DVI vs HDMI, surge protectors, speakers

Originally posted by d0orbell 1.  I'm running on a 1920x1080 LCD and was wondering if it made a difference to use a HDMI versus a DVI cable in regards to gaming/visual quality.  I know HDMI can run audio but I'm getting speakers so I won't be requiring audio through my monitor.

They're both digital signals, so both HDMI and DVI have the same lossless quality, doesn't matter if you're using $5 cables from Monoprice.com or $90 gold plated Monster cables. (Hint: Don't buy Monster cables! )

The differences between them is that DVI doesn't do sound, and the only one of the two that can currently transfer 120Hz refresh rates is DVI-D. HDMI is limited to 60Hz or less.

2.  Also, I just got the ODE 3 and would like to protect my investment, does anyone have any suggestions on surge protectors or brands?  If so is there a joule rating I should be going for?  Is a battery backup really necessary?

Hmm, I only did some quick cursory research on surge suppressors around a year and a half ago. The only things I still remember are:

1. You're not going to stop a lightning bolt, it's going to take the path of least resistance, it's going to jump gaps, and surge suppressor or not it's going to fry all your stuff. To protect against this or any other big external power surge you get a properly grounded whole house surge protector, no questions asked. You can get them yourself or have your power company install them.
2. You get the at the socket multi pronged surge suppressors to protect against internal power surges or dirty power. Stuff like a refrigerator or AC units coming on, know how the lights dim/flicker? Those are internal power surges, and that damages and wears out things, the socket surge suppressors are to stop those.
3. Lower clamping value the better. I think 330v is the lowest rating?
4. Higher joules the better, within reason.
5. There are other ratings like noise filter reduction, I don't remember how those worked.
6. Get a suppressor with an Ethernet port, surges can easily come through your Ethernet as well, and fry things on your motherboard, most often the network controller.

I believe I went with one of these, since it had all the connections I needed (PC/TV/cable box), pretty good ratings, and a decent price. Someone else can perhaps give you better suggestions. Both your surge suppressor and your PC's power supply unit work as power conditioners, so a battery backup is most definitely not necessary in that regard. They're just an optional thing to get if you want to make sure you don't lose any data from unexpected power outs or if you get frequent brown outs and are tried of restart your PC every time.