The Eco-Friendly HDTV That Knows if You're Watching: Sony KDL-VE5

It happens every day in households across the planet - the television's on, but no one is there to watch it.  Whether the kids get distracted with a game, the telephone rings in another room, or you just simply forget to turn off the set when you walk away, the problem can add up to a lot of wasted energy over the course of time.  Sony has the solution.

The new KDL-VE5 series from Sony offers an energy efficient, high-quality HD display with an added bonus - the set has an integrated presence sensor that turns off the TV for you when you leave the room.

The Features

Available in 3 sizes - 40, 46, and 52 inch models - the Sony KDL-VE5 has a sleek design, an interactive menu system, and most of the features found in other comparable HDTVs on the market today.  The energy-saving presence sensor is what sets this model apart from similar sets.

The sensor, located in the middle of the speaker bar, can be set for 5 minutes, 30, or 60 and detects movement within 10 feet of the TV.  If nothing is sensed within the given time limit, a warning appears on the screen and the television's screen goes dark.  Power consumption drops to about half of full operation during this time.

If the sensor detects motion again, the picture will come back on.  After 30 minutes with no movement in the room, the sound is also cut - dropping power consumption to nearly nothing.  During CNet tests, the Sony KDL-VE5's sensor worked relatively well, although forced movement was required occasionally once the 'TV is about to turn off message' appeared.  Regardless, this sort of feature could provide a drastic improvement in energy use for modern households.

The Sony KDL-VE5 series ranges in price from $1,269 to $1,530 and is available from most authorized Sony dealers.  You can find more information and read the full review at CNet.

 Images: The Pug Father; CNet

The Greener Flat Screen - CA Plans for Energy-Sipping Televisions

Decreasing energy consumption is an essential part of a sustainable future, especially within our own homes.  Residential energy accounts for nearly a quarter of all the power consumed in the United States.  In 2001, just our televisions gobbled up 3% of that energy - and that was before the craze of plasma and LCD flat screens that require more power than the traditional cathode-ray tubes.

California is taking initiative to minimize that consumption with new efficiency standards expected to be enacted this summer.  All televisions manufactured after the beginning of 2011 will have to use half the energy of the sets currently on the market by 2013 if the rules are approved.  

The Consumer Electronics Association argues that the manufacturers should be in control of the solution - leaving the energy savings in the hands of the consumer by installing adjustments to control brightness and contrast settings rather than researching and developing cleaner technology.

 

Some manufacturers have already taken the time to do their homework and are producing flat screens that use a fraction of the power.  Samsung's new LED flat screen is only an inch-and-a-half thick and requires 40% less energy than conventional models.  New technology never comes cheap so the thinnest and greenest TV comes with a price tag of close to $3,000.

Prices should drop in the not-too-distant future when competition increases with the introduction of similar low-energy televisions by Sony and LG.

Sources: New York Times; WWAY TV

Images: CNET, peasap via Flickr