Heavy HDMI Cables pulling out of their plugs any solutions?

ajh2298

ajh2298

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I recently bought a 4 X 1 HDMI Switch at Monoprice.com so I could hook up my PS3, 360, and Blu-ray player all to the same HDMI input on the back of my TV. Now this is the switch I got:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10110&cs_id=1011002&p_id=6259&seq=1&format=2

And for the switch I ended up going with the thicker 24AWG HDMI cables that Monoprice said to use with the switch. Now none of the cable are long runs nothing over 6 feet but what happens are the cable are so heavy the just end up overtime pulling then selves loose from there connections on the back of the devices and also on the switch. Is there anything I can do or buy to make the cables stay plugged in? Its a real pain in the ass every time I want to game to have to double check if the cables are plugged in firmly.

Thanks,
Anthony

p.s.
This is the type of cable I got:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10240&cs_id=1024004&p_id=3661&seq=1&format=2
 
That sucks - maybe you can give the cables some room to fall onto the shelf right at where they plug in? Instead of the component (xbox, etc.) sorta hanging off the back of the shelf - pull it forward so there is space behind it on the shelf so the cable doesn't immediately drop down. Reducing the slack which is the weight. Maybe even coil up a bit of the cable beside the component. Might be hard to do with larger gauge cables. Only suggestion I can think of besides some serious mounting/management of the cables attaching them to the shelving and/or wall which would be some work and cost a bit. I've never really run in to this problem.

There are also hdmi "port savers" which are angled or flexible that might help with the issue though I've never used them.
 
TVs are so thin these days that the cables have to potential to pull themselves out? Maybe they should go back to making them boxier. Or you could try something that props the cables up.
 
Do exactly like poopants suggests. Takes the weight off. The cable basically hangs off a mounted hook. You can get those cheap 3M "wall hanger" tabs with adhesive on the back, then use zip ties or thin velcro straps to suspend the cable's weight. I'm pretty sure I've even seen some TVs that have those translucent rubber cable ties specifically for this purpose.

The problem is a lot of cables have dongles on them, or really heavy covers on the terminal. That's extra weight, so the plug is kinda of like hanging a really heavy picture frame on a tiny nail, then seeing how the nail bends and cuts a groove into your drywall as it's pulled down by that weight. Same concept, but maybe not as extreme.
 
Can you get a block of foam to tuck under all the cables on the switch? So they rest on that rather than hang? You could go buy a cheap cellphone case anywhere and they usually have a block of the perfect kind of foam in them to keep its shape on the store shelf, which you can cut to size with a razorblade. A semi-expensive route, but I couldn't even guess where you could just buy foam like that.
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']Can you get a block of foam to tuck under all the cables on the switch? So they rest on that rather than hang? You could go buy a cheap cellphone case anywhere and they usually have a block of the perfect kind of foam in them to keep its shape on the store shelf, which you can cut to size with a razorblade. A semi-expensive route, but I couldn't even guess where you could just buy foam like that.[/QUOTE]


Thanks, thats a pretty good idea I will give that a try.
 
If you can't find foam, buy a brand new kitchen sponge. Just thought of that now while looking for a Dremel out in the garage and saw one that's pretty much the same type of material, just a sponge instead of foam.
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']If you can't find foam, buy a brand new kitchen sponge. Just thought of that now while looking for a Dremel out in the garage and saw one that's pretty much the same type of material, just a sponge instead of foam.[/QUOTE]

I should have some foam leftover from when I put new padding in my sons goalie helmet. The good thing about the foam I have for that is that its thick enough that i might be able to cut channels in it for the HDMI Cable to sit in before they get to the switch.
 
Great thread! Also my favorite view.
crazy.jpg

crazy.jpg
 
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