New in H2R Gear v2.12
A rewritten cable engine that routes around your gear, plus cable shortcuts and a long list of fixes.
Read more →Sets the blank wrap section (21mm) between the two flag halves.
24 labels
V: Blue
Preview at approximate actual size. For label printers, choose the matching tape width in your printer settings.
How to use the AV cable label maker
Pick a prefix, a start number and how many labels you need. Zero padding keeps IDs the same width (V01 to V24 rather than V1 to V24), which reads better on a wrap and sorts properly in a spreadsheet. Add a suffix for spares or a second line for a length such as 10m. If you already have a list, switch to Paste a list or CSV and paste one label per line.
Then choose a label size and format and press Print labels. Only the labels print, not the rest of this page. Copy as CSV gives you the same list to paste into label printer software or a spreadsheet.
Flag, wrap-around or simple labels
- Flag labels wrap once around the cable and the two ends stick together to form a tab. The ID is printed on both halves, so you can read it from either side. The dashed middle section is the part that goes around the cable; enter your cable diameter and the generator sizes it for you.
- Wrap-around labels repeat the ID along the label so it shows from any angle once wrapped. They sit flat and snag less in cable reels and snakes. Cover them with clear tape or use self-laminating label stock for touring.
- Simple labels print the ID once. Use them on cases, connector panels, stage boxes and patch bays.
Label sizes
| Size | Good for |
|---|---|
| 12mm tape | HDMI, USB, thin XLR and Ethernet patch leads |
| 18mm tape | SDI, XLR mic cables, most power leads |
| 24mm tape | Multicore, fiber reels, thick power feeders, case labels |
| A4, 21 per sheet | Office laser printers, 63.5 x 38.1mm labels |
| Letter, 30 per sheet | US address label sheets, 2.625 x 1 inch labels |
For sheets, print at 100% scale with no "fit to page", and run one test on plain paper held against a label sheet before using the real thing. Printers vary by a millimetre or two.
Cable labelling conventions that work
There is no single industry standard, but most crews settle on something close to this:
| Prefix | Signal | Example |
|---|---|---|
| V | Video (HDMI, SDI, fiber video) | V01 Camera 1 to switcher |
| A | Audio (XLR, jack, multicore) | A12 Lectern mic to stage box |
| N | Network (Ethernet, including NDI and Dante) | N03 Switcher to router |
| P | Power | P07 Distro to FOH |
| D | Data (USB, Thunderbolt) | D01 Switcher to record computer |
| C | Comms | C02 Base station to camera 2 |
- Label both ends. A cable labelled at one end only saves you half the walk. Tick Print two of each and the generator doubles every label.
- Keep IDs short. Three to five characters is easy to read at arm's length on a dark stage. Put lengths and routes on a second line or in the paperwork.
- Colour-code by type. Coloured tape or heat shrink per prefix lets you find all the video cables at a glance. The legend above the preview tells you which colour goes with which prefix.
- Never reuse an ID in the same show. If a cable is swapped, give the replacement a new ID or a suffix (V04B) and update the patch list.
For label materials, placement and habits on show day, read our full guide to cable labelling for live events.
Match your labels to the patch list
Labels only help if the paperwork uses the same IDs. The patch list is where each label is written next to its source, destination and length, so anyone on the crew can look up V07 and see it runs from camera 3 to switcher input 7. If you do not have one yet, start with our free patch list maker or read how to make a patch list.
Cable labels in H2R Gear
In H2R Gear you draw your system with real gear and connect cables between the actual inputs and outputs. Every cable can carry a label of up to 7 characters (for example V01) and a length such as 10m. Both show on the canvas, so the diagram and the cable in your hand say the same thing. Lengths also appear in the automatic packlist.
On Pro and Team plans, the patch list lists every cable with its type, label, length, from item, output, to item and input. Export it as CSV, paste it into this generator, and your printed labels match the plan exactly. H2R Gear does not print labels itself, which is why this tool exists. The free Starter plan lets you try the diagram and packlist with two active plans.