# Extra power outlet on the back...?



## R8ders2K (Sep 11, 2006)

Just wondering, any possibility of adding an extra power outlet on the back of the next generation DVRs...? That way you can plug in your external eSATA drive(s) without having to worry about where you're going to plug it in.

As I've max'ed out my power strips... To bad eSATA isn't bus powered like WD's Passport drives (USB 2.0).


----------



## 5 ACES (Dec 27, 2007)

I agree. The older receivers had an extra outlet built in the back of them. I am also seeing other electronic devices that are doing away with that extra outlet in the back and always wondered why. I just figured that maybe someone, somewhere, blamed the manufacture that their "Extra Plug" was the cause of a burnt up device that was plugged in the back of it. I don't know, but I sure do miss that little extra plug in!


----------



## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

I generally hate that idea, but for the specific use for an esata drive, I can see that being useful... The I would only need one plug per unit at my UPS...


----------



## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

5 ACES said:


> I agree. The older receivers had an extra outlet built in the back of them. I am also seeing other electronic devices that are doing away with that extra outlet in the back and always wondered why. I just figured that maybe someone, somewhere, blamed the manufacture that their "Extra Plug" was the cause of a burnt up device that was plugged in the back of it. I don't know, but I sure do miss that little extra plug in!


You can still find them on more expensive receivers.

I think most cheaper ones are doing away with them as they are integrating things in and/or people are not using the accessories with the cheaper receivers (CD Players, Dedicated EQs, Tape Decks, Turn Tables, Tuners, etc.)

At least Directv integrated the AM21 power with the HR21


----------



## inkahauts (Nov 13, 2006)

Many manufactures are doing away with plugs for several reasons, and one is because people tend to plug things in there that shouldn't be... A plasma takes a bit more power than most of those extra plugs are designed to take... And frankly, you should never plug anything into the back of an AV reciever except for a triggers...


----------



## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Yup, most are a 100-125w limit.


----------



## 5 ACES (Dec 27, 2007)

Very good points! Heck, I have a UPS that has eight plugs and it's fairly close to it's VA limit. Could you imagine someone trying to plug a plasma TV or a power strip that's loaded, into the back of a receiver with one plug? Talk about CS phone lines ringing off the hook, not to mention a lot of tripped breakers!!


----------



## Lee L (Aug 15, 2002)

Plus, so many eSATA drives use a massive wall wart. Not enough room for that thing in teh back of an already crowded receiver.


----------



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

> _"...manufactures are doing away with plugs..."
> 
> "I have a UPS that has eight plugs..."_


 It's not a "plug" -- a "plug" is the thingy with prongs that
is inserted, or 'plugged' into an outlet or receptacle. The
thingy with holes is an electrical 'outlet' or 'receptacle'.









. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . *▲PLUG▲* . . . . . . *▲OUTLET▲* 

DBSTalk is a highly rated, nationally-read technical
forum. Please try to use correct technical terminology.

:grin:


----------



## LarryFlowers (Sep 22, 2006)

Several good reasons not to do this...

1. Cost
2. Protection: using a UPS or a quality surge suppressor: the requirements for a surege suppressor or a UPS require that a) the suppressor or ups be plugged directly into a grounded wall outlet WITHOUT the use of any extension cords and b) that "appliances" must be plugged directly into the surge protector or UPS WITHOUT the use of an extension cord. Plugging an appliance into the outlet of another appliance eliminates the protection.... this might not make sense but read the fine print...


----------



## Mertzen (Dec 8, 2006)

Gah. I hate these things. When people switch over from cable [ their boxes still have it ] we can go dig for the power strip or wall plug since they always plug their TV in the back of the cable box. grr


----------



## tcusta00 (Dec 31, 2007)

Nick said:


> It's not a "plug" -- a "plug" is the thingy with prongs that
> is inserted, or 'plugged' into an outlet or receptacle. The
> thingy with holes is an electrical 'outlet' or 'receptacle'.
> 
> ...


While technically correct, I think readers knew what these guys were referring to. Please try to have some patience with us, oh grammatically-correct one: we're not all professional authors, bloggers, or columnists here. At the end of the day this is a still a user-driven community and there are bound to be typos and other errors. :grin:


----------



## 5 ACES (Dec 27, 2007)

Nick said:


> It's not a "plug" -- a "plug" is the thingy with prongs that
> is inserted, or 'plugged' into an outlet or receptacle. The
> thingy with holes is an electrical 'outlet' or 'receptacle'.
> 
> ...


My Bad!! My Bad!! You are correct! I was referring to an outlet, not a plug.


----------



## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

I dont get why people think they can use them as normal plugs, on receivers they were made specifically so that you can switch an external CD player, tape player, EQ, etc. with the receiver, not to be used as a surge strip!


----------



## techrep (Sep 15, 2007)

When doing the elctrical "trimout" on a new structure, it is still called "plugging and switching.


----------



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

tcusta00 said:


> While technically correct, I think readers knew what these guys were referring to. Please try to have some patience with us, oh grammatically-correct one: we're not all professional authors, bloggers, or columnists here. At the end of the day this is a still a user-driven community and there are bound to be typos and other errors. :grin:


You're (not your) absolutely right, of course, and even I knew what the posters were saying, but that's not the point.

If it's an outlet, call it an outlet or a receptacle -- anything but a plug, because the name "plug" is already in use for the other thing, the thing that plugs into the outlet. It doesn't take a professional writer to refer to an outlet by the right name, particularly on such a technically-oriented site such as this. I think that the average 4th grader would be able to do as much.

You wouldn't call a shirt, pants, or a bolt a nut would you? You wouldn't say 'up' when you mean 'down'? Then why on earth would you say it's ok to call an electrical outlet a plug? Would you tell the man at the hardware store that you want to buy a duplex "plug" to mount in a hole you've just cut in your wall?

I've studied the origins of language and one of the things I've learned is that we humans label things for a reason, and that reason is so we can communicate with, and understand one another. If someone goes around calling a boat a truck, or a knife a spoon, chances are people will think they're stupid or ignorant, or both.

Worse case, it could be potentially dangerous, or even deadly. Is it safe to touch the metal parts of a plug? Probably, but what if I said 'plug' but I meant 'outlet'? :eek2:


----------



## Canis Lupus (Oct 16, 2006)

"It's your lunch"

"You're its lunch"


----------



## Grentz (Jan 10, 2007)

Sometimes our grammar, spelling, etc. slips a bit when posting (at least I know mine does sometimes). Just as long as we can ramp it up and triple check our work for official stuff it usually works out pretty well (and as long as we are not totally off and confusing/hard to understand!)


----------



## techrep (Sep 15, 2007)

Words only account for 8% of effective communication. On here, all we have are words and symbols.


----------



## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

Grentz said:


> "Sometimes our grammar, spelling, etc. slips..."


I understand what you are saying and I agree with you, but using the wrong word, particularly the opposite word, is not a mistake of spelling or grammar. You wouldn't say 'male' when you mean "female" would you? You wouldn't call a Ford a Chevy would you? On a technical forum such as DBSTalk, don't you think it's important to be a little more precise than calling an outlet a plug? Even the OP correctly called it an outlet, and on of the two posters who referred to the on-board outlet as a 'plug' acknowledged his misstatement

I may not be the most diplomatic guy on the board because I call a spade a spade (and not a hoe), so I hope folks will consider the graphic in my initial post above as my little attempt to be informative , even educational. :shrug:

Now, how about we get back to topic and talk some more about on-board power 'outlets'.

:backtotop


----------

