Projector and IR audio?

IR is line of sight, and that's OK in the tight confines of a minivan. Will be problematic in the setting you are proposing with people moving around, getting up to get drinks, etc. Bluetooth (or other RF solution) has the advantage not just of range but not needing to be line of sight. You could get up and go to the head and not miss any of the audio of the movie

I would go with BlueTooth.. You can get a transmitter from multiple sources (though I've yet to find one I like) headsets (The good old can type) or Ear buds can be had for not nearly as much as you think if you shop places like Big Lots or Ollies (Great stuff Cheap) you don't need the hundred dollar PLUS Jobs with first rate noise canceling (AND i MEAN first rate) They sell for Truckers.
(I have a ham who parred a Parrot (blue Parrot?) to his ham radio and I know he's in the cab of a semi.. but ZERO background nose the mic is that good.. but for watching movies. You don't need a mic)

wa8yxm wrote:
I would go with BlueTooth.. You can get a transmitter from multiple sources (though I've yet to find one I like) headsets (The good old can type) or Ear buds can be had for not nearly as much as you think if you shop places like Big Lots or Ollies (Great stuff Cheap) you don't need the hundred dollar PLUS Jobs with first rate noise canceling (AND i MEAN first rate) They sell for Truckers.
(I have a ham who parred a Parrot (blue Parrot?) to his ham radio and I know he's in the cab of a semi.. but ZERO background nose the mic is that good.. but for watching movies. You don't need a mic)

:R

That is not how BT works.

BT receivers must be "paired" to the BT transmitter..

Unfortunately you cannot simultaneously connect and operate multiple BT receivers (IE headphones) from a single BT source (IE transmitter).

MULTIPLE BT HEADPHONES

Q. How can I connect multiple Bluetooth receivers to a single Bluetooth transmitter so that several people an listen to the same audio source on individual BT earphones?

A. You can't. Each earset will operate on a slightly different sub-frequency, so they don't crosstalk, allowing the systems to deliver different audio to the different headsets.

What you need to do is have multiple headphone jacks that you can plug multiple transmitters into. You need multiple systems.

You might look at the popular Big Knob from Mackie or another device that breaks out headphones for cables, then plug your little transmitters into each of those outputs.

What you want to do is very common in a studio environment. Try B&H Photo’s website."

In the OPs situation they are needing more than ONE headphone..

BT also has max pairing limitations, something like only 7 devices but only ONE can be "active" in most cases if not all cases.

They WILL need buy ONE transmitter (source) for EACH HEADPHONE, each will have to be "paired" to one transmitter source to make this work.

Something like this..



for $129 each HERE which features "auto connect pairing" so you will not have to manually pair a dozen or more headphones..

OR will need to buy individual BT transmitters like this..



BT transmitter for $16 for each BT headphone (be aware, not all of these devices are "transmitters" some are "receivers only"..

Then you would need to provide some sort of amplified audio splitter for all of the transmitters which is a whole nuther issue..

Gdetrailer wrote:

That is not how BT works.

BT receivers must be "paired" to the BT transmitter..

Unfortunately you cannot simultaneously connect and operate multiple BT receivers (IE headphones) from a single BT source (IE transmitter).

x2 on this ... bluetooth is mostly 1:1 pairing ...

infrared might not be that bad, the higher up you can put the transmitter the better so people walking around won't block the LOS.

or, or, one of those FM transmitter deals for connecting a music player to an old radio, and then cheapo FM radio headsets?

Not sure you need to do that. My projector has small speakers in it that can be heard pretty well up to about 15 feet away when cranked all the way up. Good enough for a small group of people at my site. When it's time for "Monday night at the movies" I take the projector down to the pavillion and feed the audio through a 100 watt portable system. The movies always end before quiet time and anybody in the park is welcome to come watch and make selection suggestions. Has gotten to be fairly popular among the guests.

The point is, the small 1 or 2 watt speakers built into the projector don't carry very far and you can have a few friends over to watch without disturbing your neighbors or spending a fortune on audio gear.

Just to throw it out there, in the land of the free home of the brave, showing pre-recorded copyrighted content (like a movie) to a large group of people (even for free) is not legal. It's actually a federal felony.

GordonThree wrote:
Just to throw it out there, in the land of the free home of the brave, showing pre-recorded copyrighted content (like a movie) to a large group of people (even for free) is not legal. It's actually a federal felony.

Making "backup" copies of any A/V source that has specific anti copy protections that you must break to get around the anti copy protections is not covered by "fair use" either but millions of folks DO that to..

I seriously doubt that Gov agents nor MPAA executives are hovering over every campground and home backyard watching for someone to break out the video projector and play a couple of movies once and a while with a bunch of FRIENDS AND FAMILY so they can issue them a "Cease and Desist" order and then fine them..

They are looking for examples of commercial enterprise (IE making money) and they did not get their "cut" of it.

Entertaining the entire campground could get a bit dicey but if just at your campsite with some of your close friends and family it most likely would be ignored..

If you look solely by the letter of the law, even watching it your backyard with your family would be highly questionable because the wording is PUBLIC and your own outdoor "theater" could be considered PUBLIC, not private even if it was located in the middle of 100 acres..

I commend the OP for being considerate to fellow campers, even 1 or 2 watts of power can carry considerable distance, portable battery powered bull horns typically are less than 10 watts and can carry thousands of feet.

Gdetrailer wrote:

Making "backup" copies of any A/V source that has specific anti copy protections that you must break to get around the anti copy protections is not covered by "fair use" either but millions of folks DO that to..

Agreed ... making the backup is fine, but circumventing the copy protection, that's a felony. And since you can't do one without the other, ugh.

GordonThree wrote:

Gdetrailer wrote:

Making "backup" copies of any A/V source that has specific anti copy protections that you must break to get around the anti copy protections is not covered by "fair use" either but millions of folks DO that to..

Agreed ... making the backup is fine, but circumventing the copy protection, that's a felony. And since you can't do one without the other, ugh.

Correct!

Sort of a "fine line"..

I suspect however since the OP was looking at the idea of individual headphones for those watching it would be pretty much a "close family and friends affair" type of use.. Other folks without headphones would have to be good at lip reading to watch.

Now setting up a 1,000W sound system and charging for popcorn and drinks I suspect that would raise some eyebrows and get the wrong attention ..

I don't think it was really needed to be brought up, I am sure the OP and others have already considered the possible ramifications before doing the outdoor theater thing.

GordonThree wrote:
Just to throw it out there, in the land of the free home of the brave, showing pre-recorded copyrighted content (like a movie) to a large group of people (even for free) is not legal. It's actually a federal felony.

Will have to research that before the next movie night. Thought it was only illegal if you charged for the viewing. Lots of churches and schools do movie nights and I really doubt that they contacted the copyright holder to ask permission.