Drive-in movie theaters poised for a comeback amid coronavirus crisis

NY Post ^ | April 20, 2020 | Alexandera Steigrad

[buckalfa]

Drive-in movie theaters — a tiny, nearly forgotten sliver of the US cinema business — may be poised for a comeback as the coronavirus has shuttered indoor movie theaters nationwide.

The coronavirus has wreaked havoc on the movie theater industry with over 40,000 screens closed in the US alone — but a small group of drive-in theaters still remain in business, and they may soon be able to offer a little relief to pent-up moviegoers, according to a report.

[A Navy Vet]

"Most of the full sized Nash vehicles had a a back seat/trunk that converted to a bed as an option."

I think I remember another make that did the same thing. Very cool.

[A Navy Vet]

And then later it was hippie vans...the prelude to the soccor mom vans.

[hal ogen]

Apparently, the only solution to this “pig-in-a-poke” that we have been sold is for people to refuse to live in fear and enjoy their freedom. Just why are so many people gullible and weak?

[EinNYC]

I remember going to the drive in movies with my parents. I had to sit on the roof because my parents refused to put their cigarettes away for 2 hours, even though I had asthma. Nevertheless, I always enjoyed the movies, like Ben Hur, Cleopatra, and others which are considered classics today. And, on July 4, all we had to do was line up our lawn chairs on our little street alongside the neighbors and we had a perfect view of the fireworks display the drive-in put on.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Seems like everybody is using the lockdown time to do family genealogical research. I’m spending a lot of time doing that — it’s been on my to-do list for 20 years and I’ve dabbled at it on and off. But I’m really getting it in order now.

The on-line civil documents on Ancestry are amazing. I’ve been able to follow our paternal German lines back to the early 1800s. One of my cousins had already built out my maternal line.

I’m collecting old letters, photos and other documents from relatives and scanning them. I found my Grandfather’s “Meisterbrief” yesterday — it’s his commission as a machinist around 1920.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Yep...a friend had a late 60s Ford Econoline van for many years. It was a real POS, but it did haul a lot of stuff.

[Paul R.]

Cool setup. I've seen dual purpose (marine / deep cycle) batteries used in cars with modest cranking current requirements, to extend the stereo's running time. Did it once myself - worked ok. But it's still good to have a battery monitor.

I wish I had space, but a 43" 4K tv is as big as I can readily manage. I can sit fairly close to the TV, tho', if desired. Agreed on the great picture quality for the money, at any rate. From your background though, it sounds like you should know a good car audio 12" sub properly installed (and adjusted and powered) into any vehicle that supports bass reasonably well will blow even Def Tech's SuperCube 8000 ($1710 retail, $1200 "street") into the next county when it comes to sub-30 Hz bass. (There's nothing wrong with the SC 8000, it's just the enormous acoustical advantage of the car vs. a home system on the low end.)

Def Tech is ok. But there IS better. Even some DIY, if one is enthusiastic. :-)

or:

Just for example.

[angry elephant]

Yep and property values are too high to buy the land for essentially a parking lot.”

Maybe there will be a lot of concrete space available as the malls close down.

[nutmeg]

bookmark

[A Navy Vet]

"a fairly modest aftermarket car audio subwoofer can outperform all but the best home theater equipment for low bass output."

Of course it will since you're sitting just a couple or few feet away, even if in the trunk. Yes, I know that base carries further than treble indoors. However, in a bigger space, you need a bigger subwoofer than in a car.

I have 2 Definitive Technology towers for my 65" 4k display that have 12" subwoofers with same rear speaker array. They are placed in a 20' by 15' room for both side channels with DefTech center channel for dialog. Also, have 2 older Mirage speakers in back for surround. They also have the identical rear speaker array on the back, although don't have dedicated subwoofers.

I have no affiliation with Definitive Technology, but I would use no other speaker with their incredible depth and adjustable frequency and volume controls on the back. Guests always ask me why the sounds in a movie/show sounds so deep. BTW, DefTechs have the clarity, mid-range, and top-range of speakers twice their price. Check them out if you get a chance. Sorry, got off topic.

[A Navy Vet]

You may have a point. However, with the cost of land and build could be prohibitive to urban and suburban areas.

[Pollard]

My sister has been working on ours for over a decade. I’ve researched a couple of things. Mainly our surname line which started out as Pollard but morphed several times into something else. Still starts with a P but that’s about it. Putting it on the web was my job, that and writing some articles.

[A Navy Vet]

"Just why are so many people gullible and weak?"

I believe it's a generational thing starting with hippie boomers who took over academia and the media. The more entrenched those institutions get in their socialist teachings/beliefs, the more negative the outcome. Not to sound defeatist, but I see no way back. PEOPLE WANT STUFF THEY THINK THEY DESERVE JUST FOR LIVING.

[A Navy Vet]

"Yep...a friend had a late 60s Ford Econoline van for many years."

Thanks, that's the hippie van I was thinking of.

[A Navy Vet]

"Cool setup. I've seen dual purpose (marine / deep cycle) batteries used in cars with modest cranking current requirements, to extend the stereo's running time. Did it once myself - worked ok. But it's still good to have a battery monitor.

Not sure you got that I can switch between the engine battery and the Yellow Top in the trunk for the system when the motor is not running. Push the switch forward and the generator charges both batteries. Yes, a drain on the generator, but it's new. I also keep the engine battery charged with a Battery Tender at all times.

"Agreed on the great picture quality for the money, at any rate. From your background though, it sounds like you should know a good car audio 12" sub properly installed (and adjusted and powered) into any vehicle that supports bass reasonably well will blow even Def Tech's SuperCube 8000 ($1710 retail, $1200 "street") into the next county when it comes to sub-30 Hz bass."

I have a 10" JBL sub in the trunk of my '58 Impala. Don't need much than that for a cruiser. Plus added a 200 watt amp to the Alpine receiver in the glove compartment. Also, added two 6" speakers in front in custom enclosures under the dash. I didn't want to drill holes in the the door panels or kickboards. Replaced the 6x9 speaker in the back seat. With the proper fading, I get great stereo in the front and simulated fill in the back since your ears are facing forward. Unless in the back seat you couldn't tell the difference. Remember, this is a classic 1958 Impala, which I try to keep original as possible.

[A Navy Vet]

"Def Tech is ok. But there IS better."

Yes, I agree there are better quality and really pricey speakers for those who can't hear the difference. My point on this thread about DefTech towers is they have the same mid and high speakers on the back, along with their own subwoofer. With correct placement (6" to 12" away from wall), the depth is so pronounced it gives you a new experience. It is almost like 3D sound. You've got to hear them to believe them.

[Paul R.]

How much the screen would be, I don’t know. Trailers are cheap enough, tho’, and I’d think land where no homes or businesses could locate wouldn’t be too bad, either. Might need some sort of special permitting? That could be a problem to obtain quickly...

[Paul R.]

"Cool setup. I've seen dual purpose (marine / deep cycle) batteries used in cars with modest cranking current requirements, to extend the stereo's running time. Did it once myself - worked ok. But it's still good to have a battery monitor."

Not sure you got that I can switch between the engine battery and the Yellow Top in the trunk for the system when the motor is not running. Push the switch forward and the generator charges both batteries. Yes, a drain on the generator, but it's new. I also keep the engine battery charged with a Battery Tender at all times.

No, understood the second battery - good setup - but sometimes there's not "easy" room for a 2nd bat.

"Agreed on the great picture quality for the money, at any rate. From your background though, it sounds like you should know a good car audio 12" sub properly installed (and adjusted and powered) into any vehicle that supports bass reasonably well will blow even Def Tech's SuperCube 8000 ($1710 retail, $1200 "street") into the next county when it comes to sub-30 Hz bass."

I have a 10" JBL sub in the trunk of my '58 Impala. Don't need much than that for a cruiser. Plus added a 200 watt amp to the Alpine receiver in the glove compartment. Also, added two 6" speakers in front in custom enclosures under the dash. I didn't want to drill holes in the the door panels or kickboards. Replaced the 6x9 speaker in the back seat. With the proper fading, I get great stereo in the front and simulated fill in the back since your ears are facing forward. Unless in the back seat you couldn't tell the difference. Remember, this is a classic 1958 Impala, which I try to keep original as possible.

Yep, you're "into it". Great!

[A Navy Vet]

Nice woodwork, but I doubt that other than audiophiles could tell the difference between those and DefTech. I haven't heard the latest speakers, but my musician's ear has heard every top line speaker over years. Even top line have differences in their highs, mid, and lows. To me, a speaker should be balanced across the hearing frequency (20 to 20,00 hertz). If they accentuate a certain frequency or have coloration, then no go. There's a reason that JBL monitors have been and still are the standard in recording studios - but then I could be out of date.

BTW, I forgot to mention that the DefTech Tower subwoofers have their own amplifier and need to be plugged into an outlet. You can still use the other speakers if inconvenient to a power outlet.

Just went to DefTech site and now they have a tweeter and mid-range shooting out the top, along with their award winning back array (bi-polar). Thinking I may check them out. Sound shooting up could add more to the sound field.

[A Navy Vet]

Thank you very much for getting it. Wanna buy it? It’s been appraised at 58,000 a couple years back. It’s yours for $ 54,000 or best offer. It’s on Auto Trader. The narrative is short, but happy to explain to any serious buyer. Just messing with you, since this site doesn’t allow solicitations. But seriously folks...