# Motorized projector mount?



## toecheese (May 3, 2006)

I'm thinking of building a hushbox for my projector. But- for the cool factor, I want to motorize it. 

Right now, I'm thinking of having a board on which to build my hushbox. The board will be suspended from the ceiling by 4 rods, sliding into a bushing mounted in the ceiling (like upside down motorcycle forks). In each rod, I'd attach some wire or webbing, which went up through the tube out the top, above the ceiling and attach to a shaft. I have an old garage door opener motor which I was considering using to drive the shaft.

I went ahead a blogged it: http://farzanegan.org/ht/2006/08/forked-projector-mount.html and attached some google sketchup to it.

Besides my sanity :jiggy: - what am I missing? Is there a better way to build a projector mount? I know the commercial ones use a hinged system, but they're also stupid-expensive. I considered using a threaded rod, but it would probably bind unless I put them on each corner and attached them somehow.


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

**** toe... I think you'll be our motorized mount specialist... looks like you got it figured out to me.

The only thing I might question would be the garage door opener... would that be loud? I've actually never heard the motors by themselves.


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## Josuah (Apr 26, 2006)

I recall an episode of one of those crazy TV shows where they remodel a family's house. They wanted to drop a city skyline over the outside bedroom window and one of the builders suggested a garage door opener. Running the numbers or something it was too much horsepower, too noisy, and overkill. I believe they found one of the motors used to do motorized blinds/projector screens and used that instead. But you can get those belt drives now which are much quieter, at which point it's mostly the garage door that's making noise.

I didn't really understand how your platform would rise into the ceiling and disappear, but I'll assume you've got that worked out. Also, where is your vent? A hushbox needs a vent, and if actually closed off an intake and exhaust with fans. I don't have a ventilation system on my hushbox because of the room situation and so just have the back completely open and a little opening on top as well. I want to install a temperature-sensing fan running of a 12V line or something, but I've been too lazy to get around to that.

Another thing is what you will use to close off the front of the hushbox. I used acrylic from the hardware store and it was too poor in terms of optics. You either need optical quality glass or in my case I cut a hole through the acrylic for the light to pass through.

A hinge system could be DIY also. You'd just have to motor one end of the board that way, which might be less complicated and also more stable. Don't know.


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## Danny (May 3, 2006)

All of the garage door openers i have heard are pretty noisy, but if you have the motor and are willing to put up with some noise it sounds alright


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## toecheese (May 3, 2006)

Thanks guys- great info.

The reason I chose garage door opener... is that I have one lying around (lots of 'future projects' in the basement). It is an issue of concern because I don't know if it is reduced enough (the motor is a 1500 rpm, with a reduction gear). I don't want too many gears and pullys up in the ceiling...

The projector is only going to go flush against the ceiling because I don't want to cut the rafters. Yes, your point about the front being glass is well-taken. I probably will go for a glass front. And I plan on venting into the attic with a 'smoke stack', though I may just vent out the back. 

For a hinge system, I can't figure out a good DIY method. The one I thought about was a bunch of angle-iron, but that would look bad. If I had taken something apart that had a good hinge in it, I might have some ideas, but no joy on that front. I do have a bunch of motorcycles, which is how I got the 'fork' idea :R 

Again, this is just for cool factor- the projector is only going to move 19" (unless I get super-inspired and make it disappear completely). Chances are that it'll just stay in the 'display' position and only go back up to show it off ;-)


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## Sonnie (Apr 11, 2006)

Make sure you keep us posted on the project with picks and such.


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## Phil M (Apr 19, 2006)

I like the idea, one project I have on the back burner is a hush box - any thoughts on this part of the project yet?
Hush boxes ideas are difficult to find, maybe we start a new thread?


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## Josuah (Apr 26, 2006)

Oh, I misunderstood and thought you were going to raise it to inside the ceiling. So the hinge idea doesn't make any sense then.

Phil, depending on how sophisticated you want your hushbox to be, it's not really that hard to build one. Mine just hangs onto the projector stand itself, and is vented in the rear and a little on top because I can't run a vent system into my room.


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## Phil M (Apr 19, 2006)

Josuah said:


> Phil, depending on how sophisticated you want your hushbox to be, it's not really that hard to build one. Mine just hangs onto the projector stand itself, and is vented in the rear and a little on top because I can't run a vent system into my room.


Thanks Joshua, I've searched forums for Hush Box designs but never seen a project from beginning to end. I've seen sophisticated ventilation, the use of high quality optical glass but all I want to do is have something that is simple as the 'final' tweak (Oh yes my wife says) in my HT. I don't know about other forum members but I would welcome a thread to collect experiences - if I receive support posts for this I'll kick off a thread.


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## Josuah (Apr 26, 2006)

Well, you can check out my hush box. The caption under each individual photo contains some construction details. Photos and several blog entries.


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## toecheese (May 3, 2006)

I've got the box of my hush box done. I haven't put up photos yet, but you'll get the idea of the construction. 

I'm going to look at Joshua's box to see about what he did for insulation.
http://farzanegan.org/ht/2006/09/projector-mount-in-toilet.html


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## Josuah (Apr 26, 2006)

I used foam insulation in my hushbox, which is kind of okay, but you'd probably be better of using fiberglass insulation. Either semi-rigid or the non-rigid stuff. I did an unscientific comparison and actual fiberglass (or mineral wool) absorbs sound significantly better. (Not too surprising, but I didn't have any semi-rigid fiberglass at the time.)

I'm wondering about your intake opening on the bottom though. If you've got forced air going through here, then you're going to get noise coming from your intake. If the bottom is over your head, that might be noise you could have avoided by placing your intake somewhere else, like in the back. Even without forced air, you will hear your projector fan through that hole, so might be a good idea to face it away from your head.


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## toecheese (May 3, 2006)

The hush box is almost done- this time with photos:http://farzanegan.org/ht/2006/09/hushbox.html

Re: air intakes on the bottom- the forced air is going to be at the top of the chimney. My projector has two sets of air requirments- those for the optics and those for the electrics. The fan noise comes from the back of the projector, which is where I'll be putting another hole for an intake. All the exhaust goes out the top.

I've been asking around and apparently ceiling tiles are the way to get your inexpensive soundproofing.


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## Guest (Oct 15, 2008)

HI Guys
Don’t be put off by doing your own motorized projector mount, the answer to the raising was sorted through the use of heavy duty guide rails such as those used for computer server mountings and the lift /push provided by a cheap linier actuator. The actuator runs on 12v dc and i got mine complete for $170 and it can lift 250pounds and is only 225mm long and I got it from firgelliauto. The best way to look at the slide mechanism (if you have room in the ceiling) is to build it as if it was a sliding draw. I made the mistake of over engineering it, but after several long weekends had long drink and decided to make it all out of wood.


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## ManCave (Nov 15, 2010)

I am just about finished my pneumatic projector lift. Nice and quiet and really cheap to build. Seen models online for 2000.00 but was unwilling to pay that. Mine cost about 200.00 and took me about 4 hours to build. Not sure how to attach a video just yet but I will.


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## toecheese (May 3, 2006)

Cool, I'd love to see it.


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## fusionrx (Aug 19, 2010)

What would be cool would be if you could raise and lower hydraulically... (For some reason the 'Lowrider' song keeps running thru my head:bigsmile:


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## ManCave (Nov 15, 2010)

This lift system is very slick! Up and down with no noise! 100psi of pressure will lower and raise the projector 30 times before the compressor has to come back on!


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## ManCave (Nov 15, 2010)

Here's a clip of it just after completion

http://youtu.be/CJJeVsYHRFg


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## ManCave (Nov 15, 2010)

Here's an earlier video before finishing touches were added. Just the frame before projector and mount were added. 

http://youtu.be/1gZfoD3ayOY


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Can you slow down the drop of the projector coming down? I would be concerned about the stop when its all the way out shortening your bulb life as thats a bit of a hard stop.


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## ManCave (Nov 15, 2010)

There are speed controllers on both air lines that have been adjusted to avoid hard sudden stops. That video was made 2 years ago. It has evolved!


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Sounds good :T It looks like a great system


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## ManCave (Nov 15, 2010)

Thanks Tonyvdb!


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