Brownouts, blackouts and slight overvoltage are not the problems you need to be concerned with. Where a surge protector will save a system is with really high overvoltge situations like from lightening striking a nearby power pole. However, if you have a direct lightning strike on your house, almost nothing will help except homeowner's insurance. Any good surge protector will do the job with an indirect lightning hit. I use the TrippLite "Isobar" surge protectors/filters and they do the job (they're for professional/industrial use) and they don't have the cost penalty of being a "boutique" product.

[This message has been edited by soundhound (edited August 11, 2003).]