You’ve spent ages making sure you’ve bought the right size TV, with the right sound and features. You’ve chosen to hang your new purchase on the wall to complete your own private cinema. But with all of this technological joy comes one problem…the unsightly spaghetti junction of cables connecting devices up.
With the TV mounted on the wall and set-top boxes typically down below in a TV stand, there’s always a noticeable and often ugly gap where the black wires bridge across.
Here are our top 5 tips on how to achieve cable enlightenment:
Tip #1: Upgrade your cables
If you’re wall mounting your TV, don’t just try and stretch the standard cables that come with it. Make life easier on yourself and buy the right size cabling for the job or cable extensions. This will reduce the amount of space needed and will reduce the likelihood of any damage through stressed connectors. Products like this HDMI adapter really helps in tight spaces.
Tip #2. Colour coding/labels
Instead of wiggling bits of cable up and down to identify the right cable, add cable labels or colour coding so you know exactly which cables do what.
Tip #3. Separate your cables
Have you ever tried to find a plug socket you can use and pulled out the wrong plug? This is not the area you want to scrimp and save. Remember we’re trying to achieve Entertainment Centre Nirvana here. Spoil yourself and get a Multiple socket extension lead specifically for your entertainment system and ensure it has surge protection for your precious AV devices.
Bonus tip: It’s also a good idea to separate your power cables from audio/visual cable as it reduces the likelihood of interference between the two if they run on analogue signals.
Tip #4. Cable ties declutter
Cable ties are a quick way to organise your cables into related groups e.g. Audio, power, system separates. Not only is this really handy when trouble shooting or when moving your equipment, they are also great at tying up loops of excess cable which may get caught, snagged or in the way.
Tip #5. Cable Management columns
The final tip is to hide your neatly tied and organised cables using a cable management column. Instead of exposed cables running to the floor, you can finish off all of your hard work with a professional cover matching the aesthetics of your room.
With a bit of time and patience on a rainy day you can stand back and be proud of a mounted TV without the mess of cables ruining the look. Your technological investment has been finished off with a professionally organised cable management system that will be the envy of all of your friends.