L
% EU rules will effectively ban sales of 8K TVs Digital Trends Skip to main content Trending: Wordle Today October 24 Dell XPS 15 vs. Razer Blade 15 Best Dolby Atmos Soundbars iPhone 14 Plus Review Halo Rise vs. Nest Hub 2nd Gen HP Envy x360 13 (2022) Review Best Chromebook Printers Home Home TheaterFeatures
visibility
854 views
thumb_up
26 likes
D
And if you think that couldn’t affect you, think again. Contents Good intentions gone badWhy 8K TVs consume more electricityWhat’ s the solution The TV tech isn’ t the problemFirst the EU then you As of the time of this article’s publication, a revised restriction on TV power consumption goes into effect in the 27 European nations that make up the EU on March 1, 2023.
thumb_up
0 likes
E
If nothing changes between now and then, there won’t be a single 8K TV that can be sold in the EU. The rule also will affect a couple of 4K OLED TVs, 65-inch QD-OLED TVs, and at least one high-performance 4K QLED TV.
thumb_up
6 likes
S
In short, most of the best TVs that you can buy today can’t pass the new power efficiency restrictions and will effectively be banned. When I first caught wind of these headlines, I was dismissive. But as I dug deeper, I realized this issue is not something at which we should simply shrug our shoulders.
thumb_up
41 likes
A
While it may seem like this issue will only affect consumers in the EU, it will likely have a ripple effect throughout multiple industries in many nations. This move has some huge implications, which I’ll detail shortly, but first, how did we get here?
thumb_up
44 likes
A
Good intentions gone bad
Several years ago, the EU developed what it calls the Energy Efficiency Index, or EEI for short. In order to figure out what the energy efficiency of a display was, the commission looked at data from displays that were sold between 2012 and 2017.
thumb_up
41 likes
S
That is, TVs that are now 7 to 10 years old. I’m curious about the methodology used to determine these efficiency numbers and am investigating them for a future article, but for now the takeaway is that the TV industry generally felt like the numbers the commission came up with were sound and fair and that meeting the efficiency standards was manageable.
thumb_up
26 likes
M
Thus, TVs have met the standards for several years. 8K TVs, by nature of how LCD panels function, consume considerably more power than 4K TVs. But these efficiency standards were developed for HD and 4K TVs.
thumb_up
35 likes
E
When the EU decided to update these standards a few months ago, it not only increased the efficiency requirement — meaning HD and 4K TVs will have to consume less power than they do now — it also decided that it would copy and paste the power efficiency standard for 4K TVs to apply to both 8K and micro-LED TVs. Therein lies the problem. Either someone in the governing body doesn’t understand the fundamental science behind how TVs and displays work, or they just don’t care.
thumb_up
28 likes
S
The fact is that 8K TVs, by nature of how LCD panels function, consume considerably more power than 4K TVs. And, in fact, several 4K TVs consume enough power that, while they passed the requirement before, as of March 1, 2023, they no longer will.
thumb_up
33 likes
L
According to a detailed report by FlatpanelsHD, it appears no 8K as presently manufactured has an EEI low enough to pass the currently proposed standard. Some 65-inch 8K TVs are just over the line, while others would have to see their EEI cut in half in order to pass.
thumb_up
12 likes
E
It also appears, based on current EEI, numbers, that neither Samsung’s S95B QD-OLED or Sony’s A95K QD-OLED would pass, nor would Samsung’s QN95B 4K QLED TV. It’s not as if 8K TVs are treading just over the line, either. Many 8K TVs on the market blow past the limit by like 300%, so they are nowhere close to compliance.
thumb_up
9 likes
O
There’s no quick fix to this, either.
Why 8K TVs consume more electricity
I spoke to Chris Chinnock, who heads up the 8K Association and recently penned a paper on this topic.
thumb_up
36 likes
J
He points out that an 8K TV panel has four times the pixels of a 4K TV panel. And because of the way LCD panels work, it is significantly harder to pass light through the tiny aperture of those tiny pixels. The harder it is to pass light, the harder you have to push, and that means increasing the brightness of the TV’s backlight system, which as you can imagine, requires a lot more power.
thumb_up
23 likes
E
Because 8K TVs necessarily need far more power just to be as bright as 4K TVs — let alone a bit brighter, as is expected of the premium TV category — significantly reducing 8K TV power consumption would require reinventing the LCD panel as we’ve known it for decades. That can’t happen overnight — if it can happen at all.
thumb_up
4 likes
B
Dan Baker/Digital Trends
What’ s the solution
So what can be done? One idea that’s been floated is that TV makers institute an “EU picture mode” of sorts. The way the EU rule works is that the TV need only pass the efficiency standard in its default picture mode preset for an SDR signal — one that is set at the factory, and would therefore be the default out-of-box setting.
thumb_up
43 likes
L
Owners would still be able to switch their TV’s picture mode to a power-guzzlingly bright option at their discretion. But, in this proposed scenario, the TV’s out-of-box picture quality would be unacceptably dim. Considering consumer behavior, such a solution is not only inelegant, it is also likely to be disastrous.
thumb_up
31 likes
R
Imagine consumers purchasing a TV based on the fantastic picture quality they saw on a store display, getting it home, setting it up, and turning it on only to get a picture that looks nothing like what they saw at the retailer. They might even think the TV was defective and return it! To stave off rampant returns, salespersons could warn their customers that when they get their TV home, they would need to go through a long list of instructions in order to make their TV look good.
thumb_up
49 likes
E
Still, it’s been my experience that getting new TV owners to adjust their picture settings at all has only ever been an uphill battle. From where I sit, an EU picture mode doesn’t sound like a real solution at all.
thumb_up
28 likes
S
The TV tech isn’ t the problem
I would argue that the state of the art in 8K and 4K TVs isn’t the problem. The issue is the arbitrary manner in which the EU is updating its rules.
thumb_up
8 likes
E
This new standard needs to be reviewed and revised. But unfortunately, sources close to the commission responsible for this standard are reportedly not interested in revisiting their decision.
thumb_up
27 likes
A
That seems rather childish, does it not? There are better ways to address how much electricity TVs consume. To be clear, I have no objection to efforts aimed at reducing energy consumption.
thumb_up
14 likes
C
As a tree-loving, ardent composter and recycler who supports wind and solar energy and drives a tiny little electric car in the uber-green state of Oregon, I consider myself a conservation advocate. I agree that TVs need to operate as efficiently as possible. I would very much like to see energy consumption during an energy crisis go down.
thumb_up
50 likes
S
But there are better ways to address how much electricity TVs consume. I’d propose implementing something similar to Netflix’s “hey are you still watching” feature, wherein users would be prompted to click a button on their remote every hour or so to confirm that they were actually watching the TV as opposed to having it running in the background or accidentally left on while they are away from the home. Since users can configure their TVs to be power guzzlers anyway, perhaps taking steps to prevent unnecessary waste of energy would be a more successful measure.
thumb_up
14 likes
E
First the EU then you
As we’ve seen recently, the EU’s policy decisions have a way of expanding beyond its borders. The EU’s recent decision to institute USB-C as its charging port standard will change what your next iPhone looks like and how it works. Apple’s hand has been forced — soon all iPhones and iPads will have moved away from Lightning ports in favor of USB-C.
thumb_up
2 likes
A
California emissions standards are another example of how the tail wags the dog. Carmakers don’t make one car model for Californians and another for the rest of the U.S. All cars have to pass California emissions standards off the production line, whether they are headed to California or Connecticut.
thumb_up
23 likes
E
Whatever TV manufacturers must do to make their TVs marketable in European countries will likely apply to the televisions sold in North America and beyond. Whether intentional or not, the EU is making decisions that will affect what your TV looks like in the years to come.
Editors' Recommendations
New Apple TV 4K tweaks the internals and the price FuboTV shuts down its nascent gambling business YouTube TV (and others) lose another sports channel LG prices its Flex, StanByMe TVs, and debuts a new model that doubles as magazine rack B&W’s flagship Px8 headphones cost way more than they were supposed to Optoma’s CinemaX 4K laser projectors now have faster response times for gamers The YouTube watching experience on TVs just got much better Marantz’s new Cinema series AV receivers are a stylish way to go 8K Denon updates 8K AV receivers with prices starting at $399 How to choose the right home theater projector for you The best ultra short throw projectors for 2022 Projectors vs.
thumb_up
43 likes
D
TVs: Which is best for your home theater? How much is Spotify Premium and can you get a deal? Chromecast with Google TV vs.
thumb_up
34 likes
J
Roku Streaming Stick 4K vs. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K How to make AirPods and AirPods Pro louder A new Mercedes might be the best way to experience Apple Music’s spatial audio Chromecast with Google TV makes the leap to Android 12 This is the best Disney Plus deal you can get today – save $144
thumb_up
7 likes
Similar Discussions
-
The Empress ending explained Does Elizabeth leave emperor Franz Joseph in this Netflix series?
-
San Diego Open 2022 Men s draw schedule players prize money breakdown more
-
This is just so bad make it stop Journalist calls for change in tennis rules following US Open semifinal clash between Carlos Alcaraz and Frances Tiafoe
-
Don t have depth Edu didn t do his job Arsenal fans not happy as Mikel Arteta names 2 players once again in starting XI
-
Bulls Zach LaVine Ruled out Friday CBSSports com
-
End Race Fall Cars APK Download for Android
-
Memaxi Connect APK Download for Android
-
Omi Dating Friends More APK Download for Android
-
Bodybuilder Ring Fighting Club APK Download for Android
-
The Boston Globe APK Download for Android
-
PCC A Success Point APK Download for Android
-
The Sun Shines Over Us APK Download for Android
-
iHero Battle：Roguelike Arena APK Download for Android
-
Solitaire Classic Card Game APK Download for Android
-
Cristiano Ronaldo au fond du trou l ic ne de Manchester sort enfin du silence
-
Les meilleurs SSD M2 et disques durs externes pour la PS5
-
L heure des oiseaux qui fait oublier l enfer de l orphelinat Livres
-
Whip Up Traditional Indian Pudding Called Kheer for Diwali Thrillist Editorial Nation
-
Watch Kyler Murray Repeatedly Tell Cardinals Head Coach To Calm The F Down Football Kyler Murray
-
El rebote de Netflix en Bolsa no saca a Wall Street de su marasmo Expansioncom Mercados
-
M s de 1 500 militares se presentan a las elecciones en Brasil 500 Militares
-
Who is Catalyst in Apex Legends? New season 15 abilities amp leaks Dexerto
-
Mike Tyson defends Jake Paul against critics who are mad over boxing success
-
How To Use TeamViewer To Connect To Other Computers Games Errors
-
Ooblets Where to Find Oobsidian The Nerd Stash
-
29 Comics With Unexpectedly Dark Twists By Dave Contra
-
Man Sees His Wife Berating His Employee Who Made A Mistake Reminds Her She s quot Not The Boss quot And Tells Her To Leave
-
Here s How Much More A House Costs In 2022 Vs 2021
-
Why pandas are the most frustrating animals out there
-
How To Become an Entrepreneur Business Funding and Finances 101