Due to ineffective protection, your only alternative is to replace damaged boxes. However learn why you had damage and that damage was easily averted.
First understand how lightning does damage. Lightning seeks earth ground. If earthed BEFORE entering a building, then it need not damage household appliances. But you (apparently) did not have that well proven solution.
A direct lightning strike to AC wires far down the street is a direct strike incoming to every household appliance. Was everything damaged? Of course not. It is electricity. To be damaged, the box must have an incoming path (ie AC electric). And some other outgoing path to earth. Only damaged were the fewer appliances that earthed lightning.
Second, best protection for an incoming TV cable is a wire from that cable low impedance (ie 'less than 10 feet') to single point earth ground. Numerous and critical expressions are in that sentence. For example, a connection to earth must be that short or shorter. And not just any earth ground.
A surge on the cable obtains earth BEFORE entering - the best protection. However other wires (AC electric, telephone) cannot connect directly. So we do the next best thing. Make the same connection with a 'whole house' protector.
Note: a protector never does protection despite hearsay that says otherwise. A protector either connects a surge low impedance to earth ground. Or it does what a power strip or UPS might do - virtually nothing.
Third, protectors are simple science. "Art" of protection is the earthing. For example, not any earth ground. A best earth ground that both meets and exceeds code requirements is a single point earth ground. Every incoming wire (overhead or underground) that enters a building must first make a low impedance connection to that earthing electrode.
Telephone and cable wires would already have this earthing (required by code, FCC, and other standards). So incoming is a lightning strike far down the street. Into a modem, et al. Outgoing to earth via cable or telephone wire. Damage that was directly traceable to a human mistake. Because the well proven solution (from over 100 years of experience) is rarely installed in homes. Often due to ignorance created by advertising, salesmen, and hearsay.
And finally, more responsible companies provide these solutions including Leviton, Intermatic, General Electric, Polyphaser, Syscom, Square D, Ditek, or ABB - to name but a few. A Culter-Hammer solution sold in Lowes and Home Depot for less than $50.
Most of your questions should be about the "art" - what does protection - earth ground. A wall receptable has no earth ground for obvious reasons even defined earlier: low impedance.
An effective solution is also the less expensive one. But this is most important. A protector is only as effective as its earth ground.
