Landscape audio visual
When creating your dream backyard landscape, outdoor speakers are often an afterthought. You might know you want to be able to listen to music, but are you planning it into your mood boards and your budget?
Is your Pinterest board full of pergolas and summer kitchens, or perhaps you’re extending your roof to create a covered patio? Maybe you want to be able to watch the game from the pool or do you want to be able to crank up the music during a pool party. Or you might just want to have some ambient music around your fire pit when the sun goes down.
Here is our easy to digest overview of the outdoor AV options are available to choose from and what, if any, infrastructure is needed to get the best out of your investment.
Network
We are huge advocates of having a solid network in place as the backbone of any AV system. Without good outdoor WiFi or wiring in place, your outdoor AV can become a point of frustration and that’s the last thing you want when you’re trying to relax and socialize.
Think about what you will want to use and where. If you want to airplay, you need good WiFi. If you want ceiling speakers, you need speaker wires. When it comes to TVs, hard wiring is always the best option but it’s not always possible to retro wires, so WiFi is the fall back position.
Take advice and think about it early in your planning, especially if you are building any new structure. It’s easier to hide wires at the beginning of that process!
Patio speakers
There are lots of ceiling speakers to choose from at various price points. In the sub-tropical Texas climate the best option is outdoor rated speakers but if you have good patio coverage, regular ceiling speakers do a great job too. You just need to bear in mind that you may want to replace the grilles if they become rusty over time.
Another think to think about is the height of your ceiling. If it’s very high you’ll want to increase the speaker size from 6″ to 8″ to give more depth. This is also true if the patio is large in terms of square footage. We generally recommend 2 ceiling speakers for a small patio and 4+ for a larger one.
Landscape speakers
Now, what about in-ground speakers? Depending on the size and layout of your landscape there are lots of solutions to consider. Many audio manufacturers offer great packages of satellite speakers plus a subwoofer, which is perfect to position around the pool, or the edges of your lot. These can be doubled up if you have a particularly large yard with different areas such as a pool at one side and a fire pit at the other.
If your budget is tight then there are some awesome wireless products around, our favorite being the Sonos Move2. This one holds a charge for up to 24 hours!
If you love music then you’ll adore the bollard range from Coastal Source. Not only are these speakers designed to defy the elements of rain, heat and salt, they come with custom designed wire which is also hardy against the climate. These speakers really pack a punch!
Outdoor TVs
You can’t go wrong with a TV which has been designed to be used outdoors. Not only will the glare be reduced in full or partial sun, it will also cope with being splashed by pool water, rain or an irrigation system. This does come with a higher price tag than a regular TV but is 100% worth it, in our opinion.
Don’t forget to factor a robust wall bracket into your budget. Generally you’ll want a strong, articulated mount so you can move the TV around without fear of pulling it off the exterior wall.
As always, you can take a look at the helpful Home Technology Association budget calculator, which gives you a range or pricing depending on what you’re hoping to achieve. Or call us for a free quote!
