Do you use an UPS backup

[mfrodsha]

supply with your t.v./921 receiver? I use a high-grade surge protector, but I've had the power go out a few times, and it doesn't make me comfortable. Can you recommend a reasonably priced UPS backup power supply for home entertainment systems?

I'd hate for anything else to go wrong with this receiver, in addition to all the software update messes.

 

[SimpleSimon]

You bet I do - lots of power blinks here.

Almost any UPS out there should work to cover blinks if that's all you're worried about.

Plus the UPS into the existing surge suppressor to give 2 layers of clamping in front of the 921, and also some protection for the UPS itself. Some might say this is wrong, but I already disproved that in another thread. It IS wise to ensure all your A/V gear is as close to the same ground as possible - and plugging everything into the same strip and/or UPS will do that just fine.

While you're at the store, make sure you've got protection for BOTH satellite feeds and the phone line.

 

[Martimus]

supply with your t.v./921 receiver? I use a high-grade surge protector, but I've had the power go out a few times, and it doesn't make me comfortable. Can you recommend a reasonably priced UPS backup power supply for home entertainment systems?

I'd hate for anything else to go wrong with this receiver, in addition to all the software update messes.

No and Yes... I don't own a 921 receiver so the answer to that part is no. I do, however, own a 721 and its protected (in addition to all of my AV gear) by an APC 1.4kva UPS and APC Surge Protectors. I used the APC surge protectors because APC has this silly caveat saying they only guarantee protection if their surge protectors are used with their UPS.

I personally like the APC units because they're simple, straightforward, easy to maintain, and do the job. There are better UPS's out there but there are good deals to be found over on eBay. I'd recommend going with APC Smart-UPS units rather than their cheaper Back-UPS units.

 

[Robski]

I use a UPS for the 921 and the big screen TV

 

[mfrodsha]

Thanks for the helpful information. Any ideas on how much time I need, minimum, for the battery to last? I know some are rated for 1-2 minutes, while others are closer to a hour.

Thanks.

 

[SimpleSimon]

It depends on your objective. How long is your typical power outage? There's your answer.

 

[FaxMan]

You bet I do - lots of power blinks here.

Almost any UPS out there should work to cover blinks if that's all you're worried about.

Plus the UPS into the existing surge suppressor to give 2 layers of clamping in front of the 921, and also some protection for the UPS itself. Some might say this is wrong, but I already disproved that in another thread. It IS wise to ensure all your A/V gear is as close to the same ground as possible - and plugging everything into the same strip and/or UPS will do that just fine.

While you're at the store, make sure you've got protection for BOTH satellite feeds and the phone line.

I recently put an APC UPS on my system partly because the lamp in my Rear Projection LCD TV doesn't appreciate cycling off and on. In looking at the power requirements of the equipment, it looks like I'll get pretty long uptime.

I'll have to look for the thread where you disproved the theory of putting a surge suppressor before the UPS, but I have mine in the other order.

Simon, you mentioned protection for BOTH satellite feeds (921). When I first hooked up my 921 I had difficulties. My coax surge suppressor has Sat in/out and Cable in/out. I figured they weren't much different, but the 921 apparently didn't like it (wouldn't lock both feeds) and the E* tech said that they were probably different and needed to be identical. I've yet to find a block that has two identical sets of I/Os. Right now I'm running nekid. I guess I could try two identical surge suppressors that include coax protection, but they'd be separate from my main power protection.

 

[SaltiDawg]

It depends on your objective. How long is your typical power outage? There's your answer.

I would suggest that that is not the best criterior. The answer is likely found in asking how long it will take you to walk over and turn off the TV and audio system while on the battery back-up. In the case where you are not at home, the answer is in how long an outage do you require the Sat system and any say a VCR to be able to continue to be powered on backup battery.

Your power rating requirement will be determined by the case when you atre home and watching the TV, your capacity requirement will be determined by the greater of the at-home and not at-home cases.

I would not put a surge detector on the supply side of any UPS.

 

[SimpleSimon]

FaxMan: I think some of us at leat would be interested in knowing what brand & odel of surge suppressor is not working for you - and whether you are running Legacy or DishPro - DP is going to be more sensitive.

SaltiDawg: Welcome aboard. Maybe I didn't make myself 100% clear. Objective AND duration of power loss are the criteria. In my case, the UPS drives just the 921 - because I want the best possible chance of not losing my shows.

Other people (like FaxMan) worry about their projection lamps - and rightfully so.

And, as I said before, protecting your UPS with a surge protector is NOT an issue. I've been doing it for many years, protecting all sorts of electronics. The ground bus on ALL of these devices is a pass-through. All the surge strip is doing is providing some additional clamping before it reaches the next device in the chain so to speak. It's a non-issue.

EDIT: Actually, now that I think about it, if we go your way, you can't use a UPS in a house with a whole-house surge protector, or for that matter on an electrical grid that protects the neighborhood feed lines with lightning protectors.

 

[Martimus]

FaxMan: I think some of us at leat would be interested in knowing what brand & odel of surge suppressor is not working for you - and whether you are running Legacy or DishPro - DP is going to be more sensitive.

SaltiDawg: Welcome aboard. Maybe I didn't make myself 100% clear. Objective AND duration of power loss are the criteria. In my case, the UPS drives just the 921 - because I want the best possible chance of not losing my shows.

Other people (like FaxMan) worry about their projection lamps - and rightfully so.

And, as I said before, protecting your UPS with a surge protector is NOT an issue. I've been doing it for many years, protecting all sorts of electronics. The ground bus on ALL of these devices is a pass-through. All the surge strip is doing is providing some additional clamping before it reaches the next device in the chain so to speak. It's a non-issue.

EDIT: Actually, now that I think about it, if we go your way, you can't use a UPS in a house with a whole-house surge protector, or for that matter on an electrical grid that protects the neighborhood feed lines with lightning protectors.

I tend to agree with you. Placing a surge protector on the line side of a UPS really isn't a big deal. It does provide marginally better surge protection to the UPS at a nominal cost. The thing people definitely DON'T want to do, however, is drive a UPS with a UPS.

 

[SimpleSimon]

I tend to agree with you. Placing a surge protector on the line side of a UPS really isn't a big deal. It does provide marginally better surge protection to the UPS at a nominal cost. The thing people definitely DON'T want to do, however, is drive a UPS with a UPS.

Generally, that's a VERY true thing. There are exceptions, but not usually found in the consumer marketplace.

In my case, the exception is the 6000 watt generator that's my long-outage UPS.

 

[SaltiDawg]

> ...
EDIT: Actually, now that I think about it, if we go your way, you can't use a UPS in a house with a whole-house surge protector, or for that matter on an electrical grid that protects the neighborhood feed lines with lightning protectors.

If you mean my way, actually the whole-house surge protectors are not a problem - and provide virtually no surge protection for consumer electronics, however will help protect large loads such as A/C compressors, etc.

Again, if one is trying to size a UPS based on being able to watch TV for the duration of a hurricane, the gentleman with the generator is on to something! Again, one should determine wattage requirement based on maximum rated load and storage capaciity of the battery based on (at least) two scenarios - one with the user present, one with just "hotel" loads. The approach works whether it is just the receiver or everything including the ice box on the UPS.

 

[mfrodsha]

So, what sort of Voltage/Wattage

So, what sort of Voltage/Wattage minimums are you guys using?

I just bought a cheap ($60) UPS with 330 watts, and 550 volts, and it starting giving me warning beeps immediately upon turning up the sound on my DVD movie - and that was even WITH power on (no power outage).

Obviously, that won't work, for it to beep when the power is still on.

I figure I must be overloading the UPS already.

For a 55inch Mitsu HD t.v., and full stereo entertainment system, what would you recommend as a minimum UPs that won't give me a warning sound?

1000 V and 1000 Watts?

 

[SimpleSimon]

TV, Stereo, and satellite box is a LOT of load. Most people do nto try to drive all that stuff from the UPS - they just use it for their DVR so they don't lose recordings. I saw a recent post where someone DID use one to protect the projection bulb in their LCD TV.

My setup has a hefty UPS for JUST the 921 and it's plugged into the surge protector strip that has everything else pluggd into it - including phone line and both satellite feeds, which is VERY important!