I just don't want to.

[Davemcc]

It's not that I don't know what to do. Each part is fairly straightforward. It needs to be done though. It's been over a year since I set this up but in that time, a number of changes has been made. I got a new modem with a different power cable. I bypassed the SMS-1 and ran new cable. I eliminated the Vonage phone and modem. I added a new wireless printer to an empty hole in the rack. I ran wiring inside the wall to the TV. Plus, everything is just covered in built up dust.

It's time to dismantle the system, clean the rack and components, rearrange the components and do some wire management. I just don't want to.

 

[dapack69]

We're going to need finished pictures.

 

[Alex2507]

At least yours is on wheels. Furniture dollies, huh?
Go-Nad! is about to crawl out of his skin looking at all that mayhem. He's like the Monk of AH.

I love seeing all that wire. Even though it's only a small thing I got rid of my antennas. That AM loop and some amplified FM job I had got wrapped up, put in a zip lock and put away. I never listen to the radio in the living room and I hated having to deal with all that stupid stringy wire after spending all that time trying to make things neat.

I get rolls of 3/4" velcro from work to help with wire management. Parts express has something similar. Get plenty. It goes quick.

 

[Matt34]

I suddenly don't feel so bad about my rats nest.


Good luck Dave!

 

[Davemcc]

The furniture dollies are great. This is a big, heavy, triple wide rack that I hate pulling out on my hardwood floors. Now, it moves easily in and out of place for cleaning behind and underneath. I'm going to paint a board black to cover up the view of the dollies from the front and just leave them there permanently. I kind of like having the rack sit higher for line of sight remote control access.

I've got the velcro around somewhere. I've got a number of wire management solutions handy including good old electrical tape. You can see the bundles of managed wire in the photo and the leftover wires from removed components that were too difficult to get out of my managed wiring. I'll try to make it pretty.

I never run antennas anymore either. It's a nuisance.

 

[Davemcc]

I have packed up my satellite STB and I'm going to return it to the Bell store. Once I started taking things apart, I decided that this dual tuner PVR was not worth reconnecting. I'm very much a PVR junky, but this one has been a piece of junk since day one. It is loud with a constant buzz from it's case. It freezes up on a regular basis. I've made a number of calls to Bell's useless service number. This time, it's going back. If they can find me a suitable replacement, fine. If not, I'll find a content provider that will also provide decent equipment.

Please don't suggest online content providers. I'm in Canada where my ISP is blocked by almost every site like Hulu, etc. by order of the CRTC.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I feel you brother. I had decent wire management at one time but swapping gear and adding stuff has left it a mess again. I DO NOT want to get back there and do this again.

 

[bandphan]

I think its time to give Middle Atlantic a call That way when new gear is added, cable management is required

 

[Davemcc]

I feel you brother. I had decent wire management at one time but swapping gear and adding stuff has left it a mess again. I DO NOT want to get back there and do this again.

That's exactly my issue. I have a growing collection of unused wires that were left back there because they were trapped by previous wire management. It's easier just to leave the old stuff where it is.

I just got back from the Bell store at the mall. They couldn't take my STB in-store but they are sending me a new STB in the mail and I can send this junk back. That's great but it also means that I'm not going to finish this wiring for 3-5 days.

 

[j_garcia]

YIKES. That is why I "downsized" my system to fewer components.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Dave, I hear ya - IT are notorious for their lazy ways, however this is DAMN.
Stop everything - clean your calendar - rip out ALL the wires and start from a scratch. and yes, do post after pics.

 

[krzywica]

YIKES. That is why I "downsized" my system to fewer components.

Yeah having 1 source device for everything is awesome.

 

[j_garcia]

I redid my wiring twice this year. Once where I literally ripped everything out and tried to minimize cabling because it was pretty crazy back there. And then again when I got the XPA-3 because I had to make room for it

 

[highfigh]

I'm seeing a lot of "I changed a lot of my equipment" this, "mine looks like a rat's nest" that and some whining but those cables aren't gonna straighten themselves out on their own, ya know!

Go to Parts Express and look in the area with the racks and wire management. I would hold off on the Dayton rack shelves if you decide to use a Middle Atlantic, Penn Industries, Fat Cat or Omni Mount rack, though. The specs for the Dayton have dimensions but they're not accurate- I bought some of their shelves and even though it shows 17-3/8", that must be the outside dimension because a 17.1" Denon DVD player didn't fit. I went with the Penn Industries shelves and it's fine.

They also have lacing bars, which can be used on any rack- not just an EIA 19" space equipment rack.

Separate the cables by what they do and get Velcro wire ties to allow adding/changing/moving cables. Power goes up/across one side, audio up the other side and video/control can be run up the center, as long as they cross power cords at a right angle. The speaker cables shouldn't be run parallel to any low level cabling- at high power levels, they can affect lower level signals and while that's more common in 70V systems, it's still a god way to avoid problems. There's a reason power cords enter on one side of most equipment- that's the side they should go up.

 

[lsiberian]

So thought this would go a different direction, but that being said. This is why I don't take pictures back there.

 

[Shock]

Did someone throw a wire grenade behind your system?

 

[j_garcia]

Did someone throw a wire grenade behind your system?

It was a grenade, but you can't tell because the wire protected the gear

 

[billy p]

It's not that I don't know what to do. Each part is fairly straightforward. It needs to be done though. It's been over a year since I set this up but in that time, a number of changes has been made. I got a new modem with a different power cable. I bypassed the SMS-1 and ran new cable. I eliminated the Vonage phone and modem. I added a new wireless printer to an empty hole in the rack. I ran wiring inside the wall to the TV. Plus, everything is just covered in built up dust.

It's time to dismantle the system, clean the rack and components, rearrange the components and do some wire management. I just don't want to.

tisk...tisk...I couldn't sleep at night if that were me...

 

[bandphan]

Time to call in the Canadian brethren

 

[dapack69]

So whats the best way if the cables are to long? Do you just loop them and then apply velcro or tape them?