hey chris, You can still go with your original plan but you will have to fabricate your own shelf system. It is easy really, you say your projector is 17 inches deep. So if that is the deepest item you have than I would say a 20 inch shelf would work. You will need a few things to make this happen. You need to go to hardware store and go to shelving section and look for a "L" Bracket that has a angle brace. Rule of thumb for these brackets is what ever size you get, the shelf can hang over by 4 inches. So if you were doing 20 inches you get a 16 inch bracket. So once you get your brackets you need a piece of wood, I like 3/4 inch thick plywood. The hardware store will cut it to your specs if you ask them to. Then you get some bolts that will fit through the mount holes of the brackets. You will also need a stud finder, you can get one for about 15 bucks, and will come with instructions. Studs are usually placed 16 inches on center apart. A chalk line or level would be helpful to have too. So you figure out where to put the holes, screw the brackets in, and maybe drill a hole in the back of your shelf to drop wires through, then mount the shelf to the brackets and there you have it. I once built my own computer system attached to the wall using this method, and it came out 24 inches from the wall on 20 inch brackets. Secured into the studs the brackets are rated to hold 1000 Lbs. Your other option is to setup all your gear on a coffee table in front of the couch, providing you have enough throw distance for your projector. Hope this helps you.
