What Are Those Power Outlets On The Back of an AV Receiver For?
While falling out of favor in recent years, if you have an older AV receiver, you may notice a couple of power outlets on the back. For many, they were a confusing addition to a device that didn’t really seem like it needed to be more confusing. So, what’s the deal? What are those power outlets on the back of your AV receiver for? Let’s discuss!
Convenience Is King
Long before the days of HDMI-CEC and even universal remotes, people strived for a way to use fewer remotes (probably because they kept losing them). They didn’t want to have to hunt around for every remote in order to power on all their gear. Any trick they could use to simplify the process was welcome.
Someone over there at “Big AV Reciever” decided to help out. The solution? Add power outlets to the back of their AV receivers. But how could this possibly make a difference? Simple. These are switched outlets. This means that those outlets will not receive power if the AV receiver is in standby mode. Power on the AV receiver and the outlets get power. Power it down and they switch off. Any device connected to these outlets basically responds to the power button on your AV receiver remote.
The Problem
If you have your hand up because we never really forget how to do that from elementary school, you’ve probably got some questions. Obviously, this only works for devices that either are powered on all the time or have some sort of hard switch for power. You switch them on and let the outlet control whether or not they get power.
This works great for specific devices. If you have an EQ between your receiver and your amplifier, it’s great. But for devices that need additional inputs (like a CD player), you may be able to get them to power up, but you’ll still need another remote to control it. Of course, this is why AV receiver remotes often have the ability to control other devices. But then…why do you need the power outlets again?
Obviously, this is why we don’t see them on modern AV receivers.
Can You Use the Power Outlets on Your AV Receiver?
Of course! If you have access to these outlets, feel free to use them. Just take note of the power maximums. Most of these outlets are limited to specific power outputs. You can’t exceed these with anything plugged into them. Make sure any device you connect to the outlet draws less than the maximum power and you should be fine.
Have you used those power outlets on the back of an AV receiver? Let us know in the comments below!
Yes I use one to power a fan used to keep things cool in the cabinet the receiver is in. I want to upgrade my receiver but can’t find one with the power plugs.
Yes, they are much less common these days.
Who makes a current A/V receiver with power plugs in the back?
I have a stereo receiver in a cabinet that has a power plug on the back of it. The power goes off on this plug when the receiver is off and on when it is on. So, I have it connected to a little light that is on the outside of the cabinet that is on when the receiver is on and off when it is off. This reminds to turn the reciviever off when not in use.
But, does anyone know how to do this with a receiver that does not have a power plug on the back? In particular, is there any way to have a light on the outside of a cabinet turn on when I turn on my Pioneer VSX-23TXH AV Reciever and turn off when I turn off the receiver?
Any help you can give me is appreciated.
This article should help you out. Plug the light into the second outlet and it should turn on when you power up the receiver and turn off when you power it down. Hope this helps.
Can I connect a turntable to this outlet that is at the back of my av receiver
Just check the power draw as stated in the article. If it is under the maximum, it should be fine.