[mixsit]

http://www.oled-info.com/eu-ban-power-hungry-plasma-tvs
I heard it on our California news but see now the idea is wide spread.

[jimdgoulding]

Damn.  So, that's why my bill is higher!

[Bigfish]

Damn.  So, that's why my bill is higher!

Jim:

I figured mine generates enough heat in the winter to help offset the heating bill; however, it definitely is a major negative in summertime.   

My wife and I were browsing in Best Buy last weekend and spent some time looking at the 50" TVs.  IMHO the plasmas continue to have the best pictures because of their capability of producing black color.  Since I do not play games I would buy a plasma again if mine quit today.

Ken

[rydenfan]

OLED technology is no where near ready to replace plasma. 27"-32" is as large as they currently come and they are still wildly expensive. Most companies have exited the DLP market for '09, and all the focus is on LCD and Plasma.

[SlushPuppy]

I've been on a serious green kick for the past year or so. Not so much for the political reasons, but economically it just makes sense. I placed the order for my home theater television last week and "green" was a serious consideration. I ended up getting the 67" Samsung LED. It's going to be sitting on a credenza so flatness wasn't something I was concerned about. Since Samsung decided to get out of the DLP business there are some amazing bargins on the LEDs. I do agree that plasma has a superior picture, but the price of the 63" plasma was nearly double the 67" DLP, and then again there was the whole energy consumption issue.

Hopefully this ruling gets these guys together to work on OLED. It's an interesting technology and seems to have a lot of potential.

[ratso]

videophile guys are pretty much in agreement that plasma is still the way to go - no one yet has knocked the kuro's off the top of the heap. and at THE show, almost all the manufacturer's are backing away from OLED displays (although they will be coming to your cell phones soon). not ready yet - most people think next year maybe.

[Phil Taylor]

They'll have to pry my plasma out of my dead hands.  What next - they mandate how high or low you can set your thermostat on or how many meals you can cook each day on your electric stove?

[nathanm]

They'll have to pry my plasma out of my dead hands.  What next - they mandate how high or low you can set your thermostat on or how many meals you can cook each day on your electric stove?

Of course, it's only a matter of time.  But only as long as we put up with it.

[oscar]

I almost decided to buy a Pioneer Elite Kuro back in November back when I was seriously contemplating a 60" flat screen for the bedroom.  Nothing else came close.  Maybe the Mitsu Laservue with it's color saturation but I didn't get a chance to give the Mitsu a serious workout.  The demo version I was watching crapped out and now the Laservue's are hard to find(/manufacture?).

I've instead decided the money's better spent on a new 1080p front projector for my HT room, though there is still to put something in the bedroom (LCDs have too many motion artifacts for my tastes).

[mixsit]

They'll have to pry my plasma out of my dead hands.  What next - they mandate how high or low you can set your thermostat on ...

Uh, sit down. Calif. is already headed exactly there. With wireless technology, remote set-back (more likely set-up' in summer) during peak hours.
And yes, what next? I guess clean underwear more than once a week is right out.

The real Green' though-  2.5 or less children (whatever that number is they pick to land on.
Why not we just cut to the chase here?

[mcgsxr]

Off topic, but on the topic of the tangent about remote alteration of one's thermostat - my father recently signed up for a deal from the local power distribution firm.  They paid him $25, and installed a new programmable lcd thermostat (all expenses paid), with the proviso that they can (in the summer under peak load) reach out and push up the temp in his house by some amount.

Not on your life will I willingly consent to that.   

I would be far more likely to be accepting of the LDC turning down my heat in the winter, than touching my A/C.  I know it would be more environmentally friendly to allow it, but I HATE the heat, and really like to cool off when I come inside.  I used to sleep in my parent's basement in the summer, because it was so much cooler down there in the summer, even when they bought an A/C unit.

Now, back on topic - LCD's seem nice to me, but the best pictures I have seen continue to be Plasma's.  I am still using my old CRT mind you...

[Doublej]

If you want to be green ditch the car, ditch the airplane travel, and ditch the tube amps (i.e. reduce utility consumption).

Contrary to popular belief it's not the number of people in the family that causes the problem but rather the wealth of the family. Poor people don't pollute like rich people do.

[mixsit]

If you want to be green ditch the car, ditch the airplane travel, and ditch the tube amps (i.e. reduce utility consumption).

Contrary to popular belief it's not the number of people in the family that causes the problem but rather the wealth of the family. Poor people don't pollute like rich people do.

So.. that would be ever increasing population balanced with trickle up poverty.
Cool. aa

[thunderbrick]

If you want to be green ditch the car, ditch the airplane travel, and ditch the tube amps (i.e. reduce utility consumption).

Contrary to popular belief it's not the number of people in the family that causes the problem but rather the wealth of the family. Poor people don't pollute like rich people do.

You may well be right, but while the poor can't afford the luxury electronics, I'd bet they live in much LESS energy-efficient housing.  Fewer toys, different priorities.

[Doublej]

If you want to be green ditch the car, ditch the airplane travel, and ditch the tube amps (i.e. reduce utility consumption).

Contrary to popular belief it's not the number of people in the family that causes the problem but rather the wealth of the family. Poor people don't pollute like rich people do.

You may well be right, but while the poor can't afford the luxury electronics, I'd bet they live in much LESS energy-efficient housing.  Fewer toys, different priorities.

You are correct.

Many of the poor people in the world live in something you won't consider housing. Tiny, tiny, tiny places with no A/C,  perhaps no electricity and/or running water. Some don't even have wall just a staked out territory with a tarp for a roof.

If they are lucky they can afford a motorcycle. When I visited India I saw families of four traveling on a small motorcycle.

Rich people have A/C when it's hot, heat when it's cold and a lots of recreational toys. Poor people sweat when it's hot, have blankets when it's cold and don't have time to play.

[burn_unit]

I like the business strategery of outlawing your competitor's products....

What about the new LCDs with the variable backlighting instead of the uniform florescent lighting? Doesn't that close the gap with plasma considerably?

[Rashiki]

My power filter has a display that shows the voltage and current draw. With my 58" plasma TV on, I'm drawing an average of an extra 4 amps at 117 volts. That works out to be 468 watts. I pay between 11 and 36 cents per kilowatt hour depending on how much power I use in a given month, so at the highest rate, it costs me around 18 cents an hour to watch TV. Of course that doesn't count the power drawn by my receiver, subwoofer and DVR or the amount I pay for cable.

I had no idea that plasma screens were so power hungry, but all things considered, it's still cheap entertainment.

 -Rob