Sep 22, A Wiring Solution for HDTVs: A simple neat alternative to in-wall wiring

Surely, everyone would agree that a wall-mounted flat panel LCD TV or plasma television would look at its best when all connecting power and audio/video cables are completely hidden.

However, most often, there isn't any pre in-wall ducting through which to pass A/V cables and power cords between the TV and the interconnecting gear.

And if there is any empty conduit buried in walls, this is probably the ¾-inch (20mm) diameter type used by electricians in domestic installations. This is too small to carry the larger diameter audio and video cables.

One should keep in mind that any wiring solution for audio and video cables should take into account that these cables have limited pull strength with respect to electrical wiring, and come with pre-installed connectors. In other words, you need a relatively large diameter conduit to pass audio and video cables when concealing cables in walls.

Aesthetically, running cables through a wall yields the best results. Yet from a practical perspective, this requires substantial DIY skills, and a lot of effort especially when retrofitting a room. Furthermore, should you decide to hire a professional installer, the whole job can turn out to be pretty expensive - costing several hundred dollars - and often complicated to manage.

In addition, once cables are installed in walls and access holes closed, it would not be easy to replace any faulty cables, nor pass extra cables later.

Equally important, burying cables in walls as a wiring solution is invasive in nature. It requires expensive patching should the day come when you decide to move that flat panel TV elsewhere.

Moving to a surface mounted wiring solution would do away with all these difficulties and installation expense. Up to now, most inexpensive wiring solutions intended for the DIY installer consisted of nothing more than PVC trunking. It is true that these are available in various shapes and colors, but these wiring solutions with their cheap plastic feel, do not complement the stylish look of modern flat screen televisions.

But… don't despair! Luckily, things are starting to change thanks to the availability of a few 'stylish' wiring solutions on the market targeting the DIY home installer.

One such solution we have come across is a wiring solution kit from 'Superb Home Theater'. It is well thought-out, easy to install, relatively inexpensive, and once installed, has the custom look of an in-wall installation without the permanence and expense associated with buried wiring. 

In principle, the Superb Home Theater wiring solution consists of low profile (1" x 5") wall-mounted cabling channels, designed to hide audio video cables and connecting power cords in a flat panel TV installation.

Mind you, they are also suitable for use in any other application when you want to conceal short runs of on-wall cabling between appliances.

Thus, instead of drilling sizable holes in drywall, or chasing channels for conduit in brick wall, you just camouflage interconnecting cables between the TV and the remaining equipment on the front side of the wall.

The Superb Home Theater channels are available in various standard lengths - ranging from a 19-inch section (model WS12) to conceal up to 12 inches of on-wall cabling, up to 46-inch (model WS30) for cable runs of up to 30 inches. They are also available in custom lengths up to 96 inches. Price starts at $39 for the WS12, while custom lengths cost $25 per linear foot excl. shipping and handling.

These channels come with a rounded edge design on the front that blends perfectly well into the wall between the display and the equipment rack.

The backside is hollow and includes two separate vertical channels, each ½-inch in depth by 1?-inch width. These are large enough to hold any interconnecting cables you might ever need for your flat screen TV.

Cables are kept in place using specially designed plastic wire retainer flaps that hold the wiring in place during installation.

These channels are made from ultra light (UL) Medium Density Fiberboard and come in both smooth or plaster-textured finish, and prime coated ready for paint.

Each wiring solution kit comes complete with wall fasteners, a foam brush to paint the channeling once the installation is complete, a well presented installation guide, and 1-year limited warranty.

Installation is simple and straightforward. As long as you can use a screwdriver, a hammer, and a spirit level, you can do the job. You would also need a small electric or battery-operated drill when dealing with a brick wall installation.

Applying caulk is optional but it leads to a more seamless look.

The complete installation should not take more than 45 minutes - even if you are not a seasoned DIY type.

These wiring channels would almost disappear once painted with your room color paint.

And if you want a more seamless look, you can apply caulk around the edges before painting.

The result is a pleasing custom look that matches perfectly well with any flat panel TV and room decor.

More information

on the Superb Home Theater Wiring Solution is available on the

Superb Home Theater website at:

http://www.superbhometheater.com

While the Superb Home Theater wiring solution represents a great option to hide and manage those unsightly AV cables between your TV with the rest of the equipment, yet since the release of the Superb Home Theater solution just over two years ago, a number of other manufactures have come up with similar wiring systems aimed at making it easy for the DIY to conceal those surface AV cables while still achieving a professional looking and aesthetically pleasing result.

A case in point is the range of surface mounted Omnimount CMK Cable  management covers.

Available at amazon, this line covers a whole set of mounting options ranging from 1-inch to 4-inch channel widths. The Omnimount system comes in the form of  a kit that includes three interlocking straight portions for a total length of 48-inches, one 90° cable cover, 2 end caps, screws, and attachment hardware.

Multiple kits can be interlocked together to provided added length. In addition, like the Superb Home Theater wiring solution, the Omnimount CMK Cable Management system can be painted to better match the rest of your room decor.

Monster Cable CleanView Cable Management System: A similar cable management solution is also available from Best Buy. In particular, the Monster Cable CleanView On-Wall wiring solution offers similar features to the Superb Home Theater Wiring Solution detailed in this article.

However, unlike the Superb Home Theater wiring solution, the Monster Cable CleanView solution can be simply fixed on to your wall with double-sided tape; you may also use drywall screws if you prefer and these are included with each kit. In addition, it can be cut with an ordinary scissors, and like the other two wiring solutions, it can also be painted to match your room color.

One full kit includes a total of four sections by 16-inches in length that can take between two to three AV cables. Included with the kit, there are also two end covers and one right-angle fitting, and 16 cable clips that ensure cables remain in their place once fixed in the cable channel.

...back to LCD TV Mounts (1) - A Basic Installation Guide

If you are in the market for a surface mounted wiring solution or cable management system, we advise to visit the amazon storefront; the vast choice of products and the various buying options available from the different retailers are among the best online. 

You can search the amazon storefront a surface wiring solution without leaving our site by using the amazon search box below; your search results will appear here under.

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