Recently Filed in Cables, Wires and Tools

Q. I recently purchased a house that isn’t wired for TV and has an antenna hookup in one room. I consider this to be a good thing, because now I can run whatever cable would be best to receive a quality signal for the next 10+ years. The problem is that I’m not sure what is best to run for TV and Internet. Is coax or cat or fiber optic the best? Cost does play a factor, but I am willing to spend some money… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Networking • Ask a Pro

Q. What is the maximum run for HDMI cabling. We plan to install a 46-inch LCD above the fireplace and would like to place the components in a closet about 100 feet away. Will the length of the cable affect picture quality? And are there better cables suited for this purpose? -Jim,Texas A. While the HDMI specification does not name a maximum cable length, 10 meters is considered the maximum acceptable length for current-day HD transmission at 8-bit color @ 60 Hz. However, generally speaking,… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Home Theater • Ask a Pro

Controls and cables—they often go underappreciated within the electronics spectrum. Cables and wires are the nitty gritty that too often are an afterthought in your entertainment purchase and setup. Then you start scratching your head as to just how important these runs are as the central nervous system of your A/V. The old joke with controls was the basket of six remotes to control six different products. Now we have spiffy, versatile and extremely intelligent remotes. On top of that, we have automation systems that… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Audio Cables • Video Cables • Remote Controls • Thermostats and Sensors • Products of the Year Awards 2008 • Home Theater • Home Control • Product News • Slideshows

In the past we’ve seen wiring routed behind baseboards and around moldings in lieu of having to bore into the walls. These solutions are a great way to hide cabling the cabling that connects a TV to a rack of A/V components. Now OWLink believes it has come up with another solution: transparent fiber optic cabling. The fiber optic cabling itself is made of a strand of glass just 0.9 millimeters in diameter. A clear, plastic covering protects the fiber and makes it nearly invisible… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Info and Answers

Q. I’m working on a DIY project and need to find wires/components for outdoors. Can you recommend some equipment? - Casey, Naperville, IL A. Everyone wants to go wireless, but you get more bang for buck if you can get wires outside. Most wireless systems are usually weak and have interference issues. With that being said, I recently discovered one by Soundcast that breaks that stereotype. It’s rechargeable, powerful and has clean sound. So it’s ideal for smaller areas or when wires are impossible. When… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Outdoor Speakers • Home Theater • Ask a Pro

Among the myriad connections, cables and equipment that make up a home theater, one remains misunderstood: HDMI. At times it gets a bad rap for being too expensive. Other times it’s praised for its ease of use and ability to de-clutter the back of your equipment rack. Even though in most cases HDMI works perfectly, there are some shortcomings to this wünderkind cable. High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) was launched in 2002 as a partnership between Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi, Toshiba, Philips, Thomson and Silicon Image.… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Audio Cables • Video Cables • Industry • Home Theater • Info and Answers

Q. My HDMI connector may be damaged. Can it be repaired/replaced? I have a second HDMI cable, will a splitter, with two short cables to the cable box and HDTV w/DVD work? -Paul A. Damaged HDMI cables are a real bore and quite a problem. I am assuming it’s the connector that is broken rather than the cable itself. Believe it or not, it is possible to solder HDMI connectors. You can buy an HDMI socket and very carefully solder the cables to the correct… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Home Theater • Ask a Pro

If you’re like most people and have that nest of wires and cables cluttering up the back of your entertainment center or computer workstation at home, it’s time to box it up. The CableBox from Bluelounge is a tidy solution with thinking inside the box. As in, stick it all within the 15.6 x 6 x 5.5 inch box that will accommodate your cables and adapters. The CableBox stores power strips and surge protectors of all shapes and sizes (within the box dimensions), with open… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Audio Cables • Cable Organizers • Connectors • Tools • Enhancements • Product News

If you’re like just about everyone else and looking to be more eco-friendly these days, there are several ways to green up your A/V system. Interconnects manufacturer Ultralink/XLO Products has been working on making the packaging itself green. The company has introduced eco-packaging for its six product lines—Contractor Series, CS1, Challenger-2, Matrix-2, Advanced Performance and Platinum. Ultralink says its new eco-packaging relies on much less petroleum-based resources in both packaging and transport, and the reduction in size and weight minimizes shipping dimensions and weights. Also,… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Audio Cables • Connectors • Video Cables • Miscellaneous • Green Technology • Enhancements • Product News

We all know the “right” way to run cables. Do it before the walls go up, and run every conceivable type of wire from each room to a central location. However, what if you have an older house, and can’t afford to have professionals fish wires through you home? Well, wireless can solve some of your problems, but for the rest, you’re on your own. Still, if you’re thoughtful and creative, you may be able to run more wires, with less effort than you think. … View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • How To • Home Theater • Info and Answers • Slideshows

Q. I have a 4-year-old, 50-in. 720p Fujitsu plasma, which still gets a great picture. It does not have an HDMI connection, but it does have DVI. How can I hook up an HD DVD or Blu-ray player? - Chase, Tacoma, WA You can connect HD DVD or Blu-Ray players to your 720p plasma in a few different ways. Due to the ever-changing state of technology, manufacturers make “hybrid” or crossover cables. These cables have one type of connection on one end and a completely… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Plasma • Blu-ray • HD DVD • Home Theater • Ask a Pro

Q. Is it worth the money to upgrade to HDMI for better audio quality? I won’t see much video improvement (from component 576p to HDMI 720p due to my LCD limitation). Is the gap between optical and HDMI worth an A/V upgrade? - Vincent A. Everything being equal, if you plan to continue to use your existing components, then the answer is no. You will see no quality difference using HDMI.  But do remember, with S/PDIF, you will always be limited to 2-channel PCM or… View this story
Cables, Wires and Tools • Audio • Ask a Pro