Eco

The blazing row over California’s proposed ban on large screen TVs continues to burn bright across the pond - and there seems to be little public support for the Golden State's green initiative.
According to a poll carried out by Rasmussen Reports 66 per cent of Americans oppose any law that would effectively ban the sale of big-screen televisions to save energy.
Only sixteen per cent favor the idea, with 18 per cent are not sure.  When quizzed, 53 per cent of adults declared  read more »

The future of television has gone on view at CEATEC, Japan’s top AV show.

Within the halls of the Makuhari Messe convention center, in Chiba City, the world’s biggest TV brands have unveiled a (surprisingly) unified vision of tomorrow’s TV tech, giving a tantalizing glimpse  read more »

The world’s most advanced LCD manufacturing plant has opened for business. Sharp’s new facility, based in Sakai City, Osaka, is the first in the world to produce 10th-generation glass substrates, and promises to usher in a new era of super-large screen displays.

The facility will also be the first to produce screens using the brand’s proprietary UV²A photo-alignment process, The technology promises bright whites and extremely deep blacks, with better  read more »

Sharp has revealed what it is describing as technology able to evolve LCD TVs to a new level of picture performance, and boost contrast ratios by 60 per cent.  read more »

Panasonic’s multi-billion Yen takeover of rival Sanyo has been given the green light by Japan’s Fair Trade Commission. The merger will ultimately create Japan’s biggest electronics company and give Panasonic a much-needed leg up the eco-ladder. Sanyo has extensive solar panel and rechargeable batteries technologies which the CE giant has long coveted.  read more »

Using a TV with THX calibration not only ensures a perfectly tuned picture, but it could also save you money! – that’s the message coming from THX.

A new study by the kings of calibration concludes that a correctly-tuned display can improve energy efficiency by as much as 50 per cent.  read more »

The final specification for 3D Blu-ray is expected to be published in December, the Blu-ray Disc Association announced at its IFA press conference in Berlin. 'This is necessary to allow hardware – both screens and players – to be launched during 2010,' explained Victor Matsuda, the BDA's chairman of global promotions.  read more »

California’s threat to limit the size of TVs consumers can buy looks likely to become a bizarre reality this Autumn. The California Energy Commission (CEC) is expected to publish its new regulations on power consumption within two weeks, and after a 45-day comment period, they could become law.

Custom Install organisation CEDIA is alarmed and says the legislation could effectively outlaw the sale of largescreen TVs in the state.  read more »

Sony says that it has managed to reduced its global CO2 emissions by approximately 100,000 tons over the last financial year. The achievement comes on the back of several company-wide environmental initiatives. 'Through continuous energy efficiency efforts, European operations have reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 90 per cent between 2000 and 2008,' added the company.  read more »

Is Hitachi walking away from the consumer electronics market? That certainly seems to be one conclusion, following a conference given to Japanese media and analysts by the Corporation’s new Representative Executive Officer, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Takashi Kawamura.

With Hitachi due to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2010, Kawamura-san declared that the company will ‘mobilize the fundamental strengths the Hitachi Group,’ and ‘reinvent’ itself.  Chief amongst its plans is to  read more »

It’s not just TV manufacturers who are pushing the green agenda. US loudspeaker giant Klipsch says that if AV fans switched to the brand’s high-efficiency speakers, they could reduce their amplifier’s electricity consumption by as much as 75 per cent.

According to data released by the brand, the average domestic loudspeaker requires 1 watt of audio power to produce a sound level of between 85-88dB. Klipsch speakers typically produce 3 to 6dB more sonic output using that same 1 watt. Therefore, given that  read more »

Sharp is the latest Japanese major to buckle under growing global economic pressure. The LCD innovator has downgraded its earnings forecast to a net loss of 130 billion yen, for the financial year ended March 31, and is hunkering down for a stormy 2009.
The mounting losses, caused by both recession and internal restructuring, will mean the closure of its smaller panel production lines.

Sharp says that it will combat the red ink by  read more »

If you’re a Californian AV fan, best hide that big plasma now. The California Energy Commission is apparently considering a proposal to outlaw all but the most energy-efficient TVs. Local politicians are warning that as demand for large screens grows, the demand on the state’s power grid will build, ultimately creating a need for more power plants.  read more »