This review is from: Monster HDP 1800 8-Outlet Power Center with Stage 2 Clean Power (Electronics)
Looks like I get to be the first to write a review for this thing.
First off, I will say that Monster makes some of the most overpriced stuff the world has ever seen. I would never, and I mean never buy Monster cables for anything. There are so many cheaper alternatives to their cables that cost about $5 bucks. Having said that, I would never, and I mean never pay retail for one of their surge protectors or power centers. However, I was able to get the HDP1800 for a pretty good deal so I jumped at it. Monster makes some really nice stuff, it's just way overpriced.
Now that I got that out of the way, after having spent some time with the HDP1800 I will say it's a fantastic little power center. Don't put too much stock in the thought that it will make your picture better. The only way you'll likely see video or hear audio improvement is if you live in a really old house, with really old wiring, or in an area that has a lot of electronic interference. Basically, what this thing comes down to is being a very nice surge suppressor/protector. I have another really nice surge strip from Tripplite and it's fantastic.
The reason I really wanted an actual power center (Monster or another brand) was because I like how it can sit on your TV stand or equipment rack along with everything else. You can make sure all the proper protection lights are running and the HDP1800 even shows you the voltage, granted it's not really necessary, but it's a nice little plus. The lights and display can be dimmed to about 4 different levels and completely turned off as well. It's also nice to have all the cables condensed to the TV stand and not all around behind it where a surge protector sits. Another thing I didn't like about an actual surge protector strip is mine was very hard to access. I have a corner TV stand with a 46" TV and a ton of stuff on the shelves. So trying to get behind that to plug anything new in was a pain to say the least. A power center is right on the shelf, nice and accessible.
As far as video and audio go, it all looks great when running through the HDP1800. Everything looks as it should and my system sounds terrific! I've only used it for a few days so obviously I can't comment on the protection aspect as I haven't been through any bad storms or anything, but knowing Monster makes good stuff, although overpriced, I have no doubt this thing will protect my equipment, no problem. It also has Ethernet, coax and phone line inputs. It's very slim, it's quite light and the new design on these things really make them look sharp. Add on the fact that they have a 5 year warranty through Monster on them which is 2 years more then most other good companies and sometimes 4 years more than other companies makes this a good buy.
In conclusion, this is a great, solid built piece of equipment. If you can get it for a deal then it is a dang nice surge protector/ power conditioner. Just don't get suckered into paying retail for it. If you do pay retail for it you're still getting a really nice piece of equipment, but there is no need to pay so much when there are good online deals.
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This review is from: Monster HDP 1800 8-Outlet Power Center with Stage 2 Clean Power (Electronics)
I really like this product. It's great protection for some very expensive equipment. I had one problem with mine and had to senf it in for repair. When I plugged in the the equipment to the back of the unit the plugges were not captured tightly. If I slid the uniy to plug something in a plug that I already had plugged in would fall out. Even though Amazon advertised this as a new unit I really have my doubts.
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This review is from: Monster HDP 1800 8-Outlet Power Center with Stage 2 Clean Power (Electronics)
Adding to Monster's 5 year warranty after speaking to customer service today:
1. Yes, they only replace if it's within 5 years from date of purchase. Must have receipt saved for 5 years. My HTS 2000 Power Center crapped out 5 months before the 5 years.
2. IMPORTANT: They said that they are only responsible for the connected equipment for 5 years. After 5 years, if the Power Center doesn't stop a surge from destroying whatever you've connected to it, they are not liable. So that means you have to buy a new Power Center every 5 years to make sure your equipment is protected. The customer service rep confirms this. I had him reluctantly repeat this back to me, and it didn't sound very good. Poor guy. But yes, you must buy a new Power Center every 5 years. So...in conclusion, you must factor this into the cost. I guess if you divide the price into 5, it's not that bad of a deal. Just remember to buy a new one every 5 years!
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This review is from: Monster HDP 1800 8-Outlet Power Center with Stage 2 Clean Power (Electronics)
I bought this a week ago with a 40" Samsung LDC tv. I got a decent amount off the sticker price. The selling point was not that it was a surge protector but that it is a line conditioner. It delivers clean consistent current to your equipment. That's the reason I bought this item, for daily protection against dirty electricity. I can only assume it is doing the job it is marketed for, but I'm happy I got it.
I don't run my RF cables through it because it inhibits signals from the cable Set Top Box back to Comcast. I'm reasonably certain their would be no gain to pass the RF cable through this box anyway.
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This review is from: Monster HDP 1800 8-Outlet Power Center with Stage 2 Clean Power (Electronics)
Monster Cable MPHPD1800 High Definition PowerCenter for Audio Video This is the one to buy if your'e in the market for an upscale surge protector. Peace of mind is priceless! The thing works and looks like a million bucks. If you like glowing led's, you'll love this piece of equipement. Buy it, you will be pleased!
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This review is from: Monster HDP 1800 8-Outlet Power Center with Stage 2 Clean Power (Electronics)
I originally got this to try and solve a very prominent low-level feedback hum coming through my TV and sound system speakers. Hooking it up and running the cable line through it did get rid of the very annoying hum, but left another problem in its place: I lost about one-third of my cable channels. This was due to the interference with the cable signal. I tried installing a signal amplifier, but it didn't solve the problem. On the plus side, I could really see an marked improvement in the quality of the picture and hear a difference in the sound.
Ultimately I returned this and and the signal amp and purchased the Panamax M4300-PM, also available here at Amazon.
According to Panamax, they have the least loss of cable signal (< 0.5 dB) in the industry, so I figured that would solve everything. The Panamax unit is awesome: it got rid of the hum, improved the picture and sound quality at least as good as this Monster unit did, and I have all of my cable channels back.
When calling Time Warner Cable to troubleshoot the cable channel loss issue, they specifically asked if I had a Monster power center hooked up, because they had seen this issue with them before. Maybe you won't have this issue because your cable signal is very strong, but I highly recommend the M4300-PM over this unit because it's of higher quality in every way. Aside from solving all problems, it also has a better record for protection (there are trustworthy articles on the web describing this), a convenient outlet and USB charging station on the front, and is a much nicer looking unit in my opinion.
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This review is from: Monster HDP 1800 8-Outlet Power Center with Stage 2 Clean Power (Electronics)
I purchased this as a Christmas gift, so it has not been used yet. The shipment came in a timely manner, and seller double boxed the item so I was greatful when the outer box was a little beat up that the items box was still in great shape.
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