Carpentry and Woodworking - Hide TV equipment in fireplace mantle?

I am looking to build a gas fireplace in my home and I will be installing a flat screen TV above the mantle. I would like to mount a satelite receiver, DVD player and stereo inside the mantle. The electronics will all work off of UHF signals instead of infared signals so I do not need to "see" the equipment. I will run the audio/video cables either through the back of the mantle, or through an access in the top hidden behind the face of the fireplace. I would like the mantle to look like a solid piece of timber if at all possible.

Has anyone done something like this? Does anyone know how I can do this?

Would the heat damage the electronic equipment?

That would have to be a very large mantel!

The electronics definetly need to breath or else they won't last long. Just the heat that they produce is enough, never mind any heat from the fireplace.

Sounds like you might need to call in an engineer or video specialist.