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California Energy Commission Approves New HDTV Restrictions
Mon Nov 23, 2009 at 02:00 PM ETTags: California, Industry Trends, High-Def Retailing (all tags)
Despite much protest from the consumer electronics industry, the California Energy Commission voted unanimously to adopt new regulations to cut down on high energy television sets.
The first tier of regulations – which bans the sale of televisions not meeting the standards – hits on January 1st of 2011. First, all televisions must use no more than one watt of power while in standby mode. This is a decrease from the currently allotted three watts. The second part of the regulation gets a bit tricky.
All televisions sold in California under 1,400 square inches will be required to use power (in watts) less than or equal to their area in square inches divided by five plus thirty two. The formula itself isn’t vital, but what is important to note is that this number comes out to just slightly above Energy Star 4.0 compliance. Similarly, the second tier of regulation which hits in 2013 creates a power standard that’s just slightly more lax than Energy Star 5.0 requirements which hit in mid 2012.
The controversy over this program mainly rests in the notion that while Energy Star compliance is completely optional, the CEC’s new standards are mandatory to sell within the state of California. Businesses objected strongly to the new ruling, as many consumers have expressed their willingness to purchase out of state or online if local shops are unable to carry the televisions they want.
The Consumer Electronics Association also spoke out against the ruling, stating that the measure is unnecessary and that not only is it limiting consumer choice, but that the CEC is limiting technological innovation as well.
The CEA has stated that a legal challenge is not out of the question.
Source: California Energy Commission (PDFSee what people are saying about this story in our forums area, or check out other recent discussions.
57 Percent of Californians Against Big Screen Ban
Thu Sep 17, 2009 at 02:30 PM ETTags: California, High-Def Retailing, Industry Trends (all tags)
Not surprisingly, Californians are divided on the proposal to ban the sale of large screen televisions.
The proposal, which would ban the sale of 25% of large screen televisions, including all plasmas over 60,” was met with dismay, not only from consumers, but from retailers as well.
“This regulation is absurd,” says Jim Kingsley, CEO of Kingsley Audio Video. “The CEC cannot regulate the entire market, so savvy consumers are simply going to buy the TV models they want online and across-state-lines -- sending jobs and tax revenues with it.”
Another local businessman, William Janka of Mission Audio Video, expressed his concern not only for the economy, but for future technologies. "I am concerned that this regulation will delay or ban new technologies -- like 3D-HDTV or Internet-enabled TVs -- if they can't comply with the California Energy Commission's regulations,” he stated.
According to a poll conducted by Zogby International, 59% of people polled believe that the option to select a less energy efficient television should be a choice left to the consumer, not to the government. 58% of those polled called this proposal out as “another example of the costly and unnecessary rules the state continues to force on small business owners.”
Source: Press Release
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