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(More customer reviews)As with all surge protectors, it is impossible to know if this product does what it claims until you get hit by a surge and/or lightning strike, so I can only really comment on the functionality of the product rather than the effectiveness.
First of all I should be clear that just because it says "Monster" on the product does not automatically make it any better than any other surge protector on the market. In fact, having such a name brand typically indicates it is merely overpriced, and anyone who pays the full list price of $199.95 clearly has more money than common sense. Honestly this isn't worth much more than the $40 I paid for it, so don't be fooled into thinking you need to pay full MSRP.
Monster has a habit of overcharging for cables ($70 for a 4ft HDMI cable isn't unheard of) but anyone who knows anything about electronics will tell you "Monster Quality" is not worth the price premium. You would be well served to buy cables from an outlet such as monoprice where they can be had for less than 1/10th the cost with equal quality, but that is another subject for another day.
As to this specific item, there are a few glaring issues with the design. First of all it is marketed as a surge protector for flat screen televisions, and even the product material lists the thin profile as making it suitable for installation behind a television which is mounted to a wall. However, there are several reasons why this isn't all that practical.
First of all, it comes with a cord that is roughly ten feet long. For installations where the power outlet is actually behind the television as it should be, this leaves the user with about nine extra feet of cable to try and wrap up and contain. In addition to the Monster Power cord, there will be the power cord for the actual television itself which can be another six feet. Obviously wrapping up an extra 15 feet of power cord behind the television will be difficult if not impossible for televisions on low profile mounts.
Second, not only is the cord extremely long, but it is very, very thick as well (more on that later). This makes hiding the cord much more difficult due to the sheer bulk of it.
Third, the end of the cord (the plug) is a low-profile design which is meant to keep the cord from coming directly out of the wall and instead bends at a 90 degree angle so the cord sits flush against the wall. This will be a positive for anyone with a flush mounted receptacle or for someone using this for a television that isn't wall mounted, however for those of us using it to protect a TV mounted on the wall, it simply will not work with a recessed outlet. You see, most outlets used behind televisions are recessed to allow room for the plug. Because of this recess, the Monster cord plug simple isn't compatible and thus requires the outlet to be changed.
Fourth, the method for mounting the Monster PowerCenter is questionable. The unit comes with Velcro mounting tabs, but if mounted on a wall these wouldn't last long due to the sheer weight of the device. The picture you see showing the four mounting holes looks ideal, but in reality the unit does not have these mounting holes and instead comes with two metal brackets that are supposed to fit over the tabs. This seems fine in theory, but because Monster applied some thick labels near the outlets, the mounting plates don't fit properly. In short, it would have been much easier for them to simply drill holes in the tabs like they show in the image. I can only assume they are now selling a newer revision that doesn't include the holes and in my opinion this is a mistake.
Now all of that being said, there are some good features of this PowerCenter.
First, as I mentioned earlier the cord itself is very, very thick. I'd say this is a 10 or 12 gauge cord, so Monster obviously didn't cut corners here.
Second, the flat design of the unit makes hiding it behind an entertainment center easy. There are only two outlets which keeps cord clutter to a minimum.
Third, the unit is made of metal....not some cheap plastic like so many others. It is clear based upon the weight alone that this is a quality unit and isn't just a cheap plastic shell. For someone who is very critical of Monster products in general, I'm impressed with the attention to detail on this one.
In summary, this seems to work fine, but unfortunately it isn't very useful for the intended purpose. I wasn't able to utilize it for my wall mount LCD, so I have used it in the living room where the LCD sits on a small stand. The PowerCenter is useful for those who have only a TV and one other device, but if you have more than two devices this simply won't suffice since it only includes two outlets.
All things considered I feel there are numerous other products out there designed to protect wall mounted flat panel televisions that work better than this one including some other Monster products. If Monster would make a few minor changes to this I think it would be worthwhile, but as it sits I couldn't recommend this to anyone with plans to wall mount their TV as it just doesn't function as designed.
One final note - anyone who claims the picture of their television has improved after installing this PowerCenter (or any power conditioning equipment for that matter) is being unrealistic. These types of devices are good for one thing and one thing only....protecting your equipment from power surges. If you spend any time research such "power conditioners" you will find out that for the most part they are ineffective and unnecessary. The people pushing them are the same type of self-described experts that promote such idiotic concepts as gold plating on optical connecting cables and believe you need to purchase ultra high end USB and HDMI cables that serve no other purpose than to lighten the purchaser's wallet.
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Monster Cable MP HTFS 500 Monster Power High Definition Video HTFS 500 PowerCenterTM 2 AC Outlets for Flat ScreensMonster’s HTFS 500 Excels in Protecting Your High Definition Video Investment Like personal computers, high definition video components can be easily damaged from the surges and spikes common with AC power today. The problem is even worse if you live in an area plagued by lightning or power blackouts. Extremely high voltages can travel through the AC power line, seriously damaging or even destroying your flat screen TV. The Monster HTFS 500 features 2775 joules of Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV) protection. Exclusive Dual Mode Plus Protection Circuitry for Ultimate Surge Protection MOVs are not enough to protect your equipment on their own. Unlike ordinary surge protectors, the HTFS 500’s exclusive Dual Mode Plus protection circuitry automatically disconnects all of your connected equipment if you’re hit by a big surge. While some other surge protectors leave equipment connected and vulnerable after such a hit, Monster’s HTFS 500 disconnects them. In addition, if your system takes a hit, dual indicators with lights and an audible alarm will tell you that Monster Power has protected your system from damage. Monster Clean Power Removes "Dirty" AC Power for the Best High Definition Picture It’s a known fact…the AC power to your home is worse than ever before. All your neighbors are sharing the same AC power line with your home theater components. When you (or they) use refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, etc., all generate electromagnetic interference and radio frequency noise. You’ll experience a lack of sharpness and color detail from your high definition components. Maximize High Definition Video Quality with Monster Clean Power Monster’s Clean Power circuitry is engineered specifically to help eliminate noise from high definition video sources. Clean Power also dramatically reduces electronic noise on your AC power line to give you the best possible picture from your high definition displays,including plasma, LCD or HDTVs. Monster Clean Power HDV Filtering for High Definition Video Flat screens and other high definition components are often placed far enough away from the rest of your home theater system that you can’t necessarily plug everything into the same surge protector. At the same time, you don’t want to deprive your expensive plasma, LCDor HDTV of protection from dangerous surges and spikes by plugging it directly into a wall outlet. Installing Monster’s High Definition Video PowerCenter HTFS 500 will not only protect your high-end video component, it will also help eliminate AC power noise to and from your unit. Putting Our Money Where Our Mouth Is We’re Monsterously confident about the protection that the HTFS 500 provides, which is why we will replace up to $300,000 worth of your equipment if it’s damaged by an over-voltage condition (when properly connected, of course). More than Just a Surge Protector We don’t just stop with surge. The HTFS 500’s sleek, high-tech design and clearly labeled outlets allow you to plug components in and out, easily identifying the right one. The unit mounts easily, so you can protect your plasma, LCD, or HDTV without detracting from the scenery. The extra heavy-duty longer length cord helps you place your high definition components where you want them. The flat plug doesn’t stick out, so you can put furniture right up against it. And of course, the plug features 24k gold contacts for maximum power transfer, just like you'd expect in a Monster Power product. You Get More of Everything from The Monster.
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