How do you guys manage/store/transport cables ?

[Dave Stern]

Originally Posted by Sean Schult

<snip>.....As far as XLR goes, I only buy 25ft cables because they're easy to manage, and I can connect as many as I need together to get a desired run. I just get a whole bunch of them. ... <snip>

yeah, although I've learned to wrap 1 wind of tape around the connections when I do that...

5 minutes before show time..checking audio (again, for the 10th time)... nothing from 1 channel!!... first panic!, then try to figure out what's wrong...cable, mixer, batteries, mikes...... too many things to check..luckily I found the problem, one M to F XLR connection had become disconnected where I connected 2 cables together..not sure if I didn't do a good job putting it together (although I was careful on each), or someone inadvertently stepped on it or otherwise disconnected it (eventhough it was under the edge of the riser).. put everything back together and get audio from that channel! .. phew!! ... but, eaiser to use a little tape on each connection than to repeat that painc - was no fun....

[Denis Danatzko]

with the 2-plastic balls. I've found the elastic in them is too thin to last long.

To wrap cables of any kind, I use ball bungies. Velcro doesn't last long enough for my preference, and I get tired of wiping cables of residual glue left from sticky tape of any kind. Bought a box of 100, they come in different lengths and they have a variety of uses: 6" for wrapping around most cables, 12" to hold larger items, e.g. my dolly legs together, same for tripod. The 6" ones also help secure cables to lighting stands, tripod whatever. When using AC power, I even use them to strap a power strip to the tripod, and to secure plugs to the power strip so I get no unexpected loss of power. Got mine here:

http://www.tarpsonline.com/accessori...FQTwgAodpx35CA

For thin cables of only a few feet, e.g. AC adapter bricks, I use the plain elastic hair ties; they're like rubber bands, but are thicker and last longer. (For these, don't get the ones where the ends are attached by metal clips. Those clips loosen and come apart over time).

As for a container, I use a variety of hard boxes or bags, (all with wheels), depending on the job and how much I have to pack.

To protect the plugs on my snake during shipment/setup, I bought some clear plastic tubing at Home Depot and cut it to prevent the plugs from hitting the floor and maybe loosening a connection.

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

for wrapping cables, I use hairballs. The little hair bands with great big plastic balls on them that little girls wear. Cheap, easy to find, and they work great for about a year. .99 will get you 100 of them at any big store like Target.

[Daniel Epstein]

Yes they do exist and even have headphone return and breakaway connectors as well so you can leave the camera end attached and just disconnect one unit. Personally I like ATS Communications http://www.atscomms.com/ version but there are several manufacturers of these. Ask your favorite audio dealer

Originally Posted by Stephen Hall

Thanks for the great tips.

I really like the idea of "snakes", but I've only seen them with large numbers of cables in the bundle: 6, 8, 16, etc.

A 2-cable snake that I could use to go from the mixer to the camera input would be perfect. Does such an animal exist ?

Thanks again,

Stephen H