Tributaries Cable has recently released a duo of power managers to supplement its growing line of power products, the T100 and the T200. The T200 reviewed here is a mid-priced unit at $500. Power management and protection is a critical part of any home theater system. Whether you call your product a surge suppressor, power conditioner or power manager (or a whole slew of other names created by creative marketing types), there are three basic things that most people should look for: one, component protection; two, improved audio video performance, and; three. power management. The T200 does all three.

Additional Resources
• Read more AC power product reviews by the staff at HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Find an AV receiver to plug into the T200.

The 2U rack mountable T200 features a total of thirteen AC power outlets: four isolated always-on digital; two isolated switched or always-on digital; four isolated switched-on analog; two delayed-on high current and one always-on convenience outlet on the front panel. The front panel also contains a dimmable LED display to indicate incoming voltage and power consumption. In addition to the foregoing, which are found on some of the competitive products from other manufacturers, the T200 also features a front panel circuit breaker reset switch and an USB outlet which can be used to charge USB devices or with the included USB gooseneck light. The rear panel also has an USB outlet; this feature came in handy for me to light up the back of my equipment rack when connecting gear.

The new T200 feature can provide up to 1800 watts and 15 amps of AC power. An advanced Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV) surge suppression technology that provides faster response time and increased absorption over traditional MOVs capable of providing 5400 joules of protection without failure. Tributaries advises that a the use of ceramic casing on he MOVs provides greater protection from failure through faster heat dissipation which keeps the accumulated temperature remains low. An added benefit of lower temperatures is that lifespan of the new type of MOV lasts 10 times longer than a standard MOV, addressing a common complaint of MOV based devices. In addition to AC surge suppression, protection is also provided for telephone connections and RF signal paths specifically designed for cable, satellite or antenna devices. In addition to providing protection from surges, the T200 provides over-voltage and under-voltage protection. If the supplied voltage to the T200 falls below 90 volts or exceeds 135 volts the unit will shut down until voltage returns to that range.

The T200 increases component performance by providing separate AC line filtering, electrical isolation and power conditioning for analog, digital and high-current components. Additionally each of the outlets is individually isolated so that any noise generated by one component will not affect another component even if it is plugged into another outlet within the same group.