Green Plug starts small, signs on Westinghouse
[Via PCWorld]
Posts with tag energy
[Via PCWorld]
EPA updates ENERGY STAR specification for digital TVs, CEA applauds
We've no idea if Panasonic's sudden urge to decrease the power consumption of its plasmas has anything to do with this, but nevertheless, the Environmental Protection Agency has announced an updated ENERGY STAR specification for digital televisions that will hopefully "lead to further reductions in the amount of energy consumed by DTVs." The new standard will reportedly grant the coveted ENERGY STAR label only to "the top 25- to 30-percent most energy efficient TV models," and furthermore, it will (for the first time) "take into account active mode or 'On' mode power consumption in addition to standby mode energy use." Needless to say, the CEA found a moment to applaud the new spec, and as far as we can tell, it's being instituted immediately.[Via Widescreen Review]
Panasonic aiming to make plasmas as energy efficient as LCDs
[Via Widescreen Review]
Mishmash TV show created to judge power consumption
Accurately measuring exactly how much juice your HDTV is consuming has been all the rage of late, and now, "television manufacturers and broadcasters have produced what may be the world's most boring TV program to measure energy consumption on new-generation televisions." Apparently, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is looking to "have a standard way of measuring how much energy plasma and LCD TVs use," and there seems to be no better way to accomplish the goal than to edit together a ten-minute clip consisting of bits from soap operas, nature programs and sports which the tested sets would play. No word yet on whether this highly-anticipated programming will hit HD DVD or Blu-ray, though.
Sony, Sharp, and Hitachi out to cut your LCD power bill
Sony, Sharp, and Hitachi have joined forces with the goal of developing LCD television tech that will have displays sipping less than half the current juice by 2011. A recent CNET study shows that a typical plasma television uses 328 watts of power, whereas the average LCD uses 193 watts. By researching LED backlighting -- which also helps with expanded-range color reproduction -- and other energy-saving technologies, the companies hope to keep the costs of operating an LCD down as the sizes go up. And let there be no mistake, sizes will go up.
