Do I need a battery backup or surge protector? Any recommendations?

Our area is prone to numerous Brief Power Outages, particularly during Challenging Weather Conditions (high winds; heavy rain / snow; extended heat....).
Have therefore grown fond of UPS (battery back-up systems) with AVR circuits, and have roughly a half-dozen scattered around the house - mostly attached to computer stations, but also our main "HT" components.

If you are more concerned about Fluctuations in your power supply, as opposed to Power Outages, an AVR unit should suffice (power regulation without battery backup). Our eldest son has a nice unit from APC connected to his primary HT equipment & swears by it.

Note that UPS systems have a finite life span: generally 2 to 3 years. And that their batteries CAN run down to the point that they will fail to provide ANY run time, even though the "Replace Battery" signal has not been activated!

Of course, you will NOT get a significant amount of run time for HT equipment from any consumer UPS unit - even with most computer stations you are simply talking about enough time to "Gracefully Shut Down."

However, you may find that a good UPS will keep things running for the type of "mini-outages" that we often experience - sometimes literally Just Long Enough to reset the electronic clocks!

For a possible bargain, check out the new units CostCo has picked up from CyberPower: our local store is selling these for around $90, and their Published specs are better than the TrippLite units they formerly carried.
Also offer a 3-year warranty, which seems encouraging.

Otherwise, would look at APC - and you should be able to find a discussions about their products (and competitors) by searching about....

I don't think there is any advantage to having battery backup on a plasma (unlike a projector for instance), except for the obvious luxury of uninterrupted usage. Personally, I won't use a UPS beause it's just another thing that will fail on you eventually (and I have relatively stable power). Of course, there are plenty of unseen power "gremlins" that can and do erode many types of electronics (based on my research), shortening their life span. High power appliances, seasonal brownouts and blackouts are commonly cited sources, and for these it's a not a bad idea to employ some kind of POU surge suppression. Of course, a whole-house system should also be implemented as a first line of defense (but remember, none of this provides any guarantee of lightning protection).

For my significant investment in AV equipment, I wanted surge supression that will not degrade over time (scratch most common consumer grade units) and that will not choke my system when it demands more power (not a concern in your application). That's why I went with series mode units (mine are from Torus, specially designed to be non-current limiting). The most current and claimed "best" technology comes from the inventor, Zero Surge. But there are also prefectly good units available from Surgex and Brickwall (and you can buy used with confidence from places like eBay, since these things never wear out!).

UPS will do nothing for you, since you really won't have any significant up time in case of a power failure. Those "power strip" solutions are useless and deteriorate over time. I use line conditioners on all my equipment (around $44) to protect against brownouts, spikes, and surges.

Howdy,
the posters above have no clue what you are asking.

Yes, a UPS is a good choice. Just make sure its not the lowest style model. You will want a UPS which has AVR. Yes, the Costco ups unit will work nicely, and the pricing is good.

The problem is the power never goes off cleanly. The power surges, browns, goes off for 2 seconds and then is on, then off and so forth. The UPS attached was never meant to sit and watch TV. It meant to do its job, and protect the equipment from these power glitches.

Yes, remember a UPS battery needs to be replaced. It is a battery. So, with a limited lifespan of about 3-4 years.

Well well well, we have an expert! mflagg, please point me to some documented cases of a power failure or brownout cusing harm to a plasma TV.

Now, if you're in another country where the grid is unstable, they make more sense, but I doubt they provide much protection as you claim. If you have a projector, then damage can be done during a blackout as the cooling fans required for proper shutdown will not operate.

I know what you're saying, but for those very brief outages that are common in some areas, a higher end UPS will allow you to continue watching TV. APC has units popular with the AV crowd:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=465418&Q=&is=REG&A=details

I don't know about plasmas being affected, but I have lost a 200w power amp and a satellite receiver.

I picked up a Monster unit from a shop that was going out of business for half-price. Wouldn't pay that much otherwise. It is now backing up my satellite DVR as well as protecting some other equipment. I have a Tripp 1500VA unit that I'm going to use for the TV, AVR and associated network equipment. Its only problem is the internal fan is loud as heck. I've replaced it twice to find something quieter without much success.

I use the newer cyberpower 1500VA for my plasma/router/modem/ps3/led lights on the battery side and the receiver and chargers on the other side. Mine also has 2 USB ports for charging phones/communicating with the unit. Now that being said, those of you who run ANYTHING with a hard drive (PS3, Xbox, HTPC) should have a power conditioner in line somewhere. Dirty power is a known culprit to failed HDDs.

That being said, I did not buy the unit to power my tv, but rather to let me power it down, protect the ps3 and have uninterrupted internet. The led lights(behind the tv)/router/modem use almost no power and per the readings should last about 2 hours. This is enough time for me to find flashlights and give me another avenue to the internet in case cell towers go down etc. With the tv and ps3 on i will get about 18 minutes of run time.

Another advantage is some have logging software and settings that can be set up etc. Its like having a beefed up kill-a-watt. You will be amazed how much a plasma will use energy wise on a bright screen vs a dim one (I had to upgrade from an 850 when i got my old plasma cause the reciver, ps3 and tv will max out the UPS)

Hope this information helps

Guess I could have been clearer - AFAIK, there is no potential for damage by suddenly cutting power from a plasma TV, which I believe was the concern of the OP. Surges can sometimes occur during power failures, so good protection is warranted. However, I am not aware of any additional protection offered by UPS-type systems in this case.

Here is the model I have. http://www.amazon.com/CyberPower-CP1500PFCLCD-Compatible-1500VA-Tower/dp/B00429N19W/ref=pd_cp_e_1

A line conditioner maintains voltage and current. When the "power goes off" UNCLEANLY, it's the same thing as hitting the power switch on the TV.
Since you can only watch a few minutes with a UPS (or have to spend $$$$ for a v high capacity UPS) spending $150-1000 for a UPS is silly when Line conditioners are $45.