Speakers directly from PC or through a receiver?

[zooo]

Anyone have success with outdoor speakers that are ran directly from the PC. I am looking at the total start-up costs for a 16 channel system and don't want to buy a separate amp or receiver if I don't need to. I have read that some have used old PC speakers, but the ones I have experience with do not get very loud, especially if covered up to protect them from the weather.

[Jay Czerwinski]

Sound can be just as important as the visuals. Spend what you can on speakers if you are not doing transmitted FM. I have a seperate amplifier in the garage with speaker wires to full size speakers in the yard. The speakers are in heavy duty garbage bags in the yard and on top of a couple of 2' 2x4s to keep them off of the ground. We've had a lot of rain and no problems yet. I can't speak for freezing conditions.

Seems to me you could get a cheap amp and speakers used from an online add like craigslist.

[scubado]

Garage sales are the cheapest place to get speakers and receivers. Pawnshops can be a good source too. A lot will depend on how much volume you can get away with. One thing to keep in mind if you do Halloween, Thunder is very hard on speakers and amps. The higher the watts on the amp and speakers the better. Garage sales is also a good place to find a cheap computer to run your show.

[dgrant]

I used a home theather amp in the FM receiver mode therefore broadcast audio via the fm transmitter, same audio going out to the cars passing by. Saved running wires out of the house and so on. I did use outdoor rock speakers I picked up from amazon and even in the ice/snow here last night, they worked! I only run the audio to the speakers for about an hour, then its FM only after that. Receiver was an older one I didn't need any more for inside so I mounted in the garage, speaker wires under the garage door to the speakers.