(Welcome again to Ann, one of the "techettes" vying for a blogging position at the upcoming AT:Home Tech. Comment away.)
I love the moment on the decorating makeover shows when they bring out the 40” LCD display and show how much more style-friendly it is than that clunky 50” box-television that had been looming over everything. It gets even better when the display is cleverly hidden beneath a framed old master on hinges.
Seura has developed a system that combines an LCD television with a specially crafted mirror. When the screen is on, the television image shows through the mirror, enabling you to brush your teeth and do your prep to The View, while still seeing your reflection in the non-TV area of the glass. It’s an elegant and clever solution which makes the television less obtrusive than ever before. The Enhanced and Premier Series each sport Oak, Maple or Cherry frames ranging in size from 20”x30” to 45”x36” while the Premier takes advantage of HDTV and up tp 60” liguid crystal displays.
The Union Sqare Hotel now uses Seura TV mirrors and they’re starting to get a lot of attention. Unfortunately, at the $3,000 to $15, 000 price my own apartment won’t be getting any Seura love in the near future. To make my own Sony Trinitron recede behind a wall of reflective glass would surely take some serious dough, no? No! I've been doing some research amd anyone can have a DIY version of the TV-Mirror solution for under $200.
How it works:
The
Seura uses the principle of the two-way mirror. A two-way or see-through mirror is just a mirror with little gaps in the shiny metallic coating. You can see through this type of mirror in either direction, but when looking at the front where the shiny coating is, the reflected light is mich brighter than what comes through the back. As a result, you don’t notice what is on the other side of the mirror. Anyone familiar with crime dramas will recall that the suspect is being questioned in a brightly lit room and the police looking in from behind the mirrror are in a dark room, so that the suspect can't see the light coming in from the back of the mirror. In the case of the TV mirror, the light from the TV immediately behind the perforated mirror shines right through.
My plans for the TV-Mirror require:
1) 1/8” Mirror-Grade Acrylic coated with a 2-way Mirror Finish - available from Reflection Products, Inc. A 24” x 36” piece will cost $72.00
2) A sturdy wood picture frame with brackets and additional mounting hardware and wire.
You can knock out bits of wall to recess your TV, but if you rent like I do, then you’ll want your TV in an armoire, shelf unit, etc. with the frame and acrylic fastened to the front.
The first step is to attach the reflective acrylic to the back of a large, antique-style picture frame with brackets.
Next, secure the frame as flatly as possible to the front of the storage area. In my case, this will be the shelving unit where my Sony lives. Make sure that the back of the mirror is close to being flush with the front of the TV. It works best if the TV is parallel and not at an odd angle to the acrylic.
The remote will still work through the two-way mirror.
I have an oval mirror that I love- It would be great to find a frame similar to this one. Still looking for the right frame if anyone has suggestions.
Happy TV-Hiding,
Voila!
- Ann
Wow! This is the first "techette" post I've seen that hasn't sounded like a re-worded ad for the product in question - though to be honest, I did read them and enjoy because I'm a gadget geek.
But this is general enough to apply to anyone with a TV they hate staring at every day - which I think is a lot of us - and cool enough to suggest a geeky, creative, design-centric solution. I can't wait to see how it turns out... so I can try it myself!
Good work, Ann. I hope to see more from you!
And this the first tech post I've read because the post and subject was interesting! The other tech products so far have been pretty 'meh'--nothing that really piqued my interest. But this one integrates the tech aspect with the home aspect AND the DIY aspect. Love it.
What a great idea! I'm curious, though, how drastically the look of the screen is affected. The RP, Inc link you provided shows a photo comparision which looks reasonable, but I'm not pick. My friends and I are movie buffs and I know lots of people who pay big bucks for the clearest, brightest screen with the most vibrant colors. Having that clarity and color diminished, even slightly, by a mirror could be a deterent for some.
Harlie,
You're right. There is a little bit of darkening. For those of us who are really into our color and clarity, that might be an issue. Polarized Glass could be another option, though expensive (opaque on one setting, clear on another). I should point out that any extra layer of glass or acrylic will cause *some* compromise. Including on the Seura. For me, I don't mind it on my TV, but I would draw the line at any computer screen that I use for producing hi-def or other hi-res images.
What a brilliant idea! Now my Walmart Apex can moonlight as a modern mirrored cabinet. Thanks Ann.
I saved this one to my bookmarks, what a great idea.
I'm so doing this in my tiny bathroom that shares a wall with the closet - I can watch the news in the morning while taking a shower - without the possibility of electrocution! Brilliant!
The idea is cool and all but what about degrading image quality? High def TV's are expensive and I'd hate the thought of anything degrading the experience, even a little.
In that line of thought, it seems like reflections and glare would be a huge problem with this scheme. I went out of my way to make sure the 50" HD set I bought did *not* have a reflective screen and I couldn't imagine putting a mirror in front of it.
i saw that on I WANT THAT last summer &, while i can see it being pretty for a living room, having a tv in a bathroom is a bit overkill. lol i mean, come on people, there is a time to turn the thing off! seriously. don't we get a bit too much media overload anyway? pretty much the only time we ARE left to our own mind is when we are in the bathroom or sleeping w/ billboards, internet, radio, & everything. lol i just think it's hilarious.
the technology is amazing though. drool worthy. & your mirror is gorgy!
Hi,
I have seen it used in a reception desk ( The T.V within the mirrored surface)in the longe area at F Salon, Bangalore.......it is fun when the T.V is discovered at an unusual place ( like the one I found it at), also when the viwing time is little, and the viewer is not so intent on the content, but not at home...where i feel, apart from the poor clarity that it results in, the novelty would just wear off!!!!...too much fuss for too little...
Hmm - the reflection/glare off the surface of my plasma already gives images a washed-out appearance when viewed during normal daylight. I think this idea would dramatically impact image quality and just won't work for serious videophiles - plus it would be a total waste for an HD plasma/LCD.
It might be OK with a regular tube TV, but any light, etc. leaking around the edge is sure to mess up the effect. For the best effect, it would probably be smartest to start with a cabinet that already has a glass door that can simply be replaced with mirror - like the Alto from DWR: http://www.dwr.com/productdetail.cfm?id=11263
I'm actually looking at doing the same thing, if you don't mind I'll wait and see how yours turns out. :) Mine will be for the bedroom though. Good research!
I have a place for a flatscreen tv behind a two way mirror in my bathroom. I have read where you need to paint the area behind the mirror black so there is no reflection of light. On the backside of the wall where the tv will be placed is a hallway. I have a door that you can open to place a tv or dvd player into it . I have also read where you need to vent it out becasue of heat.
My builder accidently covered up the area where this is to take place. I am on Satilite tv. They will be cutting out the area soon so I just want to be sure what I am doing is correct. The electrical is already there . It is above the sink so I had the plumber lower the pipes to accomodate all this. If anyone has any comments or suggestions I'd love to hear from you soon .
view scraps's profile
I am currently designing a bathroom with the TV concealed behind the mirror and appreciate that someone else has experimented with a DIY solution.
I'm not sure how the Acrylic is going to compare to glass for a bathroom application and am working with a few glass fabricators I work with in my day job to come up with the right solution.
Any glass guy can screen out the silver to create clear glass for a concealed application; I think the key here is to have the right mirror coating that enables the picture to come through without to much darkening (although getting the brightest LCD has to be key). With full mirror coverage, you get the great effect of have a full mirror when the TV is off.
There are actually 2 solutions that I'm having samples made up; one with a back coating as described, and one with a mirror interlayer in a laminated product that I've heard is also terrific.
Currently, we have a surfaced mounted television that we use in the bath which gets quite dirty. Concealing the TV is critical in bath applications.
Now, if I can only find the right waterproof audio control so that I can put speakers in the shower, my fantasy will be complete.
view arthur's profile