# Most energy efficient choices for a TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 10, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307 "2008-10-10T12:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/21 "2008-10-10T21:05:23Z")
> [@redtail23](#): > > There’s also the “sum of the parts” issue. > > Yes, it may only save you a few dollars a year. But if everyone does it, it adds up to a lot of power saved. > > I saw someone (I think it was here on the Dope) say that they’d cut their electric bill by a small but definitely noticeable percentage by unplugging all their electronics when they weren’t in use. > > I’m trying to do more of this, too. Good on ya, **aruvqan**! Well, as I said, we have replaced all our incandescent with compact fluorescent, except for a couple halogen task lights. We leave everything off except for a single 5 watt microlight in the common area so we dont fall over anything in the middle of the night while going to the bathroom and turn lights on and off as we need them. We already tend to leave the thermostat set fairly low, 60 is common and when heating with wood, lower it down to 40 mainly to keep pipes from freezing. I am looking at a particular [wood stove](http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=7909&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=671&iSubCat=809&iProductID=7909) to replace the inefficient one we currently have, we already use rechargable batteries and we are getting a solar battery charger. We have the nobattery shakey flashlights and a couple that have little cranks so we dont need batteries for those. We recycle whenever possible, we compost, so we are trying to minimize our needs. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/22 "2008-10-10T21:31:46Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Thank you, and no thanks to those jackasses, i read a lot, but I also happen to enjoy movies and some tv programming. **aruvqan**. _Jackasses_ is one of those names which we don’t call people in General Questions. **samclem** Moderator, General Questions ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/23 "2008-10-10T21:31:51Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Thank you, and no thanks to those jackasses, We don’t insult other posters in General Questions. Please don’t do it again. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/24 "2008-10-10T21:33:02Z")
Simul-Mod Note! Seriously, neither of those was an official warning. ---
**Author:** ![R.P.McMurphy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7993a0/32.png) [@R.P.McMurphy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R.P.McMurphy)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/25 "2008-10-10T22:28:35Z")
Since this is a TV issue, (I don’t know if this is relevant to the OP but I’ll throw it out there) one thing that I rarely hear about is power consumption by the cable box. I have a DVR box that is provided by my local thieving cable company and I notice that the thing, even when off, is hot enough to keep a coffee pot warm. That means that its eating electricity constantly. If you are looking for things that are wasting power you might want to plug the TV and the cable box into a power strip with a shut off switch. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/26 "2008-10-10T23:25:49Z")
> [@Spartydog](#): > > Since this is a TV issue, (I don’t know if this is relevant to the OP but I’ll throw it out there) one thing that I rarely hear about is power consumption by the cable box. I have a DVR box that is provided by my local thieving cable company and I notice that the thing, even when off, is hot enough to keep a coffee pot warm. That means that its eating electricity constantly. If you are looking for things that are wasting power you might want to plug the TV and the cable box into a power strip with a shut off switch. Good point … but with the pirates at charter once it is unplugged [or the power goes out for more than 1 second] i need to call charter and have it rebooted. major pain in the rump since it makes me go through the computer verbal telephone diagnostic. I have the stupid thing on a UPS to avoid that. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/27 "2008-10-11T01:52:32Z")
> [@scout1222](#): > > I’ve heard that high-def TVs suck more power than regular ones when not plugged in. 😕 When not plugged in don’t both types of set use exactly the same amount of electricity? When not plugged in I am fairly sure they both use zero watts. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/28 "2008-10-11T14:33:14Z")
I went around the house a few weeks ago with a Kill-A-Watt meter. Correcting my earlier figures, a Samsung 42" plasma uses 2 watts when off, 267 watts when watching golf, and 162 watts when showing a black screen. So YMMV, but anyway don’t worry about leaving it plugged in. My original goal in checking watts was to see what I needed to unplug when it wasn’t in use. I really didn’t find anything that used more than a few watts when "off.’ The most surprising energy hog in my house was a [halogen floor lamp](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/21m59bJ6TzL._SL500_AA280_.jpg), it has a Low and High setting. The Low setting uses 160 watts, the High setting uses 280 watts (!). That thing doesn’t get used much any more. Compact Fluorescent or LED is much better. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/29 "2008-10-11T18:42:00Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > Good point … but with the pirates at charter once it is unplugged [or the power goes out for more than 1 second] i need to call charter and have it rebooted. major pain in the rump since it makes me go through the computer verbal telephone diagnostic. I have the stupid thing on a UPS to avoid that. Right, but if you have a TV that can take the cable directly, you can bypass the cable box. I’m doing that at home, and the only thing I’m missing is the Guide. And I miss it, but I like having as few things plugged in as possible. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/30 "2008-10-11T18:43:54Z")
Wow. Oops, Rick my brain was thinking faster than my fingers I guess. I meant when not turned on. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/31 "2008-10-11T19:10:03Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Right, but if you have a TV that can take the cable directly, you can bypass the cable box. I’m doing that at home, and the only thing I’m missing is the Guide. And I miss it, but I like having as few things plugged in as possible. Sounds like the OP has some form of digital cable. I know of no TVs which can decode that, since the data formats are proprietary and all different. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/32 "2008-10-11T19:15:19Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > Sounds like the OP has some form of digital cable. I know of no TVs which can decode that, since the data formats are proprietary and all different. Get one with a QAM tuner. Not every TV has them, but pretty standard. I’ve got Comcast Digital and that’s what I’m doing. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/33 "2008-10-11T19:23:56Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Right, but if you have a TV that can take the cable directly, you can bypass the cable box. I’m doing that at home, and the only thing I’m missing is the Guide. And I miss it, but I like having as few things plugged in as possible. > > -Joe Tried it, but we get the ‘premium’ channels so if I want to watch a movie [which is mainly what I watch when i am interested in tv] I have to have the box. If all I wanted was basic [abc, nbc, cbs, pbs and 10 zillion shopping or sports channels] I can do without the box Now I need to figure out how to get the recorded movies from the digital cable box into my computer…one of my laptops is actually a dv9000 entertainment version with vista and whatever to take tv feed so I figure I can manage that somehow. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2008, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307/34 "2008-10-11T19:49:24Z")
> [@redtail23](#): > > I saw someone (I think it was here on the Dope) say that they’d cut their electric bill by a small but definitely noticeable percentage by unplugging all their electronics when they weren’t in use. That was me. 🙂 Plugging my PC and monitors into power strips and turning them off when I left the apartment meant a savings of about 5%. Replacing my dying tower PC and dying CRTs with a laptop and a flatscreen meant another 5% or so savings. I actually got a rebate last year from Toronto Hydro because I’d cut my usage by 10%. The biggest power hog in the apartment is now my fridge, which I would like to replace. I’ll add that these ‘phantom loads’–plug-in power adaptors and appliances that draw power even when turned off–may only cost a few dollars a month for grid-supplied power, but ig you’re running off the grid and maintain your own generation and battery backup, they can drain your batteries with dismaying quickness. My off-the-grid friends learned to switch off very quickly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/most-energy-efficient-choices-for-a-tv/467307.md?page=1)