You may not think that energy efficiency and home theater go well together, but there are things you can do to make your home theater more energy efficient and eco-friendly. Little things help contribute to the big picture and well explore exactly what how your home theater can be green.
Televisions
Although energy consumption is an important consideration when purchasing a TV, the televisions materials, construction elements, chemicals, and potential waste should be considered.
LED-based LCD flat panel televisions use light-emitting diodes that are more energy efficient and more recyclable than their plasma and fluorescent-lit LCD counterparts. Televisions today also feature many web-based functions that may allow you to eliminate other components from your entertainment system, which will decrease your systems overall energy consumption.
A properly calibrated television is also more energy efficient. THX research suggests that a calibrated TV can save up to 50 percent in energy.
Projectors & Screens
Home Theater Projectors are also now being offered with lamp-less LED light sources. Just like LED televisions, LED-based projectors are more energy efficient, are less toxic, and bulb life can increase from 2,000 hours to 50,000 hours.
Some projectors are even available with energy saving modes that decrease the brightness output, which extends the life of the lamp and decreases energy consumption. However, this does require a darker room in order to maintain good image quality.
Screen manufacturers such as Stewart Filmscreen and Elite Screens offer some screens materials that meet indoor air quality standards and emit lower amounts of potentially hazardous chemicals.
Audio Components
Its hard to find more efficiency among audio components. Big speakers require big amplifiers to power them, which in turn require large amounts of energy to sound their best. However, big strides have been made with Class D amplification.
Digital Class D receivers and amplifiers from innovative companies like Rotel and Pioneer Elite offer great sound in a smaller more efficient package. Your ear will have to decide, but the sonics of todays Class D components are so close to their analog counterparts, that it may just be the right choice.
Speakers
Todays sound systems tend to consist of 7-channels of speakers compared to the 5-channels of just a few years ago, so it will be tough to save energy and be eco-friendly here. However, you can do little things like select speakers that are made with real wood instead of plastic veneers. Also, you can select speakers that dont require as many watts to achieve the same sound levels. The gains here wont be as great, but theyll be gains nonetheless.
Power Accessories
Adding a good power conditioner to your system will not only protect your equipment from power surges, but they ensure that your equipment will receive clean and consistent power. This in turn will optimize their performance and increase their life expectancy.
Some of the latest offering from Panamax, Furman, and Monster Power offer power saving features that turn off power to specific components when not in use. This eliminates the small power draw when components are in standby. Of course, youll want to make sure your DVR stays on all the time so it can record your favorite shows while youre not at home.
Source: Electronic House