Televisions, VCRs, & Combination Units

You should know...

• ENERGY STAR qualified TVs use about 25% less energy than standard units.
• You can find the ENERGY STAR on everything from standard TVs, to HD-ready TVs, to the largest flat-screen plasma TVs.

Definitions

Below is a brief description of TVs, Television Monitors, VCRs, DCR TVs with POD slots, TV/VCRs, TV/DVDs, VCR/DVDs, TV/VCR/DVDs, Component Television Units and other terms as relevant to ENERGY STAR.

• Television (TV): A commercially available electronic product consisting of a tuner/receiver and a monitor encased in a single housing. The monitor usually relies upon a cathode-ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display, or other display device. The TV is designed to receive and display a television signal broadcast by antenna, satellite, or cable. To qualify, the TV must be capable of being powered from either a wall outlet or a battery unit that is sold with an AC adapter. For purposes of this agreement, this definition includes analog and digital televisions in addition to televisions that require additional power to receive and process signals that contain information and/or data for electronic programmeming guides. Television products with a tuner/receiver and computer capability (e.g., computer input port) may qualify as ENERGY STAR under this specification as long as they are marketed and sold to consumers as televisions (i.e., focusing on television as the primary function). However, products with a tuner/receiver and computer capability that are marketed and sold as 1) computer monitors or 2) dual function televisions and computer monitors are not included in this specification.
• Television Monitor: An electronic product intended to display a video signal from an external tuner or other video source such as a VCR or DVD Player on a CRT, LCD, plasma display, or other display device. To qualify, the television monitor must be capable of being powered from either a wall outlet or a battery unit that is sold with an AC adapter. For purposes of this agreement, this definition includes analog and digital television monitors. Television monitors with computer capability (e.g., computer input port) may qualify as ENERGY STAR under this specification as long as they are marketed and sold to consumers as television monitors (i.e., focusing on television/video as the primary function). However, products with computer capability that are marketed and sold as 1) computer monitors or 2) dual function television and computer monitors are not included in this specification.
• Digital Cable-Ready (DCR) TV with Point of Deployment (POD) Slot: A TV with at least one digital tuner (e.g., DSS, VSB or QAM) or at least one digital video input (e.g., IEEE 1394, DVI, iLink) which also incorporates a removable Point of Deployment (POD) slot. The removable POD separates a DCR TV from the cable operator's proprietary conditional access system, thereby enabling portability of the host to other cable networks.
• Videocassette Recorder/Videocassette Player (VCR): An electronic product designed to play and/or record video tape. To qualify, the VCR must be capable of being powered from either a wall outlet or a battery unit that is sold with an AC adapter. For purposes of this agreement, this definition includes analog and digital videocassette recorders/videocassette players.
• TV/VCR Combination Unit: A system in which the TV and VCR are combined into a single unit and which meets all of the following criteria: the VCR is included in the television casing; it is not possible to measure the power requirements of the two components separately without removal of the television casing; and the system is connected to the wall outlet through a single power cable. To qualify, the TV/VCR must be capable of being powered from either a wall outlet or a battery unit that is sold with an AC adapter. For purposes of this agreement, this definition includes analog and digital TV/VCRs.
• TV/DVD Combination Unit: A system in which the TV and DVD are combined into a single unit and which meets all of the following criteria: the DVD is included in the television casing; it is not possible to measure the power requirements of the two components separately without removal of the television casing; and the system is connected to the wall outlet through a single power cable. To qualify, the TV/DVD must be capable of being powered from either a wall outlet or a battery unit that is sold with an AC adapter. For purposes of this agreement, this definition includes analog and digital TV/DVDs.
• VCR/DVD Combination Unit: A system in which the VCR and DVD are combined into a single unit and which meets all of the following criteria: it is not possible to measure the power requirements of the two components separately without removal of the casing; and the system is connected to the wall outlet through a single power cable. To qualify, the VCR/DVD must be capable of being powered from either a wall outlet or a battery unit that is sold with an AC adapter. For purposes of this agreement, this definition includes analog and digital VCR/DVDs.
• TV/VCR/DVD Combination Unit: A system in which the TV, VCR, and DVD are combined into a single unit and which meets all of the following criteria: the VCR and DVD are included in the television casing; it is not possible to measure the power requirements of any of the components separately without removal of the television casing; and the system is connected to the wall outlet through a single power cable. To qualify, the TV/VCR/DVD must be capable of being powered from either a wall outlet or a battery unit that is sold with an AC adapter. For purposes of this agreement, this definition includes analog and digital TV/VCR/DVDs.
• Component Television Unit: A television system composed of two or more separate components (e.g., display device, tuner, and power supply or display device and tuner/power supply) marketed and sold as a television under one model or system designation. The system may have more than one power cord. For purposes of meeting the standby power criteria, the total standby power for the system is considered. To qualify, the Component Television Unit must be capable of being powered from either a wall outlet or a battery unit that is sold with an AC adapter. For purposes of this agreement, this definition includes analog and digital Component Television Units.

  Component TV units with computer capability (e.g., computer input port) may qualify as ENERGY STAR under this specification as long as they are marketed and sold to consumers as televisions (i.e., focusing on television as the primary function). However, component units with a tuner/receiver and computer capability that are marketed and sold as 1) computer monitors or 2) dual function televisions and computer monitors are not included in this specification.

• Analog: For purposes of this agreement, analog units have an NTSC, PAL, or SECAM tuner and may have analog video inputs (e.g., composite video, component video, S-video, RGB).
• Digital: For purposes of this agreement, digital units include at least one digital tuner (e.g., DSS, VSB or QAM) or at least one digital video input (e.g., IEEE 1394, DVI, iLink). Products with an analog tuner and both analog and digital inputs should be considered digital units.
• Electronic programmeming Guide (EPG): An interactive, onscreen menu of TV listings that downloads programme information (e.g., time, date, description of TV programmes, etc.) from the vertical blanking interval of a regular TV signal.
• Standby Power/Mode: Standby power use depends on the product being analyzed. At a minimum, standby power includes power used while the product is performing no function. For many products, standby power is the lowest power used while performing at least one function. Standby power use occurs during what is referred to as the standby mode of the product. Specifically, for this specification, standby power is defined as the power being used when the product is connected to a power source, produces neither sound nor picture, does not transmit nor receive programme information and/or data (excluding data transmitted to change the unit's condition from 'standby mode' to 'active mode'), and is waiting to be switched to 'on' (active/play mode) by a direct or indirect signal from the consumer, e.g., with the remote control.
• Download Acquisition Mode (DAM): The product is connected to a power source, may be producing sound and/or picture, and is downloading channel listing information according to a defined schedule for use by the electronic programmeming guide. The power requirement in this mode is typically greater than the power requirement in standby mode and less than that in active mode.
• Active/Play ('On') Mode: The product is connected to a power source, produces sound and/or picture, and/or records or plays a videotape or DVD. The power requirement in this mode is typically greater than the power requirement in standby mode.
• Off Mode: An operating condition where the product is still plugged into the mains, but has been disconnected from an external power source. This mode is usually engaged by the consumer via a 'hard off switch'. This mode (and hard off switch) is usually found outside the US market.
• Disconnect: The product has been unplugged from the mains and therefore is disconnected from all external power
• Qualifying Products: Any TV, TV with EPG, VCR, DCR TV with POD slot, TV/VCR, TV/DVD, VCR/DVD, TV/VCR/DVD, Television Monitor, or Component Television Unit that is marketed to the consumer as such and meets the respective product type definition. This specification does not cover products with computer capability that are marketed and sold as 1) computer monitors or 2) dual function televisions and computer monitors.
• Effective Date: Products shipped from this date must meet the specification to qualify.

Key product criteria

Product Category	Phase I (effective 1/7/03) Standby Mode	Phase II (effective 1/7/05) Standby Mode	Phase III (effective 1/7/06) Standby Mode
TV	< 3W	Analog: < 1W* Digital: < 3W	< 1W
VCR	< 4W	< 1W	< 1W
Television Monitor	Analog: < 1W Digital: < 3W	NA	< 1W
Component Television Unit	< 3W	NA	< 1W
TV/VCR Combination Unit	< 6W	NA	< 1W
TV/DVD, VCR/DVD, and TV/VCR/DVD Combinations	< 4W	NA	< 1W
DCR TVs with POD Slots	No POD Installed: < 3W POD Installed: < 15W	NA	TBD

Illuminated Display Allowance: From July 2005, manufacturers may add an additional 1W to the 1W specification for products with an illuminated or backlit display (e.g., clock) or other electronic status indicator (eg, recording status or video mode indicator). For example, a VCR with an illuminated display must consume 2 Watts or less to qualify for the ENERGY STAR label beginning on July 1, 2005. All other VCRs must consume 1 Watt or less to qualify.

*NOTE: This allowance does not apply to Digital TVs under Phase II as they are allowed 3W and not required to adhere to the 1W specification until July 2006.

In 2004, ENERGY STAR will assess the marketplace to determine if the 1W allowance for Illuminated Displays is justified and should be extended for Phase III (July 2006).

Further information can be found on the US EPA Energy Star web site - www.energystar.gov