# UPS power backup



## Link (Feb 2, 2004)

Has anyone used or considered using a UPS power battery backup strip for their DVR?? I used two for my computer hardware and since imy 721 has a hard drive I wondered if it would be a good idea since we have had a lot of storms lately and the power has dipped or gone off completely.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

I have one on my DirecTiVo partially because it takes about five minutes for the unit to boot up. The only other item on the UPS side is my VCR (don't want to reset it even though it's practically worthless).

If you are going to be using a UPS on a Dish Network system and have a power inserter as part of the switch, don't forget to get a UPS for that as well.


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## guruka (Dec 27, 2003)

Sure. I've used a UPS on my Dish DVRs for several years. The APC 350 VA unit used to keep my 501 up for an hour if power went out, but it only keeps my 921 up for 15 minutes, so I need to get a larger UPS for the 921. Probably a 750 VA unit.

It's great if there's a power glitch or outage during a recording since it keeps the recording intact. It's also a good line conditioner.

.....G


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## screamingmonkey (Jan 8, 2004)

I use one on my 508, cuts down on waiting for the signal to be acquired on the rare occasion that we have a power bump.


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

I use a APC 500 on my 721 and tv. It runs both for nearly a half hour or the 721 for at least a hour. I added my tv mostly to protect it.

The first time the power went out but the tv stayed on my wife freaked, admittely its strange sitting in the dark with only the tv on.

The 721s reboot time is 3 minutes, thats a long time when a minor power burp messes up a recording.

My 508s are on a UPS too. best bucks I ever spent.


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## mindwarp (May 19, 2003)

Me too, I had a MGE Pulsar ES8+ but after a few years it did it's work and blew a few capacitors when there was a big power surge in my old house. NOw I have in my room an APC 1500XS and runs my PC, 17" LCD and my 7200. The TV is no big deal so it is on the surge only area. WIth all the load I get more than 1 hour running time here.


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## Mike Russell (Feb 6, 2003)

I have my 55" Mits.,2 721's,a 6000,501,XBOX,Mits 1100 DVCR,Panny DVD recorder all going to battery backup. It's really nice when the power blinks and it don't effect your tv and dvr's.


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## Pete38 (Oct 24, 2002)

Hi all,

I use a high-end APC server backup/line conditioner (APC Smart-UPS XL 750VA) for my whole home theater setup, including a 721 PVR. I live in rural New England where the power is notoriously unreliable in terms of outages, spikes, and under supply. This UPS handles all those conditions and provides consistently excellent power to the unit. I have had very few, if any, of the problems reported by other 721 owners. Is that because the 721 is very picky about the power being fed into it, blind luck, or did I just get one that was built on a Wednesday (as they used to say)? Who knows? It works, and it works well. Money well spent.

Pete

UPS website here:
http://www.apcc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=SUA750XL


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## TedKaz (Mar 1, 2004)

I also have my LCD front projector and my 921 on battery backup. When the power goes out, it gives me time to power down the equipment properly. The LCD projector has a fan to cool the bulb down when I shut down. Big benefit in extending the life of the equipment.


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## Eemrek (Apr 23, 2004)

I'd be very careful with what type of equipment is hooked up to 'consumer-grade' UPS systems. A lot of them output what is called modified or filtered sine-wave. Some higher-end equipment do NOT like modified or filtered sine-wave for very long.


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## SimpleSimon (Jan 15, 2004)

Eemrek: That's old-school. I've NEVER encountered a problem with 'consumer-grade' UPSs on any equipment, nor have any of my customers.


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## frossie (Jun 8, 2004)

TedKaz said:


> I also have my LCD front projector and my 921 on battery backup. When the power goes out, it gives me time to power down the equipment properly. The LCD projector has a fan to cool the bulb down when I shut down. Big benefit in extending the life of the equipment.


TedKaz is right, you should definitely have your projector on a UPS to allow the fan to run and cool the bulb if the power goes out. And putting your PVR on UPS protects your timer recordings. We also have the game consoles on UPS - cuts down on the screams of agony when the power goes out seconds before you reach a save point


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## Pepper (Mar 9, 2004)

I live in the south where lightning and power outages are just about as common as mosquitos, so I've had all my entertainment equipment, answering machine, heck, even the clock-radio by the bed on UPS for years.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

I use this UPS for my plasma set (when you spend that much on it what's another $150) http://www.circuitcity.com/detail.jsp?c=1&b=g&u=c&catoid=-10121&qp=0311531243795&oid=68781&m=0

I also have another one for all my DBS STB's including the HD DirecTivo, again what's $150 for the protection from bumps/spikes.


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## parlyle (Dec 19, 2003)

I came across this item when I was looking for a line conditioner for my equipment. Hope this is transferable to you people. And helps. :eek2:


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## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

parlyle said:


> I came across this item when I was looking for a line conditioner for my equipment. Hope this is transferable to you people. And helps. :eek2:


I wonder when this paper was published. It refers to research that is 15 or more years old. I suspect that modern UPS's are better in harmonic rejection and clamping than suggested in the paper. At any rate, a UPS and surge protection are just plain good insurance! That being said, I guess I ought to invest in a UPS for my installation :grin:


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## Bob Haller (Mar 24, 2002)

Today I think mostr decent UPS have surge protection built in. My APC has both UOPS outlets and ones just surge protected


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## ERSanders (Apr 24, 2002)

I run three APC 1400 VA Smart UPS's. One on my PC and one each on my two Dish 5000 setups with TV, VCR, DVD and big stereo amps. I also have an old Tripplite 650VA unit on the house alarm and incoming phone lines as well as a Leviton whole house surge arrestor; 80,000 Amp, 720 Joules clamping at 150 volts.

Not only do they protect the equipment from spikes, also but brownouts, overvoltage and (most of all) gives me about one hour of runtime when the lights go out! That will help preserve planned recordings when my 721's are hooked up on Friday.

The cost is not too bad since I buy them on ebay for about $40 each plus shipping and another $50 for new batteries.


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## dakn2 (Sep 20, 2002)

I also have used a UPS on my 510 since the day I received it. I think I paid $5 after rebate in a deal for an APC 350. My intent was two fold – more protection from the raw unfiltered power (although I have another decent surge protector in line w/the UPS), and to provide back-up from momentary glitches which we get a lot more often then total power outages..


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