Coax surge protection

[redwoode]

If 'properly' grounded off grounding block is it necessary to add any additional surge protection in coax feeds to DVR? I've seen the little in-line 'cans' but seems some signal loss would result.

Thanks

[veryoldschool]

If 'properly' grounded off grounding block is it necessary to add any additional surge protection in coax feeds to DVR? I've seen the little in-line 'cans' but seems some signal loss would result.

Thanks
[pet peeve here]
I have to ask what surge you're trying to protect from?
Unlike any other wires [AC power, CATV, internet, phone line] that runs for miles on common poles, your dish coax doesn't.
Lightning is greater than any surge "protector", so there is little to no "protection" for it.

[redwoode]

Lost a D12 and connected TV to a dish lightning strike/surge earlier this year. Just wondering how I might keep it out of new 50 inch Samsung plasma with upgraded slimeline HD and HR21. It was a freak occurance though as I've had dishes back to C-band days and first lightning incidence ever. I see little value in adding anything.

[veryoldschool]

I see little value in adding anything.
"Home owner's insurance" would be the best thing.

[litzdog911]

Typical coax surge protectors are not recommend for use with satellite feeds due to the issues mentioned above, plus the fact that they can interfere with the DC switching signals required for proper operation.

[aim2pls]

Lost a D12 and connected TV to a dish lightning strike/surge earlier this year. Just wondering how I might keep it out of new 50 inch Samsung plasma with upgraded slimeline HD and HR21. It was a freak occurance though as I've had dishes back to C-band days and first lightning incidence ever. I see little value in adding anything.


chances are you got your "strike" from the power lines and not your dish ..... the "correct" method of grounding your dish is great for creating a direct ground path thru your tv and receiver from the power lines

[DtvSlave]

I would think one would be more likely to get a lightning strike through their phone line plugged into the receiver than their coaxal line if the line was properly grounded.

[K4SMX]

The best direct lightning/lightning surge protection for expensive HDTV's and DirecTV receivers is to completely unplug every entry path until the danger has passed. I know this sounds like a major PIA, but with a little study you can figure out the easiest way to do this so that it's not much time and trouble to re-attach everything. One nice thing is you don't have to pull those pesky optical cables. You can use push-on F connector adapters for the antenna lines.

I mark every cable which needs to be removed with a Day-Glo round sticker wrapped around the cable to be pulled plus a sticker over the place where it re-attaches. These are sold in sheets at office supply stores.

Once I went through the procedure with my wife and explained to her about the deductible on our home insurance policy, she got the hang of it pretty quickly. With HDMI, things are a lot easier these days, especially if you get some of the HDMI 6" "port savers" from Monoprice (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10278926#post10278926). They're a snap to unplug and re-attach, and you don't have to touch the HDMI connection at the TV. You can completely isolate your TV and receiver in less than 30 seconds. Pulling the plug on an HR20 at the proper moment in the menu under "Restart Receiver" requires maybe a bit longer.

[davring]

I have had two different homes each hit once by lightning. Once was a direct hit on the step down transformer, on the pole, behind my house. The transformer caught fire and my house and three others were without power untill Florida Flicker and Flash (FPL) replaced it a few hours later. I never lost anything electrical in my house. The next time hit the chain link fence next to my house and that strike took everything from the answering machine on down the line. Two refrigerators, asst TV's, VCR, Yamaha stereo, every clock, microwave, control board in the dryer, start cap in sprinkler pump, all flourescent bulbs, computor, moniter, printers, thermostat, circuit board in central A/C and the list goes on, oh, and don't forget about twenty feet of fence. There is no surge protection for that, period. Home owners insurance is always paid up. (D* was not in business yet)

[pjschwartz]

This topic ranks right up there with religion and politics . . .

I have had DirecTV for almost 10 years and have always had all my sat equipment surge protected (Panamax and Monster). I never had any problems with the surge protectors adversely impacting signal strength or LNB switching (other than to have to move the placement of the BBCs to prior to the surge protector because of their pass through frequency).

Nothing will save much of anything if you have a direct-strike, but a few years ago, we had a nearby-strike. The few pieces of electronic gear not fully surge protected were damaged, those on surge devices (including my sat gear) survived.

My opinion is that they are worth the investment . . . but to each his own.

[subeluvr]

There are surge/spike protectors forRG6 that are speced to a bandwidth that accommodates DBS and at least one Panamax is Dish Network DishPro tested and approved.

The average and cheap surge/spike protectors are very low bandwidth and can cause signal and voltage loss when on a DBS RG6 line

[K4SMX]

I have had two different homes each hit once by lightning.......
Living here can be very exciting if you're home when the sparks fly. I've had two as well, including one in FEBRUARY that came out of nowhere. I thought the gas pool heater had exploded and didn't realize it was actually a lightning strike until I carefully ventured outside for a look-see and discovered the cracks in the ground emanating in all directions from the remains of a palm tree, complete with little side cracks, just as you see in photos of lightning bolts in the sky.

The second one really did the damage, though, just like your situation. Fortunately, the valuable stuff, HDTV's and computers, was completely disconnected as described above. Everything else was a total loss from a direct strike on a Royal palm 10 feet from the house except one cordless phone. The house has a complete lightning rod system, but the lightning liked the tree the best. Funny how that works. That tree had previously survived a major freeze in the early 90's and two direct hits from hurricanes Frances and Jeanne. Nothing was reimbursable because of the deductible, so now I completely unplug more stuff! It's a mad scramble when you start including networked computers, modems, routers, switches, telephones, etc.

The one hilarious thing was that cordless phone was never quite right for the next 6 months. It would occasionally give out a jittery ring tone every so often out of the blue, like its nerves were shot. It somehow eventually healed itself; don't ask me how....

[pjschwartz]

Yes . . the M8HC-PRO has a lower frequency range down to 5 mhz, which will accommodate the 250mhz - 750 mhz signal passed down from the LNB for the 103b sat.

Unfortunately, I'm running the M8DBS-EX's, which I purchased and installed prior to the 103b sat being operational. :(

[aim2pls]

I have had two different homes each hit once by lightning. Once was a direct hit on the step down transformer, on the pole, behind my house. The transformer caught fire and my house and three others were without power untill Florida Flicker and Flash (FPL) replaced it a few hours later. I never lost anything electrical in my house. The next time hit the chain link fence next to my house and that strike took everything from the answering machine on down the line. Two refrigerators, asst TV's, VCR, Yamaha stereo, every clock, microwave, control board in the dryer, start cap in sprinkler pump, all flourescent bulbs, computor, moniter, printers, thermostat, circuit board in central A/C and the list goes on, oh, and don't forget about twenty feet of fence. There is no surge protection for that, period. Home owners insurance is always paid up. (D* was not in business yet)

you related to the lil' abner vharavter that had that black cloud hanging over his head all the time? :lol:

[bigref]

I use a Monster surge protector with the coax and phone line protectors. Mt OTA antenna once took a lighting strike and it blew out the Monster, everything else was ok. I did tell Monster that my old Sony Directv receiver blew also. Monster over-nighted me a new surge protector and a box for the return bad surge unit. After that, Monster sent me a check for the cost of the sony receiver . Monster does Guarantee against any damage up to a certain amount. BTW no problem with the new SATS.

[veryoldschool]

[pet peeve here]
I have to ask what surge you're trying to protect from?
Lightning seems to be it.
I think this is still true:
Lightning is greater than any surge "protector", so there is little to no "protection" for it.
"little" maybe should be "some" in the above quote, but by no means "enough". YMMV

I also have had the rare experience of having a APC UPS, phone line surge protection, fail and take out what it was to protect. :)

[aim2pls]

Lightning seems to be it.
I think this is still true:

"little" maybe should be "some" in the above quote, but by no means "enough". YMMV

I also have had the rare experience of having a APC UPS, phone line surge protection, fail and take out what it was to protect. :)


couple million voltamps ... 20 less is VERY little