Stan Welks

Advice for power conditioner/surge protectors

Can anyone recommend a home theater power conditioner/surge protector? I have no idea what to look for. I want to plug in a 42-inch LCD, a DVD player, an AppleTV, a new receiver that I plan on purchasing, and
a HD or Blu Ray player that I will get within the next 6-months.

Can anyone recommend some of the features I should look for? I am looking at devices located at www.bhphoto.com

Thanks for any advice!!!!

joseph westcott

Re: Advice for power conditioner/surge protectors

My favorite Isobar, as they call it, have been made by Tripp Lite. I use several HT10DBS with $500,000 insurance for all UL or CSA certified devices connected, including phone and satellite cable connections. I am in the crowd that appreciates the fact that most quality audio/video equipment comes with quality self regulating power supplies so power conditioning is not really necessary unless you just have terrible power in your area or flush with cash. The Tripp lite provides signal isolation and made a noticeable difference in video quality on my system. The peace of mind of the insurance coverage is also very welcome. Not all surge protectors are equal and many do not honor their guarantees and you must read the fine print. Take specific note of the Joule rating. The higher, the better.

http://www.tripplite.com/products/pr...productID=2813

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...pres sor.html

The one I listed at their site has far more insurance protection and higher joule coverage.

"His and Her Room" March Issue 2007 Home Theater Magazine and Audio Video Interiors

LilRed2

Re: Advice for power conditioner/surge protectors

On a related note, be cautious what you plug into the surge protector. Mine came with a pass-though for the CATV, which I used. Why not protect the digital cable box, after all.

Some months later, the cable box ceased to function. The tech said the surge protector prevented the cable box from receiving software updates. After missing enough updates, the original box just couldn't deal with the new signals. The only way to fix it was to switch to a new cable box.

The tech also said the surge protector would also just shunt any power spikes into the cable system, and cause problems for the cable company.

I have no idea if the tech knew what he was talking about or not, but things are working again now. If he doesn't want his company's equipment plugged into a surge protector that is OK with me - if it blows they just come over with another device!

John