You have thought long and hard about getting your new LCD or Plasma TV. You know it comes with a stand. It will be really easy to setup this way, but you will need a stand of some sort, perhaps wood or glass or…
No. You know you want to hang it on the wall! It is a flatscreen TV afterall. What other point is there to having a great new flatscreen TV, if it isn’t hanging on the wall, for all to see in it’s glory.
Now comes the dilema… do you hang it on the wall and have the cables hanging down? Or do you do the job properly and have the cables hidden, plastered in or hidden behind some crafty MDF and a slinky plinth?
Which ever way you decide, getting the right cables now, could make all the difference (and frustration if you forget one!) in setting up your audio video equipment, players, recorders, games consoles, SKY box and the list goes on… here is our top tips on what you may need!
Why not print this guide off and tick the boxes [ ] for the cables you will need?
1 – A Basic Flatscreen Installation
a – [ ] – Power Cable – Perhaps you need a C13 to C14 Power extension (check your TV 1st)
b – [ ] – Aerial Cable from TV Aerial
c – [ ] – Aerial Cable from Satellite, Digital TV Box or Video Recorder
d – [ ] – SCART Cable or Cables from DVD Player or Digital TV Box
2 – A Standard Flatscreen Installation
a – [ ] – Power Cable – Perhaps you need a C13 to C14 Power extension (check your TV 1st)
b – [ ] – Aerial Cable from TV Aerial
c – [ ] – Aerial Cable from Satellite, Digital TV Box or Video Recorder
d – [ ] – SCART Cable or Cables from DVD Player or Digital TV Box
e – [ ] – Composite Audio Video Cable (3 RCA Phono) for Camcorder, Games Console
f - [ ] – S-Video Cable (if any of your AV equipement uses 4 pin S-Video?)
g – [ ] – Audio Component Cable to Hifi, Speakers or Home Cinema Receiver?
3 – A High Definition Flatscreen Installation
a – [ ] – Power Cable – Perhaps you need a C13 to C14 Power extension (check your TV 1st)
b – [ ] – Aerial Cable from TV Aerial
c – [ ] – Aerial Cable from Satellite, Digital TV Box or Video Recorder
d – [ ] – SCART Cable or Cables from DVD Player or Digital TV Box
e – [ ] – Composite Audio Video Cable (3 RCA Phono) for Camcorder, Games Console
f - [ ] – S-Video Cable (if any of your AV equipement uses 4 pin S-Video?)
g – [ ] – Audio Component Cable to Hifi, Speakers or Home Cinema Receiver?
h – [ ] – HDMI Cable or Cables depending on how many HDMI sockets your TV has. (HDMI Carries Audio + Video)
i - [ ] – Optical Audio Cable to your home cinema receiver for the best in digital audio.
4 – A 3D High Definition Flatscreen Installation
a – [ ] – Power Cable – Perhaps you need a C13 to C14 Power extension (check your TV 1st)
b – [ ] – Aerial Cable from TV Aerial
c – [ ] – Aerial Cable from Satellite, Digital TV Box or Video Recorder
d – [ ] – SCART Cable or Cables from DVD Player or Digital TV Box
e – [ ] – Composite Audio Video Cable (3 RCA Phono) for Camcorder, Games Console
f - [ ] – S-Video Cable (if any of your AV equipement uses 4 pin S-Video?)
g – [ ] – Audio Component Cable to Hifi, Speakers or Home Cinema Receiver?
h – [ ] – HDMI Cable v1.4 Compliant Cable (or Cables) depending on how many HDMI sockets your TV has. (HDMI Carries Audio + Video)
i - [ ] – Optical Audio Cable to your home cinema receiver for the best in digital audio.
g – [ ] – Ethernet Network Cable Cat 5 or Cat 6 (Cat 6 is more suited to streaming HD video signals). Should your TV support it.
5 – A 3D / Internet Ready High Definition Flatscreen Installation
a – [ ] – Power Cable – Perhaps you need a C13 to C14 Power extension (check your TV 1st)
b – [ ] – Aerial Cable from TV Aerial
c – [ ] – Aerial Cable from Satellite, Digital TV Box or Video Recorder
d – [ ] – SCART Cable or Cables from DVD Player or Digital TV Box
e – [ ] – Composite Audio Video Cable (3 RCA Phono) for Camcorder, Games Console
f - [ ] – S-Video Cable (if any of your AV equipement uses 4 pin S-Video?)
g – [ ] – Audio Component Cable to Hifi, Speakers or Home Cinema Receiver?
h – [ ] – HDMI Cable v1.4 Compliant Cable (or Cables) depending on how many HDMI sockets your TV has. (HDMI Carries Audio + Video)
i - [ ] – Optical Audio Cable to your home cinema receiver for the best in digital audio.
g – [ ] – Ethernet Network Cable Cat 5 or Cat 6 (Cat 6 is more suited to streaming HD video signals). Should your TV support it.
6 – A Media Centre (PC / Laptop) Ready High Definition Flatscreen Installation
a – [ ] – Power Cable – Perhaps you need a C13 to C14 Power extension (check your TV 1st)
b – [ ] – Aerial Cable from TV Aerial
c – [ ] – Aerial Cable from Satellite, Digital TV Box or Video Recorder
d – [ ] – SCART Cable or Cables from DVD Player or Digital TV Box
e – [ ] – Composite Audio Video Cable (3 RCA Phono) for Camcorder, Games Console
f - [ ] – S-Video Cable (if any of your AV equipement uses 4 pin S-Video?)
g – [ ] – Audio Component Cable to Hifi, Speakers or Home Cinema Receiver?
h – [ ] – HDMI Cable v1.4 Compliant Cable (or Cables) depending on how many HDMI sockets your TV has. (HDMI Carries Audio + Video)
i - [ ] – Optical Audio Cable to your home cinema receiver for the best in digital audio.
g – [ ] – Ethernet Network Cable Cat 5 or Cat 6 (Cat 6 is more suited to streaming HD video signals). Should your TV support it.
Depending on what your laptop, computer or media centre PC has. you will need the following:
a – [ ] – VGA Cable – Quality 15 pin Analogue Video. Or VGA to DVI cable perhaps?
b – [ ] – DVI Cable – Quality Digital Video. Or DVI to HDMI cable?
c – [ ] – HDMI Cable – High Quality Audio and Video
d – [ ] – 3.5mm to 2 RCA Audio Cable. Provides an audio connection from your computers sound card to the audio inputs on your TV. If your TV supports a single 3.5mm audio input, then don’t panic as a simple 3.5mm to 2 RCA adapter will help keep your audio connected.
Other Cables to consider depending on your equipment…
a – [ ] – Component RGB Video Cable (Red, Green, Blue). Provides an excellent analogue video 
connection between devices that support RGB component video.
b – [ ] – DisplayPort cable. Not so popular, but if your TV or computer supports it, then don’t forget it!
c – [ ] – Specific Games Console Cables. Perhaps your Wii or Playsation uses the games console to Component or Composite cables? Pop them in the wall now before it’s too late.
d – [ ] – Have 5.1 or 7.1 Home Cinema System? Don’t forget to install the centre speaker cable for under the TV or front left and right cables.
Want a Professional finish?
If you want a better finish for your HD ready, HDMI cables, we have just taken oboard a range of 
HDMI Wall Plates, Single and Double Wall plates available in silver or white finish too. They have female sockets on the rear so installations should be a breeze too. A very posh finish…
Final Thoughts
When Drilling your speaker brackets into position, especially the front centre speaker on a surround sound system, don’t forget where your in-the-wall audio and video cables are. This one can really catch you out, just when you think you have nearly finished your AV install! The same goes for your actual LCD or Plasma TV bracket too. It’s all too easy to get excited over your install, pop the drill in the wall and slam it through your nice and neatly fitted AV cables. Ouch.
Then just sit back and enjoy your Flatscreen TV where is should be. On the wall (with cables hidden of course!).
