Watch TV outside: This is how TV reception works in the garden

No matter whether you want to briefly watch the news during a break from gardening or watch sports in the evening while barbecuing – there are many reasons for a TV signal in the garden and just as many ways to set it up.

1. For occasional TV consumption: equip your cell phone or tablet with a TV app

2. Watch TV with several people at the barbecue party

   1. Where does the electricity come from? Power station or television with battery

   2. Antenna, satellite TV or via Internet – many reception options

3. What else needs to be taken into account?

Most of them do not require the help of a technician or expensive investments. Which option you choose depends on your requirements for the image and the local conditions. Let’s start with the simplest option.

For occasional TV consumption: equip your cell phone or tablet with a TV app

If you only occasionally want to watch TV alone in the garden, it is probably enough to equip your cell phone with a free TV app. You can use this to receive the live stream from numerous TV channels. However, you can only watch a few channels, such as RTL, for a subscription fee. Another disadvantage: the image is relatively small.

However, it is more convenient to watch TV on the tablet. The same apps are available here as on your cell phone. To access the Internet, you need a tablet with a SIM card slot or you have to move your WiFi to the garden.

Watch TV with several people at the barbecue party

If you want to watch TV in the garden with several people, you can’t avoid buying a real TV. The first question here is how you supply it with electricity. If there is electricity in your garden, this is of course not a problem and you can use any TV of your choice. If a power supply is not available, televisions with an integrated battery are an alternative.

LG offers such a model with the StanbyME Go. The 27-inch TV comes with numerous pre-installed streaming apps and is said to offer a battery life of up to 3 hours. It also supports Dolby Vision and HDR10. For transport, it can be easily stored in the included case. At 1,349 euros, however, it is anything but a bargain.

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Aldi offers a cheap alternative with the “MD32132” model from Medion. The 32-inch device sells for 249 euros, but does not offer support for Dolby Vision or HDR10. However, it has a triple tuner and is also able to receive television via DVB-T2, which can be practical in some situations. More on that in a moment. Aldi does not provide any information about battery life.

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Of course, you can also use a portable mini projector with a battery such as the XGIMI Halo+ or the Nebula Anker Capsule 3 Laser to watch TV in the garden. However, keep in mind that you will need a wall as a screen and a darkened area – for example in your garden shed.

Where does the electricity come from? Power station or television with battery

Instead of buying a television with an integrated battery, the electricity can of course also be obtained from a power station. However, purchasing a suitable model is not cheap. To operate a TV, the manufacturer Jackery recommends at least purchasing the Jackery Explorer 1000 Pro, which costs 1,299 euros. This should be able to power a TV for around 14 hours.

Antenna, satellite TV or via Internet – many reception options

Once the power supply has been clarified, the question arises as to how you get the TV signal into the garden. Here, too, there is of course the possibility of watching television via the Internet. Depending on the TV device, an additional streaming stick is required for this – such as the Amazon Fire TV Stick. You can usually get a gadget like this for less than 50 euros.

But if you don’t have WiFi at home in your garden – for example because your garden is an allotment, you have to supply the TV with internet via a WiFi hotspot. A monthly fee is usually charged for such devices. The cheapest offers start at around 30 euros and come from 1&1 and O2.

However, keep in mind that your contract has a data volume limit, similar to your cell phone. Depending on your contract, this may limit your television viewing. According to the provider Zattoo, one hour of television over the Internet in SD quality uses around 1.3 gigabytes of data, while with HD reception it is even 2.2 gigabytes. So make sure you have enough data volume. In addition, the Wi-Fi hotspot usually also needs to be powered because it only has a limited battery life.

An alternative is to receive the TV program via DVB-T2 or, to put it simply, via the good old antenna. All you need is a television with a corresponding receiver. This can often be retrofitted if necessary. You also need an antenna, which you can usually get online for under 50 euros.

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TV reception via DVB-T2 is basically free – as long as you only want to watch the public channels. Private channels, however, are usually encrypted and reception requires a subscription to Freenet TV. This is available from 7.99 euros per month.

An alternative is to receive the TV program via satellite. To do this, you have to install a satellite dish in your garden and align it correctly. If necessary, you should consult a specialist. Your TV must also have a satellite receiver.

In general, this is the cheapest way to watch TV in the garden, as there are no monthly fees – but you should clarify whether installing a satellite system in your garden is allowed. There may be restrictions here for allotment garden associations or rental houses.

What else needs to be taken into account?

No matter which type of TV reception you choose outdoors, keep an eye on the weather. Thunderstorms and rain can damage your devices. You can quickly get your cell phone or tablet dry and are now usually waterproof or at least water-repellent. This usually does not apply to TV sets – the Samsung TV “The Terrace” is an exception.

If you have a high-quality television in your gazebo, you should also think about safety. With a surveillance camera you can catch thieves in the act.

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