| ost people with a home theater system installed | | | | tangled and out of control. This same organization |
| in their house, the cables are one of the biggest | | | | can be applied to the power cords that lead to |
| logistical challenges. The cords and cables for all | | | | the same power outlet. |
| the various components inevitably become a | | | | If your home theater is set-up such that some of |
| tangled, jumbled mess, making it nearly impossible | | | | the cabling must come out from behind an |
| to change the configuration of your system or | | | | entertainment cabinet or floor speakers, it is |
| any of the components. Most families | | | | recommended that some sort of cable hide be |
| don’t put in the time to organize and hide | | | | used to ensure that these cables do not become |
| their cables to improve the aesthetics and safety | | | | snagged by people walking by or grabbed by |
| of the home theater room. With just a few | | | | small children or pets. To keep power cords out |
| simple changes, your home theater cabling mess | | | | of view and safe from tampering, use a cable |
| can be easily cleaned up and put under control. | | | | hide designed to run along the wall and keep your |
| All of the components in the home theater | | | | cables protected and covered. These cable hides |
| system have a power cord that must find its | | | | can be great for anywhere that your cables hang |
| way to a wall socket, surge protector or power | | | | out in the open. If you are building your home |
| strip. To keep the power cords neat and tidy, use | | | | theater from scratch, you can ask the installer to |
| a label machine to identify the cord before you | | | | build the cabling into the wall or molding of the |
| plug your home theater components in. This will | | | | room in much the same fashion. You will not have |
| help when you need to know which plug to pull to | | | | to worry about tripping hazards or about your |
| move your speaker system or to replace your | | | | new puppy chewing through your power cables if |
| DVD player. | | | | the cords are neatly hidden and out of the way. |
| To clean up the knots and clutter caused by the | | | | Your home theater speakers provide another |
| constant wrapping and unwrapping of cables | | | | potential problem, since you might want speakers |
| around each other, start by unplugging everything, | | | | around the room with speaker cables becoming a |
| including the cables that connect each component | | | | huge problem. To keep this problem down, the |
| to the others, and separate them out. Figure out | | | | best option, though complicated, is to run the |
| exactly where you want each component to go, | | | | wiring for the speakers through the walls. This |
| and then set them up again and neatly run the | | | | prevents them from dangling or getting in the |
| cables without twisting them around each other. | | | | way, and if you have the necessary tools and |
| You may need to write down reminders for | | | | skills, you can run your speakers just about |
| where everything goes if you are not | | | | anywhere in the room. |
| accustomed to setting up the theater. Use twist | | | | Cleaning up home theater cabling does not have |
| ties or zip ties to the cables every foot or so | | | | to be a chore. With some simple changes and |
| when there is more than one cable running in the | | | | proper storage, you can have a clean looking, |
| same direction to keep them from becoming | | | | safe home theater room for your family. |