If I could, I'd love to do something like in the DIY video, but we don't have the room in the ceiling for anything like that. I was trying to just be simple, without going into lots of details, but maybe a few pics and details will help and might lead to alternative suggestions.
We have a stone chimney, in the first photo. This picture was taken before we put in the bracket for the screen (which is where the black "stripe" is on the front of the chimney. We had long discussions and decided my old plasma HDTV would just look like a big ugly black box compared to the stone in the chimney, so we went with a projection system instead.
The second photo is of the box we put up at first - before we had the TV. (We had just passed the final inspection and were moving in and putting the box in was a "hail Mary" attempt to have the projection TV working before our wedding, when we'd have a bunch of relatives around.) We're going to have to modify this box so it can drop down about 10" more than where the bottom is now. Above the kitchen ceiling is the bedroom, so we really can't use the space above the ceiling. While there is the extra space for the joists in there, it's up against that wall and the joint around there makes it hard to know just where we can get to if we go into the ceiling.
I figure I basically need a winch to raise and lower the platform. I want to attach cables to at least 2 sides. The carpenter (who has been doing fantastic work) said he can put "legs" that will drop down as it lowers and steady it, so that part of the problem is not an issue I have to solve. My problem is getting a motor, or motors, that can handle about 15 lbs. and can be controlled by an Arduino. I've found all the smaller motors, but not something that could handle this kind of weight.
Side note for anyone having a home built: After all the wiring and plumbing is in, take photos of EVERY wall, ceiling, or anything similar before the drywall goes on - as much as I remember from before the drywall went up, I really wish I had those photos for reference for studs, wiring, plumbing, bracing, and more.
Note: Originally it would not let me upload my pictures due to size, then, for some reason, timed out repeatedly while I tried to repost with smaller pictures.
