As you gear up for the big game, make sure to break out the energy efficiency playbook as you consider new entertainment investments.
Television technology is changing rapidly. Some technologies are falling by the wayside faster than 1980s laser discs. Light-emitting diode displays have replaced less efficient liquid-crystal displays. Manufacturers are reducing the production of plasma screens, although many television viewers believe they show a better picture. They are also rethinking how big the market for organic LED displays will be even though they were once touted as offering superior performance because they are expensive to manufacture. While 4K technology promises more pixels and better picture definition, production levels are still limited. Curved screens are seen as a gimmick by some and may not be the best design for watching sports. And streaming is crowding out cable and satellite transmission.
All this change spells confusion for consumers wanting the best TV set to watch the big game. In the midst of the change, the good news is from an energy efficiency perspective: most TVs are better. Manufacturers’ sets following the Energy Star standard are less expensive to operate. Even some of today’s biggest screen TVs cost just $12 or so a year to operate. But it’s good to compare.
“Don’t be fooled by low prices, especially on big-screens,” said Daniel McAllister, owner of A-1TV and Electronics Inc. in Hazel Dell. “Lower cost sets often fail within a few years.” They can also cost more to operate over time.
In the TV sales and repair business since 1994, McAllister runs the business his father started in 1970. Each year, he estimates he sees more than 1,000 TV failures. Ruined circuit boards and faulty power supplies are worth fixing, but broken screens are too costly to fix.
McAllister discourages buying lower-priced TV and audio equipment, because their components fail sooner.
“These days, it’s hard to find equipment with a long life span,” he said. “Many manufactures use low-cost components to push the price down as much as possible,” he said.
That’s why he advises consumers to consider paying more for a quality TV. For example, if you purchased a power-hungry 32-inch set in the 1990s for $400, today that equals spending about $750 for an energy-saving set that is the same size. Don’t expect a bargain $200 set that size to have the same quality or efficiency.
Should your set fail, especially if it’s a quality set with low energy use, you don’t need to toss it out and buy a new one. McAllister says repair shops can often replace failed parts with higher-quality ones and usually save your set for less than the price of a new one. You also keep electronic devices out of the waste stream by repairing them. TV sets, computers and monitors contain heavy metals that are toxic and should never go to the landfill. E-waste represents just 2 percent of the material in landfills, but 70 percent of the overall toxic waste.
If your set breaks and you don’t want to repair it, recycle it. Several companies accept broken TVs. To find out which, visit 1.usa.gov/174mMie. There you will find companies that recycle electronic products, including TVs. You can also download a brochure for Clark County on that website. It lists local resources that take nonworking electronics free, including Goodwill and Empower Up, www.empowerup.org.
Just remember as you shop post-holiday sales or get ready for the TV sales just before the big game next month, investing in energy efficient equipment will save money on electricity for the life of the device. And that goes for all the accessories as well. Consider adding a smart power strip to your electronics purchase so that when you turn off your TV, the soundbar, DVD player, streaming device and game systems can be set to turn off automatically. Devices in standby mode continue to suck power even when they’re not on, so a smartstrip can make a difference by stopping wasteful energy leaks. And that’s a total score.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
