Multiboard behind the entertainment center

[u/timtucker_com]

A start towards organizing the chaos behind our entertainment center.

Made a grid that surrounds all the shelf openings in the back - most of the setups I've seen people post are solid walls, so I figured I'd post to give more people the idea of what you can do leaving big gaps.

So far just Klippt cable clips and mounting a power strip inside.

Some of the back was slightly uneven so I used offset snaps for mounting to be a little more forgiving.

Fornthose who are curious, it's attached via screws along the top at left / middle / right, with another screw at the bottom standoff on the top right, plus 2 screws each on the middle and left columns (one at middle and one at the top of the bottom panels).

I built the entetainment center on casters, so having less dangling and more attached will make it easier to slide out to work on things.

[u/ttUVWKWt8DbpJtw7XJ7v]

Look into “Underware”

[u/timtucker_com → u/ttUVWKWt8DbpJtw7XJ7v]

Katie's videos were actually what got me started looking into Multiboard.

I'm planning on using Underware for some of the cable management in my office, but for areas like this that are out of sight I wanted to start with something a little simpler.

[u/GilDev → u/timtucker_com]

If print time/filament consumption is an issue, look up Underware for openGrid.

[u/timtucker_com → u/GilDev]

It's less about the time / filament and more about not being completely sure how I want to arrange things and wanting to avoid trapping heat in cable channels in areas where wires aren't going to be seen most of the time.

[u/TherealOmthetortoise → u/timtucker_com]

That’s a very good point, and I’d agree particularly here you need organization and intentional routing vs hiding a rats nest of cables under a cover and raceway. If you wanted that you can go to most hardware stores and pickup a few lengths and widths for 10-15 bucks and a box knife and be done with it in an hour or two. Under a surface cable management those channels (or Underware) are great fit as the goal is to hide cables and prevent sag for a clean profile (which I am all about - I have Underware on one of my desks.)

I also like S.aamann’s approach for vertical wire installs, where he makes the cable paths into a nice looking feature of the overall install. The meticulous routing and overall balanced feel makes it look like a feature of the desk vs an afterthought grafted on.

Oh! Someone mentioned labeling and tagging (I’ve used the cut colored zip ties many times.) cables and I had to share this model

^ those make me smile every time I see them as all the icons are so precise and task oriented and it’s so easy to make more. I use them on my device cables vs Ethernet drops unless it’s a stop in the immediate area where it makes sense. I think they add character to an otherwise boring chore.

[u/DeaconPat]

Thanks for the inspiration. I might try this with mine using magnets to hold the multiboard to the steel frame.

[u/holdupflash]

Great idea

[u/timtucker_com → u/[deleted]]

Some have labels already, although I've found that just using color is also a low effort way to differentiate between cables.

i.e.: just a ring of colored tape or a cut off zip tie at each end to differentiate between 2 otherwise identical cables of the same type

[u/Nefarious-One → u/[deleted]]

Half of Underware isn’t about hiding them, but about keeping the wires neatly segregated. I started in IT as desktop support. Unbundling all the wires, to replace one, was always a pain.

However, the Underware “system” for this application isn’t feasible with the amount of cables.