iMac cable management options?

[aquaboy]

Hi,

I hate cables!

Out of the back of my iMac I have speaker phono, Ethernet, FireWire, a few USB devices, Kensington lock and power cord.

These trail via the hole in the pedestal and down a 4" desk hole.

In the past I've used a dull grey plastic cable management tube.

But is there any better options? Something to match the finish of the new iMac?

Photos n links please?

Thanks

[RedCroissant]

Originally Posted by aquaboy

Hi,

I hate cables!

Out of the back of my iMac I have speaker phono, Ethernet, FireWire, a few USB devices, Kensington lock and power cord.

These trail via the hole in the pedestal and down a 4" desk hole.

In the past I've used a dull grey plastic cable management tube.

But is there any better options? Something to match the finish of the new iMac?

Photos n links please?

Thanks

I have the same dislike for cables and found that replacing the internal HDD with a larger capacity drive was the first step toward de-cableization.

Then:
1. get an apple extreme base station and set that up in another room with an external HDD connected to it for backup and other file sharing.(Or get a time capsule and serve both purposes while at the same time minimizing cables)

2. Use WiFi even if you're right next to your modem/router

3. Utilize WiFi sync for capable iDevices. (This way you can elevate your iDevices on a shelf near or next to your desk and not have to have them connected) <---Do completely do this, you might have to buy a couple universal docks, but mine works awesomely for my iPhone 4S.

4. Now if I would just use a wireless keyboard, then I would have the number of wires coming out of my iMac down to 3(power cord, universal dock connector cable, and ethernet).

As it stands now, I have the keyboard usb cable, ethernet, universal dock connector cable, and the power cord and that's it.

If I had a larger apartment and a complex that allowed us to have the cable companies install cable jacks in other rooms, then I would have it limited to 2 since I would no longer connect my iMac via ethernet.

[aquaboy]

I have just connected my external FireWire drive to my NAS drive. And I think I'm going to try wireless now instead of Ethernet. So I'm left with external speakers, power and Kensington lock.
I used to like to keep all my USB devices plugged in. Namely, 2x xbox game pads, a dongle for guitar hero, gaming mouse, midi piano.
I might run the USB via extension cable to a hidden powered hub, or just plug them in as and when required.

[RedCroissant]

Originally Posted by aquaboy

I have just connected my external FireWire drive to my NAS drive. And I think I'm going to try wireless now instead of Ethernet. So I'm left with external speakers, power and Kensington lock.
I used to like to keep all my USB devices plugged in. Namely, 2x xbox game pads, a dongle for guitar hero, gaming mouse, midi piano.
I might run the USB via extension cable to a hidden powered hub, or just plug them in as and when required.

I previously owned a Besta Boas entertainment center from Ikea and I was able to attractively store my TV, PS3, AppleTV2, Linksys modem, and Apple Wireless extreme base station and not see a single cable because of how well the center was designed. It's too bad that finances got tight and I had to sell almost all of that to pay bills, but I will repurchase that entertainment center in a heartbeat if I have the money and the space again. Now that I upgraded my HDD to a 3TB and have iDevices that are WiFi syncable, I should be able to go down to the one power cord when we find a different place to live that doesn't have the cable jack right by the front door.

I just wish that Apple would license modem technology so that they could built a modem/router/time machine combination to make my electronics world even more wireless(even to the point of utilizing antennae to connect to clear wireless networks as well).

[aquaboy]

I was looking for a high end version of this, something to match the rear of the imac that wouldn't look cheep.

[RedCroissant]

Originally Posted by aquaboy

I was looking for a high end version of this, something to match the rear of the imac that wouldn't look cheep. Attachment 381106

Well, this might not be what you were thinking of, but you could go with a flexible aluminum electrical conduit from either Home Depot or Lowe's. If you find one that's at least 1" in diameter, then you should be able to easily feed your cables and wires through there and the flexibility of it would make it easy to attach to a wall or snake along the baseboards.

[ChristianJapan]

Originally Posted by aquaboy

I was looking for a high end version of this, something to match the rear of the imac that wouldn't look cheep. Attachment 381106

Those I use for my self-build server to get two power cable, network cable etc under control. It can be pain to start with but once you got used to it I like this system. Mine are black fitting to the server case. Not sure if the have silver color though. Since the server get moved from time to time I like this flexible approach.

I'm also looking for proposals to attach some nice cable holder on the table for strict horizontal or vertical cables.

[apple-ette]

I have these cable holders