Home Media Store

Please select the topic you wish to view or return to our home page to shop:

Buying a Television: Saving Money and Saving the World
Location Free TV: Sony's Entertainment Pioneer
Plasma TV Care 101
Plasma Television: With Maturity Has Come Greater Dependability


Return to current Television articles

Millions of television sets are sold each year.  Consumers make the choice between plasma, CRT, LCD and other types of television technologies. They select the size to suit their needs as well; from a few inches to the theater like 103 inch screens. Selecting a television set involves thousands of choices.  But what if consumers could select the size and type of screen that they wish and end up saving thousands of dollars over the life of the television in energy costs?  Or what if that same consumer could also significantly reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions while getting the television of their dreams?

Consumers do have the option of adding one more choice during their television shopping experience that could end up saving them 1/3 on their energy costs and significantly improve the quality of air through the Energy Star program.

Energy Star has been around since the early 1990's.  It is a joint program of the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy.  The goal of the program is to assist consumers in saving money and to protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.  The program requires products with the Energy Star label to meet strict energy efficiency guidelines.  The program covers computers, monitors, office equipment, heating & cooling, major appliances, home electronics, lighting, new homes, and more.  In 2005 alone, it is estimated that the program saved American's at least $12 billion on their utility bills and eliminated potential greenhouse emissions equivalent to that created by 23 million cars.

As consumers go out shopping for their next television, they might want to consider a few facts.  The EPA and Department of Energy estimate that if half of all US households replaced their current television with an Energy Star model, the change would be equivalent to shutting down one entire power plant.  In fact, an Energy Star qualified television uses about 30% less energy than standard units. In addition, if every television sold this year was Energy Star qualified, it would mean 9 billion pounds less air pollution.  Energy Star models can be found in the plasma, LCD, or CRT types of screens so the choice to select the energy efficient model should not restrict consumers at all.

Most major television manufacturers do offer Energy Star models; Samsung, Sony, Zenith, Philips, Sylvania, Panasonic, and Sharp are just a few of the major brands.  For consumers who want to include energy efficiency in their decision making process, they can visit the following site to assist them in identifying television models that meet the Energy Star qualifications.

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=find_a_product.showProductGroup&pgw_code=TV

Return to top of page

As televisions get larger, brighter, and more colorful it can be difficult to imagine what will be next. Will it be 3D, interactive, or perhaps more of a "virtual" experience?  All of these things may well be in the future but for now one of the most unique offerings is "location free" TV.

Sony's 12" portable LCD LF-X11 offers a type of flexibility that is new in the industry with its battery powered, Wi-Fi enabled touch screen.  This dual band wireless television allows users to enjoy movies, programs, and even internet access/e-mail from any room in the house and even outdoors. Just as cordless phones 20 years ago freed us from needing a phone on the wall in every room, so this television may well free us from a screen in every room. Whether on the patio or out in the garage, the LF-X11 provides quality audio and video without disturbance from microwave ovens or cell phones.

Away from home, this television allows users to enjoy A/V content and internet access by connecting to their Base Station via any public wireless access point: airports, hotels, internet cafes, and other hotspots.  This portable LCD monitor weighs in at just over 5 lbs and comes with the Base Station for the living room that weighs only 1 lb.   Complete with a handle and stand this 12" monitor is truly portable.

This Sony television even offers a memory stick port which allows users to view their photos on the LCD screen. The on-screen universal remote with learning capabilities is also a welcomed addition, giving users more control. 

The future of most electronics devices is hard to determine but with most items going wireless, allowing users to be more mobile perhaps this direction of location free television should have been anticipated.  For the Sony LF-X11 the future is now.

Return to top of page

During the holiday season of this year, millions of consumers will be considering the purchase of a new television.  Those beautiful plasma screen displays will scream at shoppers from the display floor with their vibrant, life like colors and detail. But undoubtedly, wary shoppers will have heard the rumors or perhaps have known someone who bought a plasma television in 1999 which has already moved on to television heaven just seven short years later.  It seems to a prudent shopper that perhaps a new plasma TV isn't the choice for them if a long term relationship is desired.

But are the rumors false?  Has plasma undergone a bit of reinvention? Was this lack of longevity a symptom of a fledgling technology that has now perhaps matured?  Is a plasma television now more reliable, a screen to be around for the long haul?

In a word…yes. 

With lower power usage and changes with the mix of gases in the panels, the longevity of a plasma television has been significantly enhanced.  The lifespan of a television display is measured in "half life"; the hours of use before the screen has dimmed to only 50% of its original brightness. In recent years, plasma television manufacturers have been touting a half-life which is equivalent to that of other screens such as the higher priced LCDs; around 60,000 hours.  From this, consumers can see that the lifespan of a plasma screen is dependent upon how much it is viewed.  For instance, if a plasma television is on for 6 hours a day, 365 days a year (2190 hours per year), it should last just over 27 years.  

Knowing this, it becomes clear that the life of the screen on a plasma television can be significantly influenced by how it is used.  Turning off the television when no one is viewing it could certainly extend its life.  Adjusting the brightness is important as well; maximum levels are seldom required or recommended and can unnecessarily cause pre-mature aging of the phosphors.

Additional changes over the years for plasma televisions include technologies aimed at reducing the risk of "burn in"; another significant concern about the "character" of plasma displays that developed during its youth. Features such as pixel shifting, pixel orbiter, and motion adaptation all describe methods of moving the image on a plasma screen which is imperceptible to the human eye but effective in reducing the risk of burn-in.  With these added features, many plasma manufacturers now claim their screens have no greater risk of burn in than the traditional CRT, "tube" televisions.

As with anything, consumers need to compare brands as they aren't all created equally.  Reviewing the facts from the manufacturer is important.  In general, it is best to stick with the more reputable and well known brands as a bargain "off-brand" in the long term may not save money if the quality and dependability are lacking.

There are many excellent technologies to choose from when buying a new television. Which type of display is best is dependent upon each individuals wishes, but plasma televisions certainly deserve the full attention of buyers as they do not warrant the negative reputation developed during their formative years in regards to longevity.

Return to top of page