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Energy Star 4.0 goes into effect for HDTVs, puts 'em on a diet
Your next Energy Star-approved HDTV? Chances are it'll be a little greener than your last one, thanks to the new 4.0 ratings going into effect. These drastically reduce allowable consumption for displays, offering on average a 40 percent improvement in efficiency compared to 3.0 models, meaning a 50-inch set can consume, at most, 153 watts (compared to 318 in the 3.0 world). Beyond that, a display that has been turned "off" can consume no more than one solitary watt whilst waiting for your next command. All sets produced as of May 1 must meet these new regulations to earn that prestigious blue badge, and then in 2012 the 5.0 rules come into effect, dropping maximum consumption by roughly another 40 percent -- good news for those who love the planet as much as they love watching Nature on peripheral vision-filling display.
