Do You Need a Media Cabinet for Your Cable Box?

By HIDEit Mounts · November 11, 2026 · 3 min read

No. An adjustable wall mount holds a cable box, streamer or small PC on the wall or behind the TV, it costs less than a new media console, and the shelf space comes back.

That is the short answer. The longer one starts with the shelf. A cable box, a streamer and a router do not need a cabinet. They need somewhere to sit that is not the console, and the wall has plenty of room. Below: what can go on the wall, how to mount behind the TV, how to pick the right size, and what real before and afters look like.

Real before and after

Stop buying furniture to hide a box. The reel shows the swap: the console comes out, the box goes on the wall, and the shelf is a shelf again.

The wall keeps the setup simple. Cables run short and straight, the box sits where the signal reaches it, and the space under the TV is yours. The HIDEit Uni-S and the rest of the HIDEit Universal mounts are built for that job.

What can go on the wall

Most of the small gear around a TV can go on the wall. Cable boxes, streamers, hard drives, hubs, routers and small PCs all fit on an adjustable HIDEit Universal mount, and one mount holds one device.

Moving the devices off the shelf does two things. The shelf space comes back, and the cables get shorter. If you are weighing a media cabinet for a cable box, start by listing what you would put in it. If it is a handful of small devices, the wall is enough.

On the wall or behind the TV

You have two places to mount. On the wall puts the device beside or under the TV. Behind the TV puts it out of sight.

For behind the TV, the [HIDEit Uni-S] mounts to the TV’s VESA holes, 75mm or 100mm, so there are no new holes in the wall. If the TV is already on a wall mount, the HIDEit Uni-VESA Bar gives the device a place to hang. The Uni-S keeps buttons and ports reachable, and most remotes still work. Mount a TV and hide the box covers the full setup.

Picking a size

Match your device to the mount’s adjustable range. The HIDEit Universal mounts cover five sizes, in inches:

HIDEit Uni-XS: height 2 to 8, length 1.5 to 8, depth 0.7 to 1.1.

HIDEit Uni-S: height 3 to 9, length 4 to 10, depth 1 to 1.75.

HIDEit Uni-M: height 9.01 to 13.95, length 6 to 14, depth 1.25 to 2.65.

HIDEit Uni-MW: height 9.01 to 13.95, length 6 to 14, depth 2.66 to 3.65.

HIDEit Uni-L: height 13.5 to 17.5, length 8.5 to 16, depth 2.66 to 3.75.

Measure the height, length and depth of your device and pick the mount whose ranges cover all three. Wall mounting uses the included drywall screws and anchors, and stud mounting is optional. Shop the HIDEit Universal mounts

Built to last

A wall mount should hold up as long as the TV it sits behind. The HIDEit Uni-S is 16-gauge cold-rolled steel with a powder coat finish, and it has been sold since 2014.

So, do you need a media cabinet for your cable box? No. Pick the HIDEit Universal mount that fits your device, put it on the wall or behind the TV, and get the shelf back.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my remote still work if the box is mounted?

Most remotes still work. The HIDEit Uni-S keeps buttons and ports reachable. A box hidden fully behind a TV may need an IR repeater or an RF or app remote.

Can you mount a cable box behind the TV?

Yes. The HIDEit Uni-S mounts to the TV’s VESA holes, 75mm or 100mm. If the TV is already on a wall mount, use the HIDEit Uni-VESA Bar.

Which Universal mount fits my device?

Match the device’s height, length and depth to each mount’s adjustable range on the product page. The HIDEit Uni-XS, Uni-S, Uni-M, Uni-MW and Uni-L cover small streamers up to large components.

Do I have to drill?

For wall mounting, yes, and the drywall screws and anchors are included. Mounting behind the TV on its VESA holes adds no new holes in the wall.