The bracket will fall just below the top part of the frame of the middle panel. So the frame top could actually rest on the bracket.

I am thinking I could either:

Make a little box similar to what I did for the sub outlet. But doing this, I am worried about the staples being visible, or being able to tuck the fabric inside of the little box (and staple on the inside). I would also need to get the box position and size just right.
Just cut a slot in the fabric and poke the bracket through. Here I am worried about the fabric ripping over time.
Do number 1, and then build some sort of grommet to go cover the staples.
Make a notch as you suggested, but here I would need to raise the bracket 3/4", and have to build and awkward shaped frame, and still have to deal with getting the fabric looking just right.

Why would you need an odd shaped frame? Build the frame like normal and then just notch out enough material for the bracket.

Or just move the speaker altogether like GPowers said. :D

Move the speaker into the column.

I debated on that, but we mainly went with the columns for aesthetic reasons, and a convenient place to hang the sconces. We also needed to make them shallow. They are only 4 or 5 inches deep, so not enough room to house those speakers.

If I knew what I was doing from the start, I would have designed the room to hide all of the speakers.

I debated on that, but we mainly went with the columns for aesthetic reasons, and a convenient place to hang the sconces. We also needed to make them shallow. They are only 4 or 5 inches deep, so not enough room to house those speakers.

If I knew what I was doing from the start, I would have designed the room to hide all of the speakers.
You should mention that last part in the "what i would do differently thread". ;)

If I knew what I was doing from the start, I would have designed the room to hide all of the speakers.

Now that is the ticket hide the speakers!

Why would you need an odd shaped frame? Build the frame like normal and then just notch out enough material for the bracket.

Here is a better picture of the bracket:
http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/speaker-bracket.jpg

I am not worried about the vertical support that is on the wall, as the bracket is only about 1/2" thick, and I mount my panels with velcro on 3/4" thick furring strips. I am worried about the horizontal support piece that will stick out *through* one of my panels(and the speaker wire). The little screw and plate that the speaker sits on can come off when I mount the panel, so no worries there.

It may be as simple as cutting a hole in the fabric, and let the thing poke out, but I fear the fabric ripping, and I am not sure how clean that will look. I don't put a ton of tension on the fabric when stapling it down, so that may work.

I should probably build up a small sample panel, and play with a couple of different options.

Made a wee bit more progress this weekend. I got everything cut down to size and all the mortises cut for the next panel section. I was also able to get 3 panels routed and covered in fabric... and my speaker mount issue nipped.

Big thanks to pmeyer for this suggestion, and I can't believe I didn't look for one of these earlier. But this thing is a life saver. Make cutting fabric for panels a breeze.

http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/fabric-cutter-medium.jpg

So I took some leftover blocks of mdf and staked them together to make my "box" that goes around the speaker mount:

http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/speaker-mount-framed-medium.jpg

Which after I covered the frame in fabric, I just pushed another piece of mdf up the hole, and push the fabric up... marked an X, and cut it. This left four triangles that I could shoot staples to inside the hole. Here is the finished product:

http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/speaker-mount-covered-medium.jpg

And the long frames that I finished:

http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/middle-section-speaker-mount-medium.jpg

I have one more long frame in that section to glue up. Then I need to route the bevels on the remaining three frames, and cover in fabric. Then onto the next section!

Here are some updates.

First, a pic of the section with the speaker bracket:
http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/speaker-bracket-panel-medium.jpg

I then moved onto the front right section. I had the stage to deal with on this one, so I just hacked and slashed and glued and clamped and it eventually worked out pretty good.

http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/stage-frame-clamped-medium.jpg

http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/stage-frame-clamped-overhead-medium.jpg

Here is the front section completed:

http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/right-wall-first-section-medium.jpg

I finally finished the fabric frames today. W00t!

This was the last section:
http://hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/panels-final-section-medium.jpg

A couple of bad screen wall shots:
http://hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/screen-wall-1-medium.jpg

http://hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/screen-wall-2-medium.jpg

Now I am enjoying an adult beverage and waiting for the pizza guy. It feels good to be done.

Room looks great. Nice Job! Now sit back and watch a good BR movie (with adult beverage in hand of course) :D

I finally finished the fabric frames today. W00t!

This was the last section:
http://hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/panels-final-section-medium.jpg

A couple of bad screen wall shots:
http://hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/screen-wall-1-medium.jpg

http://hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/panels/screen-wall-2-medium.jpg

Now I am enjoying an adult beverage and waiting for the pizza guy. It feels good to be done.
Congrats! Panels turned out great!

Room looks great. Nice Job! Now sit back and watch a good BR movie (with adult beverage in hand of course) :D

Thanks! And would you believe I still have plenty of fabric left over ;-)

Our 6 yr old wanted to watch Shrek the 3rd on HD-DVD last night, so that is what we put in. We watched the Wall-E bluray the night before. That movie is money!

Congrats! Panels turned out great!
Thank you. Tis nice to sit and enjoy... well, not quite, as I need to calibrate everything now ;-)

Room looks fantastic! What are you using to calibrate with?

Room looks fantastic! What are you using to calibrate with?

Thanks Steve. I am in the learning process of doing the calibration. I am going to start with calibrating the video first, and am using an Eye One Display LT (I think that is the model), and HCFR.

Here is what I am using for reference:
Greyscale and Colour Calibration for Dummies (http://www.curtpalme.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10457)

and

Basic Guide to Color Calibration using a CMS (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=852536)

For the audio, I'll use REW and my Galaxy SPL meter to take measurements, and then go from there. I'll have bpape over to the house at some point as well.

I borrowed a real camera over the weekend. I didn't really know how to use it, but I was able to get a couple of better pics:

http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/dim-front-medium.jpg

http://www.hinnispace.com/pictures/theater_phase2/dim-angle-medium.jpg

Looks very nice, it is final done, now it is time to watch some movies....... and the fabric frames are great1

Looks very nice, it is final done, now it is time to watch some movies....... and the fabric frames are great1

Thanks! That means a lot coming from you. I am still in awe every time I see pics of your room.

But as far as being done... I doubt that will ever be the case. Current list of eventual todos:


calibrate the video
calibrate the audio
take care of IR control
cut holes in the ceiling and build boxes for the rear speakers to get to 7.1
build speaker stands for the front mains (man why didn't I design the room to hide the speakers)
build masking for the screen
maybe move the projector back (I am at max zoom right now for 2.4 content, and if I build out for a 2nd row or bar, I may want the PJ further back)
build 2nd row or bar



But, in the meantime... I will be enjoying movies ;-)

As usual, it has been a while since I've updated. I did manage to get my colors all dialed in, I'll post some graphs at some other time. I also dialed in my two subs as best I could (I have more news in that regard as well... again, some other post).

Anyway, I found myself with some free time recently, as I lost my job last Monday. So while I am trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up, I decided to build some speaker stands for my mains.

The ones I have been using were stolen from my bedroom. They were the right height, but the metal post was too bright and distracting, and my bedroom wants it's stands back.

I based the design off of the TNT/Stubby (http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/stubby_e.html). I had some leftover 3" PVC pipe and mdf. I had to go to Lowes and get a couple pieces of 24" threaded rod and some washers and nuts. I used 3/8" threaded rod. I also used a full can of satin black Krylon Fusion for Plastic... and some leftover playsand from when I filled my stage. Total project (not including price of scraps) was about $10.

It is hard to tell from the photos, but I used a beveled edge on the platforms that was the same size as the bevel on the fabric frames.

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_m5V_mNBhBnY/SZxoUS38ROI/AAAAAAAAACg/115JxUTRPYc/s800/IMG_6013.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_m5V_mNBhBnY/SZxoYY7y8TI/AAAAAAAAACk/lZo-j6C2Cg4/s800/IMG_6016.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_m5V_mNBhBnY/SZxocjVPQaI/AAAAAAAAACo/iwDvR7P38WA/s800/IMG_6017.JPG

Man, loosing the job sucks. Good luck on the job search.

The speakers stands look good.

Greg