Active Mode Discussion

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Active Mode Discussion

• Chris Calwell
• Ecos Consulting

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Summary of NRDC/Ecos Research Process

• Reviewed independent monitor research from
  DisplaySearch, IDC, Europeans, and others
• Met with monitor manufacturers at COMDEX, CES,
  DisplaySearch, and one-on-one
• Analyzed self-reported data from manufacturers in
  STAR database
• Independently measured monitor power use
• Compared data with LBNL, ADL studies
• Made recommendations to EPA. EPA weighed them
  with others and created draft specification.

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What Does The Term Energy Efficient Monitor
Mean?

• Efficiency Useful Output or Service Provided /
  Total Energy Input
• Useful output or service could be diagonal inches
  of screen size, square inches of screen size, or
  total pixels displayed
• Monitor not displaying information (providing
  useful output) in sleep or standby modes, so
  minimize power use at those times to achieve high
  overall efficiency
• Can account for all energy use in all three modes
  separately or with a duty cycle
• ENERGY STAR seeks to recognize top 25 efficiency

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Estimated Annual Energy Use for CRTs and LCDs
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The Advantages of Pixels/Watt

• Pixels/watt approach has a number of key
  advantages
• More technology neutral avoids difference
  between viewable screen size and total
• Screen area (square inches) unknown to consumers
• Credits CRTs for their present resolution
  advantage, yet allows for very high resolution
  options like IBMs new 9.1 million pixel LCD
• Emphasizes display quality over physical size
• Avoids difficulty of trying to estimate a
  representative duty cycle for all monitors
• Simple, like lumens/watt (lighting) or CFM/watt
  (fans). Can also be characterized as
  watts/megapixel

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Effect of Resolution and Monitor Type on Active
Power Consumption for Monitors 17 and Less
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Effect of Resolution and Monitor Type on Active
Power Consumption for Monitors Greater than 17
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Effect of Resolution and Monitor Type on Active
Power Consumption
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Applying Active Power Spec to Standard Resolutions
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Need for Consistent Measurement

• STAR database contains self-reported data from
  manufacturers
• Not all monitors measured under identical
  conditions in active or on mode
• Depending on user settings and image displayed,
  CRT power variations can be /- 30. LCD
  variations can be /- 50.
• ENERGY STAR has helped develop common test
  methods to the ventilation and lighting
  industries may be able to bring standardization
  to monitor measurements as well.

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Effects of User Settings on Power for a 21 CRT
Monitor
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Effects of User Settings on Power for a 17 LCD
Monitor
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Comparing the Proposed Specification to Compaqs
Self-Reported Data
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Key Market Research Findings

• Laptops were first major market for LCD
  technology Desktops now shifting decisively
  from CRTs to LCDs
• LCDs provide size, weight, comfort, clarity, and
  energy advantages to users. Even better
  technologies (OLEDs, others) coming soon
• LCDs are often more profitable for manufacturers
  to sell (CRTs have become a commodity)
• Presently hard to market LCDs on an energy
  efficiency basis virtually all monitors have
  ENERGY STAR label and no standardized power use
  information is shown on packaging
• Need for a new specification and test method to
  fairly compare monitors on total energy use in
  active, sleep and off modes.

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Entry Level (lt1,000) Computer Systems Now
Commonly Offer LCD Screens