OT: how big is your TV?

[kimoy]

For those who loves big screen TV (including me), here's something you should know.



http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/raskin/16242

Big TV = Big Electric Bill
Thu Nov 29, 2007 8:46AM EST
See Comments (401)
Are you sizing up your home in the hopes of filling it with a brand-new big HDTV screen this holiday? Not so fast. Following in the tradition of SUVs, the bigger the package, the bigger the guzzler. SUVs guzzle gas; large-screen TVs guzzle electricity.

But it's not just the size of the screen that affects energy usage; it's the technology used inside. One sobering chart comes from CNET.

The chart looks at the energy consumed by 80 different HDTVs. While there are many differences from brand to brand, one size to another, and the technology used, a few trends become really obvious.

Sort the list by the technology being used—LCD, plasma, or rear-screen projection—and you'll see LCD having a distinct advantage in requiring less power, although part of the reason for this is that LCD sets tend to be small to medium sizes, with a few exceptions. But if you sort it by cost per square inch, there's no question that rear projection is the energy-efficient winner.

It's no surprise that when you sort the list by the size of the screen, the bigger screens generally consume more power. But I was surprised to see how efficient rear-screen projections are. If you're energy-conscious but thinking big, you should be thinking rear projection.

Plasma generally consumes twice as much power as rear projection at a given size, and in the larger sizes, that often works out to over $100 per year more to operate a plasma set. (The chart is based on 10.4 cents per kilowatt-hour, which was the national average in 2006, according to the Energy Information Administration. Here in NYC, we pay a lot more than that, so the difference between plasma and the rest is even more per year.)

One of the worst performers was the Panasonic TH-58PZ700U, using 609.53 watts per hour in "on" mode, costing a user almost $200 annually, assuming eight hours of on time per day. Come down a bit in size and the Vizio, a 42-inch plasma, only uses 190 watts per hour.

The most random category in the table was the standby power. Standby ranged from 0.3 watts on the Panasonic TH-58PZ700U to 76 watts for the Sharp LC-65D90U. In between were TVs of all sizes and technology, in no obvious order. Most units were under 5 watts in standby, but there were about a dozen above 5 watts. It's one thing to consume a few hundred watts while you or your family is being entertained. It's quite another when you're sleeping and so is your TV, chewing up 76 watts all night long.

NOVEC, a not-for-profit distributor of energy in Virginia, posts this chart showing the average watts used by screens of the same size, just different technology.

Average Television Power Consumption Rate

Plasma: 328 watts
Rear-projection: 208 watts
LCD: 193 watts
CRT: 146 watts
Bad enough when your own monthly bill takes a hike, but as more and more people buy larger and larger screens, the impact will be felt. According the National Research Defense Council as told to The Christian Science Monitor, by 2009, when half of all new TV sales are expected to be extended- or high-definition digital sets with big screens, TV energy use will reach about 70 billion kilowatt-hours per year nationwide—about 50 percent higher than at present.

If you have any tips to share for greening your TV watching, jump right in.



and you wonder why your electric bill is so high. or if the wife ask why? just tell her it's the TV.

[444reefkeeper]

JVC 61" HD = HEMI!

[mbierzyc]

"One of the worst performers was the Panasonic TH-58PZ700U, using 609.53 watts per hour in "on" mode, costing a user almost $200 annually, assuming eight hours of on time per day. "


8 hours per day??? None of mine are on for even 2 hours a day...

[WhiskeyReefer]

Samsung 56" HD everything. awwwww I love my T.V X-box360 in HD is out of this world!!! And sports in HD too......OMG!!!!!

[jjjimmy]

Mitsubishi 65" wide rear projection. Nothing like HD NFL!!!!

[Poppy828]

Samsung HD...not big enough yet. Have been looking to upgrade though

[ekrunch]

Mitsubishi Diamond 57" DLP here, and yeah, Xbox360 & sports are just insane!

[badazztealcobra]

50" LCD rear projection in the living room and a 32" LCD flat panel in the bedroom....

Gotta have the HD.

[Racenrich]

Im old school..plain ol' 27in with a twist knob to change channels...

[Fuppets]

Originally posted by Racenrich
Im old school..plain ol' 27in with a twist knob to change channels...

Yea, and in all the times I've been to Riches I've never seen it on.

I don't even have a TV in the living room. I have the tank, a couch and the bowflex. I do have a 32" vizeo LCD for a computer monitor. I watch the games on it in HD. That is the only time it is used for a TV.

Shawn

[adamjr]

65" JVC rear projection wide screen. I agree with JJJimmy, nothing beats NFL in HD accept maybe some programs on Discovery or Animal Planet when stuff jumps at the camera.

[mcliffy2]

Originally posted by mbierzyc
"One of the worst performers was the Panasonic TH-58PZ700U, using 609.53 watts per hour in "on" mode, costing a user almost $200 annually, assuming eight hours of on time per day. "


8 hours per day??? None of mine are on for even 2 hours a day...

The other thing that is false here is that plasmas are almost never fully "on". Each pixel turns on and off as needed (unlike LCDs which indeed are fully on, whenever the TV is on). If you are watching some dark cop thriller, without a lot of black, a plasma may actually consume less energy.

Oh yea, and just gave the girlfriend my 42" Panny plasma as an excuse to upgrade to the 50" panny

[esdayal]

26" Maxent HDTV Wide Screen LCD in my basement is the monitor that is connected to my desktop, Dishnetwork and PS2... I know i need to upgrade but the funds are reserved right now to buy a lenovo.

[craftytony]

I use my old school 80's boombox with the 5" black and white screen built in yeee haw!

[Shift_9k]

52 inch samsung DLP 1080i. Love it.

[steri]

36 inch Sony Widescreen Tube HDTV 1080i. Ya.....the thing weights 230 lbs......seriously! The picture is incredible though. I love the TV. I would love a bigger TV, but when I bought this one at that time, I just didn't trust LCD and Plasma as much as a tube. I still don't, but at some point in the near future, I plan to bite the bullet. I just really want a bigger TV. Plan to go with LCD or DLP.

[saleenpwr88]

52 Panasonic LCD Projection...Love it, no problems

My Dad bought a 52 Mitsubishi Diamond DLP 1080P, paid twice as much as my TV and his bulb has gone out twice?

[5h3rW1N]

[mbierzyc]

If this is a show off your gear thread, I have a 60" Sony SXRD XBR3 in the living room and a 37" LG LCD in my bedroom.

[BOTR]

Hmmmm show off your gear grrr..... Wife hates me more with each gadget I buy......

65" Mitsu Diamond DLP for the living room.... 57" Mitsu Diamond in the bedroom.... Im using a 32" Widescreen LCD Akai for My comp monitor...... Had to buy the Sony Blu-Ray when it was released, and just got a killer deal on a Toshiba HD player....

[mm949]

120" DLP projector in the mans room and a 67" HD in the rec room

[LooklikeME]

JVC 70" 1080p Den and 120"LCD 1080i projector in the"Man Room"

[Greedo]

Some people here have enough lighting over their tank to send a Delorean back in time, and you're worried about your TV consuming energy?!?!?!?

[TurboGuru]

Our house is equiped with a Barco Data 801s CRT projector mounted to the ceiling in our living room, it makes an awesome 11'6" (diagonal like most TVs are measured) projection (4:3 aspect ratio) onto the far wall of the room. We love it!

[Crazy One]

Living room 65" Mitsubishi Diamond and 52" in master bedroom.
Did I mention that I jusrt wasted 2 hrs of my lamp time on the 65" watching the bears lose again? Thank god I'm gone watching that for the rest of the season!!!