AV Cables on wall plate

[mrbeckett]

Ok, so we've got Smartboards in every classroom, each have a set of speakers, connected to an amp/wallplate with the following inputs:

- VGA connector
- PC audio (3.5mm jack)
- Video input (red/white/yellow phono sockets)

In most rooms, there is a 1.5 meter VGA and audio cable for teacher laptops to connect up. The smartboard usb lead just comes out of the board.

Since installed, some students have noticed that during lunchtimes/breaktimes, they can connect their own devices to the pc audio lead and play it over the speakers.

Without our knowledge, some teachers removed the cable at these times so they couldnt listen to their music. This then lead to the students taking cables from other rooms. Break would end, teachers would return to their rooms and find a missing cable, then ask us for replacements. We even found some students keeping the cable in their bags!

As a deterrent, i went round and simply cable tied all the video/audio leads together, which 95% of the time works fine. However, we are still finding it a small issue. Scissors in school aren't particular hard to find!

Does anyone have any thoughts on how we could resolve this? Another method of securing them perhaps?

It's a bit of a pain for teachers really, trying to get a hold of us to replace them while trying to teach can be a struggle.

[LeMarchand]

Shouldn't they be out on the playing field anyway?

(Or am I showing my age?)

[leco]

Disappearing cables is not good, but is it such a big deal that the pupils play their own music at break?

[LeMarchand]

is it such a big deal that the pupils play their own music at break?

Depends on what they're playing, but I can't imagine I'd want to hear the rubbish that it's likely to be!

[leco]

But then you are out on the playing field remember

[LeMarchand]

Chances are they'll be playing it loud enough for me to hear out there!

[maestromasada]

Had a similar problem, and at the end we bough sticky trunking and celotaped the cable inside, to remove it you have to open the trunking and undo the tape, that sort of solved the issue.

[DaveP]

Have you considered metal cable ties?

Example link: Steel - Weidmuller - Voltimum UK - Electrical Installation Products and Contracting

We considered them some time ago as a to prevent students walking off with peripherals [mice etc] but we dismissed it because the cable was damaged as they pulled against it so we lost the mouse [or other device] anyway.

They might be suitable for the situation you describe though?

[john]

Hot Melt Glue Gun Glue to stick then in to both the PC and the wall plate, its worked wonders in a couple of areas where I kept having cables grow legs If you do need to swap it you can still get them out just a big of poking around with a screwdriver to remove the glueyness first.

[K.C.Leblanc]

Disappearing cables is not good, but is it such a big deal that the pupils play their own music at break?

In theory no,

But in practice yes, one it leads to the equipment being turned up too loud and damaged and two it leads to the equipment not being in a usable state for the teacher when they need it.

Have you suggested to teachers that they need to be having words with their tutor groups about this.

[maniac]

We cable tie the wires, but we use extra big cable ties - does the trick for us.