NRDC Sees HDR Having 'Bigger Impact' on TV Energy Use Than Jump to 4K Itself
The findings in a Natural Resources Defense Council report that Ultra HD TVs consume on average about 30 percent more energy than comparably sized 1080p models weren't surprising, since the new Energy Star Version 7.0 TV specification already contains an…
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“allowance" that lets Ultra HD sets consume up to 50 percent more incremental power than comparably sized HD sets and still be deemed Energy Star-compliant (see 1412040035). But a more standout conclusion in the report released Tuesday was that Ultra HD TVs with high dynamic range (HDR) have the potential to consume 50 percent more power than basic Ultra HD TVs without the HDR capability. Since the “shift” toward Ultra HD TVs “is now in its early stages,” there's still time “for manufacturers to incorporate more efficient designs and components into all new models and prevent much of this potential additional electricity use and resultant pollution,” the report said. Before NRDC did its study, “very little was known about the precise energy impact of the recent changes in the television market and the technology advancements that are occurring,” it said of HDR power consumption.