Wire organization

[neps]

I was wondering what everyone does to keep their wires organized? I've done the plastic tight cords, the velcro straps, and while they do the job, it still seems too messy. I've seen those pipes, but not sure if that actually works, so I'd like to see what others say. I unfortunately don't have the luxury of my system being embedded in the wall, so I can't just hide it like that. The wires just always seem out of control.

Thanks!

Has anyone used this as a solution?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...arden&n=507846

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by neps

I was wondering what everyone does to keep their wires organized? I've done the plastic tight cords, the velcro straps, and while they do the job, it still seems too messy. I've seen those pipes, but not sure if that actually works, so I'd like to see what others say. I unfortunately don't have the luxury of my system being embedded in the wall, so I can't just hide it like that. The wires just always seem out of control.

Thanks!

Has anyone used this as a solution?

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...arden&n=507846

To some degree I've given up on wire management, I often just concede to the Rat Nest Gods.

Well the anaconda snake, I mean 'pipe' you linked looks kinda cool, but I wonder if you couldn't find the same thing at a Home Depot store for less. I suspect you could.

I just bought a pretty nice rack for my audio equipment and it has the so-called "wire management" system. Basically it's got holes that allow you to snake your wires thru and they can come out of the back and out to the respective equipement. Personally, the holes are too small and I'm not totally sold on it, but it does lessen the rat nest apperance.

You haven't told us what wires you want to manage...are you talking about the speaker wires or A/V equipment wires? Do you have an A/V rack or what?

If it's speaker and 'some' video wires, I went to the Home Depot and picked up some "channels" as they call them. They are plastic snap-type pieces that adhere to your wall with double stick tape on the back. They work well since you can paint them to match the wall but paint them before you put them up. They are a pain to unsnap if painted afterwards and like I did , I painted them closed. You can see what I did here. To the immediate left and right of the window are these channels. they don't have alot of room inside, but enough for speaker wire and some vid cables.

[Titleist]

Wire ties, bitches!

That and those little snap on wall hooks so I can run the wires along the bottom of the wall so they're clean and I can easily dust around them.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by Titleist

Wire ties, bitches!

Wire ties huh....are you talking about the wire ties that once you pull them thru the only way to 'undo' them is to break out the utility knife?

Those are a bitch when you end up (and we all eventually do) re-wire due to upgrades (like Denon dvd players that suck wind "bitch" )

Jeez....I try to help the guy (neps) and now you went and scared him away! Shame on you!!! :p

[superwombat]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Wire ties huh....are you talking about the wire ties that once you pull them thru the only way to 'undo' them is to break out the utility knife?

I find that an old pair of toenail clippers works well to take off zipties.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by superwombat

I find that an old pair of toenail clippers works well to take off zipties.

I was just breaking Titleist's 'you know what's'.....

Yeah, they work but it's a pain to me everytime you need to re-wire. I gave up on wire ties. Patience is a commodity I fall short of.

[Iguana Man]

Neps....check this out....Split wire loom

It's 3/4" but it's 20 feet....

(Titleist....I was just kidding dude! )

[neps]

Nah, I wasn't scared away, just had to work. I appreciate the help. The wire insanity is for the back of my entertainment area and consists of Coaxial, RCA, SVideo, Optical, Speaker Wires.

I used to do those wiretires, but got tired of having to cut them open. I'm now using these velcro wraps, which you can see in the below photo, they're those colored things. It just seems that there should be a nicer solution. Perhaps I'm just hoping for too much. I guess I could use those things that are like a circular plastic with a piece of sticky tape on one side, but the problem with them is they're kinda permanent. Not that my stuff is pristine, the center is from Ikea, but still. My mess may not look like much to you, but when you've gotta a wife asking "Do we really need this mess" you start looking for solutions.

[EM3]

Man does that look familiar. A cable box, wires from the dvd player 9 or 10 that I can count, tv line, 6 speaker wires. I just gave up. Good Luck though

[Sycho]

go to an automotive store and ask for the largest diameter wire loom the they have, it might only be 1.5", but i fit tons of wires, 3 rg6, about 6 power cables, pair 12 gage(now even I know thats spelled wrong) and so one.

[SilentBob]

Originally Posted by neps

That looks familiar. Almost like my setup. TV, XBox, GameCube, DVD, PS2, Speaker Wire (6.1 setup), Ethernet Cord (Xbox Live) and Sub Woofer Cable.

[Titleist]

Originally Posted by Iguana Man

Wire ties huh....are you talking about the wire ties that once you pull them thru the only way to 'undo' them is to break out the utility knife?

Oh snap, and you worked in a jab at denon too, you're a cheeky monkey today, Iguana. Yes I'm talking about the little zip ties. Radio Shack carries them for like 200 in a pack for like 2 dollars. What I've done on my setup is radio shack makes these little hooks that are on adhesive tape, I stuck those to the edge of my wall, right where the wood trim meets the floor, so it's about 1 inch off the ground. The hooks have a little connector so once the wire is in you just click it closed, that make sense? I just run 1 of these connectors every 13-14 inches, with one wire inside the hooks, then zip tie another cable attached to the one in the hook. This works great for threading the long cables of my surround speakers, and people hardly notice them the first time they come in. I'll snap a picture some time.

Superwombat, that's a good tip about the nail clippers. I just use a very long set of cutters, which go through the ties like butter. Behind the tv though, in my cabinet I use the larger ties, I don't tie them too tight, just snug enough to prevent movement and keep airflow.



Iguana, dude, you can bust my chops, I allow it of thee.

[jmoney]

Holy shit Titleist, that might just be the neatest wiring I've ever seen. Almost makes me wanna break out the zip ties and clean up my rats nest.

[Titleist]

Thanks, to be honest I look at that wiring and actually wish I would have done a better job. Mainly because my Denon 2900 dvd player fits in with only about 1/8th inch or less clearance on the top of the player, so I had to make all the wiring super compact so that airflow would be proper. Although i've run it pretty hard since getting it with it never getting toasty. But yeah, I try to keep it fairly organized.

By the way, you'll notice in the bottom right hand corner one of the hooks, I have it on the edge of the wall with two cables buddied up, works great, I'll probably just double that setup when I add the two extra RS35s to the rear surround setup.

[Iguana Man]

Wow....that is some serious wire management Titleist.....I concede!

I may have to re-evaluate the benifits of those 'ties'. Nice job dude, that took some serious effort no doubt.

And you KNOW I was having fun with ya - right? Yeah, you know....

My Denon by the way..is AWESOME! My wire management on the other hand.....SUCKS.

Time to rethink.....thanks!

(ps...I only bust the b@lls of those I respect...that is my disclaimer for future ball breaking comments! )

[Titleist]

That was when I installed my Denon 2900, I think that was mid-wiring so it was even cleaner when I buttoned the whole thing back up. I had to be organized because of limited clearance and airflow, besides lower vertical clearance I didn't have a lot of room behind the devices to put those cables.

Yeah you WILL re-evaluate the ties, they are great, just get some nice clippers that are long and thin, they can cut those ties quick and without worrying about sniping or nicking the wires themselves.

Iguana, yeah I know you're just giving me a hard time, don't worry, it's cool. You don't need to get all gushy with me, you're not my girlfriend....with that in mind lets spoon. :-)

That's cool you like your denon, you are now Denon's bitch, and by proxy MY bitch. Glad we have that straight.

heh, glad you guys like my wiring schemes, you should see what I did with my pc, it makes my HT system wiring look like a rat's nest.

[Jellodyne]

I picked up (at CompUSA) a pack of wire ties that are like thick rubber bands with these hard plastic grommit-things on either end, the idea being you loop the wires and tuck the grommit in there to fix it closed. I'm not sure if I'm describing it right but basically they act like zip ties which you can easilly open back up if you need to put another cable into it. I like them a lot. I've got this fat umbilical of wire running between my stereo stack and the TV where I used to have a rat nest. I actually use black zip ties on the individual wires between components, which are not likely to change, but I wouldn't use them for a bundle where I'm pretty much guaranteed to need to add a cable next week, or worse, where I remove a cable and then have to decide if I'd rather undo the lot or just leave an extra, unused cable in there because its easier.

[Iguana Man]

Originally Posted by Jellodyne

I picked up (at CompUSA) a pack of wire ties that are like thick rubber bands with these hard plastic grommit-things on either end, the idea being you loop the wires and tuck the grommit in there to fix it closed.

These?? If so, the look good to me.