Remember to Write it Down
Chris | Live Tech Support | Video Help | Add to iTunes
http://live.pirillo.com/ – Any time you have to work with electronics and take things apart, make sure you plan what you’re doing. Don’t get over-anxious and just start disassembling something you may not later remember how to properly put back together.
Ponzi and I recently got some new shelving units for our basement media room, which is still coming together. I have 7.1 surround sound, and had to unhook all the wires from the back of the receiver. Had I just started pulling them out, putting it back together could have been a nightmare. Here are some things I did to help me remember, and are my “tips” to you when doing anything similar at your home.
- Have plenty of light. Make sure you can see what goes where, the proper color wires, and the proper holes.
- I recorded myself with my video camera. This gave me a visual and audio backup to refer to if needed.
- I grabbed some stickers out of Ponzi’s desk drawer. Little color-coded stickers are a great little thing to use to keep things organized. You can actually buy wire labeling kits that you can write on the long, thin sticker what the cord is for, then wrap it around the cord permanently.
- Write. It. Down. Yes, write! I even drew a little diagram in one instance.
If you take any or all of the above steps, you shouldn’t have any problems when the time comes to reassemble what you’ve taken apart.
Want to embed this video in your blog? Use this code:
Formats Available: MPEG4 Video (.mp4) Flash Video (.flv) MP3 Audio (.mp3)
Have you ever heard of Traffic Blazer? Submit your business info to more than 200 search engines and directories and position your Web site for top rankings with Google and other leading search engines - it's available through GoDaddy. Plus, as a listener of The Chris Pirillo Show, enter code CHRIS2 when you check out, and save an additional $5 off any order of $30 or more. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy!
5 Comments
Itsyaw.Com
October 2nd, 2007
at 3:58pm
unknown wrote an interesting post today onRemember to Write it DownHere’s a quick excerpt You can actually buy wire labeling kits that you can write on the long, thin sticker what the cord is for, then wrap it around the cord permanently. Write. It. Down. Yes, write! I even drew a little diagram in one instance.
Doug Young
October 2nd, 2007
at 9:57am
Hey Chris, sounds like the Star Trek episode “Spock’s Brain” where Bones gets part way through reconnecting Spock’s brain before he forgets how to do the rest.
Michael Markman
October 2nd, 2007
at 10:13am
This also applies to comments. Don’t just think it, write it down. Otherwise you may never remember what you thought about a particular post. (Warning: if your comment is as inane as this, don’t click “Submit.” Just write it down on and stick it in a drawer somewhere.)
Scott Kingery
October 2nd, 2007
at 10:24am
I drew a little diagram for my XMas lights about 7 years ago (when we bought our house). I keep it in box with the lights. Makes restringing the lights a snap every year. Plus it saves trips up and down a 10ft ladder with the wrong end of the light string.
John Neilson
October 4th, 2007
at 4:44am
I use self-adhesive labels folded around the cable and stuck back on themselves, leaving a little tab to write on. And I have one at BOTH ends of the cable :-)