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Saving Energy with Low Power TV Screen Settings

Television efficiency research conducted by Ecos Consulting on behalf of the California Energy Commission's Public Interest Energy Research Program (PIER) has revealed that significant energy savings could be had in TVs today through the increased use of energy efficient screen settings. Further research has shown that improvements in screen settings would not only save energy but could produce a higher quality picture that is more pleasing to those viewing it. Any TV purchased by a consumer today contains within its settings menu a variety of options for adjusting the characteristics of the picture produced by the set. Of all the user-adjustable settings, two have a significant impact on energy consumption: contrast and brightness.

The figure above illustrates the consistent drop in on mode power consumption due to changes in the screen settings. As the brightness of the television increases so does the on mode power consumption. These effects vary from model to model and from one technology type to another.

For most TV owners, the simplest way to adjust these settings is to use one of the various factory preset "picture modes" offered in on-screen menus. These picture presets go by many names. Generally settings such as "Dynamic" or "Vivid" will result in higher brightness, contrast and power use. Settings like "Movie" or "Pro" can result in a more appropriate level of brightness for most home viewing conditions and significantly lower power draw. Watch the video below for a demonstration.

As can be seen in the graph below, power savings, are more pronounced in plasma TVs than in LCD Tvs.

What's New

NEW! Save Energy, Save Your Picture
Simple ways to save 10% or more of your TV's energy use today.

Research

Tuning In to Energy Efficiency: Prospects for Saving Energy in Televisions
A 4-page summary of NRDC's research into the efficiency of TVs.

NRDC Report on TV Efficiency (2005)
A comprehensive report of NRDC's research into the efficiency of TVs.

Test Methods

NRDC Presentation on TV Test Methods
Presentation given at a TV international stakeholder meeting in June of 2005 on the need and challenges for a TV test method that measures active power.

Programs and Policies

ENERGY STAR Television Label

ENERGY STAR TV Spec Revision Page

Australian Greenhouse Office: Appliance Energy Program

UK Market Transformation Programme - TVs

Japan TopRunner Program

Other Useful Info

How Stuff Works - TVs

How Stuff Works -
Digital Television

How Stuff Works - HDTV

CNET - HDTV World

CNET - TV Reviews

Google Directory - TVs

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