From Eveningsnews.com

Gadgets and Gizmos
An Easy Upgrade that Will Give Your Home a Custom Feel
By
Apr 12, 2007, 19:52


(ARA) – Ever walked into a model home and been wowed by all the custom upgrades? You know, the custom spice rack in the kitchen, the built-in bookcases in the den, those special alcoves above and around the fireplace -- and the flat panel TV that’s flush against the wall in the family room?

Most of the upgrades you see are things that need to be done when the home is being built. To add them later would cost a lot more than you’re willing to spend, or so you thought. It is now possible to achieve a completely custom look for your flat panel TV without knocking down the wall.

Sanus Systems, a Minnesota-based company that builds a broad variety of audio video furnishings, mounts and accessories, has just come out with a new Recessed In-Wall Box that offers the home owner a number of options they didn’t have before. The device allows a flat-panel TV -- with a screen size of up to 50-inches -- to rest snuggly against the wall, hiding the mount in the process, or if you want to watch TV from a different room, you can pull the set away from the wall and turn it in what ever direction you need.

The option has been a long time in coming according to Keith Pribyl, vice president of retail sales for the manufacturer. “This product meets a consumer need that is perfect for the custom installer and home integrator to fill quickly and easily,” he says.

All you have to do to install the In-Wall Box is cut a hole in the wall between two 16-inch on center studs where you want the TV to sit, secure the In-Wall Box by screwing the supplied bolts directly into the studs, then attach one of two specially-formatted Sanus Systems VisionMount full-motion flat-panel TV wall mounts to the back of the TV using the universal mounting holes. The mount, in turn, is attached to the box.

Once you have the TV in place, flush with the wall, there are a number of decorative options you can explore. Some people like to hang curtains over them when not in use, and Sanus Systems has come up with another option you may not have thought of on your own.

They offer decorative frames that fit perfectly over the TV’s bezel, covering the front and sides of the flat panel TV so it will blend seamlessly into any room environment and décor. The frames are available in three sizes: 32-inch, 42-inch and 50-inch, and come in four colors: black, gold, pecan and silver. Each frame comes with an appropriately sized optional Aristos Optic Mirror Kit, which allows the TV to perform as a mirror when the display is turned off.

“Decorative frames are the missing link needed for integrating flat-panel televisions into a room’s décor,” says Pribyl. “Our frames provide beauty and functionality in less space and at a fraction of the cost of custom cabinetry.”

TV mounts and decorative frames are only a few of the more than 300 products Sanus Systems offers for audio/video enthusiasts and interior designers. The company’s products are available at thousands of retail locations nationwide. Log on to www.sanus.com for a store locator.

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