Outdoor AV that lasts from morning coffee to midnight.
From an outdoor TV on a Brooklyn brownstone roof deck to music through a Manhattan townhouse backyard, we design and install outdoor audio and video built for city conditions and New York weather, with no exposed cable.
Outdoor displays and speakers are weather and temperature rated, with an IP rating. Under a roof or canopy, a covered-area outdoor model can be enough; in direct sun the display needs much higher brightness.
An outdoor space is not just another room.
A Carroll Gardens backyard or a Midtown East terrace is exposed to weather, building rules and old masonry. This is what we plan for.
Co-op and condo board approvals
Mounting to a shared roof or a terrace railing often needs board sign-off. We prepare the documents the alteration agreement asks for: a scope of work letter, a certificate of insurance and the equipment and mounting hardware list.
Weatherproof equipment
NYC summers are hot and winters bring freezing rain. We use outdoor-rated displays and all-weather speakers, rated for weather and temperature and carrying an IP rating, and UV-resistant conduit. No indoor gear dragged outside.
Pre-war masonry and parapets
Brownstone cornices, limestone parapets and old brick need the right anchors and sealant. We tell hollow tile from solid brick and poured concrete before drilling, anchor into solid material, and seal every exterior penetration against water.
Routing and concealment
Outdoor runs go in weatherproof conduit along facades, under decking and through crawl spaces, painted to match where it shows. Outdoor power is on a GFCI-protected weatherproof outlet, coordinated with the electrician.
Signal and network
Streaming outdoors needs Wi-Fi that reaches the terrace or yard. We check your coverage, run a dedicated Cat6 drop to the screen and, where needed, to an outdoor-rated access point, so the signal is solid before the screen goes up.
Neighbors and noise
Outdoor audio in a dense neighborhood is about direction. We aim speakers to cover your space without spilling onto the next roof, and can schedule a late-evening volume limit or an off time.
Aim the sound at the seats, not over the fence.
Same yard, three layouts. Watch where the sound lands and where it spills.
Two speakers on the house have to play loud to reach the back of the yard, so the patio gets blasted and the sound carries over every fence before it reaches the seats.
Four small speakers along the beds, each aimed in at the seating, each playing quietly. The sound overlaps where people sit, and the back of each speaker faces a neighbor.
A subwoofer buried in a planting bed near the seats, with only its top showing, fills in the bass. Bass spreads in every direction, so it stays near the seats, away from the fences, at a low level.
What we install in NYC outdoor spaces.
Every job is scoped to the space: a 400 sq ft Queens backyard and a Tribeca penthouse terrace need very different approaches.
Outdoor TV mounting
Masonry · posts · bracketsOutdoor-rated displays, full-sun or covered-area models, mounted to masonry with anchors into solid material, to deck posts or to custom wall brackets. We handle the conduit and signal routing, and the power is coordinated with the electrician. No exposed cable.
Distributed outdoor audio
In-ground · surface · pendantIn-ground, surface-mount or pendant outdoor speakers wired to an amplifier inside, covering patios, gardens, roof decks and pool areas evenly, with volume by zone.
Outdoor projector and screen
Movie nightsMotorized drop-down screens or fixed-frame screens on fences and walls, with a short-throw projector for backyard movie nights. A projector comes inside for winter unless it lives in a weatherproof housing.
Weatherproof networking
Cat6 · outdoor APsOutdoor-rated Cat6 runs and outdoor-rated Wi-Fi access points under eaves or in weatherproof enclosures, for the outdoor AV and any smart device out there.
Outdoor soundbars and compact systems
Small terraces · balconiesFor a small terrace or balcony where a full speaker system is too much, a compact outdoor soundbar or a self-powered system, mounted with clean cable management.
Smart control integration
Control4 · Lutron · SonosOutdoor AV tied into a platform such as Control4, Lutron or Sonos, so one app or keypad runs music, screens, lighting and shade schedules from inside or out.
How an outdoor install runs.
Outdoor work in the city has more steps than an indoor TV mount. This is how we keep it clean and on plan.
Site assessment and equipment
We check sun exposure, wall materials, existing power and Wi-Fi coverage, then recommend equipment rated for your conditions, not a generic parts list.
Building and board documents
If your building needs an alteration agreement or board approval, we prepare the scope of work letter, insurance certificate and equipment list before we pick up a drill.
Installation and conduit
Outdoor wiring goes in weatherproof conduit, mounts are anchored for your wall material, every exterior penetration is sealed against water, and every connection is tested.
Setup and walkthrough
We set up the display, speakers, streaming and controls, walk you through them, leave the space clean and give you a written as-built of the low-voltage runs.
Outdoor AV in NYC, answered.
Can I mount a regular TV on my roof deck or terrace?
No. An indoor TV is not built for humidity, temperature swings or direct sun, and it fails outside. We use outdoor-rated displays, weather and temperature rated and carrying an IP rating. A screen in direct sun needs a full-sun model with much higher brightness than an indoor TV; under a roof or canopy, a covered-area outdoor model can be enough.
My co-op building requires board approval for outdoor work. Can you help with that?
Yes. We provide a detailed scope of work letter, a certificate of insurance naming your co-op corporation as additionally insured, and documentation of the equipment and mounting hardware. That is what most boards and managing agents ask for. We can also coordinate access directly with your building super.
How do you run cable to an outdoor space without making it look messy?
Outdoor cable runs in weatherproof conduit or outdoor-rated cable. We route conduit along walls and paint it to match, run through deck framing where we can, and use color-matched raceway on masonry facades. In a brownstone with garden-level access to the yard, we can often fish cable down through the inside and exit low on the rear facade, so the exterior run is short. Outdoor power is on a GFCI-protected weatherproof outlet, coordinated with the electrician.
What is the difference between in-ground speakers and wall-mounted outdoor speakers for a NYC backyard?
In-ground landscape speakers sit at grade and send sound up and across an open space, which suits gardens and yards where you do not want to see hardware. Wall or fence-mounted speakers suit tight urban yards where you need directional coverage. Most narrow Brooklyn and Queens lots are best served by surface-mount speakers aimed in toward the seats, often with a subwoofer tucked under decking or buried in a bed for the low end.
Do I need a separate outdoor WiFi access point or can my router reach the backyard?
In many townhouses and brownstones the router is at the front and the signal fades through several masonry walls before it reaches the garden. We test the signal where the gear will go before anything is mounted. If coverage is marginal, we run Cat6 to an outdoor-rated access point, such as a Ubiquiti UniFi or Meraki outdoor unit. It is a small addition to the project that prevents a frustrating stream later.
What happens to outdoor AV equipment in the winter? Do I need to bring anything inside?
Outdoor-rated displays and speakers are built to stay installed year-round, within the temperature range on their spec sheet, which we check against NYC winters before we recommend them. Speakers in weatherproof enclosures stay out too. A projector usually comes inside for winter unless it is mounted in a weatherproof housing. We tell you at installation what stays out and what comes in.
Audio and video for every kind of home.
Ready to build out your outdoor space?
From a Park Slope backyard to an Upper East Side terrace, we specify the right system for your outdoor space and install it right the first time.