Effective protection costs so little. For example, go to
Home Depot or Radio Shack from something called a grounding
block for incoming cable TV line. It costs less than $2
retail. Connect this grounding block less than 10 feet using
12 AWG or heavier wire. Now the CATV line is fully surge
protected. Yes, the cable line requires no surge protector.
A surge protector is nothing more than a temporary connection
to earth ground. BUT the ground block has already made that
protection connection using a 12 AWG wire. Where is the big
cost?

Unfortunately we still don't build new homes for transistor
safety. So effective protection often must be installed as an
after thought. Sometimes, this means the incoming cable -
improperly installed - must be moved. Now we are talking big
bucks; and only because humans were the reasons for failure.
I recently had this discussion with some cable installer who
keep saying, "Is that what they were saying", or "That's
right. They said something about that". Every incoming
wire must connect to single point earth ground. That
connection is either via a protector or hard wire. The
telephone company even installs a 'whole house' protector ....
for free. But again, it is only as effective as the earth
ground provided by the home builder.

I don't see where all this expense is. Many waste big bucks
on plug in protectors that (quietly) don't even claim to
provide effective protection. The missing information is that
damning. IOW those expensive protectors also are ineffective
solutions. The less expensive 'whole house' protector
connected 'less than 10 feet' to protection is the less
expensive and more effective solution.

Which wire is most often struck? Wire highest on telephone
pole. AC electric. This is a direct strike to the computer
inside the house IF effective 'whole house' protectors do not
connect to that all so essential single point earth ground.

"It depends" is a discussion about the human who did or did
not install effective protection - and what it takes to
correct that mistake. There is no reason for any electronics
to be damaged by surges. And some locations make protection
far more essential. The need for earthed protection varies
even with geology AND can vary significantly even within the
same town.

notritenoteri wrote:
You're right 5 years with no damage doesn't prove anything but it
does point to the fact that the cost to take extraordinary
precautions to protect against rare events is probably not worth it.
On the other hand spending money on the best possible lightening
protection for a radio antenna tower may be worthwhile.
Your claim that protection is easily installed is somewhat
misleading. The facts are "it depends"