Good advice on buying TVs

TVs are becoming obsolete faster
There have been many advances in TV technology over the past few years, so choosing a new TV can be difficult. Because the development is so rapid TVs are becoming obsolete faster than ever before.

Follow the 4 tips below to ensure the power consumption of your new TV is not higher than it needs to be.

• Choose LCD TVs, because these use less power than plasma versions.
• The bigger the TV, the higher the power consumption.
• If you buy a TV with a built-in digital receiver you’ll save power used by the extra set-top box, which you need to watch digital TV.
• Ask about the power used in both the on and standby modes, and choose one with the lowest consumption.

 Typical electricity consumption for TVs

• 20″ CRT TVs: 140-260 kWh
• 26″ CRT TVs: 160-320 kWh
• 32″ CRT TVs: 200-360 kWh
• 20″ LCD TVs:   60-110 kWh
• 32″ LCD TVs: 110-260 kWh
• 42″ LCD TVs: 160-390 kWh
• 42″ Plasma TVs: 260-480 kWh
• 50″ Plasma TVs: 360-660 kWh

Based on 4 hours use every day (1,460 hours/year) and rest of time on standby.

LCD or plasma?

• LCD, typically up to 32″, but some TVs also come in larger formats
• Plasma, typically 42″ and upwards

LCD screens use the least power and also less power than the old CRT type TVs. However, because most people buy large flat screen TVs, power consumption is slightly greater than the older TVs. The bigger the screen, the higher the power consumption.

TVs with or without a digital receiver
In Denmark, digital transmissions, which viewers can pick up on an ordinary TV aerial, started in April 2006. One of the benefits is nationwide reception of the DR2 channel.

Currently, there are not that many TVs on the market with built-in digital receivers, but soon there will be. TVs with a built-in digital receiver can display digital pictures without a separate set-top box. This saves both the expense of buying and running the extra set-top box.

16:9 wide screen format and high definition
Digital 16:9 wide screen format is the format of the future, so it is best to choose this format when buying a new TV.

TVs should also be HDTV (High Definition Television) ready. HDTV provides a better picture because there are more pixels and scan lines in the picture compared with a conventional TV. An ‘HD Ready’ sticker on a TV indicates that it is configured to receive HDTV.

Energy labelled TVs
The first TV with the EU Flower eco-label appeared in shops in June 2008. Samsung, the world’s largest producer of TVs, has satisfied all the environmental requirements and therefore can now label its TVs with the official EU eco-label.

Read more about Flower eco-labelled TVs, or see a list of TVs sold in Denmark with the Flower eco-label (only in Danish)