Big Plans - Cable Solutions

[Scott]

Anyone got any neat solutions for cable tidying? I'm planning my games room at the moment and it's just a spiders web of cables going all over the place.

My main consideration is floor cabling (for now). What do people use to keep them out of sight? In my previous home I could access underneath the floorboards quite easily so I simply went about it that way.

I've looked at the MDF skirting with the hidden panels, but 2.4m lengths won't do for me, I don't want joins (and they don't look very nice). I also don't fancy the skirting additions that you can get.

I'm going to be laying carpet, and I haven't actually checked underneath it yet but I'm hoping for timber. If it's concrete I'm going to be in bother.

Has anyone run a channel down their flooring or has everyone just gone underneath?

@SpyderTracks, what's your thoughts on the AV cables. With car audio I always separate the speaker wire from any power wires. Would the same be said with home AV cabling? What about HDMI cables and the likes, should they be kept away from analogue audio cable also? It's not expensive wire so I doubt it's well shielded.

In an ideal world I'll be able to get under the floorboards and lay a few lengths of trunking that I can access at either end. I don't think I'm going to get this lucky though. I'm planning on a fairly permanent solution so I want to have breakout boxes with the required connections in place.

Any thoughts, help, solutions or any input at all would be appreciated

 

[SpyderTracks]

what's your thoughts on the AV cables. With car audio I always separate the speaker wire from any power wires. Would the same be said with home AV cabling? What about HDMI cables and the likes, should they be kept away from analogue audio cable also? It's not expensive wire so I doubt it's well shielded.

I asked this actually.

With analogue cables like RCA where they're not grounded, it's generally advised to keep them separate from any power cables. Apparently speaker cable is barely affected at all by high voltage surrounding it, and AV cables as well I would imagine would be ok cos they're grounded.

I have paid too much attention to my cabling and haven't had any issues.

 

[Scott]

I had the haunting realisation that I would no longer be able to enjoy my vinyl purchases...... I couldn't have that, so..... I may just have shifted the main parts of the system to the livingroom

Interestingly, with just the stereo speakers playing in stereo mode, I'm getting a more surrounding sound. I don't know if it's the close proximity to the speakers or not but I'm liking the wave of sound that's hitting me. It's not even turned up particularly loud but the soundstage sounds extended to me. It's lacking bass though, you really get used to a subwoofer!

 

[Scott]

On the cable front, I have the following ordered:

6 half switch boxes
5 Banana Plug wall plates
1 single RCA wall plate
1 double switch box
1 5.1 speaker wall plate

6 single gang modular wall plates
1 double gang modular wall plate
1 twin HDMI wall plate
1 twin port Cat6 wall plate
2x Cat 6 port modules
2x 3.5mm modules
1x red RCA coupler
1x black RCA coupler
1x double RCA coupler
3x USB 3.0 Modules
3x HDMI modules
1x DP module
2x brush plate modules

Gives an idea to the level I'm going to with the cable management

 

[Martinr36]

On the cable front, I have the following ordered:

6 half switch boxes
5 Banana Plug wall plates
1 single RCA wall plate
1 double switch box
1 5.1 speaker wall plate

6 single gang modular wall plates
1 double gang modular wall plate
1 twin HDMI wall plate
1 twin port Cat6 wall plate
2x Cat 6 port modules
2x 3.5mm modules
1x red RCA coupler
1x black RCA coupler
1x double RCA coupler
3x USB 3.0 Modules
3x HDMI modules
1x DP module
2x brush plate modules

Gives an idea to the level I'm going to with the cable management

But if it's all hidden away, you won't be able to wind @AgentCooper up with photos of it.....

 

[steaky360]

Does 'shoving it behind a wall' count as cable management?

 

[moosEh]

Does 'shoving it behind a wall' count as cable management?

View attachment 30517

Why use a wall when you can use a throw... hides all sins

 

[Martinr36]

Why hide it, cable mismanagement is a work of art

 

[Scott]

But if it's all hidden away, you won't be able to wind @AgentCooper up with photos of it.....

I'm planning some hidden gems of the journey

 

[Scott]

Here goes..........

First made sure I had access:

Carpet out

Then onto making a right mess

Had to literally scrape the walls

Plaster on

 

[Scott]

Onto Paint

Installation

 

[Scott]

Testing

Finishing off

Started re-assembling the toy last night

Cable tidy for @AgentCooper

Screen should arrive next week and new blinds are being ordered soon

I'm well chuffed. I was so scared that it wouldn't work, a cable would have broken or something behind the plaster but everything worked perfectly right out of the gate.

 

[AgentCooper]

That is some seriously impressive work there, fella.

 

[Scott]

That is some seriously impressive work there, fella.

It was a ton of work and took a long time to come together but I'm really pleased with it

Few finishing touches and it'll be perfect.

The fear when connecting everything for the first time was ridiculous.

 

[Martinr36]

That looks a great job there

 

[SpyderTracks]

Testing

Finishing off

Started re-assembling the toy last night

Cable tidy for @AgentCooper

Screen should arrive next week and new blinds are being ordered soon

I'm well chuffed. I was so scared that it wouldn't work, a cable would have broken or something behind the plaster but everything worked perfectly right out of the gate.

Mate, did you do all this yourself?

I'm seriously impressed, that's quality work!

I've just fixed 2 lightbulbs, cleared out the dishwasher pump and fixed an automatic garage door and I thought I was a blessed DIY enthusiast. I'm usually the guy that calls someone in for a busted lightbulb

This is another level!

 

[TonyCarter]

We have a ‘man’ for that sort of thing.

I find it cheaper to pay him, than for me to do it and then pay him to fix it.

 

[Scott]

Mate, did you do all this yourself?

I'm seriously impressed, that's quality work!

I've just fixed 2 lightbulbs, cleared out the dishwasher pump and fixed an automatic garage door and I thought I was a blessed DIY enthusiast. I'm usually the guy that calls someone in for a busted lightbulb

This is another level!

I didn't plaster or fit the carpet..... I did 99% of the mess making though

Everything other than the plaster and the carpet was me. That was one of the main reasons it took so long, I had to juggle work, a life & kids between the shifts

 

[Scott]

Just got the notification that this is on route:

I've not been able to enjoy the 4K experience properly due to my current AV receiver only supporting 4k @ 30hz..... which Netflix doesn't allow due to not being HDCP 2.2 compliant.

With the changes I made to my surround setup I'm now left with a pair of Tannoy Floor standing speakers (V4s), a Tannoy Centre speaker (7C) and an AV receiver Pioneer VSX-923. I currently have a reasonable soundbar & subwoofer setup but I now have the option to replace this with all of the leftovers and just add a Sub. Decisions, decisions.

The only down side is, again, the TV is 4k. I would need to use the ARC to make the most of the viewing so I may just sell what I have on and stick with the soundbar.

 

[JediMonsoon]

The whole setup looks amazing! What model is your projector?