ANSI: Revised IEC Standard Will Help Consumers Choose Energy Efficient Televisions

December 13, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

The revisions will incorporate tests for power-saving features and will address power consumption in a variety of different modes, from live-action images and recording functions to standby, disconnected and off modes.

According to Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), television use makes up approximately 10% of a household's annual electricity bill.

Rapid advances in television technology underscore the need for revisions to IEC 62087, according to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). For example, traditional cathode-ray tube (CRT) and plasma television sets, which were prevalent at the time of the standard's development, require more electricity to produce brighter images.

Today's flat-panel LCDs and rear-projection microdisplays consume the same amount of power regardless of image brightness. A reliance on static images as a test of power consumption and a lack of discussion on power-saving features also limit the standard's continued applicability in today's marketplace.

The revised standard will also reflect the marketplace’s increased demand for energy efficient electronics, helping manufacturers provide accurate energy label ratings, aiding consumers as they shop for efficient products and reducing overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

IEC Technical Committee (TC) 100 - Audio, video and multimedia systems and equipment, developed IEC 62087 and is now working on the standard's second edition. IEC TC 100 is chaired by Mark Hyman of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE). TC 100's work addresses interfaces, interconnections and interoperability between systems, as well as testing and measuring methods.

Source: American National Standards Institute (ANSI).