Just when you think you've bought all the kit you need, Belkin comes along and says you need a 'Power Console' as well! Apparently it's just the ticket for removing electrical noise from your power supply, allowing your precious hardware to do the best job possible. It looks the business, but just how essential is it?

Well-designed equipment already incorporates filtering in its power supply to minimise the effects of mains noise and transient 'spikes' (high-voltage surges of short duration).

Most power supplies used in CE equipment these days - an exception being the majority of amps and receivers - are of the 'switch-mode' variety. These will work across a wide range of AC power supply, and are thus fairly immune to slight swings in mains voltage (usually caused by demand on the electricity generating and distribution network).

The quality of the mains supply will depend on where you live. Those residing in rural areas tend to be the worst off - supplies tend to be the least reliable here, and voltages can vary. If you're near a large industrial plant that uses a lot of electricity, your mains might not be as clean as it could be, either.

If your mains supply is less than reliable, I would always recommend using a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) for devices like PVRs and digital recorders as well as computers, anyway. In the event of a mains outage, a typical UPS (which is fairly inexpensive) should keep a PVR going for a while thereby increasing the chances of your recording being completed.

But if you're serious about protecting your hardware, reducing cable clutter and (potentially) boosting performance, this Belkin demands attention.

There's no doubt that the PF30 is beautifully built. A peek inside reveals some massive wound components (known as 'chokes') that will reject high-frequency mains interference. Also present are devices that absorb potentially-damaging 'spikes'.

Outwardly, the PF30 is an elegant silver-fronted piece of equipment with five standard mains outlets - two video, two audio and one dedicated to 'HiCurrent' equipment like amplifiers and active subwoofers. The latter three are switched, the others being 'always on'.

A nice touch is an eight-second delay which ensures that your amp is always turned on last and turned off first. As a result, there's less chance of experiencing any 'thud' that could damage your speakers.