Things Needed to Hide Cables Behind the Wall Mounted TV

Different Cables

• Often, at least three kinds of cables connect to a television: a power cord, a reception cable for satellite or cable service and a game system cable. Reception and game system cables are low-voltage, and building codes usually don't mention them. A power cord, however, carries 120 volts of electricity, which limits what can be done to hide the cord.

Raceways

• Cables can be hidden in plain sight in special containers called raceways that run on the mounted television's wall. The raceway is a plastic or rubber, flat, rectangular tube that extends from the television to the floor and is screwed to the wall. All the cables can be placed within one raceway except for the power cord, which needs its own raceway. When the cover is on the raceway and the container is painted to blend into the decor, it becomes difficult to notice.

Behind the Wall

• Hiding the cords behind the television's wall renders them truly invisible, but the project usually is done by a professional. The power cord must be enclosed alone in a conduit, which can be plastic or metal, depending on the location's electrical code. Normally, the low-voltage cables can be tucked behind the wall. A variety of tools and supplies are needed to do the job properly and neatly.

Tools

• A stud finder tells where to avoid, and a drywall cutter such as a keyhole saw or rotary drill provides the entry and exit hole for the cables. A rubber or plastic grommet over the hole allows the cables to pass through and a fish wire pulls the cable from the top to the bottom.. A simple way to pass the cables through at the bottom of the wall is to place the same type of grommet in the hole and pass the cables though.

Wall Panel

• An alternative is to hard-wire the mounted television's cables to a panel with various connectors and place the panel into the wall near the floor. The various connectors include RCA, S-video and coaxial. When a particular connection is needed, you just plug it into the wall panel as if you were plugging it directly into the television.