• Avoid long cable runs:
  The shorter the home theater cable or AV interconnect, the better.

• Make sure your cables are long enough:
  Unnecessary cable length should be avoided, yet keep in mind that in case of shelved system components, if the rear panels are not easily accessible, you should allow enough cable slack to let you pull the component forward and reach the rear panel.

• Keep power cords away from signal cables:
  Power cords can introduce a significant level of interference into signal interconnects.

This being especially true with low power line home theater cables. Therefore, try to minimize as much as possible contact between the two - ideally keep power cables away from signal once.

• Ensure correct hook up of cables:
  If a home theater interconnect has arrows printed on its jacket, hook it up so that the arrow is pointing away from the signal source and toward the destination. In other words, the direction of the arrow should follow the signal flow from source to load.

• Avoid kinking or bending a home theater cable:
  Don't try to pull a short cable to make it reach. This is especially important with optical interconnects.

This can put stress on the cable connectors as well as potentially cause damage to your cable or system gear. If necessary, buy a longer cable.

• Don't keep excess cable lying in loops:
  Preferably, arrange any excess cable in an "S" shape or a figure-eight instead; this can help minimize electromagnetic interference.