Gadget of the Week
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Samsung UA55C9000 3D LCD TV
At $10,000, the Samsung UA55C9000 costs more than twice what an otherwise similarly specified, similarly sized, Samsung TV would sell for. So what’s so special about it? We reckon that several of the more extraordinary features justify that price.
Home Theatre
5 eco TVs tried and tested
Thomas Bartlett- 11/08/2009 09:24:53
Tags: eco TV, green technology, HDTV, high definition, home cinema, home theatre, LCD, plasma, TV
As part of our article Eco TVs - how green is your TV?, where we looked at the ways the various plasma and LCD TV makers are approaching the challenges of bulding in power efficiency while at the same time keeping the stunning high definition images we're expecting in our panels, we looked a 5 current models.
LG 42LH50YD LCD TV
The LG 42LH50YD LCD TV allows you to choose between five different energy saving modes, or you can leave it switched off. The picture quality was very good (once tweaked with the Dynamic Contrast setting).
Read the full review of the LG 42LH50YD LCD TV.
Panasonic TH-P50X10A plasma TV
Panasonic's TH-P50X10A plasma TV uses Panasonic's 'neoPDP' technology, which roughly doubles brightness for a given amount of power input... or roughly halves the power required for the same brightness.
Read the full review of the Panasonic TH-P50X10A plasma TV.
Samsung UA40B7100 LCD TV
The Samsung UA40B7100 LCD TV s a high-end TV with high-end features, including a super slim panel measuring slightly under 30 mm thick and digital multimedia support via network or USB.
Read the full review of the Samsung UA40B7100 LCD TV.
Sony Bravia KDL-40WE5 LCD TV
Sony's Bravia KDL-40WE5 LCD TV combines a number of power saving features with a whole bunch of high-end facilities. The TV offers full high definition resolution, has four HDMI digital inputs, and both HD digital and analog TV tuners.
Read the full review of the Sony Bravia KDL-40WE5 LCD TV.
Toshiba Regza 40CV550A LCD TV
The Toshiba Regza 40CV550A LCD TV has been around for a while, but it offers exceptional performance on the energy front, with a claimed 4.5 star energy rating and just 397kWh per year.
Read the full review of the Toshiba Regza 40CV550A LCD TV.
Conclusion
All these TVs - including the LG, which is not specifically marketed as an eco TV - loped comfortably over the MEPs line, at least according to my meter.
I calculated 3.5 stars for the LG, which puts the Panasonic in last place when it comes to energy efficiency, and the sheer size of its screen ensures that it comes in last place for overall energy usage as well.
But were it not for the less than full-HD resolution, I'd forgive all that for the plasma picture.
At the other end of the scale, the clear winner on everything to do with money, and with power consumption, is the Toshiba. At just over 90 watts on my meter, it will only cost you about $50 a year to run, and, on top of that, is the cheapest to buy.
I can only imagine what next year will bring.
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