|
 Belkin
has taken the power conditioning market seriously with a number of components
under the PureAV™ name. Recently, they have taken it a step further with
the introduction of the new PureAV Hybrid AVU1500 UPS with PureFilter Technology.
The design protects equipment and provides an advanced UPS to keep components
running in the event of a power outage. The unit is designed to safeguard the
content of your personal video recorder, satellite receiver, or any other home
theater component that may need backup power. Belkin has combined their PureAV
PureFilter Technology with the power of a 1500VA, 1000-watt, battery-backup system
(UPS). The AVU1500 cleans, protects, distributes, and provides backup power to
your entire system. Several features included in the design sets it apart from
other products, so we will take a detailed look at the product.
 Battery
Tray
A large portion of the weight in the AVU1500 is contributed by the
heavy lead-acid batteries used for backup power. As with all lead-acid batteries,
there will come a time when they need to be replaced. Belkin makes it easy to
remove the 30 pound battery tray by providing a flip out panel on the front left
side of the chassis where four screws hold the tray in place. The tray slides
out making it easy for the user to replace the batteries when needed. Display
 The
main display provides status of the unit's operation. The incoming line voltage
is displayed on the left in with large segments. The current being drawn by the
connected components is displayed on the right. Should the incoming line voltage
go too high or too low the AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulation) circuit activates
to compensate for the line voltage and displays the AVR ON symbol on the
screen. Ground and Wiring status are provided with good/bad indicators. Switched,
Remote, Audible Alert, and Override On/Off status are also displayed. The remote
indicator lets the user know if the AVU1500 is being controlled by another component
such as a preamplifier. The Switched button controls the switched outlets
on the unit with status on the screen. The Dimmer button cycles through
different backlighting levels and includes an off setting. Pressing and holding
the Test button for three seconds starts a quick shutdown test to check
the setup. Holding the Test button for ten seconds starts a deep battery
test which is designed to discharge and recharge the battery to help refresh its
chemical contents. The Audible Alert button mutes the alarm during an alert
and changes the corresponding status indicator. The Stage Time button cycles
through the three power stages indicating the amount of time left on each of them.
These power stages are designed to shed loads to preserve power to the most critical
components. The Override Stages button overrides the sequential shutdown
of the three power stages and changes the indcator. There
are several other indicators on the screen that give the user status. The Battery
ON indicator activates when the unit is running from batteries during a power
outage. The Overload indicator goes active when the unit is being overloaded.
The Battery Load Meter has five segments that show the load on the UPS.
When the load approaches 1000W, all five segments will begin to flash indicating
the unit has reached it's maximum output. The Battery Charge Meter shows
the level of the batteries with a five segment display. Should the batteries in
the unit go bad, the Replace Battery indicator will turn on.  Rear
Panel
The AVU1500 has a detachable power cord and a built-in fan for cooling.
The fan is especially important when the UPS is active with a heavy load as significant
heat is generated. The rear of the AVU1500 is designed with four banks and three
stages of powered outlets. Stage 1 includes Bank D (High Power) with two
outlets optimized for subwoofers and power amplifiers. Stage 2 includes four Bank
C (digital filtering) outlets and two Bank B (Analog filtering) outlets.
Stage 3 has four Bank A outlets with digital filtering. Each Bank can be
configured using the Filter Bank Settings controls. The Banks can
be Always On or Switched with a delay (5, 10, or 15 seconds) or
without a delay. Protection is provided for cable, satellite, and antenna connections
as well as for phone (RJ-11) and wired ethernet (RJ-45) interfaces. A USB and
RS232 connection is provided with extensive home automation command and control
through the RS232 interface.
The
Remote IN section is used to turn (trigger) the unit ON using the DC input
or switched AC from the source such as a preamplifier. The On/Off switch in the
Remote IN section enables/disable the remote function. Once the unit is triggered,
the unit can send a DC trigger with or without a delay. The same delay setting
used for the Filter Banks will be utilized. The
AVU1500 also includes an IR Blaster that sends out an IR command to any one of
the components during the shutdown phase. The Blast Stage switch setting (1, 2,
or 3) determines when the IR command is sent out. The AVU1500 has the ability
to learn an IR command from an existing remote and includes an IR detector with
a Teach button. An LED indicator provides the learning process status to
the user. 
Color Change
When the utility power fails, the display on the AVU1500 turns
orange indicating a problem with the incoming power. The three stage power indicators
show what outputs are active and how much time is left on the batteries. The AVU1500’s
batteries will automatically
supply backup power to all the equipment connected
to its rear-panel power outlets. While the power reserve is large in the unit,
there is a limited amount of energy stored in the batteries. The unique design
of the AVU1500 allows equipment to be shut down in stages. This keeps the most
important components powered for the longest time. There are three stages with
Stage 1 (Bank D) shutting down after the battery runs down to 90% of maximum
capacity. Bank D is designed to power high current components such as amplifiers
and subwoofers. Stage 2 (Banks B & C) shuts down when the power reaches
50%. Bank B & C are for non-critical devices such as CD and DVD players. The
remaining power keeps Stage 3 (Bank A) powered for as long as the batteries
can keep the inverter running with the attached load. Bank A is designed for satellite/cable
boxes, DVRs, and VCRs. As each stage shuts off, less energy will be drawn from
the batteries thereby prolonging the remaining supply of battery power to the
most critical (Bank A) devices.
Performance
We connected a Mitsubishi LT-52133 52" LCD display along with a variety of
A/V components for testing. The display alone draws several amps under normal
conditions whereas the digital components have much lower power consumption. Our
test simulated a power outage by pulling the plug from the wall. None of the connected
equipment was even phased by the loss of incoming power. Even the high current
being drawn by the display did not show any signs of power transfer to the AVU1500
UPS. The display turned orange indicating that power failed and the instrumentation
on the LCD screen provided feedback on the system vitals. As time continued, the
unit began to shed power at the 90% and 50% battery capacity levels starting with
Stage 1 and then Stage 2. This keep Stage 3 components running for an extended
amount of time until no more energy was left in the batteries. The
controls for the unit are simple and easy to understand and offer the flexibility
needed to customize the A/V system. Conclusion
Belkin's new PureAV™
Hybrid AVU1500 UPS offers complete power protection with the added benefit of
backup power in the event of a blackout. The build quality of this
unit is exceptional and the features are some of the best available on any power
conditioner. Whether you plan to rack mount the unit or place it in a cabinet,
the AVU1500 looks great. In addition, rack mount hardware is included with the
unit. Usually
when connecting A/V components to a power conditioner you get the benefits of
surge protection and if you are lucky, some form of voltage regulation for when
utility power or house loads vary. Belkin has combined this capability with complete
battery backup in the UPS to keep key components in your system fully active in
all types of events. Whether it is sagging line voltage, power transients, brownouts
or complete power failure, the Belkin PureAV AVU1500 UPS covers it all. With
a street price of around $850, the PureAV™ Hybrid AVU1500 UPS is a great
deal offering some of the most advanced and comprehensive power management features
we have used to date. Belkin also includes their $500,000 Connected Equipment
Warranty along with a 3-year product warranty. If you are serious about protecting
your equipment, the PureAV™ Hybrid AVU1500 UPS is a worthy addition to your
system. -
Kevin Nakano | 
