October 2008
Watts on TV: Energy consumption over the decades
The earliest TV sets consumed as much electricity as today's energy-hungry plasma models. But newer designs in circuitry dropped
wattage to less than half by about 1980 even as screen sizes grew.
Today there's a wide variation in how much power the different types of television sets consume. And there's no federally imposed limit on how much electricity TVs can use.
But Energy Star has updated its TV criteria, which go into effect Nov. 1. The new guidelines will cover energy consumption while a set is on and how much energy it uses in standby mode.
1938
DuMont Model 180
250 watts
The first electronic TV, the DuMont had an 8x10-inch
black-and-white picture.
1954
RCA CT-100
475 watts
The early color TV had a screen with a 12½-inch viewable area.
1980
Sony KV2601
102 watts
This 26-inch CRT, reviewed in our January 1980 issue,
came in a 3-foot-wide cabinet.
2000
Sharp LC-10A2U
28 watts
One of the first flat-panel TVs sold in the U.S., this 10-inch
set was 2½ inches deep.
2008
Samsung FP-T5084
250 watts
This 50-inch plasma, at medium brightness, uses the same
energy the DuMont did.
Today there's a wide variation in how much power the different types of television sets consume. And there's no federally imposed limit on how much electricity TVs can use.
But Energy Star has updated its TV criteria, which go into effect Nov. 1. The new guidelines will cover energy consumption while a set is on and how much energy it uses in standby mode.
DuMont Model 180
250 watts
The first electronic TV, the DuMont had an 8x10-inch
black-and-white picture.
RCA CT-100
475 watts
The early color TV had a screen with a 12½-inch viewable area.
Sony KV2601
102 watts
This 26-inch CRT, reviewed in our January 1980 issue,
came in a 3-foot-wide cabinet.
Sharp LC-10A2U
28 watts
One of the first flat-panel TVs sold in the U.S., this 10-inch
set was 2½ inches deep.
Samsung FP-T5084
250 watts
This 50-inch plasma, at medium brightness, uses the same
energy the DuMont did.
Posted: September 2008 — Consumer Reports Magazine issue: October 2008
