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Power saving Power Strip for Mini htpc

Tilpots

Tilpots

macrumors 601
Original poster
Apr 19, 2006
4,195
72
Carolina Beach, NC
Anyone using one of those power strips/surge protectors that shuts down your periperals (TV, Speakers, Ext. HDDs, etc.) when the Mini goes to sleep? If so, can you recommend one?

I found this one by APC, but it doesn't seem to work with Macs.

Also, would shutting down an exteranl HDD like this hurt it?

Thanks for any help...
 
^^Interesting. The product description says that it definetly won't work with iMacs, and the reviews suggest that most Macs don't work. Maybe the AppleTV handles sleep a little differently than other Macs.
 
You mean the power strip shuts off the AppleTV right?. If you read the reviews on that particular strip, when the mac goes to sleep, it causes the peripherals to shutdown, but first they send a signal to the Mac which wakes it up from the sleep it just entered, creating a never ending powered up cycle.
 
Tilpots said:
You mean the power strip shuts off the AppleTV right?. If you read the reviews on that particular strip, when the mac goes to sleep, it causes the peripherals to shutdown, but first they send a signal to the Mac which wakes it up from the sleep it just entered, creating a never ending powered up cycle.
Click to expand...

I can tell you how mine works. I have my tv plugged into the main outlet. The Atv is plugged into one that says" controlled by master"

So when I turn on my tv the Atv turns on. When I turn off the tv the Atv shuts down/no power.
 
Right, that's how it's supposed to work. But if the Mac is the "Main" device, apparently that strip has some compatibility problems. I appreciate your feedback!
 
Tilpots said:
Right, that's how it's supposed to work. But if the Mac is the "Main" device, apparently that strip has some compatibility problems. I appreciate your feedback!
Click to expand...

Ok I see what your saying. Um..The only reason why that would happen is if the main device isnt drawing enough current to turn on the Atv.

These plugs are supposed to open and close off sensing current flow.

I have a mini and a Atv, but I dont have them right next to each other. Maybe later this week I can test for you.
 
If you get a chance, a trial would be most excellent. I guess you would have to plug the mini in as the main device, then some type of usb attached peripheral with a plug in power source.

What I would expect to happen given the reviews, would be the mini goes to sleep, then the attached usb device powers off, and as the usb device powers off, it will wake the mini back up. Hope I'm wrong, 'cause that power strip is exactly what I'm looking for...

Anyway, if you happen to get a chance to do it, please post the results. I'm subscribed to this thread, so I'll definetly check back to hear. Thanks again for your input and if you get to test, I'd appreciate that as well, but if not, no biggie...:)
 
Not to hijack, but does anyone know of something similar that has fewer outlets and is consequently cheaper? I'd like to use one to turn on some backlighting behind my television set and automatically turn it off when i turn off the tv set. So all i need is one "master" and one controlled outlet.
 
Alright, little update for all 2 of you that are watching...:D

I found this Smart Strip for Bits Limited.
You have to let them know when you order it that it's for a mini.

I talked to their rep and it sounds like this one is similar to the APC product. It will create a USB power cycle loop that will prevent the strip for working correctly for a USB powered device. He wasn't sure if this was the case with a Firewire connection, though. BORIStheBLADE, I think this pretty much sums up what a test would accomplish so I guess it's unneccesary, but again, I appreciate the offer...

The more I've thought about it though, the less I think I will actually have any USB powered device that I want cycled up and down. I will use the strip for my Mac Mini (which would be the main device), HDTV, and Audioengine A5 speakers. I'm not sure if it would be wise to attach the external HDDs. I can't imagine them being in use when the Mini goes to sleep, but would it be alright to kill the power to them at this time? And would a lot of powering on and off hurt the HDD long term? I don't know so I'm hoping somebody much smarter than I will chime in...
 
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