Articles and whitepapers

Solutions for Concealing the TV (2/6/2008)

By Jonathan Graham, Media Decor

The plummeting cost of flatscreen TVs has resulted in larger screens for households. The most common location, estimated at 75%, is above the fireplace in the main room, but women and designers have serious issues with a 50-70" black glass object as the centrepiece of the living room.

It is far more than a visual or mechanical change when the TV is concealed - it changes the atmosphere of the room. Even when the display is off, attention is consciously or unconsciously directed towards the blank screen. This is not imaginary, it is real, and it has a dramatic effect on the décor and atmosphere of the room.

Most concealment systems are essentially custom furniture. There is no single solution that will work for everyone, hence such systems cost more than the TV itself. The justification lies in that the time, money and creative effort spent in making the room look good is not destroyed by trying to make a 50" piece of black glass blend seamlessly into the room décor.

Since almost all types of concealment systems use motors, noise levels are very important for the setting in which a flatscreen display is typically used. Even five seconds of a 60dB noise level is annoying to most people. If the noise level of a system is over 60db, take this into serious consideration.

The three most effective options for completely concealing the TV when it is off are moving art, mirrors and art lifts.

Moving art

The 'motorised art frame' or 'moving art' is the most versatile solution. When the TV is off, all that is seen is a framed piece of art. When the TV is on, the canvas retracts into the top of the frame and reveals the TV with a picture frame around it. Moving art is suitable for almost any room.

Moving art system showing complete concealment of TV over fireplace.

Recess mounting the TV is strongly recommended for the best visual result. Surface mounting is an option, but like most concealment systems recess mounting is worth the effort.

These systems can be controlled with a simple remote, or can be interfaced into a sophisticated control system, however changing the artwork or upgrading the TV in the future is costly because these systems are custom-built to the TV size.

Moving art solutions usually include a choice of a wide variety of artwork and frames, including the ability to reproduce the client's own artwork or photograph. The drawbacks are that the client cannot use existing original artwork; cabinetwork is necessary for recess mounting; and depending on the installation, external ventilation may be required.

Mirrors

The 'two-way' mirror is the most requested solution as it blends into almost any room décor. When the TV is off, all that is seen is a framed mirror. When the TV is on, the TV picture 'magically' appears through the glass. Different types of glass are available, but all mirrors are a compromise since the immutable physics of light transmission and reflectance limit the rooms and settings they can be used in.

Mirror TV off (left) and mirror TV on (right).

The drawback of the mirror solution is that if the room has high ambient light, there will be distracting reflections on the screen, and even in low light rooms, some people object to the minor reflections. In addition, the TV image may be somewhat degraded depending on the type of glass used.

Mirrors are therefore most suitable for bedrooms and other rooms with controlled lighting. Bathrooms are suitable with the correct type of glass, but the reflectance will be darker than a normal mirror, so this type of mirror would not be suited to doubling-up as a cosmetic mirror.

Most mirror systems are passive and do not require any remote control. Furthermore, upgrading the TV in the future is not costly if the existing mirror is large enough, but again, depending on installation, external ventilation may be required.

Art lifts

The art lift is an excellent solution for any room. When the TV is off, all that is seen is a framed piece of art. When the TV is on, the art panel moves up above the TV to reveal it, and there are no visible tracks. This type of concealment requires the TV be mounted in a wall recess, with the art or panel simply hanging on two crossbars. In most installations, the art rises above the TV, but it can also be designed to move down, left or right.

Art lift showing artwork rising above TV.

If your client has original art or photography, this is the unit for them, although it can also be used with real mirrors instead of art. Changing the artwork takes about ten minutes - you simply lift the old art from the crossbars and replace it with new art, and if the TV needs to be upgraded at some point, it can be done simply, provided the wall recess is large enough.

As with moving art, art lift systems can be controlled with a simple remote or can be interfaced to a sophisticated control system. The drawbacks are that there must be adequate clearance above the TV for the art to rise, and some cabinetwork will be necessary for recess mounting. In addition, some people object to having the art above the TV when the TV is on. The benefit is that external ventilation is not required because the TV is in a wall recess with roughly a 1.5-inch air gap between the recess and the TV.

Table showing recommended TV concealment systems for different rooms.

Conclusion

No matter what efforts TV manufacturers put into their aesthetic design, they do not solve the problem of having a large blank screen dominate a room when the TV if off. It comes as no surprise then, that demand for concealment solutions has been doubling each year.

The first question a designer or system integrator should pose to the client concerning the TV, should therefore be 'How will it be installed without compromising the décor of the room?' By educating themselves about concealment products, professionals can offer the home owner a solution allows a large TV to be hidden within the décor, while maintaining the visual design of the room. It is a win-win situation for both parties.

Jonathan Graham is President of Media Decor, a leader in concealment products for flatscreen displays in residential or commercial settings.

www.mediadecor.com