Review of APC J35 home entertainment backup with technology support, Part 1 setup

Thinking about data centers and IT all day, it is natural to have the ideas transfer into my home life.  I am close to completing a custom house build where technology and data center ideas have influenced details like availability of services - Internet and Monitoring.

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I have been having discussions with one of my power friends at APC who came over my house and we discussed what I could do for power back-up systems.  He suggested the Audio Video line as one option, and after some research I decided when the timing was right I would get an APC AV backup system where I will have a cable modem, Dual WAN Router with 3G/4G failover, POE intercom, Security Camera DVR, and some AV equipment.

Luckily the folks at APC just announced a new unit the J35 and they sent one over to let me evaluate it.

Ideal for protecting and backing up televisions, home theater surround sound systems, gaming systems, routers, modems and additional home entertainment and office equipment, the APC J25B and J35B offer:

  • Battery Backup – Data loss is eliminated when power is disrupted because of battery backup that enables saving and backing up DVR recordings, stored games and computer files.
  • Multi-Stage Surge Protection – All electrical modes are guaranteed and offer protected and reliable thermal fusing which helps ensure safe operation under all conditions.
  • Noise Filtering – Electromagnetic interference (EMI) is reduced to help ensure optimum picture and sound quality. The J Type benefits from two filterbanks which are isolated from each other to reduce cross contamination that can negatively impact audio and video performance.
  • Cost-Efficiency and Portability – The industry-low price point offers a portable, consumer-friendly and all-inclusive solution with EMI/RFI, surge protection, AVR and battery backup.
  • Dual-Color LCD Display Viewing – An informative display alerts users of any changing device and power environment conditions and subsequently enables adjustment of all device parameters.

When I hooked up all this gear I had over 100 minutes of battery backup which means my family could use the POE intercom when the power goes out to talk to mom/dad.  The internet access works for security notifications, including cable modem failure with the 3G/4G failover.

Here is a picture of APC’s new J35 Home Entertainment System Battery Backup.

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The unit comes with a beefy power cord, some extra cables.  On top of the unit is the Cradlepoint MBR1200 Dual WAN and 3G/4G failover router.

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When you take the battery cover off to connect the battery, the battery is installed upside down to disconnect it.

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And you flip it over to connect and put the cover back on.

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Here is a shot of the back.

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And, the unit hooked up.

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Next steps are to write about the use and connecting to a PC with the USB cable.