While I do not recommend going this route, as there are vendors that make enclosures for electronics exposed to uncontrolled weather conditions, but at one point in my life I wanted a TV on my back patio. Not only did I want it at the far edge of the patio, practically in the middle of the back yard, but I wanted it to be stored in a metal enclosure out of which it would rise on electric actuators when it was in use. When the TV was not in use, it would be lowered back in the box. I welded this whole thing up, including a very loose cover that rested over the top of the box with a lip that went down the side about an inch. Air could move in an out of the box, as there was no seal. The put a 37 LCD, cable box, actuator, and DC power supply in the box.
I was told in other forums that I would have to have this thing designed as if it "was mounted to the deck of an ocean-going ship"
3 years later, everything still worked perfectly, through the baking Florida sun, torrential daily down pours, sprinklers, and morning fog. I think once secret to the setups longevity was the cable box. It stayed warm enough to keep the interior of the box relatively warm and dry. It still worked when I sold the house.
YMMV. Check L-com for some enclosures.
