TeleAdapt Wired Connectivity Pull-Through Hubs
Filed under: Cables and Wires, Power and Data Ditribution
Generally speaking, I’d rather be at my place than staying in a hotel, but here and there I’ve found a few “hotel-only” features that I’ve wished I could have taken home with me. Minibars, for instance. Who wouldn’t want an ever-stocked stash of soda and macadamia nuts right in their very own bedroom? Then again, that would just make one chubby, and a girl prefers to stay in single-digit clothing sizes. And then there’s the coveted glass and travertine shower with rainfall showerhead… but that’s a little out of my bank account’s league right now. So where does that leave me?
At the desk, of course. Well, not the actual desk itself, but the sleek little disk-shaped cable holder stuck to the top of it. You know, the thing that holds onto the built-in Ethernet cord, so everything’s ready to plug in as soon as you whip out your laptop. Unlike at home, at hotels, you never have to crawl under the desk to find the cable. It’s an altogether winning concept. Now, I have far too much of a conscience (or guilt complex?) to make off with lodging-establishment property, but unlike the shower and minibar, those nifty cable-holding hubs are both readily available and in compliance with my ordinary-person budget.
Before I go any further, I should probably tell you exactly what they’re called: TeleAdapt Wired Connectivity Pull-Through Hubs. And they’re the exact same thing that you find at hotels and resorts – right down to the desk card that holds your choice of instructions or messages. If you’re going to use it at home or at work, you could always stick a motivational quote or something funny into the card holder, but if that’s not your thing, you can just remove it completely.
The TeleAdapt hub has a weighted base and a suction cup to keep it in place, and here’s the really cool thing – it isn’t just for Ethernet cords! There are 3 types of pull-thoughs, one each for Internet, Audio, and A/V connections – and each one includes a cable for its respective application. But if you already have all the cables you need, just go with the Cablesitter, a non-wired model that can be used with any cord you have.
Pink Products for Breast Cancer Awareness
Filed under: Braided Sleeving, Cable Ties, Clips and Grommets, Cable Wraps, Cable and Wire Storage, Cables and Wires, Electrical, Power and Data Ditribution
No matter who you are, where you live, or how big or small your circle of family and friends is, chances are very good that you know someone whose life has been changed because of breast cancer. Maybe you’ve lost a loved one to it. Maybe you’ve watched someone close to you battle though it and emerge a survivor. Maybe you’re living with it yourself. But one thing’s for sure – once you have a brush with the disease, you never forget it.
Since yesterday, October 1st, you’ve probably begun seeing a lot pink ribbons and references to Breast Cancer online and in the media. That’s because October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this year, 2009, CableOrganizer.com has decided to jump in and do something to support this admirable, and universal, cause.
And so, today, I’m not going to focus on one cool product, but 9 very worthwhile ones that are not only fun and useful, but whose purchase goes toward supporting breast cancer research, as well as meeting the needs of women who are fighting the disease. If you or someone you know is a fan of the color pink, please visit our Breast Cancer Pink Page, which is full of rosy-hued products that have been chosen to help raise funds in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. From now through October 31, 2009, we’re donating $1 from each purchase of these products to The Donna Foundation, a Florida-based non-profit organization dedicated to furthering breast cancer research and providing assistance to breast cancer patients.
So if you’re already looking into accessorizing your iPod or organizing some cables around the house, please be sure to check out the items on our Pink Page first – by purchasing one of these products, you’ll not only be getting something you need, but will also be helping to prevent and cure breast cancer in the process.
Vanco HDMI™ Extender Over Cat5e Cable
So, you want to stretch the distance between your HDTV and a high-def source (like an HD-DVD player, Blu-Ray, or PS3 gaming console), but shudder to think of the search for, and cost of, a 100+ foot long HDMI cable? I feel your pain, but don’t worry – you won’t be in it long. Your worries, and HDMI-related budget woes, are about to melt away – at least they will as soon as you meet this Cat5e HDMI Extender from Vanco.
As you can probably tell from its name, this particular HDMI extender uses Cat5e cables (delightfully inexpensive Cat5e cables) to carry your HDMI signals from Point A to Point B. By now you’re probably wondering, “How the heck do you get a decent high-def digital signal over a type of cable that’s usually used for Ethernet connections?” Easy – it’s all in the transmitter and receiver.
While it’s called an extender, it’s actually made up of two separate components – the above-mentioned transmitter and receiver. Using 2 short HDMI cables, the transmitter is connected to the high-definition source, and the receiver is connected to the display. From there, you just need to run 2 Cat5e cables between the transmitter and receiver. The transmitter starts out by translating the HDMI signal into the proper format for Cat5e. The modified signal then travels down the Cat5e cables to the receiver, where it’s translated back into HDMI format, and fed through to the display. And there you have it, ladies and gents – long distance HDMI.
The Vanco HDMI Over Cat5e extender works for distances up to 200 feet, and the resolution can vary depending on how far you’re sending the signal. Up to 100 feet, and the final resolution delivered is 1080p; for 100-165 feet, you get 1080i. When you push it anywhere from 165-200 feet, the resolution drops to 720p, but that’s still high-def! The extender system also reduces annoying EMI and RFI, so you’ll get the clearest audio and video possible.
GoldX USB QuickConnect™ 12-in-1 Camera Kit
Just imagine getting home from an incredible vacation with tons of picture taking. You’ve opened a few windows to get some fresh air into your closed-up house, dumped the contents of your suitcase into the washer, and taken a quick shower to get rid of all that travel grime. What’s next? Transferring all of those gorgeous photos to your computer, of course. Now where is that USB cable?……
If you’ve ever had to cope with your pictures being “trapped” inside your digital camera because you lost the USB cable that came with it, then you’re really going to be crazy about the USB QuickConnect™ 12-in-1 Camera Kit from GoldX. This combo kit comes with a USB cable and 12 interchangeable connectors, so no matter what USB format your camera uses, you can custom-create a cable to hook it up to your PC or laptop.
All 12 connectors have gold-plated contacts for great signal transmission, and the cable itself is shielded to block out EMI and RFI noise that can interfere with data transfer. The kit is compatible with cameras by Sony, Panasonic, Canon, Sharp, Kodak, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Toshiba, Konica, and Minolta (just to name a few), as well as some mobile phones and PDAs. And when you’re not using the cable and connectors, they all tuck neatly inside the included storage case so that nothing gets lost.
Power Strip Liberator
Filed under: Cables and Wires, Power and Data Ditribution
The Power Strip Liberator. While that may sound like an awfully highfalutin name for something that’s basically the world’s shortest extension cord, this product has, despite its simplicity, earned its bragging rights and grand title. The Power Strip Liberator was a product that I heard mentioned pretty regularly during my early days at CableOrganizer (it’s a big seller), but back then, I didn’t really see what all the fuss was about. But it turns out that this insignificant-looking little cord is actually quite handy to have around, especially if you’re in the habit of plugging big connectors into power strips.
With the way that most power strips are laid out, you only have a limited amount of space allotted for each plug. Try to plug in a chunky adapter, and chances are, there will be some overflow that starts moving in on the neighboring outlets, making them completely unusable. Way to waste perfectly good outlets.
If you’re ever going to get the most out of the outlets you have, something has to come between your extra-large plugs and power strip. That something, friends, is the Power Strip Liberator. When it’s time to plug in a space-hogging adapter, just reach for a liberator, plug the adapter into it, and plug the other end of the liberator into a power strip. And there you go. Your device is powered, and you haven’t even wasted space on your power strip. That might just leave you with enough room to plug in another gadget or two.
5-in-1 QuickConnect™ USB Cable
Being that today’s featured product is a USB cable, it might not sound that exotic or impressive, but it can be a real lifesaver when the connection cord to your printer or digital camera goes MIA. That’s because the 5-in-1 QuickConnect™ is no ordinary USB cable – it comes with 5 different connectors that can customize a single into just about any USB configuration you could possibly need.
Here’s how it works: the kit comes with either one or two cables, depending on the particular one you choose (the cables range in length from just 18″ all the way to 15′). The cables are foil and braid shielded to cut down on electromagnetic interference, but what really sets these USB cables apart is the fact that their connectors are removable. When a specific USB connection, you just pop off the existing connectors and snap on the exact ones you need. And that’s it. Pretty easy, right? Hardly anything to explain. But that’s the nice thing about it – so many possibilities, so little effort and expense.
The main benefit of this USB kit, as I mentioned earlier, is the fact that it can really bail you out when you’re in a pinch for the right connection. Just about every digital device nowadays comes with its own USB cable, so it can be hooked up to your laptop or PC. But if you should lose that cable, having the 5-in-1 QuickConnect on hand can save you frantic trips out to the electronics store, and the expense of shelling out for multiple USB cables.
FlatWire Audio Wiring System
Say you have a beautifully decorated living room, the focus of which is a home theater setup of top-of-the-line A/V equipment. Everything looks great… until you notice the straggly audio wires that are leading from your receiver to each of your Surround Sound speakers. An undeniable visual flaw in an otherwise perfectly designed room. How do you fix the situation without spending a small fortune to have a professional run in-wall cabling? With FlatWire, of course.
FlatWire is an incredible new wiring system that is made up of, literally, paper-thin flat cables that adhere to your wall and can actually be painted over. Easy enough for any home DIY’er to work with, FlatWire is completely invisible once installed. The installation process involves a few steps, but they’re all simple, and the results are well worth it. It all starts out with plotting out the placement of your speakers, and then measuring and cutting the cable. Once the cable is cut to size, you apply spray-on adhesive to the marked cable path, then smooth the FlatWire onto the adhesive. From there, the wire is covered with mesh tape and compound, sanded smooth, and finally painted over. And you’re left with a professional-looking home theater for a fraction of the price of paying a pro installer.
VANCO 1080p Swivel HDMI Cable
Want to get a terrible HDMI connection? First, make sure that your home theater components are squeezed into a very tight space; the closer to the wall or the back of your entertainment center, the better. Next, twist and bend your HDMI cable into tight angles to get it plugged into your DVD or Blu-Ray™ player. And finally, start your movie or video game and wait for the signal to eventually cut out on you – it’s inevitable after all, since you’ve done everything in your power to damage your HDMI cable’s conductor. There you have it, folks: the perfect recipe for home theater disaster.
Okay, I’m being facetious here – first of all, no one wants a failed high-def connection, and secondly, I would never encourage you to make that happen. The main idea here was to point out a common practice that can have you burning through an unending succession of HDMI cables. While you can’t always avoid positioning A/V equipment against the wall or in the close quarters of an entertainment center, you can take steps to ensure that tight spaces don’t become the death of your HDMI connection. Meet the VANCO Swivel HDMI Cable.
Perfect for plugging into a wall-mounted Plasma or LCD screen or home theater components stored in the aforementioned short-on-space cabinet, this HDMI cable is equipped with a 180° swiveling connector at each end, which means that the cable can flex and bend to make just about any difficult connection without putting undue stress on the conductor. This design feature lets the conductor do its job (transmitting clear signals) instead of squishing it into oblivion and rendering it useless. Can you see how this unique cable can save you both money and frustration?
HDMI Cables (1.3a Certified)
For all of you who have ever suffered sticker shock at the sight of an HDMI cable price tag, there’s good news: you don’t have to pay that much for a fantastic high-definition connection. Society has become superficial in so many ways, and now we’re actually letting it spill over into the realm of cables – can you believe it? Well, I think it’s time to restore a little common sense to the electronics-buying experience, and one of the best ways to do that is to say NO to boutique cables in fancy packaging.
I’ll admit that some things are worth paying more for; for instance, a Lamborghini will justifiably run you more than a Hyundai. Both vehicles will get you from Point A to Point B, but one’s going to do the job with infinitely more power and style than the other ever could. But here’s the catch: the same rules don’t apply to HDMI cables. They’re first and foremost a utilitarian product. While in the automotive world it’s not unusual for the hottest cars to also perform the best, cables just don’t work that way. When you’re shopping for an HDMI cable, always remember that looks have nothing to do with performance.
The key to a quality HDMI connection doesn’t lie in great style or expensive-looking packaging. Rather, it all has to do with certification. As long as a cable is HDMI certified, it doesn’t matter if it costs $15 or $150 – it’s going to do the job. Who cares if it doesn’t have a brand name? The only thing that matters is that the cable effectively transports high definition signals from your A/V equipment to your high-def screen.
If you’re ready to jump off the brand-name bandwagon and find happiness with an HDMI cable that won’t drain your bank account, you’ll find ATC certified HDMI 1.3a (the latest standard) cables, complete with 24K gold-plated connectors, at CableOrganizer.com. Get ready for a new, improved, and much happier version of sticker shock: they start at around $6.99!
Retractable Ethernet Cords
Even if you’ve already gone wireless, it never hurts to keep an Ethernet cord tucked away inside your laptop case just in case you have to get connected somewhere where there is Internet, but not Wi-Fi, available. Stop wrinkling your nose; thanks to today’s brilliant product, toting an Ethernet cord along on your travels isn’t nearly as much of a pain as it used to be. Gone are the days when you’d have a 15ft cable snaking through your notebook attache, threatening to swallow up your very computer. These days, savvy on-the-go laptop owners reach for auto-retractable Ethernet cords instead.
If you’re wondering what difference auto-retraction makes, the answer is this: it’s all in the case. The cords, of course, need something to retract into, and that something (the case) is only 2.5″ x 3″ x 0.5″. Sure beats a huge coil of loose cable, doesn’t it? The really beautiful thing is that you never need to use more cable than you need; the cord dispenses from both sides of the case, and stays put as soon as you stop pulling on it. Without any excess trailing around on the floor, you (and passers-by) have nothing to get tangled up in. When you’re finished, simply unplug, then tug both ends of the cord to activate the auto-retraction. Pretty cool, huh?
My favorite part of the retractable Ethernet cord is the space it saves — with such a compact design, there’s actually still rooom left in my bag for my laptop.