Does this seem like BS to you?

[Rakewell]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20071139-260/study-dvr-set-top-box-use-most-energy-at-home/

The Natural Resources Defense Council has ranked the biggest energy hogs in the home, and the thing that's gobbling up the most is probably not what you think: the pairing of your digital video recorder and set-top box.

The environmental monitoring group released a study today that says that a high-definition cable or satellite set-top box when combined with a high-definition DVR uses up 446 kilowatt hours per year. That's more than a new Energy Star rated 21 cubic-foot refrigerator, which uses 415 kWh per year, according to the NRDC's data.

More than refrigerators?

That doesn't seem likely.

 

[MTDEW]

If its true, that is BS.

 

[Anubis]

pretty sure its true as its been reported on a bunch of times

 

[Rakewell]

I got rid of cable this past winter, and my power usage didn't go down.

I call shens.

 

[vi edit]

Doesn't surprise me. You could fry an egg on those Motorola DVR's. That heat doesn't come from thin air. Unless you are a creationist. Modern day refridgerators are exceptionally energy efficient. They are highly insulated devices in a climate controlled environment (most of the time). It does not take much maintenance power to keep them operating.

 

[Golgatha]

I would believe it. The refrigerator only compresses when needed to cool the internal temperature down, whereas STBs are on pretty much constantly. 446 kwh is roughly 51 watts pulled continuously for an entire year, so between vampire electricity and in-operation pull, I could easily see it running more than a refrigerator.

 

[lokiju]

Really wish device manufactures would make a point to be energy star rated or at least not energy hogs.

 

[Golgatha]

Really wish device manufactures would make a point to be energy star rated or at least not energy hogs.

I wish homes were built with easily accessible wall switches that turned off the power to the entertainment center wall, so vampire electronics would quit costing me money.

 

[lxskllr]

Really wish device manufactures would make a point to be energy star rated or at least not energy hogs.

People want instant gratification. They could limit power consumption, but devices would take longer to do their thing. Manufacturers don't want to be known for slow equipment.

 

[Anubis]

I got rid of cable this past winter, and my power usage didn't go down.

I call shens.

did you have a DVR or a normal cable box? because IIRC its just the DVRs that use a stupid amount of power

 

[Rakewell]

did you have a DVR or a normal cable box? because IIRC its just the DVRs that use a stupid amount of power

DVR combo.

There's been no change in my power bill over the past few months (+/- a few dollars).

 

[vi edit]

DVR combo.

There's been no change in my power bill over the past few months (+/- a few dollars).

Electric rates aren't the same throughout the year.

 

[lxskllr]

DVR combo.

There's been no change in my power bill over the past few months (+/- a few dollars).

You can't go by bills. There's natural variances due to different causes. Pull up the specs of what you were using, and see what the power consumption was. A lot of things don't seem like a big deal by themselves, but you start getting into real energy usage when you combine them.