Home theater cable organisation and childproofing

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timmmay

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#214853 31-May-2017 16:07

This is what it looks like behind my current TV unit. Does anyone have suggestions for techniques or products that would help make it tidier? I have a new unit arriving in a couple of weeks, which would be the perfect time to do it.

Cables include:

Two power boards, one has power all the time, one has power only when the TV's on
Three 12v power cables for the fans required to keep the Onkyo receiver / PS 3 cool
A switch to manually turn the TV/amp off when we don't need it. This is mostly because of the cooling fans.
5.1 Speaker cables - left, right, center, and sub are all in the same area
Various HDMI cables
Power cables for a router / WAP, Harmony charger, PS3 IR adapter, TV, PS3, R.Pi, phone charger, and who knows what else
Probably other things

I guess I'll need some kind of cable management system. I don't know if that's ducting, some way to fasten them to the back of the wooden entertainment unit, or what.

I think for childproofing I'm just going to make it physically impossible to access with one of those big child fences.

Any ideas appreciated.

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Vocus

#1792436 31-May-2017 16:13

It's behind the cabinet right? So it's tidy already ;) Just push the cabinet back so the gap is too small for little people. In my experience they don't really go looking for this stuff anyway, more important to attach the TV so it won't tip over and break / hurt the little person. Along with any other tall furniture.

If you want to really tidy it up, get some spiral wrapping. It will take hours and if you chnge any component later it will invoke a lot of cursing and swearing, but if tidy cables is important to you, it certainly does the trick!

I used to do the above and then I got older, had a child, and took a more philosophical view: if the mess is hidden behind a cabinet ... is it really mess at all ...

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Dunnersfella

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#1792444 31-May-2017 16:23

Change the PS3 to an XBox One S so it works with your Logitech remote.

This will eliminate a cable.

Charge your phone off the USB on the TV or XBox.

This will save on a power adaptor.

Sell the Onkyo and buy a Class D amplifier, this will negate the fans and associated power supplies / switch.

And thus ends my completely annoying advice.

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1792450 31-May-2017 16:37

Oh one other thing, which should go without saying, manage your mains seperate from your DC seperate from your data/transmission cables. Coiling them all up together may have interesting consequences.

DarthKermit

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#1792468 31-May-2017 17:14

Eliminate extension cords and multi-boxes (if possible) by having heaps of wall sockets. No double adapters either.

In my network cabinet, which has very little spare space, I shortened the DC power cord side of all the power adapters as much as I could. Makes it a bit tidier.

mdooher

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#1792525 31-May-2017 18:47

Power side:

add a couple Quad power points above the existing one (you have horizontal so a bit tricky but doable.)

cut the plugs off any 230v cords and replace them with tap-on connectors

now you can probably cable tie (the Velcro strap stuff) the power cables nicely into a snake

Data side:

cable tie them together adjusting lengths where possible

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kiwifidget

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#1792528 31-May-2017 18:59

I got this conduit type stuff from JARussell.

Power cords in one, all other cords in the other.

If something needs to be changed, its a minor hassle to just pop the cap off, do whatever, pop the cap back on.

Must remember to vacuum back there one day.

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chevrolux

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#1792535 31-May-2017 19:07

All I did was relocate the mess to a cupboard. Luckily I could do that as a hallway cupboard was nearby so the TV gets feed by a 10m HDMI and a IR extender which runs over the structured cabling.

Everyone always starts with the best intentions but the joys of being a geek is you MUST constantly tinker with everything which just means it turns in to a mess haha.

timmmay

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#1792587 31-May-2017 20:44

Thanks guys. Putting more power points in would work, but I might just use screws to fix the current ones to the wall. Conduit and cable ties are probably the best option. Those ones from JA Russel look good, I'll call in there some time. What did they cost @kiwifidget?

Masterpiece

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#1792670 31-May-2017 21:43

If you have a spare slot/shelf/cupboard in the cabinet, extend the plug boards into that space and route all the power to that location. Allow for ventilation for any PSU.

Then use cable management wraps for audio visual, or even zip ties.

Getting the power away from fingers is always good.

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kiwifidget

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#1792689 31-May-2017 22:11

timmmay:

Thanks guys. Putting more power points in would work, but I might just use screws to fix the current ones to the wall. Conduit and cable ties are probably the best option. Those ones from JA Russel look good, I'll call in there some time. What did they cost @kiwifidget?

Strewth @timmmay , It must be close to 10 years ago I bought those. But probably not too bad price wise, I'm a bit of a cheapskate.

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timmmay

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#1792776 1-Jun-2017 06:47

Masterpiece: If you have a spare slot/shelf/cupboard in the cabinet, extend the plug boards into that space and route all the power to that location. Allow for ventilation for any PSU.

Then use cable management wraps for audio visual, or even zip ties.

Getting the power away from fingers is always good.

New unit looks something like this, so can't do that unfortunately. Good idea otherwise. Guess I'll just do cable ties or conduits, which should make a bit of a difference.

Thanks @kiwifidget I might pop in but I guess they don't stock that exact product any more if it's 10 years ago! Will try ebay if I can think of the right term to narrow it down .

mdf

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#1792901 1-Jun-2017 09:20

Careful venturing back there, @timmmay.

I use one of these. I think you might be pushing your luck to fit all your stuff in one like this though.

When our eldest was two, she loved venturing behind TVs to look at the plugs. I thought this should be encouraged (safely and without rendering televisions unviewable), so rigged her up a little box with some LEDs, switches and a few RCA connectors. The mistake I made was not shock proofing the wiring so it's long since broken but it was a good way of saying "no you can't play with Dad's cables, play with your cables".

timmmay

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#1792924 1-Jun-2017 09:42

@mdf probably a bit small and expensive for us. I might hang the multibox on the wall and just try to use cable ties or similar.

Might have to try distraction too... but fencing is probably easier.

WolfmanNZ

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#1792929 1-Jun-2017 09:54

Dunnersfella:

Change the PS3 to an XBox One S so it works with your Logitech remote.

This will eliminate a cable.

Charge your phone off the USB on the TV or XBox.

This will save on a power adaptor.

Sell the Onkyo and buy a Class D amplifier, this will negate the fans and associated power supplies / switch.

And thus ends my completely annoying advice.

I wonder if this could work.

"Honey, a guy on the internet told me the answer to our cabling issues - I need to UPGRADE!"

Sadly my wife wouldn't buy it. But keen to hear the experiences of others!

mdf

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#1792936 1-Jun-2017 10:02

I think it is one of the fundamental laws of the universe that The Plug is the Wrong Shape. I've tried multiboxes on the wall before, and if you add a 90 deg plug to that it sticks out a long way; power bricks tend to fall out; something can't be turned around to fit the upside down plugs in an 8 way box.

Given you've got a nice big (concealing) cabinet, could you put a recessed shelf into the wall behind it for the multibox? Buys you about another 100mm of clearance.

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