Karaoke Forums

Any tricks to the trade in keeping cords and cables organized when putting away and storing? I tried finding tricks on line. I might start storing them in buckets. Currently I just wrap them up and put a velcro tie around them.

Pretty much what i've always done & store them in a nice bin.

_________________
LIKE Lonman on Facebook - Lonman Productions Karaoke & my main site via my profile!

A few years back I used to use Milk Crates and Tupperware type totes, then one day I was in a Goodwill and noticed an assortment of medium sized travel cases. I like the middle sized type, they usually are about the right size, sometimes have extra pockets inside and have two or three external zip up pockets that come in very handy also. The best part is there seem to be plenty of used ones at Goodwill or the Salvation Army and can be had for 5 to 10 dollars. I find them very handy and easy to handle as they usually have a handle on the long side and on the short side also. Something along this line only used.
http://www.luggageonline.com/scene7zoom ... =1&debug=0[/img]

_________________
Quickness of mind will deceive the eye

_________________
Join The Karaokle Singers Social Network. Upload Your Music!!

I used to use a trundle trolly like the one mentioned above. But now I have space in my rig, I'm fitting a drawer and storing them in there.

Velcro ties though

I loop mine in the correct way (NOT around your elbow), velcro tie and carry inside a large duffle bag.

Don't you hate it at the end of the night when somebody volunteers to help you break down and you catch them doing the elbow thing with your cables? I'm like, "Thanks for the help...but STOP! Here...carry this speaker instead."

Velcro wraps, and storing them in a road case works great for me.

Felix the KJ

Can you tell me why the elbow thing is bad?

Because of the link posted above. If you wrap cables in all "over" turns, they knot up when you uncoil them.

Also, you tend to pull hard on the cable and that isn't great to do.

_________________
[color=#ffff55]Mickey J.[/color]
Alas for those who never sing, but die with all their music in them.
-- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

Thanks for the pic, already have a gator on the way. Free shipping after I sweet talked them. They are easy to deal with unlike karaoke whse.



http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/GX22

Thanks for the help guys. I'm going to get the method down in the movie. I still think there is an opportunity for someone to make a gadget and make a million bucks on this.

I wish I could show you how I do it because discribing it is kind of hard
First start with both ends in your hand with an overhand grip wrap it around your wrist then pull through what you are doing is kind of like a crouchet (?) knot keep going until you do this with all of the cable this will keep the cables from getting all tangled up when you put them in your tote and when you need them again they will simply pull apart and you are good to go

"I wish I could show you how I do it because discribing it is kind of hard
First start with both ends in your hand with an overhand grip wrap it around your wrist then pull through what you are doing is kind of like a crouchet (?) knot keep going until you do this with all of the cable this will keep the cables from getting all tangled up when you put them in your tote and when you need them again they will simply pull apart and you are good to go"

DJ John,
My dad taught me this method many, many years ago for keeping his light cords neat and always ready to go. It did work well, but I've been afraid to use them on my cables, fearing that it maybe a little rough on them. Six on one, Half dozen of the other probably. Something else to try! Hmmmmmmmmm...MrD

_________________
[highlight=midnightblue]MrD - KJ/DJ Specialist
Visit MrD on facebook - mrdsentertainment
& on myspace - larrynance[/highlight]

after more than 6 years of doing it this way there has been no problems with any of my cables

Interest peaked...could you take a pic of the finished "wrap" and post?

_________________
Music speaks to the heart in ways words cannot express.

Elbow wrapping will twist the cable as you wrap it causing the INTERNAL WIRES to twist under the insulation. Eventually they will knot and short... but this can take years.

Mostly, they will twist and tangle when you try to unwrap them for your next show. Big pain.

I use elbow wrapping, but make it a point to "wrap opposite" every other time.

I also employ a wire wrap for my longer cables and store everything in a "milk crate". I like the crate because it is sturdy and won't move around in my van. I stack my books on top... in the same type of crate.

I use amplified speakers so I used wireties to link the electric cable and XLR speaker cable together and use a wire wrap for them. This is great when I don't use the whole length of wire... I leave them in the wrap under the tripod. This keeps the extra lengh of wire neat and out of the way, and after the show its easy to rewrap!

I make it a point to plug my amplifed speakers into my power conditioner to cut down on line noise. I'm happy to say, I don't even have a "hiss" in my speakers when the music is stopped.

_________________
Good music, good friends, howling good times!

Thanks guys.

how about how everyone organizes there cables in there racks ,got lots in my new rack will need to get them sorted also have to arrange some kind of power strip as all my power cables are comming out of the back of the rack for now into a 10 way tower extention.

I like the Hosa snakes, which are about $50 for a multi-cable with 8 connectors at each end. You can buy them in various combinations with XLR, TRS, TRS to two TS (insert cable), RCA, whatever. Full Compass has good prices on them. http://www.fullcompass.com/category/Line-Level-Snakes-Multicables.html? click on the Hosa choice under "Filter by Brand."

As far as power goes, I bought a bunch of cords of differing lengths so I don't have a lot of excess power cable making a mess in my racks. Where I do have extra, I just used rubber bands. I don't like zip-ties. I got several power cords that have one regular plug and two IEC connectors for electronics at the other end. That's what I use for plugging in most of my low-power 1U devices that are right next to each-other.

Right now I just have regular power strips in the bottom of my racks, but I just ordered two Monster PowerCenter 3500s, these are not rip-off devices like a lot of the low-end "DJ power distributors," but they are $200 - $300 so you pay for it. http://www.buy.com/prod/monster-powercenter-mc600004-pro-3500-surge-suppressor-2775j-monster/q/loc/101/203472767.html buy.com is the best price I found at $208.

_________________
Jeff Wheeler, moonlight DJ/KJ

thanks jeffsw6 some good ideas there, been looking at the distribution strips so many differant ones need to work out what power i would need ,would you say most things are low end power wise apart from the amp.
this what i have in the rack
1 X A&H Zed 12fx mixer
2 X DBX 266XL compressors
1 X DBX Driverack PA
1 X VocoPro UHF-5800 reciever
1 X Behringer EP2500 Amp
Anything that may get added later on
then there is all the out board stuff like lights ,tv,laptop,hardrives,shure none rack mic reciever.