-
Step 1
When shopping for a HDTV, avoid plasma TV’s. A 52 inch LCD uses approximately 278 watts of electricity which is slightly more than a 42 inch plasma TV which will use 271 watts of electricity.
-
Step 2
Look for a HDTV with an Energy Star 3.0 label. The Energy Star label means that the TV set lives up to the EPA's standard for energy efficiency. Some companies like Sony go beyond the Energy Star 3.0 standard. All of Sony’s 1080p models in their 2009 line-up surpass Energy Star 3.0 requirements by 15 percent. This is something you may want to check out if shopping for an HDTV.
-
Step 3
Look for manufacture’s ‘Go Green’ marketing. New HDTV’s coming out feature high-efficiency HCFL backlighting, which can improve power efficiency by 40 percent. Some sets even feature a 0-watt standby power switch. This feature uses a light sensor to reduce the screen's brightness for use in dim environments, and a motion sensor that turns off the TV if it doesn't detect any movement in the viewing area for a specified amount of time.
-
Step 4
To reduce energy on all your other home theater components, place them on power surge protection strip with an on/off switch. When not using your system, turn off the power strip. If you have a DVR cable box and schedule programs for recording, then you cannot shut power off to the box.
-
Step 5
If you use a surround-sound amplifier with your HDTV, consider only using it when watching movies. It’s not necessary for watching the news, talk shows, or game shows in surround-sound. These programs can be listened to on your TV's speakers.
