Audio Video News

Video projectors that reside in the ceiling have long been a fixture of high-end home theaters and are usually accompanied by a screen that retracts into a wall-mounted sleeve or disappears behind a curtain—everything controlled by remote control. Flat-panel TVs can benefit from the same sort of crafty concealment. Take Inca’s Fold-Down and Swivel Ceiling Unit (model 900814-410-S, starting at $10,200 plus installation). Like a prop from a James Bond movie set, the motorized apparatus is designed to conceal a TV in the ceiling for the ultimate in stealth A/V.

Made of steel and aluminum, the 300-pound unit can accommodate TVs with screen sizes up to 55 inches and attaches to the ceiling joists with eight bolts (professional installation heartily recommended). Control options include an RF (radio frequency) remote control that sends commands via radio waves (as opposed to line-of-sight infrared), which means you won’t have to aim the remote at a sensor for it to work. A thermostatically controlled muffin fan dissipates residual heat when the TV is in its stowaway position, and a precision cable-management system unrolls video and power cables as the TV swings down from the ceiling and neatly retracts them when the set is hidden away. Inca includes a 25-foot cable for the system control box so you can mount it in a convenient location. Depending on the size of the TV, you’ll need between 5 and 10 inches of clearance above the ceiling for installation, and the motor can be detached for maintenance or repair without having to remove the entire assembly.

Once the TV is secured to the assembly and wiring is complete, it’s time to invite your buddies over to catch the latest episode of The Walking Dead so you can watch their faces while the TV descends from the ceiling and swivels quietly into the perfect position for viewing. The Joneses will have some catching up to do.

Inca • (310) 808-0001 • inca-tvlifts.com