Food poisoning is one of the worst experiences a person can go through, and it can even be lethal. Eggs can be the source of some superb meals, but they can also be the source of food poisoning if they are eaten when they've gone bad. How do you tell when an egg is fresh or if it has gone off, without cracking it open to find out?
Steps
1. Place the egg into a bowl of water. The water level should be deeper than the egg is long.
2. Observe what the egg does.
* Fresh eggs will sink to the bottom of the bowl and lie on their sides.
* Slightly older eggs (about one week) will lie on the bottom but bob slightly.
* If the egg balances on its small end, with the large end reaching for the sky, it's probably around three weeks old.
* Eggs that float at the surface are bad and should not be consumed.
3. Crack the egg open and look carefully.
*
Blood spots (also referred to as "meat" spots) don't signify a bad or fertilized egg. It's caused by a ruptured blood vessel during the formation of the egg. Since blood spots are diluted as the egg ages, their presence actually means you have a fresh egg. You can eat it safely, or remove the blood spot with the tip of a knife, if it makes you feel better.[1]
*
Stringy, rope-like strands of egg white are chalazae which are present in every egg to keep the yolk centered. They're not a sign that the egg is bad or fertilized, and they can be consumed safely or removed.[1]
* An egg white that is cloudy or has a yellow or greenish cast to it is caused by carbon dioxide not having had enough time to escape from the shell and is especially common in fresh eggs.[1]
4. Smell the egg. With time, bacteria break down the proteins in the whites of the egg and create a gas. This gas is hydrogen sulphide, better known as "rotten egg gas."
Tips
* The floating test works because the air pocket inside the egg gets bigger with time as the egg contents lose both moisture and carbon dioxide. As the air pocket gets bigger, the egg is more likely to float.
* When a recipe calls for a lot of yolks or whites, separate the eggs in a different bowl then dump the contents with the rest of the egg yolks (or whites). There's nothing more wasteful than cracking open egg number 14 in a 15 yolk recipe and finding out that it is a bad egg. You could also test all the eggs for freshness using the floating technique.
* If you're worried about the egg being fertilized, keep in mind that most eggs come from large-scale operations where laying hens are never exposed to a rooster. If the eggs come from a smaller farm where roosters are present, there is a chance they might be fertilized, but the only way to tell is by candling (holding a light up to the egg in a dark room and looking for blood vessels, movement, and chick development). That being said, fertilized eggs are no more or less nutritious than unfertilized eggs and both are safe to eat.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Monday, March 17, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Survive an Avalanche
Survive an Avalanche
From Wired How-To Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Your odds of outrunning the snow? Not so good. An avalanche can accelerate to 80 mph in seconds. But if you follow these tips, you might just walk away from it.
1. Grab a tree. The more snow that slides past you, the less likely you'll be buried alive. Hang on for dear life until the force knocks you off.
2. Paddle hard. You are three times denser than dry snow, so if you're not swimming, you'll sink.
3. Create space. Once the snow stops, it'll set like concrete. As it slows, inhale to reserve room for the expansion of your chest, and cup a hand around your mouth to leave an air pocket.
4. Raise a hand. Before the flow ceases, get a limb to the surface to help rescuers find you. Between 15 minutes and 45 minutes under the snow, your odds of survival fall from 90 percent to 30.
5. Breathe slowly. To delay carbon dioxide poisoning, stay calm and don't bother yelling until rescuers are on top of you. Your fate is now in their hands.
From Wired How-To Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Your odds of outrunning the snow? Not so good. An avalanche can accelerate to 80 mph in seconds. But if you follow these tips, you might just walk away from it.
1. Grab a tree. The more snow that slides past you, the less likely you'll be buried alive. Hang on for dear life until the force knocks you off.
2. Paddle hard. You are three times denser than dry snow, so if you're not swimming, you'll sink.
3. Create space. Once the snow stops, it'll set like concrete. As it slows, inhale to reserve room for the expansion of your chest, and cup a hand around your mouth to leave an air pocket.
4. Raise a hand. Before the flow ceases, get a limb to the surface to help rescuers find you. Between 15 minutes and 45 minutes under the snow, your odds of survival fall from 90 percent to 30.
5. Breathe slowly. To delay carbon dioxide poisoning, stay calm and don't bother yelling until rescuers are on top of you. Your fate is now in their hands.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Automobile Hacks
Take a look at all the devices in your life, and which one seems the most resistant to DIY improvements, repairs and useful tweaking? The answer, most likely, is that four-wheeled gadget resting just outside. But while many of us lifehack fans aren't as comfortable in our driveways as our desktops, there are lots of cheap and (mostly) simple ways to get more from your vehicle and make driving and owning it a bit more enjoyable. Today we've rounded up 10 of our favorite car-related tips and trick that work whether you're at one with your engine or regard your ride as a mysterious four-wheel transporter. Photo by World Resources Institute Staff.
10. Make your own storage space
diyconsole_scaled.jpgJust because your car's designer was uninspired by the driver's-side space doesn't mean you can't have convenience and easy storage within arm's reach. Using some duct tape, yogurt cups, and other common items, you can put together your own DIY car console, or spend a bit more time and care to craft something a bit more slick-looking. And, while not technically all-the-way-DIY, adhering a sticky pad to your dashboard can serve as seriously convenient, no-stick place to keep your gadgets.
9. Clean your engine (and other parts) for better service
clean_engine_scaled.jpgApologies in advance if this comes off like an over-bearing, car-obsessed relative, but a little time spent with soap and water saves you a lot of ruined clothes and grunt-inducing frustration later on. Cleaning out your engine compartment, for example, makes it easier for mechanics (and yourself) to find leaks, belt and hose breaks, and other problems, and you'll also get a cooler-running motor from your efforts. Check out 74 more wise tips on keeping your car running in tip-top shape.
8. Find your car anywhere
parking_scaled.jpgFew things feel like wasted time more than wandering a vast parking lot, searching out a car that looks just like all the others. To prevent the problem, take a picture of your car and its notable surroundings to quickly re-orient yourself when you come back. Forget to grab that pic? Hold your fob up to your head to boost your alarm-inducing signal and find your ride. Still can't spot your wheels? Try a few other tried-and-true tips. Hate the idea of using your "panic" button for anything, much less a game of parking lot Marco Polo? Feel free to simply and quickly disable it.
7. "Hypermile" for better fuel economy
speedometer_scaled.jpgWe're never going to recommend shutting down your engine and riding a tractor-trailer's draft, but you can learn a thing or two from the folks who take their gas mileage very, very seriously. Here are a few tips gleaned from Wise Bread's take on hypermiling:
* Track your mileage: You can't tell if your efficiency efforts are working unless you're keeping track. Try resetting the odometer every time you refill your tank, rather than trying to note and guess mileages individually.
* Leave lots of space ahead of you: It not only shows you paid attention during driving lessons, it gives you more time to gradually slow down instead of slamming on your brakes and losing all your momentum.
* Use cruise control more often: Accelerate gradually over a distance and you save on all the gas eaten up by lead-footed acceleration.
6. Clean your windshield with a razor blade
razor_scaled.jpgIf you live near a gas station with a freely-available (and relatively clean) squeegee bin, you're in luck. If not, don't settle for a view crusted and hazed over with dirt and bug guts. Keep a covered razor blade in your glove compartment for a quick means of dealing with noticeable blotches, and it might just come in handy in other situations, as well. Photo by Antediluvial.
5. De-ice a lock with hand sanitzer
hand_sanitizer_scaled2.jpgAs pointed out by a commenter and others, a tiny tube of water-less hand sanitizer does more than keep germs away—its heavy alcohol content can also break down ice. Squirt some in a resistant lock, and spend less time in the cold, fumbling with cold metal keys.
4. Remove coffee and other tough stains
coffeestain_scaled.jpgIt's the basic math of the morning commute: Hot liquid + Velocity + Distraction = Stains. Take a few minutes and some household items, however, and you can save your car's interior from looking like the break room carpet. Check out this eHow guide to get started, and then consider using less cream in your java to prevent similarly tough stains in the future. If oil or gasoline hitch a ride on your shoes and onto the carpets, try dryer lint or dish detergent, respectively, to banish them.
3. Fix cracks and scratches with nail polish
nailpolish_scaled.jpgNail polish can do many, many things, and its clear variety is no less an amazing solve-all. Need to slow a crack in a windshield or window before you can get to the glass shop? Nail polish has you covered. Got a little ding you want to prevent from rusing? Clear nail polish does the trick. Better still, if you can find a nail polish shade that (closely) matches your car's paint job, it can work as less-expensive touch-up paint, since the two paints are eerily close in nature. Photo by wrestlingentropy.
2. Connect your MP3 player, no transmitters involved
stereoplug_scaled.jpgThere's no end to the ways you can integrate your iPod, iPhone or other portable device into your dashboard—if you're willing to shell out for that top-shelf car or after-market stereo. But break out your screwdriver and you can easily tap into, or add, an auxiliary jack to your stereo. Wired's How to issue shows you how to plug into existing jacks (scroll down to "Wire your car stereo ..."), while Make magazine offers a simple soldering solution to add your own line-in connection.
1. Fix a dent yourself
dent_scaled.jpgHitting another car almost always means a trip to the body shop, but what about that little ding from the mailbox, the garbage can, or the really inconvenient parking sign? Grab yourself some dry ice, or a hair dryer and a can of compressed air, and you've got two cheap solutions for popping your car's body back into shape. It might not work with serious body repairs, but it saves you a hefty labor charge for fixing cosmetic flaws. Photo by tylerkaraszewski.
10. Make your own storage space
diyconsole_scaled.jpgJust because your car's designer was uninspired by the driver's-side space doesn't mean you can't have convenience and easy storage within arm's reach. Using some duct tape, yogurt cups, and other common items, you can put together your own DIY car console, or spend a bit more time and care to craft something a bit more slick-looking. And, while not technically all-the-way-DIY, adhering a sticky pad to your dashboard can serve as seriously convenient, no-stick place to keep your gadgets.
9. Clean your engine (and other parts) for better service
clean_engine_scaled.jpgApologies in advance if this comes off like an over-bearing, car-obsessed relative, but a little time spent with soap and water saves you a lot of ruined clothes and grunt-inducing frustration later on. Cleaning out your engine compartment, for example, makes it easier for mechanics (and yourself) to find leaks, belt and hose breaks, and other problems, and you'll also get a cooler-running motor from your efforts. Check out 74 more wise tips on keeping your car running in tip-top shape.
8. Find your car anywhere
parking_scaled.jpgFew things feel like wasted time more than wandering a vast parking lot, searching out a car that looks just like all the others. To prevent the problem, take a picture of your car and its notable surroundings to quickly re-orient yourself when you come back. Forget to grab that pic? Hold your fob up to your head to boost your alarm-inducing signal and find your ride. Still can't spot your wheels? Try a few other tried-and-true tips. Hate the idea of using your "panic" button for anything, much less a game of parking lot Marco Polo? Feel free to simply and quickly disable it.
7. "Hypermile" for better fuel economy
speedometer_scaled.jpgWe're never going to recommend shutting down your engine and riding a tractor-trailer's draft, but you can learn a thing or two from the folks who take their gas mileage very, very seriously. Here are a few tips gleaned from Wise Bread's take on hypermiling:
* Track your mileage: You can't tell if your efficiency efforts are working unless you're keeping track. Try resetting the odometer every time you refill your tank, rather than trying to note and guess mileages individually.
* Leave lots of space ahead of you: It not only shows you paid attention during driving lessons, it gives you more time to gradually slow down instead of slamming on your brakes and losing all your momentum.
* Use cruise control more often: Accelerate gradually over a distance and you save on all the gas eaten up by lead-footed acceleration.
6. Clean your windshield with a razor blade
razor_scaled.jpgIf you live near a gas station with a freely-available (and relatively clean) squeegee bin, you're in luck. If not, don't settle for a view crusted and hazed over with dirt and bug guts. Keep a covered razor blade in your glove compartment for a quick means of dealing with noticeable blotches, and it might just come in handy in other situations, as well. Photo by Antediluvial.
5. De-ice a lock with hand sanitzer
hand_sanitizer_scaled2.jpgAs pointed out by a commenter and others, a tiny tube of water-less hand sanitizer does more than keep germs away—its heavy alcohol content can also break down ice. Squirt some in a resistant lock, and spend less time in the cold, fumbling with cold metal keys.
4. Remove coffee and other tough stains
coffeestain_scaled.jpgIt's the basic math of the morning commute: Hot liquid + Velocity + Distraction = Stains. Take a few minutes and some household items, however, and you can save your car's interior from looking like the break room carpet. Check out this eHow guide to get started, and then consider using less cream in your java to prevent similarly tough stains in the future. If oil or gasoline hitch a ride on your shoes and onto the carpets, try dryer lint or dish detergent, respectively, to banish them.
3. Fix cracks and scratches with nail polish
nailpolish_scaled.jpgNail polish can do many, many things, and its clear variety is no less an amazing solve-all. Need to slow a crack in a windshield or window before you can get to the glass shop? Nail polish has you covered. Got a little ding you want to prevent from rusing? Clear nail polish does the trick. Better still, if you can find a nail polish shade that (closely) matches your car's paint job, it can work as less-expensive touch-up paint, since the two paints are eerily close in nature. Photo by wrestlingentropy.
2. Connect your MP3 player, no transmitters involved
stereoplug_scaled.jpgThere's no end to the ways you can integrate your iPod, iPhone or other portable device into your dashboard—if you're willing to shell out for that top-shelf car or after-market stereo. But break out your screwdriver and you can easily tap into, or add, an auxiliary jack to your stereo. Wired's How to issue shows you how to plug into existing jacks (scroll down to "Wire your car stereo ..."), while Make magazine offers a simple soldering solution to add your own line-in connection.
1. Fix a dent yourself
dent_scaled.jpgHitting another car almost always means a trip to the body shop, but what about that little ding from the mailbox, the garbage can, or the really inconvenient parking sign? Grab yourself some dry ice, or a hair dryer and a can of compressed air, and you've got two cheap solutions for popping your car's body back into shape. It might not work with serious body repairs, but it saves you a hefty labor charge for fixing cosmetic flaws. Photo by tylerkaraszewski.
Make Your Own Wrinkle Releaser from Liquid Fabric Softener
Make Your Own Wrinkle Releaser from Liquid Fabric Softener
wrinkled_shirt_scaled.jpgNeed an on-the-go, no-time-to-iron solution for wrinkled clothes, but loathe paying a premium for spray bottles of liquid wrinkle releaser? The TipNut blog has a recipe for a homebrew version. Pour one teaspooon of liquid fabric softener and one cup of water (distilled, preferably) into a spray bottle with a nozzle that can produce a fine mist, shake it up, and, just as with the commercial stuff, apply it to a small patch first to make sure it won't stain or discolor. The bonus is that you can halve the mixture if you want to save room while traveling, which is when this magic elixir really comes in handy. Hit the link below for more iron-less tips for smoothing out clothes.
#
Funny, the only pair of jeans I had available for me to wear to work today were wrinkled as all hell. I honestly thought to myself "I bet Lifehacker has posted something that could fix this." Lo and behold, you people read my mind. Good to know that Lifehacker is run by mindhackers.
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by Darcy at 07:18 AM
My girlfriend's allergic to pretty much everything, so I had to give up that wrinkle releaser stuff. (This wouldn't work either).
I did find, though, that a spray bottle with just water in it works almost as well. Lay flat, give it a spray, stretch out the wrinkles and then give it a shake. Cheap as free.
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by eleven30 at 07:41 AM
And just in time for spring break!
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by misteral at 08:08 AM
I've been missing this stuff since it disappeared off the shelves (at least here in Canada, unless I'm blind).
Depending on how wrinkly things are, I find hanging it beside the shower will typically work wonders, especially when traveling. @Darcy: this should solve the GF problem, assuming of course one of you has a shower before you get dressed
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by bowl443 at 08:13 AM
Wet rag with wrinkled clothes in dryer always works for me...
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by davearonson at 08:17 AM
For travel, to/from/within the USA, you'd have to do more than halve it, assuming a single container. Half a cup is still four ounces, and the limit per container is 3, so you're just giving the TSA confiscators some free wrinkle releaser. Make a batch and put into one or more smaller containers, make a smaller batch, whatever....
Flag
#
Image of suburbancowboy by suburbancowboy at 08:34 AM
I hang my clothes in the bathroom while I take a shower. In warmer months, I rarely need to iron. If there is excess wrinkles, I usually take just water in a spray bottle and spray myself while I am wearing the shirt. Then I stretch the fabric a little, and most wrinkles disappear.
What does the wrinkle remover do technically that water can't. I've never used it before, so I honestly don't know.
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by bodah at 10:05 AM
A spray bottle with water does the exact same thing, no need for fragrance.
Flag
#
Image of genghis_schmengis by genghis_schmengis at 10:23 AM
@suburbancowboy:
This is exactly what I do. Then handy thing is your clothes are there to just put on when you get out of the shower, plus are wrinkle free, and no addition time or effort was needed to knock out the wrinkles.
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by da5id_nz at 11:16 AM
The shower thing has never really worked for me. Maybe I don't steam up the room enough? Here down under, I've never even heard of wrinkle release. I'm not sure I'd like to be wearing a chemical next to my skin all day.
The water-in-a-spray-bottle sounds good, but the thing is when I'm looking for a shirt to wear, I need it NOW and haven't got time to be wetting things and waiting until they dry.
If I'm wearing a wrinkled t-shirt and someone points it out, I'll just say that it's supposed to be like that; it's one of the new 'aged and wrinkled' look shirts that all the kids are wearing nowadays (and no, there is no such thing) ;)
wrinkled_shirt_scaled.jpgNeed an on-the-go, no-time-to-iron solution for wrinkled clothes, but loathe paying a premium for spray bottles of liquid wrinkle releaser? The TipNut blog has a recipe for a homebrew version. Pour one teaspooon of liquid fabric softener and one cup of water (distilled, preferably) into a spray bottle with a nozzle that can produce a fine mist, shake it up, and, just as with the commercial stuff, apply it to a small patch first to make sure it won't stain or discolor. The bonus is that you can halve the mixture if you want to save room while traveling, which is when this magic elixir really comes in handy. Hit the link below for more iron-less tips for smoothing out clothes.
#
Funny, the only pair of jeans I had available for me to wear to work today were wrinkled as all hell. I honestly thought to myself "I bet Lifehacker has posted something that could fix this." Lo and behold, you people read my mind. Good to know that Lifehacker is run by mindhackers.
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by Darcy at 07:18 AM
My girlfriend's allergic to pretty much everything, so I had to give up that wrinkle releaser stuff. (This wouldn't work either).
I did find, though, that a spray bottle with just water in it works almost as well. Lay flat, give it a spray, stretch out the wrinkles and then give it a shake. Cheap as free.
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by eleven30 at 07:41 AM
And just in time for spring break!
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by misteral at 08:08 AM
I've been missing this stuff since it disappeared off the shelves (at least here in Canada, unless I'm blind).
Depending on how wrinkly things are, I find hanging it beside the shower will typically work wonders, especially when traveling. @Darcy: this should solve the GF problem, assuming of course one of you has a shower before you get dressed
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by bowl443 at 08:13 AM
Wet rag with wrinkled clothes in dryer always works for me...
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by davearonson at 08:17 AM
For travel, to/from/within the USA, you'd have to do more than halve it, assuming a single container. Half a cup is still four ounces, and the limit per container is 3, so you're just giving the TSA confiscators some free wrinkle releaser. Make a batch and put into one or more smaller containers, make a smaller batch, whatever....
Flag
#
Image of suburbancowboy by suburbancowboy at 08:34 AM
I hang my clothes in the bathroom while I take a shower. In warmer months, I rarely need to iron. If there is excess wrinkles, I usually take just water in a spray bottle and spray myself while I am wearing the shirt. Then I stretch the fabric a little, and most wrinkles disappear.
What does the wrinkle remover do technically that water can't. I've never used it before, so I honestly don't know.
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by bodah at 10:05 AM
A spray bottle with water does the exact same thing, no need for fragrance.
Flag
#
Image of genghis_schmengis by genghis_schmengis at 10:23 AM
@suburbancowboy:
This is exactly what I do. Then handy thing is your clothes are there to just put on when you get out of the shower, plus are wrinkle free, and no addition time or effort was needed to knock out the wrinkles.
Flag
#
No commenter image uploaded by da5id_nz at 11:16 AM
The shower thing has never really worked for me. Maybe I don't steam up the room enough? Here down under, I've never even heard of wrinkle release. I'm not sure I'd like to be wearing a chemical next to my skin all day.
The water-in-a-spray-bottle sounds good, but the thing is when I'm looking for a shirt to wear, I need it NOW and haven't got time to be wetting things and waiting until they dry.
If I'm wearing a wrinkled t-shirt and someone points it out, I'll just say that it's supposed to be like that; it's one of the new 'aged and wrinkled' look shirts that all the kids are wearing nowadays (and no, there is no such thing) ;)
Sunday, February 24, 2008
How to Hang a Flatscreen
Hang a Flatscreen
From Wired How-To Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Illustration: Jason Lee
Illustration: Jason Lee
Remember that commercial where the hip young couple mounts their flat-panel TV on the ceiling? They end up in bed, gazing skyward at a screenful of dazzling fireworks. Call us crazy gravity-phobes, but we recommend sticking it on a wall. Here's how. — Tom McEnaney
This article is a STUB. You can help us make it better by editing or expanding it. Log in at the top of the page to get started.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Step 1: Pick a Spot
* 2 Step 2: Hide the Cables
* 3 Step 2a: Hide the Cables Tip
* 4 Step 3: Hang it Up
Step 1: Pick a Spot
Use a stud-finder to ensure that your perfect, glare-free spot has enough support and no hidden obstacles. A quick rule of thumb is you need one stud for an LCD and two for a plasma, which are generally heavier. However, obviously a 51" TV is going to weigh more than a 32" TV so check your manual.
Step 2: Hide the Cables
With a drywall saw, cut an outlet-sized hole near where the cables will jack into the back of the TV. Make another near the floor, directly below. (You can tidy up the holes with grommets.) Bundle the cables with electrical tape and feed them in through the top hole and out the bottom.
Make sure that the cables you buy are long enough and will reach their destination. For example, a 6' HDMI cable is usually plenty long enough to go from the back of a regular TV to your cable box. However, if your flatpanel is mounted five feet off the ground, and you have an extending, swivel mount, the cables will need to be fed through the piping of the mounting bracket. Additionally, you may have your DVD player positioned below your stereo, your cable box, and your center channel speaker (see photo below). When in doubt, go for the 10' cable. Run extra cables for future gear.
Image:Flatpanel_wiki.jpg
Note that if your wall has fire blocks in it (small horizontal 2x4s that are placed horizontally between vertical studs) this may be difficult.
Step 2a: Hide the Cables Tip
A spool of nylon string, a steel washer, and a magnet taped to a pencil or a coat hanger. Tie the washer to the end of the string then drop it from the top hole and use the magnet if needed to pull it out. The string can also be used to measure your needed cable length. Put a piece of tape at the top marking how much you need, don't cut it, pull it out the bottom till you get the tape mark. You can also leave some string in the cable bundle for future expansion.
Step 3: Hang it Up
Use a level to mount the (VESA-compliant) bracket with anchor bolts. Attach the rails to your flatscreen TV, then have a sure-handed friend support the set while you bolt it to the bracket.
From Wired How-To Wiki
Jump to: navigation, search
Illustration: Jason Lee
Illustration: Jason Lee
Remember that commercial where the hip young couple mounts their flat-panel TV on the ceiling? They end up in bed, gazing skyward at a screenful of dazzling fireworks. Call us crazy gravity-phobes, but we recommend sticking it on a wall. Here's how. — Tom McEnaney
This article is a STUB. You can help us make it better by editing or expanding it. Log in at the top of the page to get started.
Contents
[hide]
* 1 Step 1: Pick a Spot
* 2 Step 2: Hide the Cables
* 3 Step 2a: Hide the Cables Tip
* 4 Step 3: Hang it Up
Step 1: Pick a Spot
Use a stud-finder to ensure that your perfect, glare-free spot has enough support and no hidden obstacles. A quick rule of thumb is you need one stud for an LCD and two for a plasma, which are generally heavier. However, obviously a 51" TV is going to weigh more than a 32" TV so check your manual.
Step 2: Hide the Cables
With a drywall saw, cut an outlet-sized hole near where the cables will jack into the back of the TV. Make another near the floor, directly below. (You can tidy up the holes with grommets.) Bundle the cables with electrical tape and feed them in through the top hole and out the bottom.
Make sure that the cables you buy are long enough and will reach their destination. For example, a 6' HDMI cable is usually plenty long enough to go from the back of a regular TV to your cable box. However, if your flatpanel is mounted five feet off the ground, and you have an extending, swivel mount, the cables will need to be fed through the piping of the mounting bracket. Additionally, you may have your DVD player positioned below your stereo, your cable box, and your center channel speaker (see photo below). When in doubt, go for the 10' cable. Run extra cables for future gear.
Image:Flatpanel_wiki.jpg
Note that if your wall has fire blocks in it (small horizontal 2x4s that are placed horizontally between vertical studs) this may be difficult.
Step 2a: Hide the Cables Tip
A spool of nylon string, a steel washer, and a magnet taped to a pencil or a coat hanger. Tie the washer to the end of the string then drop it from the top hole and use the magnet if needed to pull it out. The string can also be used to measure your needed cable length. Put a piece of tape at the top marking how much you need, don't cut it, pull it out the bottom till you get the tape mark. You can also leave some string in the cable bundle for future expansion.
Step 3: Hang it Up
Use a level to mount the (VESA-compliant) bracket with anchor bolts. Attach the rails to your flatscreen TV, then have a sure-handed friend support the set while you bolt it to the bracket.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
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