I started this project because my Panasonic AE700u had a 12v trigger output for a projector screen and because there was no place to hang a screen on the wall. One end of the living room in our 1863 cottage had a doorway and the other had a 6' tall window in the middle with a12' ceiling . So I built the device below to make the screen rise up from below instead.

The screen is driven by an AC motor and has a separate cord going to my electronics rack.

Relays turn the motor on and reverse the polarity for up and down.

Limit switches turn it off when fully extended or retracted.

Halfway through the project I upgraded to a Panasonic AX100. Turns out that the AX100 did not have a 12v trigger, so I got a wall transformer/charger and plugged it into a switched outlet on my entertainment rack. Now when I turn on the entertainment rack the screen raises and when I turn it off, it lowers to a hidden location in the credenza device. A switch on the end disables the screen when the stereo is playing music.

Caution, if you have a Panasonic AE700 and want the screen activated by the projector, then you have to build this additional circuitry described in the following post in order to drive the relays that run the screen up and down. The output from the Panny will not drive the relays. I built it and it works.

http://www.scooter.cx/~scott/screen.html

1) Under construction :
Lincoln Towncar seatback aparatus driven by refrigerator motor (right edge)
raises arm attached to scissor-like screen supports.

File drawer tracks on bottom allow support bottoms to come together as they
rise.
http://209.200.64.39/screen1.jpg

2) White projector screen lies on desk prior to mounting upside-down
on device. Screen is rolled backwards to limit width of opening in top of device.
Closet door roller track then riveted to the screen's pull tube and painted black.
Roller cars with white wheels then attached to top ends of supports.
http://209.200.64.39/screen2.jpg

3) Apparatus front is covered by a 10" plank. Legs and trim added, painted and installed against the living room wall. 4" Slot at front edge of table provides access to screen.
http://209.200.64.39/screen3.jpg

4) Stereo system started by remote, screen begins to rise.
http://209.200.64.39/screen4.jpg

5) Screen continues to rise to 4 1/2 feet tall.
http://209.200.64.39/screen5.jpg

6 ) Watching King Kong from about 14 feet away. You can faintly see the device below.
http://209.200.64.39/screen6.jpg

6 ) Watching Wind.
http://209.200.64.39/screen7.jpg

Wife approves of "Monster Screen" (her words)!!
Started out with DA-Lite high contrast and Moved to a 1.5 Da-Lite when I upgraded to the AX100. A 2.5 High Output will arrive today.

Not sure where to post this so maybe I'll put it in some other forums here.

Thats a great setup to hide a screen that IMO would look totally out of place in a Family Room and much beet that a pull down screen. I'm sure would get lots of WAF and may persuade some to accept projection TV in a Family Room.

Congrats.

Cheers,
Mark

Wife approves of "Monster Screen" (her words)!!

Careful, Monster Cable may sue you for trademark infringement. :)

Very cool design/solution.

Damn..I like this...

Well done. Is it very loud as it moves up and down?

Well done. Is it very loud as it moves up and down?

Yes, sadly, the seat back mechanism generates quite a bit of sound going up and down. It sits at the top of the slot where the screen comes out and I cannot figure a way to muffle it.

I think that the second generation will have 2 12v actuators pulling the bottoms together and should be quieter.

Thanks all for the compliments.

Did this screen have a ratchet mechanism (to keep it from rolling up in it's former life)? If so, how hard was it to remove the ratchet?

Did this screen have a ratchet mechanism (to keep it from rolling up in it's former life)? If so, how hard was it to remove the ratchet?

The ratchet is activated by the orientation of the tube. Right side up it works, upside down not. The DaLite site has info on the orientation. They claim to make screens with less spring for pulling up but I think that those models are mostly smaller tripod based screens.

The standard screen has several turns of tension on it and then a stop it riveted in the end of the tube. The effect is to have a minimum tension at the beginning.

We drilled out the rivet and then cranked back in about 3-5 turns of tension to meet our needs