Rural Missouri - November 2010 - (Page 22)

Coming to a TV near you! size from 21 inches to 49 inches. These TVs fall into two categories: those with cold-cathode ﬂuorescent lamps to illuminate the screen and backlit models In general, TV energy consumption goes up as the employing a light-emitting diode (LED). LED units he days of large console televisions, with picture quality gets better and the screen gets bigger. offer several beneﬁts, notably better picture quality their wood-grain exteriors and antenna and thinner and lighter screens. They also use wires or rabbit ears, are long gone. No slightly less energy, at 101 watts. more using needle nose-pliers to change Rear-projection televisions tend to be the most most difﬁcult to ﬁnd. They employ old technology channels after the knob breaks or ﬁddling endenergy efﬁcient and boast the largest screen sizes. and screen sizes rarely exceed 40 inches. lessly to adjust the horizontal and vertical holds. However, due to their overall weight, rear projection Plasma screens often are cited as the largest Today’s televisions offer larger, thinner screens and sets are not as readily available as plasma and LCD energy user mainly because their large 42-inch to — thanks to digital cable or satellite connections models. 65-inch screens typically draw between 240 watts — provide a virtually unlimited number of chanShopping for an energy-efﬁcient television to 400 watts. Most consume electricity even when nels to watch. can be difﬁcult. Television manufacturers rarely turned off. However, some models require a tremendous advertise energy consumption, and it almost never LCD TVs don’t need much power to operate — amount of energy to operate — almost as much appears on in-store labels, although new Energy Star 111 watts on average. Most LCD screens range in as a refrigerator. And the average American houserequirements may change that in hold owns 2.93 TVs, according to a 2012. Faced with these difﬁculties, 2010 Nielsen report. consumers need to conduct their All of this energy use adds up. The own energy use research through Natural Resources Defense Council unbiased online sources such as found that U.S. televisions use more The power used by an active television is determined by three factors: screen size; CNET.com, an online journal for the than 46 billion kilowatt-hours per technology type, such as plasma or LCD; and picture brightness, which nearly always technology industry. Look for speciﬁc year, or about 4 percent of residential depends on user-selected picture settings. model numbers, which you can take electricity use. to the store. In response to consumer concerns, Typical Price Average Energy Used Type of TV Typical Size TV manufacturers are designing sets that use less energy without sacriﬁcing Tune in to Savings $200 to $8,000 111 watts Liquid Crystal 13-65 inches screen size or resolution. (standard) This month, electronic retailers are If you’re not in the market for a Display (LCD) sure to offer TVs at heavily discounted new TV but want to make sure your 101 watts (LED) prices on Black Friday, Nov. 26 this model is operating efﬁciently, these year, the largest shopping day of the tips from CNET.com may help you LCDs are the most popular HDTVs, mainly because they’re at year. If you’re in the market for a new save energy: and available in a tremendous range of sizes and prices. TV, or if you want to make sure you’re • Turn the TV and other using your current TV effectively, these connected devices off when they’re 42-65 inches $800 to $7,000 301 watts tips will help you tune in to big screen not being used. Plasma energy savings. • Turn down the LCD’s backlight.� You’ll save energy and still retain better picture quality. Turn on the High-Deﬁnition=High Energy Use power saver mode, which many new TVs offer. Although a high-deﬁnition Available in a limited range of sizes (mostly big), plasma TVs • Control room lighting. While TV (HDTV) transforms the latest outperform LCDs in tests comparing overall picture quality. many energy-saving tips reduce blockbuster movie into a theater-like brightness of the screen, you can living room experience, these sets 50-73 inches $1,000 to $3,500 N/A compensate by dimming lights generally use more power because Reararound your TV. of better picture clarity. Also, energy projection consumption often relates to screen Sloboda is a program manager size. The larger the screen, the more specializing in energy efﬁciency for electricity required. Rear-projection TVs are the most e cient but are getting the Cooperative Research Network, Four types of TVs are currently hard to nd because at-panel models are often cheaper. a service of the Arlington, Va.-based available: plasma, liquid-crystal display Source: CNET.com (April 2010) National Rural Electric Cooperative (LCD), rear projection, and cathode Association. ray tube (CRT). CRT televisions are the T by Brian Sloboda mailbag@ruralmissouri.coop En Energy E ciency quick tip High-De nition Television Comparison Guide 22 RURAL MISSOURI http://www.CNET.com http://www.CNET.com http://www.CNET.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - November 2010

Rural Missouri - November 2010
Contents
Comments
Columns
Mobility's Best Friend
Mail Bag
Rural Issues Explored at AMEC Annual Meeting
Out of the Way Eats
The Missouri Connection
Big Screen Savings
Hearth and Home
News Briefs
Best of Rural Missouri
Lest We Forget
Marketplace
Around Missouri
Neighbors
Just4Kids

Rural Missouri - November 2010