In other words, if the option you wish to select doesn't fall into the specific options that are given, then choosing "other" would be the correct action.

I hope I've been helpful.

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Besides the fire risk, you also have risk of drilling/nailing from behind and impacting the wire.

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I have a friend who markets home-automation gear and he kept going on and on about how there needed to be either 12" or 18" (I forget which) of distance between the cords though the wall.

However, when he was doing home installs he always ran a separate power box up to just behind the TV via gangbox. You know, utterly anal person who insists on "doing it right" when it comes to wall mounting someone's 42" plasma.

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While digital makes it less likely to be affected, it does not make it impervious. Even Monoprice specifies which cables are rated for in-wall use (which is partially for shielding and partially for fire code requirements) vs normal use.

But pretty much all HDMI cable is shielded in some manner. But improperly/poorly run power can have very nasty EMI leaks that cause all kinds of issues.

Not everyone lives in a brand new home that is completely up to spec.

@jswilson64: Actually, he's just a very much "Do it right" person. It doesn't matter about code. He cares not only about aesthetics, but safety and performance. It's just how he is. He likes to customize just about anything he can, but when he does it, he doesn't do it in a half-ass manner like so many people do.

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In spirit you might be only considering extension cords, but I think signal cable is lumped into the above category.

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"(A) Covered. This Code covers the installation of electrical conductors, equipment, and raceways; signaling and communications conductors, equipment, and raceways; and optical fiber cables and raceways for the following:"...and it goes on to list what kind of structures it applies to.

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In many places it is against fire code to run non-plenum rated Ethernet cable under a floor/through a wall that has electrical wiring and/or forced air.

This also includes any wiring run through drop ceilings, etc.

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Their sheathing is different (and their flexibility as well) due to fire reasons. From the toxic gasses they give off as they burn to how easily they resist burning.

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I've had a lightning strike hop from a power jack to switch to an Ethernet cable, to the hardware at the far end. The insulation for the cabling melted/burned off and/or left a small lump of conductor where it split in a couple of places.

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