By Carl Laron on November 9, 2010 in
If you've bought a refrigerator, dishwasher or other major home appliance in the last few years, you are no-doubt familiar with the yellow Energy Guide labels that estimate that appliance's power consumption in dollars and cents, and tell you how that stacks up against other choices. Now, thanks to a Federal Trade Commission ruling that's being widely praised by consumer advocates, conservation advocates and even the consumer electronics industry, those same labels will be appearing on TV sets beginning in May. The stickers must appear on the front of the TV for those sold in brick and mortar stores. Beginning in July, online retailers will have to post the label for every set they offer.
Picking the most efficient TV
While most are aware that big appliances suck down lots of juice, there's also a growing awareness of just how much energy a modern big screen TV can draw. According to CNET's estimates, a 50-inch plasma TV can cost an average of $64 a year to run -- and even more if it is not properly calibrated. While that's less than the draw of a refrigerator (about $90 says CNET, quoting Department of Energy statistics), it's still a healthy chunk of change.
There are some things you can do to keep your TV's electrical cost to a minimum. If energy efficiency is of paramount importance, that will play a role in the type of TV you select. As noted in our recently updated report on plasma TVs, energy efficiencies are much improved in the latest generation of such sets, but they still trail LCD TVs by a considerable margin in that regard. LCD TVs with edge-lit LED backlights are particularly energy efficient, but as noted in our LCD TV report -- also newly updated -- there are some picture quality trade offs with that technology, mainly worse screen uniformity (some areas of the screen are brighter than others) than with other sets.
Better picture, better efficiency
We often point out that no matter how good a TV looks right out of the box, picture quality can be improved -- sometimes dramatically -- by calibration. The same is true of energy efficiency. TV default settings are usually extremely bright -- which gives them an eye-catching but inaccurate image. CNET is among the better review sources when it comes to assessing energy consumption, and the site reports that both pre and post calibration -- and the differences can be startling. While the best picture quality can be had via a professional calibration, of course, most reviewers now post their calibrated settings, and using those can go a long way toward maximizing both picture quality and energy savings -- though you'll also probably want to tweak a little on your own to account for differences between specific TVs.
Another option is to use your TV's "power saving" mode. Typically, those use an ambient light sensor to dial settings back for viewing in dimly lit or dark rooms. Granted, most videophiles cringe at these kind of automatic features, but users report that they often work fairly well. What's undeniable is that they can really save on the juice. As an example, CNET tests the Sony KDL-46EX500 -- which we name as one of the best values among 46-inch LCD TVs. In its default, out-of-the-box settings, CNET's editors report an annual operating cost of $28.59. However, calibrating the TV and using the power saving mode cuts that all the way back to $13.51. While that's not enough of a savings to pay for your next cruise, it is more or less free money, it helps cut down on energy consumption, and you get a better picture in the bargain. Not a bad deal at all.