HDTV Almanac - Rather Switch than Pay?

[akirby]

No, I don't live there. I was only pointing out that it doesn't matter whether you're spending $109/month or $1000/month, the DIFFERENCE between one tv and another is only 100 watts which equals less than $2/month.

Or to look at it another way - going with a TV that consumes 100 watts less than another TV will only save you $2/month. In my world, that would be a non-issue.

[GiovannaVisconti]

Oh, you could well be right. OTH, when my bill DECREASED by $24 per month because of LESS air conditioner usage last summer (because it was the mildest, most comfortable summer we've had here in decades) I was astounded.

Perhaps one can't compare the amount of electricity used by a flat panel TV to that of an air conditioner, but that dollar difference was enough to make me consider the Sharp LE700 series vs. the various Sonys and Toshibas I'd been considering.

It's likely Sharp will discontinue the 700 series whenever they roll out their 2010 lineup so the entire "energy saving" discussion may be moot. Curious to see if their four-color system will be available this year.

Meantime, it looks like Sony has abandoned RGB backlighting even in their announced 2010 flagship HX900 series.

Alfred seems to think white LED will win out with all the majors in the end because of lower production costs and greater parts reliability.

[akirby]

Perhaps one can't compare the amount of electricity used by a flat panel TV to that of an air conditioner

A medium sized window unit uses about 900 watts. A large plasma uses around 350 watts. A large LCD is about 250. And you probably use the air conditioner more than you use the TV in the middle of summer.

Not using the A/C saves you about 7 cents per hour. Buying a LCD instead of a Plasma saves you less than 1 cent per hour.

The math is simple.

[GiovannaVisconti]

A "watt" costs more here than pretty much anywhere else. That's just the way it is. Everything costs more here. By a lot. If you live here, you live with it, and you look at usage for any new electronic item.

However, to conclude this topic: my a/c was not used anywhere NEARLY as much as it usually is...because the summer was so UNusual! To me, a $24 PER MONTH savings is enormous. If it isn't to you, well, I'm happy for you. That $288 annual savings probably will be wiped out this year anyway.

This was mentioned in connection with a more important TV issue: LED backlighting with/without local dimming! Sharp is currently offering sets with some kind of proprietary backlighting that also supposedly uses less electricity per kw hour than the comparables I was looking at. (According the Home Theater Mag's survey, end '09)

One more time: PQ is the primary issue, and more specifically LED backlighting and how that develops...white? RGB? Four-color?

I am looking forward to the 2010 lineups. Thanks.

[akirby]

You have a serious reading comprehension problem. If that's because English is a second language for you then I apologize.

But you said:

According to sources I've read, electricity usage in the LE700 series is way below the other majors. This is a major consideration for me.

What I was trying to point out to you is that if you look at the difference in electricity usage between the most efficient and least efficient Television sets, the difference would only be less than $2/month.

To put it in perspective:

watching a 350 watt TV for 6 hours per day at 8 cents/kilowatt-hour = $5.04 per month.
watching a 250 watt TV for 6 hours per day at 8 cents/kilowatt-hour = $3.60 per month.

You are not going to save $25/month just because you bought an Energy Star rated TV. Capiche?

And as far as a $109 electricity bill being significant - a standard 2000 square foot 3 br house in the South would routinely see $300-$400 monthly electric bills in the summer when the A/C is running 24/7.

[GiovannaVisconti]

aKirby,

I understand perfectly well what you were saying and can do without your condescension.

Simply considering one additional POSSIBLE factor in the purchase of a new TV doesn't make me or anyone else an idiot. If, in the end, that difference is negligible, well...then it's negligible.

I thought I was being polite enough to warrant a pleasant conversation, and believe I even stated in my original response to you--and then repeatedly--that you might well be correct. Perhaps you missed that.

I think my English in these e-mails should indicate that it isn't my "second" language.

BTW, the spelling is "capice," (pronounced "ka-pee-chay") not "capiche." "Capeesh" is a mangled, illiterate anglicization of the verb form in question.

The "ch" sound in Italian results in the "k" sound in English. But I realize it isn't your "second" language.

"Basta!" That means "enough!"

[akirby]

Forgive my attempt at Italian - I took French in college.

It sounded like you expected to see a huge difference in your monthly electric bill similar to the $24 difference you saw with the air conditioner.
I was trying to point out that if you actually did the math then the difference was more like $2 per month.

I was not trying to tell you what to buy - if you want to buy the most energy efficient tv possible that's perfectly fine. I just did not want you to do it under the mistaken belief that you'd be saving $24 instead of only $2 per month in electricity costs.

If I misinterpreted your replies then I apologize.

[GiovannaVisconti]

akirby,

Most gracious. Forgive my perceived anger.

I was not expecting another steep plunge in monthly charges from just one appliance. However, it's worth considering energy efficiency--or rating or whatever it's variously called--for every new appliance. At least here in New York it is.

BTW, I use a Con Ed plan called "level billing" wherein they bill you the same amount every month. At year's end Con Ed informs the customer what his "actual" charges would have been without level billing. My actual charges in 2009 would be in the area of $245 per month! That's for a studio apartment: 27x18 living room, small bath, non-eat-in kitchen, small entry hall.

I can only imagine (or maybe I can't!) what the monthly charges would be for a 2000 sq. ft. house with three bedrooms here in Queens, New York city!!!

Anyway...it's BACKLIGHTING and the effectiveness thereof that would be my ultimate determinant. And PQ...PQ...PQ!

It's difficult to judge PQ because the big box stores run everything at torch levels. There aren't many options to A/B sets either. If you own a car that would enable you to get to New Jersey or somewhere else outside the city and view sets under more realistic circumstances than is the case at your local Best Buy.

Hence assistance from HDTV Mag, Home Theater Mag, other publications and online sites.

I try to absorb as much as I can understand about technical details. Although the A/V Science Forums can be intimidating, I must say. I think I understand every other word.

I talk to people who know more than I, and to those who've recently bought, etc.

At some point, however, I have to make a decision. I've been dithering for over two years now. Probably should have pulled the trigger on an XBR8.

Perhaps after all the 2010 lines are introduced, I'll finally be able to stop worrying, love the bomb, and be happy.

Well, maybe the latter is asking too much...

Anyway, thank you for your assistance and indulgence.

[GiovannaVisconti]

I just did not want you to do it under the mistaken belief that you'd be saving $24 instead of only $2 per month in electricity costs.

Even THAT is another $24/year. Should my monthly Con Ed charges remain $109 then my annual savings would be $312.

But it's highly unlikely that my charges will not increase in '10. In fact, I'll bet they'll increase.

I'll get back to you in April or May which is when Con Ed automatically and arbitrarily increases the monthly charge based on THEIR estimated assumptions for summer usage! Cute, isn't it?

[akirby]

My advice is to pay less attention to the specs and go by what you see, even if it's torch mode. I compared 52-55" Sony Bravia LCDs side by side in Best Buy. I guess I'm lucky that my local BB (and I hate big box stores) uses subdued ambient lighting in their TV display section. I looked at 60 hz, 120 hz and 240 hz LED sets side by side and I simply could not discern any meaningful differences, so I saved the money and went with the 120 hz non-LED model.

There was a noticeable difference between low end and high end brands, 720p (kinda sorta) vs. 1080p. And LCD is certainly a bit different than plasma but since mine was for casual viewing in the family room I was more concerned about light reflection than absolute PQ so I went with the LCD and couldn't be happier.