My question is this: Can you use an electrical appliance timer to turn off tvs, dvds, playstations, etc every night to minimize the vampire electricity drainage? Or does that timer thingy still allow the appliance that is plugged in to still drain energy when it is turned off?

The reason I ask is that I read in a green magazine about these new smart strip protectors for computers and their peripherals that are supposed to turn off the unused appliances when you turn off your computer. This type of surge protector was only for pcs though not appliances. http://www.amazon.com/Smart-Strip-Autoswitching-Technology-LCG4/dp/B0006Q3B2W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1219249180&sr=8-1

Here is a link that might be useful: Appliance timer