How it Works
Television technology is
improving every day and with new tech comes new advantages and disadvantages.
Nearly all televisions sold today are thin, lightweight units that use digital
signals for an eye-popping display using plasma, liquid crystal display (LCD)
or light emitting diode (LED) technology. The TV remote sets the channel, input
source, volume, picture adjustment and power. Many flat screen TVs include a
matching TV stand for simple use or can be
wall-mounted with a separate mounting unit. Although most TVs can receive
over-air digital channels using a digital antenna, they are usually connected
to cable or satellite. Most TVs can also connect with computers, DVD/Blu Ray
players and gaming systems with the proper cables. Smart
TVs connect to your home Wi-Fi for direct access to online entertainment
like Netflix and YouTube.
What Can Go Wrong?
Broken screens, electrical shorts and screen discoloration
can be caused by thrown objects, spilled liquids and other unexpected mishaps.
A plasma TV can suffer from
“burn-in”, where a single or common image is displayed for so long that it
burns into the screen permanently. Plasma TVs also lose their brightness
through pixel deterioration over time if left on for too long. LCD and LED TVs do not suffer from burn-in or pixel
deterioration. All new TVs can be seriously impacted by electrical surge and
other electrical issues.
Size & Environmental Impact
Flat screen TVs vary in
physical size from handhelds to 60 inches or more. The average power
consumption is 301 watts (W) for a plasma TV,
110 W for an LCD TV, and 101 W for an LED TV. A plasma TV
left on for five hours a day would consume 550 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year
and produce about 850 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2).