OneClick TV/AV IntelliPlug

Over a year it would be good to see what savings you actually make, I use one of these little gizmos with my PC set up.

If you look at the energy that it took to produce the various flights and roadtrips before you actually plug it in, is there a real saving in terms of a carbon footprint.

Makes you start to think that the various green policies are just a big scam for the year 2000 ???????????????

After I received a HUGE electricity bill a few months ago I set up all my AV and computer equipment feeding off two power strips which can be switched off with one switch. It's not automatic like this product but it made a big difference. Along with replacing all my light bulbs with energy saving ones I have just receioved my quarterly bill and it is shows I have used half the amount of electricity as the same time last year. It wasn't expecting that much difference! The two main switches now go off every night and only come on when I am home in the evening. There's nop oreason to leave the Xbox/Wii/TV etc.. chewing electricity whilst I am not home. The only things that saty on are the V+ and broadband router. Makes perfect sense.

Does the Sky digibox hole work for Sky digiboxes that record, or would it switch them on to receive updates and then even though it's started recording something switch it off again while the hard drive it writing?

If it's smart enough to play nice with a Sky HD box, then I'll buy it, otherwise the cost of the plug is greater than the cost of the electricity I'd save from other devices.

Just don't use this with your high end AV gear. Audio devices, in particular, should be left on all the time. I'm also a bit bothered by just cutting power to devices that are on, a lot of equipment does things a bit cleverer than that when turning off, and it's a huge no no with anything with a file system.

Hi Stephen - can you explain "audio devices in particular should be left on all the time" please? I'm interested to learn what difference this might make versus turning off at the wall.

I have this company's eight-socket intellipanel, which powers down my gear when my PC is off. I used to keep my computer in my room, and couldn't stand the midnight hum of four or five mains transformers when trying to sleep.

Re: The_Pope "...it's a huge no no with anything with a file system."
Yes, I would be dubious about PVR's or perhaps MP3 jukeboxes, but with external hard-drives etc, it leaves a short gap between your main appliance's shutdown and total shutdown, meaning no I/O requests will be interrupted. I haven't had any problems yet, and I've saved a packet.
I have recommended these products to many family and friends, and hope to see them become ubiquitous in every home!

@The_Pope: A good article on the subject of leaving your audio system on permanently can be found here:
http://www.russandrews.com/lookup/1/region/UK/currency/GBP/customer_id/PAA0751085508842OKXHRTNNGOGQLMXB/article-Leaving-your-system-on-permanently-LeavingYourSystemOn.htm

I'll add that this makes more of a difference to the sound of your system with the more you have spent on said system. So if you have some cheapy £300 system it probably doesn't mater so much.

I use the 3 different versions of this plug, the TV one above I have on both my TV's a newer 32" LCD and an older 28" CRT 'chunky beast!'.

My PC setup has the desktop version, which is a must for me as I have printer, 2 monitors, 2.1 speaker, mouse charger, lighting and a network switch which are now all powered off when I don't use my PC. Finally I got the Intelliplug USB version for my mother who again has a printer and modem which are powered off when she is not using her laptop.

I know my bills have been sneaking up recently, but I dare to think what they would have been if I hadn't plugged in these smart plugs!

Stephen, you say anything with a file system? Well my PC has a file system, but you shut your pc down as normal. The plug then powers everything else off, once your computer has safely switched itself off. Then when you power on your PC, a few sec's later all your accessories come back on.

Energy saving bulbs, timers on my modem/router and lighting ensure everything else where I can't use these, ensure all other waste electricity is put to bed :)