Tip 1: Backlight your TVTip 2: Build your own speaker stands
Tip 3: Construct a projection screen
Tip 3: Construct a projection screen
With many digital projectors falling in price, it's a shame that screens are still so expensive. Many screens now cost more than budget projectors do. Of course we're talking about large screens with fancy screen fabrics and nice masking systems, but a much cheaper alternative involves blackout fabric and an inexpensive DIY frame.
Frame it and stretch it
Building a basic screen isn't much more difficult than building speaker stands. If you can build a simple wooden frame and follow some straightforward canvas-stretching techniques, it'll be a piece of cake.
Begin by getting some 8mm plywood. Cut it to your desired screen size (note that this technique limits you to a 120 cm-tall screen). You'll also need some 20 mm pine lengths that you should cut into strips 7 to 10 cm wide, sized to make a frame that will mount on the plywood.
I chose to construct the frame using simple but very strong fishplate joints. Figure 3 shows 6 mm cuts into the board on each side, with a piece of pine for connecting the two edges.
Once you've glued the joint, use a staple gun to sturdy things up (see Figure 4). Now, you can mount this entire frame on your plywood, as seen in Figure 5. This makes this frame very rigid and provides numerous options for hanging the screen. I've had success cutting a couple of small square handholds in the plywood. This makes the screen easier to handle and provides a perfect fit for 6 mm mirror hooks. I'll leave it up to you to determine the best way to mount the mirror hooks to your wall, or you can come up with another method that works for you.
Before you start stretching the fabric, I recommend sanding down the outside edges of your frame to round them off. This reduces the chance of ripping the fabric as you stretch it over the frame. If you have a router, I also recommend rounding off the inner edge of the frame to prevent it from pressing against the fabric. If you don't have a router, sanding will have to do.
Now you need to add the fabric. Plain white blackout fabric will work, and you can get this at any fabric store. If the salesperson doesn't know what you are talking about, ask for the fabric that backs curtains to prevent light from passing through. Lay out the fabric on a flat surface, cloth side down, and place the frame on top; make sure you have at least 2.5 cm of excess fabric on all four sides of the frame, and if you have significantly more than that, cut it off. Also, smooth out any wrinkles.
Fold one side over the frame and tack the fabric to the frame in the centre of the side you're working on. Do not add any other tacks at this point. Now stand the frame up so that the tacked side is on the bottom (against the floor). You should be able to stretch the fabric opposite the tack over the frame, until there is a slight crease in the fabric. This tells you things are just tight enough. Tack in the fabric.
Many will suggest using a staple gun at this point. I prefer using a few tacks, then coming back with the staple gun; if I tack something wrongly, it's a lot easier to pull a tack out of fabric than a staple.
Now you can move to one of the two remaining untacked sides and repeat. Then, tack in the final side; at this point, you should have a sort of diamond formed from the creases, running from one tack to the next. Now, you're ready to get out your staple gun. Start in the centre of one side, slowly move out a centimeters and staple. Then repeat, in the opposite direction. So, you're always moving out in one direction, stapling, then moving out in the other direction, keeping the tension even and the creases moving toward the corners.
When you get to the corners, tuck one side under and fold over, and you're all set (see Figure 6). Finish up with the stapling, and you should have a great, taut fabric, as seen in Figure 7. Although a regular staple gun will work, a pneumatic staple gun will make the task much easier; besides, what better excuse for getting a new power tool could you ask for?
This is but one method for building a screen and I've found it easy and effective. I've seen examples of screens that ranged from simply hanging a piece of plastic on a wall, to frames made out of PVC, all the way to guys with the skills to weld an aluminum frame. There's no single right solution to most problems, and that's the beauty of DIY. Copy exactly what someone else did, come up with your own unique solution, or do something in the middle. With DIY, you're the client, engineer, worker and boss, all in one.
SUBMITTED BY:Brett D. McLaughlin Author, Home Theater Hacks
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Brett D. McLaughlin is the author of Home Theater Hacks and many other books. He is a writer and editor for O'Reilly Media, a well-known author and programmer in the Java and XML communities, and awfully handy with a hammer and a saw.
This material has been adapted from Home Theater Hacks by Brett McLaughlin, published by O'Reilly Media. Copyright O'Reilly Media, 2004. All rights reserved. O'Reilly makes no representation as to the accuracy of the materials provided by them.
Paul Green
26/05/2005 12:13 PM
Hi, Is it possible to ask questions on this forum? I have a home projector system with 5.1 dolby and I have some questions about running a HD set top box with my set up. Paul
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Shannon
28/07/2005 08:50 AM
If I hang my flatscreen on my wall, what type of lighting is available to put behind it? Would a battery powered push-light work? I figure that may be slim enough to fit and not get crushed? Thank you!
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Nick
18/12/2005 07:58 AM
I want add some light behind my tv. I have a 51" projection tv and have two recessed lights in the ceiling that are directly behind the tv. Do you have any suggestions as to what kind of lamps would work the best.
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matt
17/11/2006 04:24 AM
You can pick up any fixture that you want from any hardware store or lighting store. I have a 46" widescreen and I just got a litlte Under Cabinet type light from Home Depot. Then, I got a light from www.bluemaxlighting.com to match. Look for a light that has at least 6500k. Make sure you match up the T measurement. Bulbs come in T4, T5, T8, and T12 mostly. This refers to the diameter. T4 is half inch diameter. T5 is 5.8. T8 is 1 inch. T12 is 1.5 inches.
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Mick
02/02/2007 10:44 AM
I found the "TRETTIOEN" LED strip lights at Ikea work well, blue, green or white. They come with sticky pads to attach directly on rear of TV. Here is a link: http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=15579&catalogId=10103&storeId=7&productId=11158&langId=-20&categoryId=16235&chosenPartNumber=30098175
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gmoney
12/07/2007 03:20 AM
IKEA LED light strips now called DIODER
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