TV's appetite for power is hard to tell

I’ve read that there are some big changes coming to television soon and I’m considering buying a new-technology TV. One of the things I’ve heard is that some of the new TV sets use much more electricity than others. Is this true?

Big changes are coming to television, and it’s not just whether your next set sits on a stand or hangs on the wall.

Since the beginning of television, broadcasters have used analog technology to transmit the pictures and sound, however Congress has decided that on February 17, 2009 all U.S. TV stations will switch to digital broadcasting. Digital signals can transmit more information than analog, which creates a better picture.

This change is causing many people to consider buying a new, high definition set. While your old TV will work if you have cable or satellite service, if you use an antenna or rabbit ears for your TV reception you’ll need to buy a converter box in order to receive signals after the change. You’ll read and hear much more about this in the year to come.

What to look for in a new TV
If you decide now’s the time for a new set, you’re most likely looking at either LCD or plasma technology.

Liquid crystal displays or LCD, produce a picture when a light source behind the panel shines light through the display. A plasma TV is a self-lighting panel that uses a gas (plasma) to cause the panel to glow, which creates the image.

These new sets deliver stunning pictures, and many come with very good sound systems. Some of them also come with rather steep price tags, but the costs have been dropping in recent years.

Costs of operation are hard to find
We always suggest considering not only the cost to buy a new product, but also the energy costs to operate it once you get it home. So while your question regarding the cost of operating a new set is an excellent one, in this case it’s not easy to answer. A big help for evaluating energy use when buying appliances is the big yellow Energy Guide label, but those aren’t used on TV sets.

Another key tool is often the Energy Star® rating, but that’s a problem here, too. While new TV’s can carry the Energy Star label, it only relates to the use of electricity used when the TV is in “standby” mode -- that is, when it’s turned off.

And we might note that it’s not always easy to determine the cost of operating a set. Many of the manufacturers don’t even mention power consumption, which is measured in watts, on the product descriptions on their web sites.  Two we found that do are Panasonic and Sony.

So with those limitations noted, let’s take a look at the cost issue. Keep in mind that all sets are a bit different, but here are some typical costs.

Consider that a typical 27-inch “old-style” TV that uses a cathode ray tube uses about 100 watts of electricity when it’s in operation. If your TV set is on six hours a day, that’s about  $1.66 a month, or just under $20 a year.

You might want to replace that with a 40-inch LCD. One set we found draws about 235 watts and will cost a little over  $3 a month, if on for six hours each day, or about $37 a year.

Compare that with a 42-inch plasma set from a major maker that uses 580 watts when in use. For the same six hours a day, you’ll pay about $7.68 a month, or about $90 a year.

While we’re disappointed that there are no Energy Star guidelines for operating TVs, we’re encouraged that standards are being developed that could be available late this year. For those of us shopping for sets now, however, that’s not real helpful.

The Energy Star web site, www.energystar.gov, does have some useful information on the new sets, how they work and what to look for when you’re shopping.