The growing popularity of outdoor living has become more than a passing trend—for many homeowners, it’s a defining lifestyle. They want their exterior spaces to feel as welcoming, practical, and refined as their interior spaces. According to Better Homes & Gardens, “More than one-third of homeowners now describe their yards as personal sanctuaries—embracing yard upgrades like outdoor kitchens, fire pits, and climate-controlled greenhouses.”
Consequently, homeowners are increasingly integrating high-end electronics and sound systems into their outdoor living areas, often to entertain themselves and their guests by taking advantage of the luxury of big screen TVs and surround sound in an outdoor setting.
The challenge with continually having a TV and accompanying AV equipment in plain sight can make a space feel cluttered and unsightly, however. Homeowners must also contend with protecting their equipment from possible theft, damage, and environmental stressors such as rain, sunlight, dust, and debris.
An outdoor TV lift addresses these concerns by allowing homeowners to conceal or reveal their TV with the push of a button. Utilizing a motorized lift mechanism system compatible with large outdoor displays, the equipment can be installed in patios, backyards, or decks where an under-deck or planter-box lift is typically used to integrate the equipment into its surrounding environment.
When retracted, the lift maintains a clean visual aesthetic and safeguards the equipment. When elevated, it provides the ideal viewing and listening experience for homeowners and their guests. Two screens can also be mounted back-to-back on a single lift, which can be swiveled and allows for viewing from any angle.
Although these systems are typically used in residential settings, similar motorized lift technology is routinely applied on a much greater scale. A perfect example is its use with large-scale LED video walls that measure dozens of feet in width and height.
AV installers—also known as residential or commercial AV integrators—play a key role in these installations. They design, install, and maintain complex AV systems within a home or commercial space, so that components like TVs, speakers, lighting, and control systems work in tandem.
As technology expands into outdoor space, AV installers view this as the next phase in home upgrades. As with the home’s interior, they recognize the importance of keeping equipment out of sight, often using motorized lifts to conceal screens, boxes, and cables.
“In today’s competitive market, there are compelling reasons why AV installers should be aware of all the aesthetic and functional possibilities offered by advanced TV mounts,” says Art Walker, CEO of Auton Motorized Systems.
Protection from the Elements
Besides convenience and aesthetic appeal, outdoor TV lifts play a protective role by ensuring the TV and equipment is hidden and protected from potential theft or damage from environmental exposure, extending their usable life and avoiding the cost of replacement.
What’s more, while the lift is already made from durable weather-resistant materials, it is also equipped with a solid, weather-resistant enclosure—made of either aluminum or stainless steel—which seals the TV and lift from rain, snow, dust and debris, as well as corrosion from moisture, humidity, salty air, UV rays, and temperature fluctuations.
In addition to weather protection, scale is another key factor. It is crucial the TV and lift are compatible, so they work together without adding stress to the housing or motors. Incompatibility could cause the lift to fail, potentially causing damage to the TV, lift mechanism, and the surrounding cabinet or housing.
While dimensions differ by brand, the lift must be designed with weight-bearing tolerances and form factors that correspond to the specific size of the TV. For example, Auton’s Model BG and Model BG-PS motorized lifts support multiple dimensions with weight capacities of up to 300 lbs.
LED Video Wall Lifts
When hosting large events in commercial and public spaces, the average outdoor TV lift is far too small to be seen by the entire audience. For this reason, large format displays are installed to provide the clearest possible view for everyone, whether near or far.
Still, the challenge remains of how to preserve the visual appeal of the open space while protecting the display from the elements when not in use. These displays, which span up to 24 feet wide, 10 feet in height, and can weigh up to 1,500 lbs., end up dominating their surroundings, especially in large public gatherings where maximizing space is essential. They also present their own set of engineering challenges due to their unique size and weight.
To address this, motorized LED video wall lifts are now available from Auton that elevate these large screens by pressing a button. Constructed for outdoor use, each lift securely positions the screen for maximum stability while ensuring it is set at the optimal height and angle for ideal viewing.
Designed for compact installations, these video wall lifts seamlessly and silently retract underground, often behind low-profile architectural features like a row of shrubs or at the edge of an infinity pool.
They also come equipped with a unique cable management system, allowing for a simplified installation process. For added flexibility, manufacturers like Auton offer models equipped with a swivel function, serial communication, and multiple control options, enabling the user to adjust the wall’s orientation, height, and position as necessary.
Like other outdoor TV lifts, LED video wall lifts feature a solid enclosure, shielding equipment from environmental stressors such as rain, dust, and UV rays. These elements can be more harmful, due to the larger surface area of an LED wall as compared to a TV.
IP55-rated protection is an important feature for a wall lift, offering defense against dust, oil, dirt, and low-pressure water jets. Ideally, the lift should include cable-routing systems and a protective coating, with the key objective of protecting the equipment, extending its lifespan.
Applications Beyond Televisions
Outdoor motorized lifts are not limited to televisions and LED wall screens, as they can serve a wide range of functions.
They are used in outdoor kitchens, where the lift systems are integrated to conceal grills, smokers, pizza ovens, or even refrigeration units, with the surfaces transforming from casual lounging areas into fully functional cooking or entertaining spaces with the dual function of protecting appliances from the weather when not in use.
In the fields of architectural and landscaping applications, they can elevate or retract planters, sculptures, or water features, allowing homeowners to showcase them on demand or shield them from harsh conditions. They are also used to manage infrastructure elements such as air conditioning units, generators, or pumps, keeping them concealed without sacrificing function.
As mentioned earlier, entertainment and recreation are a major area of use. Homeowners can install lifts to conceal projectors, outdoor speakers, and other AV systems, or to manage recreational setups like bar surfaces and game tables that can be hidden when not in use, providing adaptability that supports multi-purpose outdoor spaces.
In one notable example, a homeowner used a lift system to raise a basketball hoop from behind a row of bushes, allowing full court play when needed without permanently altering the yard’s appearance.
As technology moves beyond the living room, motorized TV and LED video wall lifts have become essential for creating the ideal outside living space for homeowners, providing convenience and protection, optimizing space, and enhancing the overall décor of the outdoor area.
For more information, call 1-661-257-9282; email [email protected]; visit auton.com; or write to Auton at 24856 Avenue Rockefeller, Valencia, CA 91355.
