wish for you from Outdoor Movies!

Bob Deutsch
www.outdoor-movies.com

No Photoshop - An OpenAir 20'x11' - Isn't A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

2011-05-05T11:35:00.002-04:00

It pains us that people scompare AIRSCREEN with the Open Air product. Here is a new condition OpenAir 20'x11' screen without all the fancy retouching. Isn't a picture worth a thousand words? Click on the image for full resolution.

Inflatable screen - Safety Part 2 - Weather and Wind

2011-05-04T14:14:00.000-04:00

A frequently asked question is, "what the wind rating of your inflatable screens". Our answer - a lot more than any other screen we have encountered.

BUT

What the MUCH more important and relevant question is, "what is the safe wind speed for you to operate your screen in." The answer to this question is similar to" what is the top speed of a Porsche". A Porsche is unsafe to operate at its top speed in normal use conditions. And an outdoor movie screen is unsafe to operate at its wind limit! In the image you will see an AIRSCREEN being tested (and standing) at wind speeds over 50 miles per hour. Do not try this with your screen.

AIRSCREEN and other inflatable screens should be used in safe weather conditions. Safe weather conditions means DO NOT OPERATE YOUR SCREEN in: sustained winds over 24mph, winds gusting over 24mph, violent wind directional shifts from rotational weather activity, thunderstorms. Use good common sense! Operators must make every effort to be aware of their environment and approaching weather conditions. Use an iPad or connected PC.

Public safety is paramount, act in a responsible and conservative manner! Weather forecaster at TV stations making $500,000 per year can't get it right, and neither can you. When you detect or learn that severe weather is coming your way, move people to safety, deflate your screen using emergency procedures (if necessary) and get yourself to safety. If someone is hurt or killed you cannot bring them back.

It is critical as users migrate to larger screens (more sail) in the outdoor movie industry and in recreational organizations that best practices are used.

By Robert Deutsch
Outdoor Movies

Inflatable screen - Safety Part 1

2011-05-01T10:19:00.000-04:00

Whether you are a new or experienced user of outdoor movie screens, safety is of paramount importance for all users. Insurance really doesn't matter if someone is hurt or killed. With the average screen sizes used by Parks and Recreation and professional outdoor movie operators getting progressively larger, the risks increase. In terms of the loading on an outdoor movie screen, there are two engineering terms that apply. These are "moment" and "shear. The moment of a force is a measure of its tendency to rotate an object about some point. so wind has the tendency not to come either the front, back or sides of a screen but from an angle. this means that wind load on each anchor point is not equal to the others. In our outdoor movie applications with inflatable screens, this means that anchors must be significantly stronger than if each anchor point were to equally bear wind force. Shear is simply strain and refers to stretch factors of the screen and it's anchor tethers under strain. Nylon rope has a stretch factor of 10%, webbing has varying ratios. Many outdoor screens flex or bend under wind load. An AIRSCREEN with its RF sealed seams and higher pressure blowers tend Have less shear but wind is a powerful force nonetheless.

In simple terms, what does this mean to the outdoor movie screen user? Very simply, follow manufacturers guidelines for anchoring, and then add some! If staking, place your anchors further away than recommended if possible. Drive stakes all the way into the ground. learn proper rigging knots, or use caribiners or ratchet straps. Recognize that loose or sanyasi soil does mot offer much holding power. Substitute sand stakes if anchoring into this type of surface.

If anchoring using ballast as opposed to earth anchors, use more weight than recommended. Three 55 gallon drums on each corner for a 24'x13'6" wide screen placed one and a half times the height of the outdoor movie screen frame away from the screen is recommended. For instance an AIRSCREEN AEROPRO 24'x13' frame is approximately 19' tall, so anchor placements 30' away is a good placement.

Remember that anchor specs are for normal conditions and not storms! If in doubt and weather is approaching, get your screen deflated and on the ground ad quickly as you can. The best accident is the one that did not happen!

By Bob Deutsch
Www.outdoor-movies.com

Contest - Best Photo of an AIRSCREEN

2011-04-30T15:49:00.004-04:00

Outdoor Movies is running a contest for the best three images of an AIRSCREEN inflatable screen sized 24' and smaller. There are three cash prizes. $125, $100 and $75. It must be your photo taken in the last 28 months, and you give us the license to use the image on our website and in advertising material. Winners are the solely determined by Outdoor Movies. Submit your photos by email to info at www.outdoor-movies.com.