TV TrickleSaver cuts off power to rogue game consoles
By Donald Melanson 
posted July 8th 2009 2:42PM
posted July 8th 2009 2:42PM
It's no secret that some game consoles consume a whole lot more power than others, and it looks like that fact hasn't escaped the folks at TrickleStar, who've now rolled out their TV TrickleSaver device aimed at cutting down on some of that rogue power consumption. As you can probably guess from the looks of it, you simply plug both your TV and game console into the device (it'll also work just fine with a power bar, thankfully), and then the device itself works its magic to completely cut off power to the game console or consoles whenever your shut off your TV. Of course, it'll also work just fine with devices other than game consoles, but TrickleStar goes out of its way to single out the PlayStation 3 as its primary target, followed closely by the Xbox 360 -- each of which should consume more than enough power to eventually cover the $34.95 price tag for the TrickleSaver.
[Via OhGizmo!]
[Via OhGizmo!]
No Eu?
Dont worry... you'd be surprised to find that little box is probably empty... kinda like the box on the pole at the intersection.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00924031000P
only $19.99
Excellent, you've convinced me. I'll just go out and buy a power strip with an on/off switch, plug all non essential devices into it. When I'm not using PS3/360/Wii/receiver, just flip the switch. And I'll save like $30 bucks over this cockamamy device. Is cockamany a word?. That $4.99 strip should pay for itself in about three minutes.
Thanks Engadget!
Unplugging and replugging your consoles may shorten it's life.
How about it's a "travishamockery"? 1 point to anyone who can tell me what sports talk radio personality uses this phrase.
Why would unplug and restart a device shorten its life?!
Sure you could do it with a power strip but I think this automatic solution would pay for itself in an instant after sitting down to play video games after a long day at work only to realize that I've got to go get up and flip a switch.
in my opinion, worth $30.
@ Johnathan. That may prove more frustrating than easy when you break your ps3. I don't know about everyone else, but I shut off my tv immediately/if I have to get up that way theres no burning of the screen. For instance, If I have to go let my dog out, I'll be gone for 10-15 minutes. I shut my tv off whenever I do that. Besides losing my data, I could corrupt the system too.
I'm sure this product doesn't take into account to shut the system off when its ready like the ps3 does. And as for the 360, a gentle breeze could break it.
Wouldn't this stop the 360 controller from being able to turn on the system... for those that have them in small enclosed cabinets with little to no ventilation it's going to be a pain.
@Templarian: No. Just turn on the TV before the console...
This would be handy if you have your console in a cabinet. The PS3 and the Xbox are easily turned on by the controllers. Kids & Wifes are know - in my house to turn on the console accidentally and leave them on. Given my PS3 is in an enclosed cabinet, it gets warm quickly. I keep the controller for that in the cabinet now.
I just plugged my 60GB PS3 in to my Watts UP Pro and it reports that less than .01 watts are being used in standby mode. 177.6 watts with no applications running (UMB screen, fresh boot), 207 watts with folding@home running, 204 watts playing Gran Turismo @ Daytona.
If the PS3 is it's primary target, then why is the thing painted XBOX GREEN and WHITE?
Why do companies always choose that horrid white plastic?
Apple, Wii, and Xbox 360 are pushing a bad trend in white plastic.
And how much power will it use to monitor the equipment you're not using ?
You could probably do this with a passive system and use nothing, but even with active PIC controller or something along those lines the usage is incredibly minuscule. I'd guess maybe a few watts per day.
you can't use "a few watts per day"... tsk
You can use a few "Watt-Days" -- it's not the normal method of measurement, but I wouldn't classify the parent as actually wrong.
Interesting... It probably checks for the the device that is the highest power draw (always going to be the TV or a PC) and allows or denies power to the other peripherals based on whether or not that current flow is active.
That's not what it does.
who are you? what product are you talking about, because obviously it is not this.
This will break your PS3 your not supposed to just cut power from it, its just like a computer you cant just unplug it, it will eventually break if not shut down properly.
They are talking about standby power which won't break the machine considering it's already off.
Standby power is like a watt for the ps3...
I don't see that in the article; how are they supposed to know if the PS3 is on or on standby mode anyway
@ HTOWNGATER
Not if you turn the TV off first. In this case, this stupid unit WILL cold shutoff the PS3.
@Matt.. Wrong.
Standby power for electronics like a TV, PC, or gaming system can cost burn a significant amount of power of the course of a year.
It is no where near "just a watt"... LOL.
In the future, most everything will be colored in similar fashion to please Al Gore.
@Gervin, yes, that could be true, but as I said I believe the electronics inside the device are comparing current flow and energy usage...
could also be as easy as a differential circuit so as long as the PS3 is still enabled it will remain active... Not really sure, but just trying to figure it out. I'm sure the guts of that thing can tell the difference.
http://www.hardcoreware.net/reviews/review-356-4.htm
PS3 standby = ~2 watts
360 standby = ~ 2.5 watts
My 24"widescreen lcd has a 2 watt standby power drain, for comparison.
So let's say 6.5 watts for all three.
At 20 cents/kw, it would take 23,092 hrs (that's 962 days or 2yrs 7 months 15 days) to pay for the $29.99 device and that's assuming we had the three devices (360, PS3 & 24" lcd) plugged in, with the consoles on a splitter.
Don't waste your money, get a power meter like the kill a watt and buy a more efficient fridge or ac, those things suck the juice...
Say all your standby power add up to 10W ... and cost by KWHr = 10c, So,
0.010KWHr * 24Hr/Day * 365Day/Year * $0.1 = $8.76 / Year
Guys, READ THE ARTICLE!! It ONLY cuts power to the console or what ever ELSE is plugged in. NOT the TV. It is a COMPLETE WASTE of money. Even at 20 cents per kilowatt-hour (twice the current national average) it will STILL take 10 years to pay for itself on a PS3.
I agree with you guys but at least in NYC, there is a delivery charge for electricity that effectively doubles the rate per kilowatt hour, so $.10 per KWH becomes $.20 after the $.10 delivery charge.
Why wouldn't you just get a Smart Strip and do that for all your devices around the TV?
Bits Limited makes them, I've got 3 and they work great. Same price, more outlets.
If it is singling out the PS3, then why is the device white and green instead of black and silver?
Just sayin'.
Yea, where did that come from that they are singling out the PS3? Judging by the article posted, the 360 uses more power when in "standby" mode and the Wii with WiiConnect uses 3 times as much as the 360.
Engadget, I think you screwed this one up. It's meant for the 360.
Also, you'd have to use this thing for 3 years before it pays for itself. Not worth it, IMO.
I don't really get it. I guess if you're leaving your console idle constantly, and not turning it off when you're done (I can't imagine keeping my 360 on when I'm not using it, the jet engine noise from the fan is enough for me to keep it off), its not going to make much of an impact. Outside of a Wii with Connect24 on.
Turned off, the XBox 360 draws 2.5W. That works out to be about 22 kWh per year. Let's take an electricity price of say $0.20/kWh, and that works out to be about $4.40 a year. Its not really going to pay for itself any time soon.
In some countries in europe for instance electricity costs upto 5 times as much as in the US.
And then there's the pollution, 22KW times 100 million is enough crap in the air to be embarrassed about.
Mind you if it's winter the wasted power probably is turned into heat and is making your heating system work the same amount less and so it's not wasted and it'll equal out, but in the summer it's just waste.
*exhales*
whoops just contributed some of that GLOBALLY DEADLY CO2
gmab
@ Wwhat
And what sort of pollution and energy would be used in making 100s of Millions of those devices to save the $5 of Energy a year per person ?
Yeah, how much energy does the plant use to make the device that is supposed to save energy? Could it be that making the device actually uses more energy than it "saves"?
Damn engadget saying 'you did it an email has been sent to confirm you post' and that not being true and them not posting my comment, sigh.
What a dumb product for dumb consumers.
1) This will kill the standby mode
2) If you want to kill all power to the PS3, it has a hard switch on the back of the unit.
Or you can turn off your PS3? By hand?
Is there something I'm missing here, or are people this gullible and/or lazy?
Even when the PS3, and other devices are "off", they still draws a tiny bit of power. Nothing to really worry about unless you have like 20 game systems, DVD players, 14 computers, and a VCR sitting there unused.
@Peter
When you choose "turn off system" from the PS3 menu, it goes into standby or soft-off mode, and still draws a little bit of power.
If you then physically flip the power switch on the back of the PS3, it is completely off and draws zero power.
1- power up your videogame
2- set time and date
3- ?????????
4- Have fun