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 Outdoor living is in vogue. In climates ranging from the southwest deserts to the colder climates of the upper plains and Northeast, many homeowners are investing in outdoor spaces to enjoy year-round outdoor living. These spaces are just as much a part of house as a family room or kitchen, which makes them natural places to enjoy music and video.
Imagine filling the patio or backyard with music for summertime cookouts, watching sports on a high-definition flat panel while lounging in the pool or inviting the neighbors over for outdoor movie night on the 100” outdoor home theater screen in the backyard. Image enjoying your music while gardening in the spring, raking leaves in autumn or roasting marshmallows over the patio fire pit on a winter's evening. It's not only possible, it's probably more affordable than you think.
Outdoor entertainment options have come a long way in the last few years. Gone are the days of dragging out a portable audio system for occasional entertaining. Today's installed outdoor entertainment products deliver the same sound and video quality you expect indoors and are designed to be used year-round on patios, decks, pool areas and other outdoor retreats.
Outdoor Speakers
Inspired by home theater designs, newer outdoor speaker packages offer small satellite speakers that can be optimally placed for stereo imaging and enveloping sound. Some are designed to look like outdoor lighting fixtures, while others offer more traditional rectangular designs. To round out the sound, unobtrusive subwoofers complete the package by adding solid bass frequencies. You can also chose among other discrete designs, like faux rocks, tree stumps, planters and other landscape themes that let speakers blend into your outdoor décor. Simply connect outdoor speakers to a wireless multi-room music system, a full-fledged custom multi-room A/V solution or simply to the "Zone 2" output of your existing home theater or A/V receiver.
Outdoor Video
A growing category of products, outdoor video brings movies and TV shows to your patio or poolside. Specially designed outdoor flat-panel sets pack high-definition video into a weather resistant case that's perfect for covered spaces like bars, screened-in porches and gazebos. For movie watching, outdoor projectors and screens can be incorporated into fully functioning patio furniture. The options are endless.
Whether you're a city dweller with only a small outdoor area or you have a large backyard retreat, spruce up your outdoor space with audio and video entertainment.
Article courtesy of the Consumer Electronics Association, March 30, 2009.
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