January 15, 2008

Eco TV Uses the Same Amount of Power as an Incandescent Light Bulb

I live off-the-grid, where every watt of power usage counts. For months, I have used this excuse to prevent my husband from buying a flat panel TV. Starting in March, I won't be able to use this reason, as Phillips introduces the Eco TV.

The Eco TV has several features that reduce its power consumption to about 75 watts; that's about as much power as an incandescent light bulb and 30 watts less than other 42-inch LCD TVs. One such feature is the ability to dim the back light during dark scenes or in a dark room. There is also a power saving mode that limits peak light output. All of these features can be controlled by the user. Furthermore, when the Eco TV is on standby power (when you think it is turned off), the phantom power draw is 0.15 watt, among the lowest in the industry. The Eco TV is a 42-inch, 1080p resolution, flat-panel LCD, model that will sell for about $1,399.

The Eco TV comes in a box made from recycled materials. In addition, it is made from lead-free materials and contains only traces of mercury. Despite all the great power saving features of the Eco TV, I still think I need to wait until our current television dies before we make the jump to a LCD flat panel.