Power Saving Tips for Flat Panel TVs
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You've probably heard about it in the news -- TVs are fast becoming the bane of power bills across millions of households. A recent study tells that televisions account for about 4 percent of annual residential electricity use in the United States. And we're not just talking about old CRT sets here, but also the huge flat panel displays that have become popular in recent years and are poised to replace their smaller counterparts.
With bigger screens, brighter displays, and better graphics, flat panel TVs are the powerhouses of home entertainment. Powerhouses, literally. The saying "too good to be true" was invented for a reason, and this applies to plasma TVs and other flat panels. All the performance you get from them has a price, and it's showing up on your power bill.
For example, according to UK's Energy Saving Trust, plasma TVs consume about four times more energy as that of the aging, cathode-ray TVs. Of course, plasma TVs are larger than their CRT counterparts, as most flat screen TVs are ready-made for home theater systems.
With that in mind, there are a few things you can do at home and when choosing which TV to buy so you can conserve energy and save some cash. But before that, let's look at some stats.
Flat Panel TV Power Consumption
Let's see how the three most popular flat panel technologies fare:
Plasma televisions are generally the most expensive to own, and the electricity consumption aspect is no exception.
LCDs, on the other hand, are considered more energy-efficient, but only with smaller screens. (This makes them a good choice for computer displays, but we'll talk more about that in the next section.) When you get past the 40-inch mark, LCD televisions are not necessarily better.
DLP projection televisions are considered better at energy saving than the first two. For example, a recent test by The Plasma TV Blog shows that a 50-inch DLP TV consumed around 3.12 watts, unlike its plasma counterpart, which used up a whopping 9.02 watts. What's more, the DLP's wattage was comparable to a 32-inch CRT.
Generally, as you see from the graph above, projection-type TVs have a ceiling for the amount of power consumed, while direct view televisions, which include your typical Plasmas and LCDs do not follow a set pattern, making it difficult to decide which type of flat panel television to choose.
Compounding the problem is that whatever type of big screen TV you're using, it's probably connected to other power-hungry appliances such as DVD players and speakers…not to mention the latest gaming consoles like the PlayStation 3. Sometimes, the power consumption of these other units even dwarf that of the TV itself, which is bad news.
How About Computer Monitors?
Good question. When it comes to computer monitors -- which are of course way smaller than flat screen TVs -- flat panel displays (i.e. LCD monitors) consume less power than their bulky CRT counterparts. Reports indicate that LCD monitors use about 66% less electricity than CRT ones.
LCD monitors slash off some of the hurt that comes with power bills, but they cost more than regular CRTs. However, you might want to consider switching to a flat panel display if you haven't done so, as LCD monitors also take up less desk space, give off lesser radiation, and cause less eyestrain.
Things to Remember
When shopping for a flat panel TV, you might want to look for an Energy Star sticker. This means that it uses less than three watts of power when in standby mode. Standby mode means the TV is turned off but still plugged in. Energy Star, on the other hand, is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) program that labels energy-efficient TVs based on the amount of electricity they use in standby mode. According to the Energy Star website, Energy Star qualified TVs use about 30% less energy than standard units.
Speaking of standby mode, avoid it! TVs and appliances in standby mode still use power, which has been termed "leaking electricity". To illustrate: nearly 20 percent of the electricity used by appliances is lost when they are in standby mode.
As much as possible, completely turn off your flat panel TV (sometimes there's a second, and larger, power button that can be pressed more 'deeply' than the standby switch). You'll know it has been turned off and not in standby mode when you don't see the LED lit up.
Better yet (and for those TV sets with only one power button), unplug your flat panel TV, especially if you're going to sleep or will be out of the house for a few hours. We know, it's quite a hassle unplugging and plugging back, but if you're really serious about reducing your energy consumption, the extra effort will be more than worth it in the long run.
Other Tips
We already gave you one of the most important energy saving tips concerning flat panel TVs -- avoid standby mode. This will go a long way in saving both power and bucks. Here are some more tips:
Use power strips. Also called plug boards and power bars, these multi-socket units will allow you to switch on/off the individual appliances plugged into it. Remember to unplug the power strip itself when you're not using any of the appliances connected to it!
Don't place your TV near the thermostat. The heat generated by the television, sensed by the thermostat, might cause the air-conditioning unit to run longer than necessary…and you know how A/Cs hog so much power.
Lower your TV's brightness setting. Remember that TVs, especially plasmas and HDTVs, have their settings initially attuned for display in shops, where they need to be flashy and dazzling. You won't need that kind of brightness in your home, so set the flat panel TV's brightness level a few notches lower.
Apply these to other household appliances. Some of the good practices listed here can apply to other appliances -- TVs are but one (albeit large) part of your power bill.
Look out for brands and manufacturers that seem to have the power bill-conscious consumers in mind. While we don't want to take sides or appear biased, several flat screen TV makers have been cited for producing TVs with lower energy consumption. For example, Philips won a European green television of the year award with its 42-inch LCD unit. In the United States, the Natural Resources Defense Council praised Panasonic for significantly reducing the power consumption of its newer units.
In the end, a little research, discipline, and extra effort will pay off. Good luck!
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