I just bought a new Digital (DLP) tv. Do I need some sort of
special power supply before I connect it -- is it vulnerable to
surges? (This is the Samsung HLP6163W if that matters.)

I am especially concerned because on a few occasions on the last
few days, I have heard a humming / scratching sound come out
of audio components that are plugged in -- a few times it was from
my boom box, and yesterday a few times from the speakers on my
PC -- and when the sound was coming, the monitor had a lot of
interference.

So I am wondering if the power supply has some problems and if
some sort of surge protector / special power supply is needed. (I have
an el cheapo Belkin power strip that claims to have a surge protector,
but for $5, I'm not too sure that its too great -- basically bought it as
I needed a power strip.)

The TV arrived yesterday and I haven't plugged it in yet.

Is this something to be concerned about? Should I call the power
company (sorry to sound stupid / paranoid)? Or buy some sort of
fancy power supply for the TV?

Thanks for any advice,

Bharat
(If you want to email me, please send email to
rao(UNDERSCORE)bharat(AT)yahoo(DOT)com, or
just respond to this article! Thanks)
it

I am assuming that by 'power supply' you really mean some kind of 'power
filter / conditioner'.

My opinion: Unless you have really nasty dirty power -- like one might
expect to have in an industrial factory or machine shop where they are
running large electric motors -- you will be wasting your money on a
power line filter. I have yet to see a home with power bad enough to
warrant buying and using one of these filters.

I have been to a local stereo chain store -- and saw the sexy display
for the latest 'miracle power filter' complete with audio and visual
noise which is 'amazingly' filtered by the miracle product......

It was the biggest scam I have seen since garden hose diameter speaker wire.

Put it this way -- if the power supply built into any consumer product
was so poor that it needed one of these filters, the product would be
useless without one.

What manufacturer would sell a product that would not work 'right out of
the box' for the majority of consumers? It is only in the most extreme
conditions where the power line is unreliable, terribly noisy, etc where
a filter may improve the situation, or help to protect the equipment
from damage.

Your problem sounds to me like it may be the result of RF interference.
Have you got a transmitter nearby? Look for antennas. If a transmitter
is close (or powerful) enough to your equipment, even quality consumer
gear will have problems. Often some inexpensive clamp-on ferrite beads
applied to the power cords / and audio in / out cables as close to the
victim unit as possible will greatly reduce or eliminate the
interference problem.

I have been an electrical engineer for over 25 years and have identified
and solved more interference problems than I can count. When I visit
those chain stereo stores I fume at the crap they push to unwary
consumers. Some companies have no regard for truth or desire to serve
their customers well. Dont buy the 'monster' filter. I dont care if each
electron is personally 'blessed by the pope'. Your tv and stereo wont
care either.

Steve








R. Bharat Rao wrote:
I just bought a new Digital (DLP) tv. Do I need some sort of
special power supply before I connect it -- is it vulnerable to
surges? (This is the Samsung HLP6163W if that matters.)

I am especially concerned because on a few occasions on the last
few days, I have heard a humming / scratching sound come out
of audio components that are plugged in -- a few times it was from
my boom box, and yesterday a few times from the speakers on my
PC -- and when the sound was coming, the monitor had a lot of
interference.

So I am wondering if the power supply has some problems and if
some sort of surge protector / special power supply is needed. (I have
an el cheapo Belkin power strip that claims to have a surge protector,
but for $5, I'm not too sure that its too great -- basically bought it as
I needed a power strip.)

The TV arrived yesterday and I haven't plugged it in yet.

Is this something to be concerned about? Should I call the power
company (sorry to sound stupid / paranoid)? Or buy some sort of
fancy power supply for the TV?

Thanks for any advice,

Bharat
(If you want to email me, please send email to
rao(UNDERSCORE)bharat(AT)yahoo(DOT)com, or
just respond to this article! Thanks)
it

"steve" wrote in message
...
I am assuming that by 'power supply' you really mean some kind of 'power
filter / conditioner'.

My opinion: Unless you have really nasty dirty power -- like one might
expect to have in an industrial factory or machine shop where they are
running large electric motors -- you will be wasting your money on a power
line filter. I have yet to see a home with power bad enough to warrant
buying and using one of these filters.


Thanks Steve. So I take it you mean that the stuff at
http://www.monstercomputer.com/power/ is a waste of $$$s??

I have been to a local stereo chain store -- and saw the sexy display for
the latest 'miracle power filter' complete with audio and visual noise
which is 'amazingly' filtered by the miracle product......

It was the biggest scam I have seen since garden hose diameter speaker
wire.

Put it this way -- if the power supply built into any consumer product was
so poor that it needed one of these filters, the product would be useless
without one.

What manufacturer would sell a product that would not work 'right out of
the box' for the majority of consumers? It is only in the most extreme
conditions where the power line is unreliable, terribly noisy, etc where a
filter may improve the situation, or help to protect the equipment from
damage.

Your problem sounds to me like it may be the result of RF interference.
Have you got a transmitter nearby? Look for antennas. If a transmitter is
close (or powerful) enough to your equipment, even quality consumer gear
will have problems. Often some inexpensive clamp-on ferrite beads applied
to the power cords / and audio in / out cables as close to the victim unit
as possible will greatly reduce or eliminate the interference problem.

The only "new" transmitter I have is a new cordless phone, but that is in
the bedroom on the second floor. Basically our boom box (and computer)
are plugged in and on 24-7 (the boom box is left on "CD"where the red light
is on, as opposed to "tape" when it is off) -- and I found that occasionally
it
buzzes or hums (this is when it is on "CD" but NOT when any music is
playing). Turning it "off" (putting the selector to "tape" and thus having
the
little red light go off) ends the buzzing / humming noise.

Could RF interference cause this buzzing even when the system wasn't playing
music -- just "on".

It is weird because 5 seconds ago my PC speakers just buzzed at me -- making
the kind of sound you get when you turn a mike on -- not the loud squeal,
but
a sound -- the closest I can get to -- like you hear when clearing your
throat...
This time the monitor didn't flicker of have lines running across it...

Where do I get the ferrite beads? Radio shack?

Thanks SO MUCH for your help!

Bharat

"steve" wrote in message
...
I am assuming that by 'power supply' you really mean some kind of 'power
filter / conditioner'.

My opinion: Unless you have really nasty dirty power -- like one might
expect to have in an industrial factory or machine shop where they are
running large electric motors -- you will be wasting your money on a power
line filter. I have yet to see a home with power bad enough to warrant
buying and using one of these filters.


Thanks Steve. So I take it you mean that the stuff at
http://www.monstercomputer.com/power/ is a waste of $$$s??

I have been to a local stereo chain store -- and saw the sexy display for
the latest 'miracle power filter' complete with audio and visual noise
which is 'amazingly' filtered by the miracle product......

It was the biggest scam I have seen since garden hose diameter speaker
wire.

Put it this way -- if the power supply built into any consumer product was
so poor that it needed one of these filters, the product would be useless
without one.

What manufacturer would sell a product that would not work 'right out of
the box' for the majority of consumers? It is only in the most extreme
conditions where the power line is unreliable, terribly noisy, etc where a
filter may improve the situation, or help to protect the equipment from
damage.

Your problem sounds to me like it may be the result of RF interference.
Have you got a transmitter nearby? Look for antennas. If a transmitter is
close (or powerful) enough to your equipment, even quality consumer gear
will have problems. Often some inexpensive clamp-on ferrite beads applied
to the power cords / and audio in / out cables as close to the victim unit
as possible will greatly reduce or eliminate the interference problem.

The only "new" transmitter I have is a new cordless phone, but that is in
the bedroom on the second floor. Basically our boom box (and computer)
are plugged in and on 24-7 (the boom box is left on "CD"where the red light
is on, as opposed to "tape" when it is off) -- and I found that occasionally
it
buzzes or hums (this is when it is on "CD" but NOT when any music is
playing). Turning it "off" (putting the selector to "tape" and thus having
the
little red light go off) ends the buzzing / humming noise.

Could RF interference cause this buzzing even when the system wasn't playing
music -- just "on".

It is weird because 5 seconds ago my PC speakers just buzzed at me -- making
the kind of sound you get when you turn a mike on -- not the loud squeal,
but
a sound -- the closest I can get to -- like you hear when clearing your
throat...
This time the monitor didn't flicker of have lines running across it...

Where do I get the ferrite beads? Radio shack?

Thanks SO MUCH for your help!

Bharat