Eco television seems to be the tech de jour, with Panasonic, Toshiba and Samsung among the first to present their green TV credentials this year. Sony now joins the club with its 40 and 46 inch (101 and 117 cm) WE5 Bravia LCD TVs, models that each consume less power than two 75 watt incandescent light bulbs, according to the company.
A trio of technologies is key to this claim, and to the five and four-and-a-half star energy ratings of the two televisions. These include the world’s first micro-tubular Hot Cathode Fluorescent Lamp (HCFL) backlight which uses up to 40 percent less energy (than Sony’s 2008 W4500 model) when the TV is in operation, but with no loss of brightness. There’s also a Presence Sensor which turns the picture off – but leaves the sound on – when someone leaves the room, reducing power consumption by 50 percent, and an Energy Saving Switch that allows you to shut off the TV’s power, without having to unplug the AC cord from the mains. This cuts standby mode power consumption to less than 0.0001 watts.
The WE5 televisions also benefit from full HD resolution, MotionFlow 100Hz capability, 24p True Cinema for optimum performance with Blu-ray players, S-Force sound for simulated surround effects, DLNA for streaming of movies, photos and music from compatible phones, cameras and PCs over a wireless network, and Sony’s Bravia Engine 3 processor for “vibrant colours and optimal contrast for each scene”.
The Bravia KDL46WE5 costs $3,799 and the KDL40WE5, $3,199.
