Outdoor living areas have become increasingly popular in affluent residential homes. Homeowners now approach these areas as extensions of the interior, adding outdoor kitchens, bars, fireplaces, and seating. As a result, technology has also become a part of the outdoor environment, including televisions, projectors, and outdoor speakers.
At the same time, residential homeowners are highly sensitive to preserving the visual appeal of their outdoor living areas. When not in use, permanently exposed displays and audiovisual equipment can undermine carefully designed landscaping and architectural elements. As a result, homeowners prefer solutions that remain discreet and unobtrusive, ensuring that technology does not detract from the intended aesthetics of the space.
Engineered specifically for outdoor environments, mechanized outdoor TV lifts provide secure support for television displays, delivering exceptional stability while positioning the screen at an optimal height and viewing angle at the touch of a button. When the television is not in use, the system retracts smoothly and quietly below ground, remaining hidden behind low-profile architectural elements such as landscaped shrubbery or along the perimeter of an infinity pool.
Still, choosing a motorized lift for outdoor use can introduce several practical hurdles. The system must be engineered to tolerate demanding conditions, including direct burial in soil, exposure to rain, and prolonged UV exposure. In many projects, the lift also requires customization to accommodate unconventional layouts and site-specific installation constraints. In addition, it must be capable of securely mounting and supporting increasingly large televisions and video walls.
Bruce Eckert, president of BWE Home Theater, describes the unique requirements of the installation of a 100-inch television for a high-profile client in the Fresno, California, area. BWE Home Theater is an audiovisual integration firm with established experience across both residential and commercial projects.
When his client, David Fansler — the restaurateur behind Pismo’s, Yosemite Ranch, and Westwoods, and the founder of Tahoe Joe’s — undertook a renovation of his outdoor living space, he sought to preserve full enjoyment of the landscaping without allowing a 100-inch television to overpower the setting.
His vision was a television positioned at table height in the outdoor kitchen that would remain concealed in the ground when not in use, rising into view only when needed so the surrounding greenery continued to define the visual backdrop. The lift would be installed approximately three feet into the ground so the TV would be at the proper height, with part of the structure resting on an exterior foundation that would eventually be finished with decorative stone.
This created several design and engineering challenges for BWE Home Theater. The client opted to install a regular indoor TV as opposed to a more expensive outdoor-rated TV, so the lift had to be completely waterproof and suitable for burial in raw soil. Further customization was required to facilitate the mounting of decorative stone onto part of the lift itself. Finally, it had to be sturdy enough to accommodate the weight of the television, soundbar, mounting hardware, and granite top, which totaled almost 400 pounds. This was a challenge, since most lift systems are engineered to support loads in the range of only 150 to 200 pounds.
Eckert determined that Auton Motorized Systems, a manufacturer of custom motorized TV lifts and concealment systems, was the only company capable of delivering the level of customization required. Auton’s lift mechanism is also rated for nearly 800 pounds, enough to handle the higher-than-average load.
“In addition to being made from durable materials, Auton’s lifts are equipped with a solid waterproof enclosure that seals the TV completely, protecting it from moisture, dust, salty air, UV rays, and temperature fluctuations. The system was also fully waterproof, providing reliable protection for the television when installed directly in raw soil and effectively managing drainage to prevent moisture-related damage,” says Eckert.
To mount the decorative stone façade, Auton customized the lift by welding a continuous 1×2-inch channel around the perimeter of the lift box. This channel was used to attach cement board and stone and later served as an attachment point for lifting straps during installation.
Eckert also wanted to ensure that the television could be accessed or removed in the event of a power outage or some other failure. His solution was to make the granite top removable, allowing technicians to raise the lift without electricity by inserting a rod and attaching it to a drill to manually raise the television, if needed.
“Auton was able to check all the boxes so we could meet the client’s requirements,” says Eckert. “We were able to deliver a custom solution that aligned with the installation’s structural and environmental challenges.”
Related: Concealed AV – Now You See It…
The use of such lifts for outdoors goes well beyond just TVs, adds Eckert. Homeowners can also install lifts to conceal projectors, outdoor speakers, 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.
Motorized lift systems can elevate or retract planters, sculptures, or water features, allowing homeowners to showcase these elements on demand or protect them from harsh environmental conditions. The same systems can also manage infrastructure components such as air conditioning units, generators, or pumps, keeping essential equipment concealed without compromising performance.
For more information, visit auton.com.
