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Post by Ex on Aug 20, 2022 22:21:54 GMT -5
You are playing a video game but suddenly a bad ass storm rolls up. Lightning and thunder all around. Maybe the lights flicker. What do you do? That's what the poll asks alright.
Have you ever had gaming hardware fried by lightning?
Have you ever lost game progress due to power loss due to a storm?
Do you invest in surge protection equipment, or more expensive stuff like an inline lightning arrester?
I'll be back with my answers later.
Edit: Yeah the poll has a type-o but I can't edit the type-o, oh well.
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bosh
HRG Enthusiast
Posts: 207
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Post by bosh on Aug 21, 2022 0:08:24 GMT -5
Have you ever had gaming hardware fried by lightning?No, but I have had save files get corrupted as I lost power during a storm. Think it ended up making my memory card dodgy over time as it happened more than once and led to me not beating FF7 (Which I have now beaten years later) and Chrono Trigger (Still need to actually finish this). Both of them I got very far before corruption. Have you ever lost game progress due to power loss due to a storm?Yep, see above. Do you invest in surge protection equipment, or more expensive stuff like an inline lightning arrester?I have some stuff on surge protector.
My typical gameplan is when it starts to thunder outside is to make sure I get a good save in, get some handhelds charged if they are not and then ride out console until ready to switch over to handheld. Honestly we don't get a ton of lightning where I live.
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Post by Xeogred on Aug 21, 2022 0:39:09 GMT -5
I have three of these. Two for PC setups and another one for my main entertainment station. I built expensive PC's, consoles are expensive, I like these things and my data, etc. On top of living in apartments for a decade now with the random power flickering every once and awhile, I sleep a little easier with these around. Pretty sure growing up I lost some progress in games from some power outings and such, nothing specific comes to mind though.
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Post by bonesnapdeez on Aug 21, 2022 7:49:59 GMT -5
I'm an unplugger.
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Post by paulofthewest on Aug 21, 2022 14:25:11 GMT -5
Have you ever had gaming hardware fried by lightning?
Nope.
Have you ever lost game progress due to power loss due to a storm?
Yes, but I'm a compulsive saver so I don't really care.
Do you invest in surge protection equipment, or more expensive stuff like an inline lightning arrester?
I do use surge protection equipment. I make sure to have one with an actual reset-able breaker (and not a one use thing.) It has tripped several times, but I've never had an issue.
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Post by Ex on Aug 21, 2022 21:16:08 GMT -5
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Post by toei on Aug 21, 2022 22:49:40 GMT -5
I had a TV fried by lighting, but not the actual gaming hardware. That was long ago, I'd forgotten about it. I have surge protectors now. I've definitely lost some progress due a storm, though luckily not more than once or twice.
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Post by Xeogred on Aug 21, 2022 22:50:27 GMT -5
The real question is, did you ever play that JRPG again? Losing chunks of progress like that in such a genre is a low blow and mood killer.
I'm surprised, I'm the only one here that uses UPS's? They're not cheap but nothing crazy either. My PC/TV/systems etc have stayed on just fine on some power surges and flickers throughout the years since I got these. Ideally you get 30 minutes or whatever from the batteries depending on how much you have pulling, but that's plenty time to shut things down safely.
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Post by Sarge on Aug 22, 2022 0:43:38 GMT -5
Have you ever had gaming hardware fried by lightning?
Thankfully, no, but I have had a modem fried by lightning. Although perhaps one of my adapters dying was due to a storm? We had to replace an NES power supply sooner than you'd expect, but it didn't kill the system if it was a power surge.
Have you ever lost game progress due to power loss due to a storm?
Oh, very much so. Many times. Both when I was younger and even in the modern day. I don't roll with a UPS, so... yeah, I takes my chances.
Do you invest in surge protection equipment, or more expensive stuff like an inline lightning arrester?
I have a solid surge protector, but that's about all I use. Sometimes I just use a power strip that has at least a little protection, and I tend to plug my less important stuff into it.
I will note that if it's a really bad storm, I often will turn off the equipment, but I don't unplug it.
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Post by Ex on Aug 22, 2022 8:58:13 GMT -5
The real question is, did you ever play that JRPG again? Yes, Skies of Arcadia Legends was far too awesome to let that mishap stop me. I used to use them back in the '00s. But I stopped because I got tired of their batteries wearing out. UPS units have internal rechargeable batteries that degrade over time, effectively losing their charge capacity from day one. I know this is a factor of the hardware itself, but for me it was like planned obsolescence. It was aggravating to have a UPS lose half its charge capacity only after a year or so, then eventually start emitting the beep of death. (It's true that metal oxide varistors in surge protectors wear out too, but that takes far longer in comparison.) |
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