Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Television Sets, 2830-2866 [2012-687]
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 12 / Thursday, January 19, 2012 / Proposed Rules
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket No. EERE–2010–BT–TP–0026]
RIN 1904–AC29
Energy Conservation Program: Test
Procedure for Television Sets
Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
AGENCY:
The U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) proposes to establish a
new test procedure for television sets
(TVs). DOE repealed the prior Federal
test procedure for TVs on October 20,
2009, due to petitions from the
California Energy Commission (CEC)
and the Consumer Electronics
Association (CEA). CEC and CEA
petitioned for the repeal in light of the
June 13, 2009, Federal Communications
Commission (FCC) transition from
analog to digital broadcast transmissions
for TVs. In their petitions, the CEC
requested repeal of the regulatory
provisions establishing the test
procedure and defining ‘‘television set,’’
and the CEA petitioned for DOE’s
adoption of the International
Electrochemical Commission’s (IEC’s)
test procedure IEC Standard 62087–
2008, ‘‘Methods of measurement for the
power consumption of audio, video and
related equipment.’’ DOE is proposing a
new test procedure for TVs that was
developed from existing industry test
procedures including those by IEC,
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), and CEA. Additionally, DOE will
hold a public meeting to receive and
discuss comments on the proposal.
DATES: DOE will hold a public meeting
on a date that is to be determined, from
9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Washington, DC.
Once a public meeting date is selected,
that date can be found at: https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/
tv_sets.html. The meeting will also be
broadcast as a webinar. See section V,
‘‘Public Participation,’’ for webinar
registration information, participant
instructions, and information about the
capabilities available to webinar
participants.
DOE will accept comments, data, and
information regarding this notice of
proposed rulemaking (NOPR) before and
after the public meeting, but no later
than April 3, 2012. See section V,
‘‘Public Participation,’’ for details.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be
held at the U.S. Department of Energy,
Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence
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SUMMARY:
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Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585. To
attend, please notify Ms. Brenda
Edwards at (202) 586–2945. Please note
that foreign nationals visiting DOE
Headquarters are subject to advance
security screening procedures. Any
foreign national wishing to participate
in the meeting should advise DOE as
soon as possible by contacting Ms.
Brenda Edwards at (202) 586–2945 to
initiate the necessary procedures.
Any comments submitted must
identify the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NOPR) for the TV Test
Procedure, and provide docket number
EERE–2010–BT–TP–0026 and/or
regulatory information number (RIN)
number 1904–AC29. Comments may be
submitted using any of the following
methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
2. Email: Televisions-2010-TP0026@ee.doe.gov. Include the docket
number EERE–2010–BT–TP–0026 and/
or RIN 1904–AC29 in the subject line of
the message.
3. Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S.
Department of Energy, Building
Technologies Program, Mailstop EE–2J,
1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121. If
possible, please submit all items on a
CD. It is not necessary to include
printed copies.
4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda
Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy,
Building Technologies Program, 950
L’Enfant Plaza SW., Suite 600,
Washington, DC 20024. Telephone:
(202) 586–2945. If possible, please
submit all items on a CD. It is not
necessary to include printed copies.
For detailed instructions on
submitting comments and additional
information on the rulemaking process,
see section V, ‘‘Public Participation,’’ of
this document.
Docket: The docket is available for
review at regulations.gov, including
Federal Register notices, framework
documents, public meeting attendee
lists and transcripts, comments, and
other supporting documents/materials.
All documents in the docket are listed
in the www.regulations.gov index.
However, not all documents listed in
the index may be publicly available,
such as information that is exempt from
public disclosure.
A link to the docket web page may be
found at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/
buildings/appliance_standards/
residential/tv_sets.html. This Web page
will contain a link to the docket for this
notice on the regulations.gov site. The
regulations.gov Web page will contain
simple instructions on how to access all
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documents, including public comments,
in the docket. See section V for
information on how to submit
comments through regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr.
Victor Petrolati, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Program, EE–2J, 1000
Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585–0121.
Telephone: (202) 586–2192. Email:
Victor.Petrolati@ee.doe.gov.
Ms. Celia Sher, U.S. Department of
Energy, Office of the General Counsel,
GC–71, 1000 Independence Avenue
SW., Washington, DC 20585–0121.
Telephone: (202) 287–6122. Email:
Celia.Sher@hq.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Authority and Background
A. General
B. Test Procedure Rulemaking Process
C. Rulemaking Background
II. Summary of the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking
III. Discussion
A. Effective Date and Compliance Date of
Test Procedure
B. Existing Television Test Procedures
C. Scope
1. Products Covered by This Rulemaking
2. Definition of Television Sets
3. Other Definitions
a. Definitions Incorporated From IEC
62087–2011
b. Definitions Incorporated From ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3
c. New Definitions for Incorporation
D. Testing Conditions and Instrumentation
1. Accuracy and Precision of Measurement
Equipment
a. Power Supply
b. Power Meter
c. Light Measurement Devices
2. Test Room and Set-Up Criteria
a. Dark Room Conditions
b. Ambient Temperature and Humidity
c. Signal Source and Generation
E. Test Measurements
1. Picture Settings To Test
2. Testing Order
3. Luminance
a. Warm-Up and Stabilization
b. Method for Testing Luminance
c. Video Signals
d. Number of Luminance Measurements
e. Measurement Distances and Angles for
Luminance Testing
4. On Mode
a. IEC 62087–2011 Dynamic BroadcastContent Video Signal
b. Testing of Television Sets Shipped With
Automatic Brightness Control Enabled
c. Television Sets Shipped Without
Automatic Brightness Control Enabled
d. Three Dimensional Display Testing
5. Standby and Off Modes
a. Additional Functions
b. Power Saving Technologies
c. Standby Modes
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d. Off Mode
6. Energy Efficiency Metric(s) for
Televisions
IV. Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility
Act
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction
Act of 1995
D. Review Under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
G. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995
H. Review Under the Treasury and General
Government Appropriations Act, 1999
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
J. Review Under Treasury and General
Government Appropriations Act, 2001
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
L. Review Under Section 32 of the Federal
Energy Administration Act of 1974
V. Public Participation
A. Attendance at Public Meeting
B. Procedure for Submitting Prepared
General Statements for Distribution
C. Conduct of Public Meeting
D. Submission of Comments
E. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Comment
VI. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
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I. Authority and Background
A. General
Title III of the Energy Policy and
Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6291, et
seq.; ‘‘EPCA’’ or, ‘‘the Act’’) sets forth a
variety of provisions designed to
improve energy efficiency. (All
references to EPCA refer to the statute
as amended through the Energy
Independence and Security Act of 2007
(EISA 2007), Public Law 110–140 (Dec.
19, 2007)). Part B of Title III (42 U.S.C.
6291–6309), which was subsequently
redesignated as Part A for editorial
reasons, establishes the ‘‘Energy
Conservation Program for Consumer
Products Other Than Automobiles.’’
This includes television sets (TVs), the
subject of this notice. (42 U.S.C.
6292(a)(12))
Under EPCA, this program consists
essentially of three parts: (1) Testing, (2)
labeling, and (3) Federal energy
conservation standards. The testing
requirements consist of test procedures
that manufacturers of covered products
must use (1) as the basis for certifying
to DOE that their products comply with
the applicable energy conservation
standards adopted under EPCA, and (2)
for making representations about the
efficiency of those products. Similarly,
DOE must use these test requirements to
determine whether the products comply
with any relevant standards
promulgated under EPCA.
B. Test Procedure Rulemaking Process
In 42 U.S.C. 6293, EPCA sets forth the
criteria and procedures DOE must
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follow when prescribing or amending
test procedures for covered products.
Specifically, if DOE determines that a
test procedure should be prescribed or
amended, it must publish the proposed
test procedure in the Federal Register
and give interested parties an
opportunity to provide public comment
on the procedures. (42 U.S.C.
6293(b)(2)) EPCA also provides that the
test procedure shall be reasonably
designed to produce test results which
measure energy efficiency, energy use,
or estimated annual operating cost of a
covered product during a representative
average use cycle or period of use, and
shall not be unduly burdensome to
conduct. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3))
EISA 2007 amended EPCA to require
DOE to implement a standby and off
mode energy consumption
measurement, if technically feasible, in
test procedures where not previously
present. Otherwise, DOE must prescribe
a separate standby and off mode energy
test procedure, if technically feasible.
(42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(2)(A)) EISA 2007
also requires any final rule to establish
or revise a standard for a covered
product, adopted after July 1, 2010, to
incorporate standby mode and off mode
energy use into a single amended or
new standard, if feasible. (42 U.S.C.
6295(gg)(3)(A)) DOE recognizes that the
standby and off mode conditions of
operation apply to the product covered
by this rulemaking. In response to this
requirement, DOE proposes adopting
provisions in the test procedures to
address standby and off mode as
discussed in section III.E.5 of this
proposed rulemaking.
C. Rulemaking Background
DOE adopted a test procedure for TVs
on June 29, 1979, codified at 10 CFR
part 430, subpart B, appendix H. 44 FR
37938. In May 2008, DOE received
petitions from both the California
Energy Commission (CEC) and the
Consumer Electronics Association
(CEA), which were drafted in light of
the June 13, 2009, Federal
Communications Commission (FCC)
transition from analog to digital
broadcast transmissions for TVs.1 As of
June 12, 2009, the Digital Transition and
Public Safety Act of 2005 required that
all broadcasting stations transmit in
digital to make analog frequencies
available for public safety
communications.2 Both the CEC and the
1 Energy Conservation Program: Repeal of Test
Procedures for Televisions. 74 FR 53640 https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_
standards/pdfs/74fr53640.pdf.
2 Digital transition mandated by Public Safety Act
of 2005 https://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/
digitaltv.html.
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CEA petitioned for repeal of the
regulatory provisions establishing the
test procedure. CEC’s petition stated
that the old test procedure was not
capable of accurately measuring the
energy consumption of modern TVs
because TV broadcasting is no longer
transmitted via an analog signal.3 In
addition, the CEA petitioned for DOE’s
adoption of the International
Electrochemical Commission’s (IEC) test
procedure IEC 62087–2008, ‘‘Methods of
measurement for the power
consumption of audio, video and related
equipment.’’ 74 FR 53641. In light of
these petitions, and the fact that the
previous test procedure was largely
obsolete for today’s products because of
the mandated transition from analog to
digital signal transmission, DOE
repealed the test procedure on October
20, 2009. The test procedure DOE is
proposing today seeks to rectify the
problem with the old test procedure by
allowing for accurate measurement of
the energy consumption of modern TVs.
DOE notes that the National
Technology Transfer and Advancement
Act of 1995 (Pub. L. 104–113) directs
Federal agencies to use voluntary
consensus standards in lieu of
Government standards whenever
possible. Consequently, as described in
today’s NOPR, DOE incorporates by
reference in its test procedures the
generally accepted test procedures or
recognized industry standards, such as
those issued by the IEC, the
Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA), or the CEA, that provide either
specific aspect(s) of the test procedure,
or complete test procedures, for the
specified modes.
As the first step in this rulemaking to
establish a new test procedure, DOE
published a Request for Information on
September 3, 2010, 75 FR 54048, (the
2010 RFI) requesting stakeholders to
provide information and views on DOE
utilizing both the IEC 62087–2008 and
the ENERGY STAR Program
Requirements for Televisions, Version
4.1 (ENERGY STAR v. 4.1) as reference
standards for the basis of a new DOE
test procedure.4 DOE also solicited
3 Chamberlain, William M., ‘‘Petition of the
California Energy Commission to Repeal the Test
Method for Television Sets in 10 CFR. Part 430
Subpart B.’’ May 23, 2008. https://
www.energy.ca.gov/appliances/2008rulemaking/
documents/2008-05-15_workshop/other/Petition_Of
_The_CEC_To_Repeal_The_Test_Method_For_
Television_Sets_In_10_CFR_Part_430_Subpart_
B.pdf.
4 When the RFI was published, the most current
version of EPA’s test procedure was ENERGY STAR
v. 4.1 and the most recent version of the IEC–62087
was 2008. Since then, EPA has published an
updated version, ‘‘ENERGY STAR Program
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comments on the key issues affecting
the development of a new test
procedure including the following:
(1) An appropriate method for
ensuring screen brightness,
(2) Utilizing the nine point video
signal,
(3) An appropriate method for
measuring screen luminance,
(4) Requiring testing on all preset
viewing modes,
(5) Testing multiple illuminance
levels (specifically 10, 100, 150, and 200
lux),
(6) An appropriate method for
generating illuminance,
(7) The best possible signal source
and connection to that signal source,
(8) An appropriate stabilization time
for luminance and power
measurements,
(9) An appropriate method of testing
3D energy consumption,
(10) Measuring download acquisition
mode (DAM) power,
(11) Measuring internet connectivity
power,
(12) Measuring power saving
technology energy (including presence
sensors, display power management
systems (DPMS), and high-definition
multimedia interface consumer
electronic controls (HDMI-CEC)), and
(13) The scope of coverage for the
rulemaking. 75 FR 54048.
II. Summary of the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking
In today’s NOPR, DOE is proposing a
new test procedure for determining the
energy use of TVs. The proposed test
procedure includes measuring screen
luminance and testing energy
consumption for active (on mode),
standby, and off modes.
The luminance test is proposed to be
performed by measuring the screen
luminance while the TV is displaying
the IEC 62087–2011 three bar video
signal in both the home and retail
picture settings. The luminance test is
being proposed to allow the ENERGY
STAR program to utilize the
measurement. The on mode test will
measure on mode energy consumption
when the TV is displaying the IEC
62087–2011 dynamic broadcast-content
video signal. If the TV is shipped with
an automatic brightness control (ABC)
sensor enabled by default, on mode will
be tested at various room illuminance
levels. If the TV does not have an ABC
sensor or the sensor is disabled by
default, the test would be performed
while the TV is in the home picture
setting.
Requirements for Televisions, Version 5.3’’ and the
IEC has published an updated version, ‘‘IEC 62087–
2011.’’
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DOE’s proposed standby test
procedure incorporates both IEC 62087–
2011 ‘‘Methods of measurement for the
power consumption of audio, video and
related equipment’’ and the CEA
‘‘Procedure for DAM Testing: For TVs’’
(CEA DAM test procedure). DOE’s
proposed off mode test procedure
incorporates IEC 62087–2011.
Although DOE is aware of TVs with
additional modes, DOE is not proposing
to require testing these, but rather is
simply considering these modes and
requesting comment on them. These
modes include:
(1) On mode tests for TVs with internet
connectivity;
(2) 3D mode, if capable; and
(3) Standby-active, low mode (when the
internet is enabled but the TV is in
standby, and the TV is not sending or
receiving external data, for those TVs
with internet access).
To supports its efforts in developing
a Federal test procedure, DOE
conducted various tests, the results of
which can be found on the DOE Web
site.5 The information found on the DOE
Web site helps support this NOPR by
providing additional data and
clarification. DOE conducted testing at
two different testing facilities and
therefore some of the data is organized
according to where that data was
collected. The data from test facility one
is denoted with numerical values, while
the data from test facility two is denoted
with alphabetical letters. The test
facilities were determined to produce
similar results as indicated in the Round
Robin Test Program Final Report for
Televisions. This information, found on
the DOE Web site,6 includes the
following:
(1) Television Test Procedure
Comparison Chart which compares key
aspects of various TV standards
including IEC 62087–2011, CEA 2037–
2010, ENERGY STAR version 5.1, CEC,
BS EN 62087 ‘‘Methods of measurement
for the power consumption of audio,
video, and related equipment’’, and EN
62087 ‘‘Methods of measurement for the
power consumption of audio, video, and
related equipment’’.
(2) Video Signal of Test Patterns
Comparison Table which compares the
different advantages and disadvantages
of particular video signals including the
3-bar, 9-point, DOE 5-point, and
dynamic video signals. DOE assessed
these video signals based on their
5 The DOE Web site: Appliance and Commercial
Equipment Standards: Television Sets. U.S.
Department of Energy. August 2, 2011. https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html.
6 Id.
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availability, impact on average picture
level (APL), affect on power limiting,
and interested party input among other
features.
(3) Room Illuminance Measurements
During TV Viewing: Pilot Study which
summarizes a pilot study that DOE
conducted to continuously measure
room illuminance in nine homes over a
period of a week or more as well as
taking discrete one-off measurements at
different locations in the room. This
document also sets out the detailed
methodology that DOE used for its pilot
study.
a. Room Illuminance Measurements
During TV Viewing: Pilot Study Data
which includes the source data which
was analyzed to develop the
conclusions in the pilot study.
(4) Round Robin Test Program Final
Report for Televisions that summarizes
a round robin test study to assess the
repeatability and reproducibility of TV
energy test results. This round robin
study utilized the ENERGY STAR
version 5.1 test procedure across three
labs and compares their results.
(5) Television Energy and Luminance
Test Data Set which includes the energy
and luminance data for all of the TVs on
which DOE conducted testing.
(a) Television Luminance Data which
includes test results for luminance
testing using the 9-point (both
perpendicular and off-axis
measurements), 5-point Video
Electronics Standards Association
(VESA), and DOE 5-point video signals.
DOE conducted luminance testing based
on the ENERGY STAR version 5.1 test
procedure but altered the video signal to
determine which video signal was most
appropriate. DOE used the 3-bar static
video signal specified in IEC 62087 Ed.
2.0 as well as the 9-point, VESA 5-point,
and DOE 5-point video signals as
specified in this NOPR.
(b) Television Luminance
Stabilization Period Data which
includes graphs indicating how TV
screen luminance changes over time and
with respect to different stabilization
periods. DOE took measurements of
screen luminance after different
stabilization periods to determine the
most appropriate method for conducting
luminance testing. DOE initially
warmed-up the TVs using the method
from IEC 62087–2011 and then
displayed the video signal for 15
minutes to conduct the luminance
measurement. The second luminance
measurement was taken after a 10
minute warm-up period followed by 2
minutes of a black screen. DOE tested
this stabilization period for both the IEC
3-bar and 9-point video signals.
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(c) Television Power Data that
includes test results for power
consumption testing while TVs are in
various different modes. DOE conducted
this testing according to the ENERGY
STAR version 5.1 test method, but
adjusted specific aspects on the TV to
determine the energy consumption
associated with that particular feature
including volume, ABC, and internet
connectivity.
(d) Television Internet Standby Data
which is comprised of data indicating
the energy consumption when TVs are
in standby mode and connected to
various external sources including
HDMI, cable, Ethernet, and wireless
internet. DOE conducted power
consumption testing according to the
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 standby test
procedure while alternating the specific
internet connections present on the TV.
(e) Television 9-point Video Signal
Comparison Data that includes data
depicting the difference between
perpendicular and off-axis
measurements while the TV is
displaying the 9-point video signal.
Luminance results were collected
according to the ENERGY STAR version
5.1 test procedure, except that DOE
altered the video signal to the 9-point
video signal specified in this NOPR.
(f) Television On Mode Automatic
Brightness Control Data which includes
the power and luminance data for TVs
tested by DOE with ABC enabled by
default across various room illuminance
levels. A PowerPoint which charts some
of this data is also included to
demonstrate the range of
implementation of ABC among TVs
tested by DOE. DOE conducted power
consumption testing according to the
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 (with additional
room lighting levels) using the IEC
dynamic test clip specified in IEC 62087
Ed. 2.0. Luminance results were
collected according to the ENERGY
STAR version 5.1 test procedure, using
the 3-bar static test pattern specified in
IEC 62087 Ed. 2.0.
(g) Television Download Acquisition
Mode Data which includes data
indicating the energy consumption
associated with DAM mode. DOE
conducted this testing on two TVs by
configuring the internal electronic
program guide (not enabled by default)
and connecting to a subscription cable
service by (1) coaxial cable only, (2)
Ethernet only and (3) cable and Ethernet
together. Results over a 24 hour period
were recorded and charted for each
connection configuration.
(h) Television 3D Mode Data that
contains data as to TV energy
consumption while in various 3D
modes. This testing was conducted on
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five TVs under the following modes:
When the TV is displaying a 3D video
signal, when the TV is up-converting a
2D video signal to 3D, and when the TV
is receiving a video signal from a Bluray player that has up-converted a 2D
video signal to 3D.
DOE believes that the proposed test
procedure will accurately represent the
energy consumption of TVs by
capturing the annual energy
consumption in on mode, standby
mode, and off mode. However, DOE
requests comments from interested
parties on improvements or changes to
the proposed test procedure. DOE will
consider modifications that improve the
accuracy, precision of language, or other
elements of the procedure and/or
decrease the testing burden. In
submitting comments, interested parties
should state the nature of the
recommended modification and explain
how it would improve upon the test
procedure proposed in this NOPR.
Interested parties should also submit
data, if any, to support their positions.
III. Discussion
A. Effective Date and Compliance Date
of Test Procedure
If adopted, the effective date for this
test procedure would be 30 days after
publication of the test procedure final
rule in the Federal Register. At that
time, the new metrics and any other
measure of energy consumption which
depends on these metrics may be
represented pursuant to the final rule.
Compliance with the new test procedure
for representation purposes would be
required 180 days after the date of
publication of the test procedure final
rule. On or after that date, any such
representations, including those made
on marketing materials and product
labels, must be based upon results
generated under the final test procedure
proposed to be included in Appendix H
to Subpart B of 10 CFR part 430.
Furthermore, EPCA requires the
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to
prescribe labeling rules for certain
covered products including TVs. (42
U.S.C. 6294(a)(2)(I)) Hence, the final
DOE test procedure is required to be
utilized by the FTC for labeling
requirements and shall be utilized or
referenced by other organizations, such
as the EPA for its ENERGY STAR
specification for TVs. This test
procedure must also be referenced by
the CEC in California and any other
state regulation providing for the
disclosure of information with respect
to any measure of TV energy
consumption once the test procedure
becomes effective 30 days after the test
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procedure final rule publication. The
final rule would supersede any existing
state test procedure for TVs to the extent
the state regulation requires testing in a
manner other than that required by the
final DOE test procedure. (42 U.S.C.
6297(a)(1))
B. Existing Television Test Procedures
While developing the proposed test
procedure for TVs, DOE researched
existing industry test procedures that
measure TV energy consumption, as
discussed in its 2010 RFI. 75 FR 54048,
54049. Among the most widely accepted
are the IEC 62087–2011 and EPA’s
‘‘ENERGY STAR Program Requirements
for Televisions, Version 5.3’’ (ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3).7 DOE also reviewed both
the CEA–2037–2009 ‘‘Determination of
Television Average Power
Consumption’’ and the CEC test
procedures, and noted that these test
procedures are largely based on both the
EPA and IEC 62087 test procedures. In
response to the 2010 RFI, DOE received
comments from interested parties on
what they believed aspects of a robust
test procedure should include, as well
as on the validity of the existing test
procedures that DOE reviewed and
considered.
Several interested parties expressed
general concerns and made suggestions
pertaining to what should be considered
when DOE developed its proposed test
procedure. Consumer Electronics
Retailers Coalition (CERC) expressed
desire for a standardized test procedure
and standard that are reflective of
consumer use and that will not increase
the cost of equipment. CERC further
stated that a patchwork of state
regulations, mandating different test
procedures for energy consumption,
different standards, or different labels,
will confuse consumers with conflicting
or unclear information, and ultimately
be counterproductive. (CERC, No. 10 at
p. 1) CERC urged DOE to adopt a single
federal test procedure for TV energy
consumption, because it will better
inform the public and better show
energy savings. (CERC, No. 10 at p. 2)
Natural Resources Defense Council
(NRDC) asked that DOE develop a test
procedure that allows flexibility for
policy makers when setting standards
such as allowing policy makers to
require testing at different pre-set
picture settings and establishing desired
luminance ratios. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 1)
7 ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 references ENERGY STAR
v. 4.2; however, for the purposes of the NOPR, all
references will be made in terms of ENERGY STAR
5.3 although testing was conducted using ENERGY
STAR 5.1. https://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/
prod_development/revisions/downloads/television/
V5.3_Program_Requirements.pdf.
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Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and a
joint comment submitted by Southern
California Gas Company, San Diego Gas
and Electric Company, and Southern
California Edison, henceforth referred to
as ‘‘California Investor Owned Utilities
(IOUs),’’ expressed desire for a test
procedure that accounts for all current
and future TV technologies. (PG&E, No.
12 at p. 1; California IOUs, No. 9 at p.
1) Finally, Sony asked that the test
procedure provide adequate guidance
and meaningful power consumption
data without forcing manufacturers to
perform unnecessary, burdensome, and
costly activities. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 4)
Environment Northeast (ENE) also
had general recommendations for DOE’s
proposed TV test procedure and
suggested that the test procedure should
be designed so that the test results
reflect energy consumption in the field
to the maximum extent possible. (ENE,
No. 2 at p. 1) It urged DOE to develop
a test procedure that only promotes
energy management features that deliver
significant savings in the field. (ENE,
No. 2 at p. 1) ENE commented that
energy consumption should be
measured under a range of values
(rather than using average values for
ambient illumination, viewing distances
and angles, and user adjustments to
settings) and that the average expected
energy consumption of a model in the
field be calculated. (ENE, No. 2 at p. 1)
ENE believes that a test procedure that
adheres to its direction will provide
more accurate results and reduce the
likelihood of manufacturers ‘‘designing
to the test’’. (ENE, No. 2 at p. 1) Finally,
ENE urged DOE to design a test
procedure that does not discourage
innovation. (ENE, No. 2 at p. 1)
Other interested parties commented
that DOE should use existing test
procedures when developing its test
procedure. NRDC stated that DOE
should review and adopt key portions of
IEC 62087–2008 but noted that aside
from the IEC 62087–2008 dynamic
broadcast-content video signal, the
remaining sections of the IEC 62087–
2008 test procedure are either
incomplete or need revision. (NRDC,
No. 5 at p. 2) CEA believes that future
ENERGY STAR specifications should
conform to the DOE test procedure, and
that CEA–2037–2009 is suitable for
adoption now with specified discrete
changes, although the CEA did not
specify these discrete changes. (CEA,
No. 13 at p. 2) CEA also urged DOE to
adopt CEA–2037–2009 to avoid the
federal government using and
promoting two different test procedures.
(CEA, No. 13 at p. 3) CERC commented
that the CEA–2037–2009 test procedure
is the best test procedure because it is
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most familiar to manufacturers and
retailers and added that it provides a
reasonably accurate, practicable, and
cost-effective test procedure. (CERC, No.
10 at p. 2) SHARP urged the DOE to
utilize IEC 62087–2008 and CEA–2037–
2009 as a basis for its test procedure.
(SHARP, No. 14 at p. 1) Finally,
Mitsubishi requested that DOE adopt
CEA–2037–2009 as its fundamental TV
test procedure, and commented that if
DOE finds that CEA–2037–2009 test
procedure is inadequate, then it should
base its test procedure on IEC 62087–
2008. (Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p. 2)
Sony and CEC asked DOE to consider
how its test procedure will affect state
regulations and test procedures. Sony
recommended that DOE create a test
procedure that supersedes state
regulations, while CEC believes that
DOE should consider how its test
procedure will preempt CEC’s test
procedure. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 4)
Specifically, CEC urged DOE to measure
on mode power, standby-passive power,
power factor, and luminance to ensure
that the CEC can also require this
testing. (CEC, No. 15 at p. 4)
In addition to considering stakeholder
comments, DOE also conducted
research and validation testing, which
consisted of on, standby, and off mode
energy consumption testing as well as
luminance testing. The results of this
research indicated that the IEC 62087–
2011 could be utilized with some
modifications as it would adequately
measure TV energy consumption.8 DOE
proposes a test procedure for TVs that
uses IEC 62087–2011 as a basis, with
additional detail and modifications,
most of which are seen in ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3. DOE believes this is
consistent with the requests of many
commenters, who recommended using
IEC 62087–2011 and CEA–2037–2009,
which references the IEC 62087 test
procedure. DOE based the proposed
luminance measurement on the one
found in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3.
C. Scope
1. Products Covered by This
Rulemaking
In the 2010 RFI, DOE requested
comments on the scope of the TV test
procedure rulemaking. DOE received
comments highlighting the similarities
and differences between displays, TVs,
and digital picture frames and the
coverage of the test procedure. Unlike
TVs, displays and digital picture frames
8 The DOE Web site: Appliance and Commercial
Equipment Standards: Television Sets. U.S.
Department of Energy. August 2, 2011. https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html.
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do not have a TV tuner and therefore
cannot receive digital broadcast content.
While all of these technologies have the
ability to display digital content they do
have some differences. DOE notes that
these differences are subtle, and
therefore considered the possibility of
including all displays in this
rulemaking.
Display and TV technologies have
started to converge and have become
more similar in their capabilities. Given
the convergence of display and TV
technologies, PG&E, and the California
IOUs advocated that the coverage of
displays be explored in this rulemaking.
They supported DOE’s research into
whether displays should be
incorporated into the test procedure and
specifically stated that DOE should
study the category of displays less than
30 inches in greater detail as well as
displays greater than 60 inches. (PG&E,
No. 12 at p. 4; California IOUs, No. 9 at
p. 4)
Other stakeholders opposed the
inclusion of displays in the scope of the
rulemaking. Sony asserted that TVs and
displays are different in the following
ways and therefore need to be tested
differently. TVs have different
resolutions than displays because rate
conversion circuits operate differently
in the two products; resolution affects
power consumption in displays but not
in TVs; and TVs with computer inputs
do not fully comply with the VESA
DPMS requirements established for
displays. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 4) Rather,
Sony recommended that DOE use the
same definition for TVs that is used in
the ENERGY STAR v. 5.3.9 (Sony, No.
8 at p. 4) Panasonic also does not
recommend combining TVs and
displays, as they believe these are two
distinct products. (Panasonic, No. 6 at p.
9) CERC commented that the scope of
the test procedure should not
encompass all types of TVs because
professional and retail displays require
high luminance, sharpness, and
performance. (CERC, No. 10 at p. 3)
CERC further commented that displays
are designed differently than TVs due to
their primary use; namely, TVs are
meant to be viewed from further
distances than displays. (CERC, No. 10
at p. 3) Finally, CEA commented that
9 ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 defines TV as: A
commercially available electronic product designed
primarily for the reception and display of
audiovisual signals received from terrestrial, cable,
satellite, Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), or other
digital or analog sources. A TV consists of a tuner/
receiver and a display encased in a single
enclosure. The product usually relies upon a
cathode-ray tube (CRT), liquid crystal display
(LCD), plasma display panel (PDP) which are
examples of the more common display
technologies.
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DOE should not include displays in its
rulemaking because the IEC 62087–2011
dynamic broadcast-content video signal
used for TV testing is not representative
of typical content viewed on displays.
(CEA, No. 13 at p. 9) SHARP
recommended that DOE remain focused
on TVs that are used primarily by
residential consumers and that
commercial displays should not be
included. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 10)
DOE believes that some products can
only be identified as TVs or displays on
the basis of marketing. Some
manufacturers (e.g., Samsung and LG)
make identical products that are
marketed separately as a display and
TV.10 Moreover, there exist highdefinition displays sold with the option
of purchasing an external tuner or
speakers, which enable the customer to
use the product as a TV. Modern TVs
can also typically be connected to
computers and function as monitors.
Despite some overlap, DOE agrees with
stakeholders who suggested that TVs
and displays are designed differently in
most instances (e.g. TVs are equipped
with a tuner and displays are not).
Although TVs and displays may be used
interchangeably, they are designed to
perform different tasks. Displays have
different screen resolutions that allow
for clearer text reading and are typically
set up in a 4:3 aspect ratio, as opposed
to TVs which are primarily set up in
16:9 aspect ratio which is optimal for
displaying video. DOE acknowledges
that despite the increasing overlap
between these products, which may
increase in the future, they currently
have different usage patterns (e.g. they
are used in different lighting conditions
and locations as well as have different
hours of operation).
The presence of a tuner is not an
unequivocal distinguishing factor
between TVs and other displays;
however, DOE still considers it a
suitable way of broadly separating
products which are generally intended
to be used as displays or digital picture
frames from those generally intended to
be used as TVs (particularly in the
smaller sizes). Accordingly, DOE
proposes to define TVs with reference to
displays but excluding displays if they
are sold without tuners. Further, DOE
believes that this effectively excludes
from the proposed TV test procedure
most displays and digital picture frames
currently on the market.
TVs, unlike displays, often contain a
tuner, which historically cost about
$5.50 to the manufacturer and were
projected to cost around $2.70 by the
10 Personal
Communication, DisplaySearch at SID
Conference, May 22, 2011.
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end of 2010.11 Modern TVs have similar
inputs to displays, and their uses are
increasingly similar, with the latest TVs
having USB ports, PC inputs, video
inputs, Ethernet cable inputs, and
inputs enabling connection with
cameras and MP3 players (e.g.,
Samsung, Panasonic, Sony). Moreover,
the latest display connection
technology, High-Definition Multimedia
Interface (HDMI), is expressly designed
to work with both TVs and displays and
does not differentiate between the two.
DOE is monitoring marketplace
convergence and will consider updating
the definitions and scope of the TV
rulemaking in the future.
Consequently, DOE is proposing to
include in the scope of this rulemaking
only displays of 15 inches and above
which are sold with a tuner. DOE
acknowledges interested party
comments stating that TVs and displays
capable of showing moving images are
not similar in all ways. However, DOE
believes that displays which are sold
with a tuner are used in the same
manner as TVs, and is also taking into
consideration that EPA requires
displays to be tested with IEC 62087
Dynamic broadcast content. DOE
welcomes comment on the proposed
scope of this rulemaking, particularly
the inclusion of certain types of
displays. (See Issue 1 in section V. E
‘‘Issues On Which DOE Seeks
Comment’’).
2. Definition of Television Sets
TVs are a covered product under 42
U.S.C. 6292(a)(12) of EPCA. DOE has the
authority to adopt test procedures for
such covered products under 42 U.S.C.
6293(b)(2) of EPCA. Further, 42 U.S.C.
6295(l)(3) of EPCA specifically grants
DOE the authority to promulgate energy
conservation standards for TVs. There
are no statutory definitions for TVs
under EPCA. In 1979 DOE adopted the
following regulatory definitions for TVs
(44 FR 39798, June 29, 1979), which are
set forth in 10 CFR 430.2:
Television set means a color television
set or a monochrome television set.
Color television set means an
electrical device designed to convert
incoming broadcast signals into color
television pictures and associated
sound.
Monochrome television set means an
electrical device designed to convert
incoming broadcast signals into
monochrome television pictures and
associated sound.
11 Quarterly LCD TV Cost & Price Forecast Model
Report: Q1’11 History with Q2’11–Q4’15 Forecast.
Rep. DisplaySearch, 2010.
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Similar to DOE’s recently repealed
test procedure (74 FR 53640, October
20, 2009), the current DOE definitions
for TVs, developed in 1979, are no
longer appropriate and are proposed to
be updated as part of this rulemaking.
The definition refers to both color TVs
and monochrome TVs (also known as
black-and-white TVs, which are rarely
produced for the mass market today)
and with the evolution of technology,
these definitions are too broad to
adequately define the products covered
by this rulemaking. Since the digital
switch-over in 2009, analog TVs can no
longer receive broadcast signals without
an external digital tuner. Accordingly,
the definitions require updating in order
to reflect the realities of modern TVs
and technological developments,
including the convergence of display
and TV technology, and to avoid the
proposed rule being rendered
ineffective.
DOE notes that at the time the
Department repealed the test procedure
for TVs (74 FR 53640, October 20, 2009),
it also considered amending the
definition of TVs on the basis of the
transition to digital TV and found this
factor in isolation to be an insufficient
reason to amend the definition. At that
time, the Department had not taken into
account other factors, including, rapid
technology changes, the changing focus
away from transmission towards display
technology and the phenomenon of TV
and display technology convergence.
The combination of these factors which
are currently evident in this product
market have led DOE to preliminarily
determine that a revised definition of
TVs is required.
CEA asked that DOE develop a
definition of TVs that excludes batterypowered TVs because they inherently
are designed for efficiency so as to
improve battery life. CEA stated that
battery-powered TVs are different from
typical TVs that require AC or main
power supplies in their technology and
usage patterns. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 9)
Additionally, CEA commented that
displays used for commercial
applications and those that fully
function on battery-power should not be
included in the scope of coverage. CEA
further observed that portable and
handheld displays are designed to be
power efficient and should therefore not
be included in the scope of coverage.
In today’s NOPR, after reviewing TV,
display, digital picture frame market
trends, and accessory technologies, as
well as other industry definitions from
IEC, EPA, and CEA, DOE is proposing
an updated definition for TVs; one that
it believes will not become obsolete
with rapid changes in technology.
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Accordingly, a broad technology-neutral
definition is proposed that includes all
TVs and displays above 15 inches
which are sold with a TV tuner. This
definition also includes products that
incorporate internal media readers (e.g.
TV DVD combination units) while
excluding laptop monitors, monitors
having integrated computers (all-in-one
integrated desktops), digital picture
frames, and TVs operable by batterypower. The exclusion of these products
is based upon DOE’s belief that these
products do not represent the typical TV
usage and therefore should not be
included in this definition. DOE has
determined the typical TV usage as a
product that is commonly used seven
hours a day 12 to watch dynamic visual
information. Consequently, DOE
proposes the following definition to
subpart A of 10 CFR 430.2:
Television set (also referred to as
‘‘TV’’): A product designed to be
powered primarily by mains power
having a diagonal screen size of fifteen
inches or larger that is manufactured
with a TV tuner, and that is capable of
displaying dynamic visual information
from wired or wireless sources
including but not limited to:
(1) Broadcast and similar services for
terrestrial, cable, satellite, and/or
broadband transmission of analog and/
or digital signals; and/or
(2) Display-specific data connections,
such as Video Graphics Array (VGA),
Digital Visual Interface (DVI), HighDefinition Multimedia Interface (HDMI),
DisplayPort, used typically for a
computer or workstation that is not
physically attached to the display; and/
or
(3) Media storage devices such as a
USB flash drive, a memory card, or a
DVD; and/or
(4) Network connections, usually
using Internet Protocol, typically carried
over Ethernet or WiFi.
A TV may contain, but is not limited
to, one of the following display
technologies: Liquid crystal display
(LCD), light-emitting diode (LED),
cathode-ray tube (CRT), and plasma
display panel (PDP). TVs also include
TV Combination Units that DOE has
further defined in appendix H to
subpart B of this part.
DOE notes that this proposed
definition also includes TV combination
units which are TVs that incorporate
additional devices such as a digital
video disc (DVD) player, Blu-ray player,
hard disk drive (HDD), or videocassette
recorder (VCR).These products maintain
the general purpose of a TV but are
combined with additional features.
12 The
Nielsen Company, LLC (2011).
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3. Other Definitions
DOE’s proposed test procedure for
TVs incorporates definitions from IEC
62087–2011 and ENERGY STAR v. 5.3.
DOE is also proposing to add its own
definitions, which were neither
addressed by IEC 62087–2011 nor
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3, and feels the
proposed definitions are necessary.
Specifically, DOE proposes to include
the following defined terms found in
IEC 62087–2011: ‘‘additional
functions,’’ ‘‘off mode,’’ ‘‘standby-active,
high mode,’’ ‘‘standby-active, low
mode,’’ and ‘‘standby-passive mode.’’
DOE is aware that section 42 U.S.C.
6295(gg)(1) of EPCA defines on,
standby, and off modes, but believes
that the proposed IEC 62087–2011
definitions provide added clarification
to the test procedure. Second, DOE
proposes to include the following
defined terms found in ENERGY STAR
v. 5.3: ‘‘download acquisition mode,’’
‘‘luminance,’’ ‘‘on mode,’’ and ‘‘TV
combination unit.’’ For the reasons
discussed below, DOE also proposes to
develop new definitions for ‘‘home
picture setting’’ and ‘‘retail picture
setting.’’
a. Definitions Incorporated From IEC
62087–2011
DOE is proposing to define
‘‘additional functions’’ using the
definition found in IEC 62087–2011.
DOE is proposing to define ‘‘additional
functions’’ because many TVs are now
equipped with a wide variety of
features, such as DVD players, memory
card readers, music player inputs, that
are not standard among different
manufacturers and models.
Furthermore, DOE believes that this
definition from IEC 62087–2011 is
appropriate because it is clear, concise
and widely accepted as an industry
definition. The definition for additional
functions found in IEC 62087–2011 also
has not been redefined by any of the
later published TV industry standards.
Accordingly, DOE is proposing to define
this term in section 2.1 (additional
functions) of appendix H to subpart B of
10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Additional functions: Additional functions
are functions that are not required for the
basic operation of the device. Additional
functions include, but are not limited to a
VCR unit, a DVD unit, a HDD unit, a FMradio unit, a memory card-reader unit, or an
ambient lighting unit.
DOE is proposing to define ‘‘off
mode’’ using the definition found in IEC
62087–2011, rather than the definition
provided in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3.
Although ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 also
defines off mode, DOE believes the
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definition is too broad. Specifically, the
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 definition
requires that an indicator be present that
shows that the product is in off mode,
a clause that is not included in the IEC
62087–2011 definition. Accordingly,
DOE is proposing to define this term in
section 2.9 (off mode) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Off mode: Off mode is the mode where the
appliance is connected to a power source,
produces neither sound nor picture and
cannot be switched into any other mode with
the remote control unit, an external or
internal signal.
DOE is proposing a test for standbypassive mode in this NOPR and thus
provides a definition for the mode. DOE
is proposing to define ‘‘standby-passive
mode’’ by using the IEC 62087–2011
definition for standby-passive. This
standby-passive mode test is being
proposed to capture the energy
consumption associated with the TV
when it produces neither sound nor
picture. DOE believes that IEC has
clearly and appropriately defined
standby-passive mode. DOE is
proposing to define this term in section
2.12 (standby-passive mode) of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430 as follows:
Standby-passive mode: Standby-passive
mode is the mode in which the appliance is
connected to a power source, produces
neither sound nor picture but can be
switched into another mode with the remote
control unit or an internal signal.
DOE is proposing to define ‘‘standbyactive, high mode’’ consistent with the
IEC 62087–2011 definition for standbyactive, high. IEC’s definition clearly and
accurately captures the state of the TV
while in standby-active, high mode.
DOE is proposing a definition for
standby-active, high, since DOE is also
proposing a test in the standby-active,
high mode. Standby-active, high mode
would cover TVs when they are
switched off with a remote, but remain
active in some manner. This includes
TVs that are downloading information
from the internet or cable while
switched into standby mode.
Accordingly, DOE is proposing to define
this term in section 2.13 (standby-active,
high mode) of appendix H to subpart B
of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Standby-active, high mode: The appliance
is connected to a power source, produces
neither sound nor picture but can be
switched into another mode with the remote
control unit or an internal signal and can
additionally be switched into another mode
with an external signal and is exchanging/
receiving data with/from an external source.
DOE is proposing to define ‘‘standbyactive, low mode’’ consistent with the
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IEC 62087–2011 definition for standbyactive, low. Although DOE is not
proposing a test in the standby-active,
low mode, DOE is still proposing a
definition for standby-active, low to
remain consistent with IEC 62087–2011
and to ensure that this particular mode
is not tested. DOE has reviewed existing
industry definitions, TV technology,
and TV operating modes and believes
that IEC 62087–2011 clearly separates
distinct TV operating modes and defines
each of these modes appropriately.
Standby-active low mode would cover
TVs when they are switched off with a
remote and can be switched into other
modes via an external signal.
Accordingly, DOE is proposing to define
this term in section 2.14 (standby-active,
low mode) of appendix H to subpart B
of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
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Standby-active, low mode: The appliance
is connected to a power source, produces
neither sound nor picture but can be
switched into another mode with the remote
control unit or an internal signal and can
additionally be switched into another mode
with an external signal.
b. Definitions Incorporated From
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3
DOE proposes to include a definition
for ‘‘download acquisition mode’’
(otherwise known as DAM) in its test
procedure that is identical to the
definition found in ENERGY STAR v.
5.3. The DAM involves a TV’s download
of data while it produces neither sound
nor picture. The definition allows
readers to more clearly understand the
DAM energy consumption test
procedure. The energy consumption
associated with DAM is measured when
the TV is downloading information from
an electronic program guide (EPG). DOE
also believes that the ENERGY STAR v.
5.3 definition is appropriate because it
is a widely accepted industry definition
and the term is not defined in IEC
62087–2011. Accordingly, DOE is
proposing to define this term in section
2.3 (download acquisition mode) of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430 as follows:
Download acquisition mode:
Download acquisition mode is the
power mode in which the product is
connected to a mains power source,
produces neither sound nor picture, and
is actively downloading data. Data
downloads may include channel listing
information for use by an electronic
programming guide, TV setup data,
channel map updates, firmware
updates, monitoring for emergency
messaging/communications or other
network communications.
DOE is proposing to define
‘‘luminance’’ by incorporating the
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definition found in ENERGY STAR v.
5.3. DOE believes that the ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3 definition is appropriate
because it is widely accepted within the
industry and the term is not defined in
IEC 62087–2011. Further, the ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3 definition is appropriate
because DOE is proposing the
luminance ratio so that it may be used
in the ENERGY STAR test procedure.
The ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 definition is
clear and concise and provides the
manufacturer with a thorough
understanding of what is meant by
luminance to allow for luminance
testing. Accordingly, DOE is proposing
to define this term in section 2.8
(luminance) of appendix H to subpart B
of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Luminance: Luminance is the
photometric measure of the luminous
intensity per unit area of light traveling
in a given direction, expressed in units
of candelas per square meter (cd/m2).
DOE is proposing to define ‘‘on
mode’’ using the definition found in
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3, rather than the
definition provided in IEC 62087–2011.
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 defines ‘‘on
mode’’ more broadly, stating that the TV
can be providing ‘‘one or more of its
primary functions.’’ On the other hand,
the IEC 62087–2011 definition specifies
that the TV must be producing both
sound and picture. Although many TVs
will produce sound and picture, DOE’s
proposed scope may include units that
are not able to produce sound (e.g.
computer monitor that does not include
speakers). Because DOE does not want
to prevent those products from being
tested in the ‘‘on mode’’, DOE is
proposing to exclude any references to
sound consistent with the definition
from ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 in section
2.10 (on mode) of appendix H to subpart
B of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
On mode: On mode is the power mode in
which the product is connected to a mains
power source, has been activated, and is
providing one or more of its principal
functions.
DOE is proposing to define ‘‘TV
combination unit’’ using the definition
found in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. IEC
62087–2011 defines multi-function
equipment, which may be considered
similar to TV combination unit, but this
term is not specific to TVs. Defining the
term TV combination unit provides
clarity to the test procedure since these
particular TVs may require special
consideration when being tested.
Accordingly, DOE is proposing to define
this term in section 2.16 (TV
combination unit) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
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TV combination unit: TV combination unit
is a television in which the TV and one or
more additional devices (e.g., DVD player,
Blu-ray Disc player, Hard Disk Drive) are
combined into a single enclosure, and which
meets the following criteria: a) it is not
possible to measure the power of the
individual components without removing the
product housing; and b) the product connects
to a wall outlet via a single power cord.
c. New Definitions for Incorporation
DOE is proposing to define ‘‘home
picture setting’’ in its test procedure.
DOE developed this definition because
neither IEC 62087–2011 nor ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3 provides a definition for
this particular setting. ENERGY STAR v.
5.3 does reference a home mode (or
default mode), as the mode in which the
TV is shipped. In order to eliminate
confusion between picture settings and
testing modes (such as on mode,
standby mode, and off mode), defining
home picture setting helps clarify how
to conduct both the luminance and on
mode tests since home picture setting is
utilized for conducting part of the
luminance test as well as the on mode
test. DOE believes that defining home
picture setting will improve the
consistency in which products are
tested across labs. DOE is proposing to
define this term in section 2.4 (home
picture setting) of appendix H to subpart
B of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Home picture setting: (or default picture
setting) is the picture setting which is
recommended by the manufacturer from the
initial set up menu or the mode that the
television comes shipped in if no setting is
recommended.
Finally, DOE is proposing to define
‘‘retail picture setting’’ in its proposed
test procedure. Retail picture setting is
a picture setting present on most TVs
and corresponds to the brightest preset
selectable picture setting. Although
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 uses the term
retail mode in its specification, it does
not provide a definition of this mode. So
as not to confuse picture settings with
testing modes (such as on mode,
standby mode, and off mode), DOE is
proposing to utilize the term ‘‘retail
picture setting’’ instead of the term
‘‘retail mode’’. In the proposed DOE test
procedure, retail picture setting is one of
the two picture settings that the TV is
set to for luminance testing. Therefore,
DOE believes that defining retail picture
setting clarifies the requirements of the
test procedure. DOE is proposing to
define this term in section 2.11 (retail
picture setting) of appendix H to subpart
B of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Retail picture setting: is the preset picture
setting in which the TV produces the highest
luminance during the on mode conditions.
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D. Testing Conditions and
Instrumentation
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1. Accuracy and Precision of
Measurement Equipment
a. Power Supply
In this NOPR, DOE is proposing a
slightly modified version of the power
supply specifications from IEC 62087–
2011. DOE proposes to limit the input
voltage and frequency used in its test
procedure to 115 V at 60 Hz, rather than
including a general requirement that the
TV be tested at ‘‘the nominal voltage of
the region,’’ as in IEC 62087–2011. DOE
is also proposing to add a power factor
measurement requirement. The power
factor measurements are based on those
found in IEC 62087–2011 as well as
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3.
DOE is also proposing certain
specifications for test tolerances. First,
DOE is proposing to incorporate
tolerances for voltage and frequency
identical to those in ENERGY STAR v.
5.3, which specifies that the voltage and
frequency be maintained at ± 1 percent
rather than ± 2 percent, as required by
IEC 62087–2011. DOE believes that this
will not impose undue burden because
many interested parties are already
accustomed to these more stringent
specifications required to meet ENERGY
STAR specifications. Second, DOE is
proposing to add a tolerance of power
measurements consistent with that in
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. As mentioned
above, ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 refers the
reader to ENERGY STAR v. 4.2 where
these specifications can be found. Third,
DOE is proposing to add the
requirements for total harmonic
distortion (THD) consistent with that in
IEC 62087–2011, which requires that the
harmonic components not vary by more
than 5 percent. While ENERGY STAR v.
5.3 has requirements for THD that are
more stringent (2 percent), DOE believes
that these requirements may impose
undue burden on manufacturers by
requiring the purchase of more
expensive equipment. DOE believes that
the cost of more expensive equipment
(e.g., a power supply unit as found by
market research) outweighs the benefits
of stricter THD requirements, therefore
less stringent requirements are being
proposed. DOE believes that the
requirements that it is proposing to
incorporate are accepted within
industry and are sufficient to ensure a
repeatable and reproducible test
procedure. THD impacts the quality and
stability of the electricity being received
by the TV which can impact energy
consumption. High levels of THD can
increase current draw on TVs resulting
in high circuitry temperatures and
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inefficiencies. The language proposed to
ensure that the correct power is being
supplied to the TV is being incorporated
in section 3.1.1 (power supply) of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430 is as follows:
Carry out measurements using a power
supply providing voltage of 115 V at 60 Hz.
The fluctuation of the voltage supplied
during the tests shall not exceed ± 1 percent.
The frequency fluctuation and the harmonic
components of the supplied power shall not
exceed ± 1 percent and 5 percent
respectively.
b. Power Meter
DOE is proposing to incorporate
specifications for the power meter used
to collect the power data for the TV test.
DOE plans to slightly modify the
specification found in IEC 62087–2011
to include more guided instructions on
the sampling rate. Rather than setting
the sampling rate ‘‘high enough to
achieve an accurate measurement’’ as
required in IEC 62087–2011, DOE is
proposing that samples be taken once
per second or more frequently. This
sampling rate is generally accepted by
the industry and found in IEC 62301–
2011. This sampling rate should not be
difficult to accomplish and produces a
more repeatable power measurement
than the measurement specified in IEC
62087–2011. Specifying the proposed
sampling rate decreases the chances of
missing trends and power spikes. The
duration of testing remains the same
and typically only a few changes to the
data acquisition program are required to
modify the sample rate. The language
proposed to ensure that the correct
power measurements are taken is being
incorporated in section 3.1.2 (power
meter) of appendix H to subpart B of 10
CFR part 430 is as follows:
The measurement shall be carried out
directly by means of a wattmeter, a wattmeter
with averaging function, or a watt-hour
meter, by dividing the reading by the
measuring time. For TVs for which the input
video signal varies over time, use a wattmeter
with an averaging function to carry out the
measurement.
The language proposed to ensure that
the correct sampling rate for which the
power measurements shall be taken is
being incorporated in section 3.1.2.1 of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430 is as follows:
The sampling rate of the watt-hour meter
or wattmeter with averaging function shall be
one measurement per second or more
frequent.
The language proposed describing the
power measurement uncertainty is
being incorporated in section 3.1.2.3 of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430 is as follows:
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Power measurements of 0.5 W or greater
shall be made with an uncertainty of less
than or equal to 2 percent (at the 95 percent
confidence level). Measurements of power of
less than 0.5 W shall be made with an
uncertainty of less than or equal to 0.01 W
(at the 95 percent confidence level). The
power measurement instrument shall have a
resolution of:
• 0.01 W or better for power measurements
of 10 W or less;
• 0.1 W or better for power measurements
of greater than 10 W up to 100 W;
• 1 W or better for power measurements of
greater than 100 W.
DOE is also proposing to require that,
as part of the test procedure, the power
factor of the TV be recorded while in
‘‘on mode’’ consistent with that in
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. DOE believes that
requiring a power factor measurement
will not impose undue burden on
manufacturers because the ability to
measure power factor is widely
available on power meters. The power
factor measurement only requires that
the power factor be recorded while the
on, standby, and off modes are
measured. DOE is proposing to require
this measurement because power
quality can impact energy consumption
and measuring the power factor will
allow other regulating bodies the
flexibility to consider requirements for
power quality. The language proposed
to ensure that the power factor and real
power consumed are taken is being
incorporated in section 3.1.2.2 of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430 is as follows:
The power measurement instrument used
shall measure the power factor and the real
power consumed regardless of the power
factor of the device under test.
c. Light Measurement Devices
i. Luminance Contact and Distance
Meters
Light measurement devices (LMDs)
are used to measure the luminance of
the TV screen. DOE is aware of two
primary categories of LMDs that are
used to make luminance measurements:
contact meters and distance meters. In
response to the 2010 RFI, DOE received
comments advocating that the DOE test
procedure for TVs allow the use of the
contact meter to measure luminance.
Panasonic stated that although there are
many valid methods of measurement, a
contact measurement is easier to comply
with since it prevents ambient light
from interfering with the measurement
and eliminates the need for a dark room.
(Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 4) NRDC also
supports the contact method of
measuring luminance as it simplifies the
performance of the test due to it being
unnecessary to adjust the room lighting
levels. (NRDC, No. 5 at pp. 4–5)
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In this NOPR, DOE is proposing to
allow the use of either a distance meter
or a contact meter to measure luminance
for purposes of the DOE test procedure,
so long as the meter meets the
specifications detailed in section
III.D.1.c.ii of the NOPR. DOE is aware
that each type of meter has specific
advantages. While distance LMD meters
are typically less accurate and require
the use of a dark room for luminance
measurements, they are less expensive
than contact LMD meters. DOE is also
aware that the use of a dark room adds
burden to the procedure by increasing
both cost and set-up time. Alternatively,
the use of a contact LMD meter would
reduce set up time (with regard to both
aligning the meter as well as removing
the need for a dark room) and will have
a more accurate measurement since
these meters typically have a higher
accuracy; however, contact meters
themselves are more expensive.
Through testing, DOE has learned that
the two types of meters yield similar
results when used to test TVs.13
Therefore, in section 3.1.3 (light
measurement device) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430, the test
procedure allows the use of either meter
as long as it meets the specifications
outlined below. By allowing the use of
different meters it provides more
flexibility, while ensuring the accuracy
of the measurement and providing
comparable results.
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ii. Light Measurement Device
Specifications
In this NOPR, DOE is proposing to
incorporate specifications for the LMDs
used in performing the test procedure.
Neither IEC 62087–2011 nor ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3 provides specific
requirements with respect to LMDs.
Consequently, DOE has developed
proposed specifications for today’s
NOPR. To develop these, DOE
researched existing test procedures and
standards that provide LMD
specifications. DOE has found that the
VESA Flat Panel Display Measurements
Standard v. 2 provides tolerances for
LMDs. VESA specifies that the
luminance must be within ± 5 percent
and repeatability must be less than ± 0.5
percent of the luminance or the
uncertainty introduced by any
digitalization over a five minute period.
DOE also researched available LMDs for
13 This similarity of results can be found in the
Round Robin Test Program Final Report for:
Television at the DOE Web site: Appliance and
Commercial Equipment Standards: Television Sets.
U.S. Department of Energy. August 2, 2011.
<https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html>.
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testing to develop the following
proposed requirements.
DOE is proposing, in section 3.1.3
(light measurement device) of appendix
H to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430, that
all LMDs have an accuracy of ± 2
percent (± 2 digits) of the digitally
displayed value and repeatability within
0.4 percent (± 2 digits) value. DOE is
also proposing that the LMD should
have an acceptance angle of 3 degrees or
less. To determine the precision of a
measured number, the displayed value
on the measuring device needs to be
taken into consideration. The increment
of the last significant digit is said to be
the accuracy of the display and 2 digits
is twice the interval. The overall
tolerance of LMDs is found by taking
(+/¥) the absolute sum of 2 percent and
2 significant digits of the measured
value.
DOE believes that these criteria are
sufficiently stringent to ensure that
measurements will be repeatable and
accurate, without imposing burden on
manufacturers by requiring overly
precise measurement devices. However,
DOE welcomes comments on the
proposed LMD specifications. (See Issue
2 in section V.E ‘‘Issues On Which DOE
Seeks Comment’’).
2. Test Room and Set-Up Criteria
DOE received comments from
interested parties requesting that it
clarify how to set up the TV for testing.
Specifically, NRDC requested that DOE
review the requirements in IEC 62087–
2008 and urged DOE to provide
sufficient clarity on preparing the TV
before testing. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 2)
DOE has analyzed IEC 62087–2008 as
NRDC requested and found that the
requirements in IEC 62087–2008 are
similar to those found in IEC 62087–
2011. PG&E and California IOUs also
requested that DOE require a standard
test set-up that ensures the most robust
results possible. (PG&E, No. 12 at p. 3;
California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 3) DOE has
analyzed both IEC 62087–2011 and IEC
62087–2008, and has evaluated other
existing TV test procedures to develop
proposals for creating dark room
conditions, ambient temperature and
humidity, THD, and signal source
generation, with the goal of ensuring
repeatable results. The proposals are
discussed in detail in the following
sections.
a. Dark Room Conditions
DOE is proposing that, if the lab
technician elects to use a distance meter
for luminance testing, it must make the
measurements in dark room conditions,
similar to the requirement in ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3. DOE is proposing, in
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section 4.2 (dark room conditions) of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430, language from the requirement in
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3, which (with
minor modification), states: ‘‘All
luminance testing shall be performed in
dark room conditions. Display screen
illuminance * * * as measured with the
UUT in [o]ff [m]ode shall be less than
or equal to 1.0 lux.’’
b. Ambient Temperature and Humidity
DOE is proposing ambient conditions
consistent with IEC 62087–2011 and
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3, which both
require that ambient temperature be 23
°C ± 5 °C. ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 further
specifies that relative humidity must be
between 10 and 80 percent, which DOE
is also proposing to require in its test
procedure. Because these are both
widely accepted test methods, and each
of the temperate and humidity ranges is
quite large, these requirements should
be reproducible across a wide range of
test laboratories. These ambient
condition requirements are being
proposed in sections 4.3 (ambient
temperature conditions) and 4.4
(ambient relative humidity conditions)
of appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR
part 430.
c. Signal Source and Generation
In the 2010 RFI, DOE requested
feedback from interested parties
regarding the signal source as well as
the input cable to be used when testing.
75 FR 54048, 54050. As discussed
below, interested parties were generally
in agreement that the input cable should
be HDMI, if the TV has an HDMI input.
If the TV does not have an HDMI input,
DOE has proposed a list of alternative
connections in the order in which they
should be used to conduct testing,
which can be found below. Interested
parties were also in support of using a
Blu-ray player as the signal source for
testing.
Mitsubishi, Sony, LG, NRDC,
Panasonic, CEA, CEC, PG&E, and
California IOUs were all in support of
DOE using HDMI as its preferred input
cable. Mitsubishi recommended that
DOE require an HDMI cable be used if
the input exists and component cables
be used if HDMI inputs do not exist.
(Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p. 5) Sony
similarly commented that a HDMI input
cable should be the preferred input
cable, and if it not available, the next
highest resolution input should be used.
(Sony, No. 8 at p. 3) LG supported using
an HDMI input cable because it has a
digital signal and other sources have
calibration issues. (LG, No. 3 at p. 1)
NRDC recommended that DOE use a
HDMI input cable if the input is
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available. If not available, then a
component input cable should be used.
NRDC also stated that VGA connectors
should not be allowed to serve as the
means to input the content. (NRDC, No.
5 at p. 6) Panasonic agreed that a HDMI
input cable should be used if available.
(Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 6) CEA agreed
that a HDMI input cable should be used
if it is available, but stated that variation
between different inputs is minor. (CEA,
No. 13 at p. 7) CEA further commented
that it is vital to allow various different
input cables to be used because some
TVs are produced with neither a HDMI
input nor a component input. (CEA, No.
13 at p. 7) Ecos Consulting found in its
previously cited report the effect of
different input cables on the test results.
Their report recommended that an
HDMI input cable be used for testing
because it produced similar results to a
standardized signal generator unlike
component and VGA inputs.14
As outlined above, comments from all
interested parties agreed that an HDMI
input should be the preferred input.
Some interested parties also advocated
that alternative inputs should be
allowed if an HDMI input is not
available. DOE acknowledges that all
TVs may not be shipped with an HDMI
input available, and therefore is
proposing the following order for
inputs: HDMI/DVI, VGA, component, S–
Video, and finally composite. If none of
these inputs are available, the highest
resolution input must be used. DOE
believes that by proposing an input
format hierarchy, it will ensure
consistency and repeatability between
tests without imposing undue burden
upon manufacturers. However, DOE
welcomes comments on the purposed
input formats hierarchy. (See issue 14 in
section V.E ‘‘Issues on Which DOE
Seeks Comments’’)
DOE also received comments on the
signal source to be used for testing.
NRDC commented that a signal should
not be generated by a personal computer
(PC). NRDC preferred that a standard
method of generating signal be used, but
did not specify what the preferred
method should be. (NRDC, No. 5 at p.
6) Panasonic believes that the Blu-ray
player is the most appropriate device to
supply the IEC 62087–2008 dynamic
broadcast-content video signal, which is
the same as the IEC 62087–2011
dynamic broadcast-content video signal.
(Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 6) CEC concurs
14 Calwell, Chris, Mercier, Catherine, & FosterPorter, Suzanne. Assessment of Options for
Improving Energy Efficiency Test Procedures for
Display. (Last accessed July 26, 2011). https://www.
efficientproducts.org/%5Creports%5Ctvs%5CEcos_
Display%20Test%20Procedure%20Report_FINAL.
pdf.
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with the recommendations made in the
report done by Ecos Consulting
regarding signal sources, which
recommends a signal generator with an
HDMI input connection. (CEC, No. 15 at
p. 3) PG&E and California IOUs also
cited the report done by Ecos
Consulting, but commented that DOE
should conduct additional testing on
various size TVs with different display
technologies to confirm the proper
signal source. (PG&E, No. 12 at p. 3;
California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 3) SHARP
recommended that DOE not require a
specific signal source like CEA–2037–
2009. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 7) SHARP
commented that there should be no
dependency on the nature of the source
(Blu-ray player, computer, etc), as long
as the decoder and signal are properly
implemented according to existing and
well-known standards. (SHARP, No. 14
at p. 7)
The IEC 62087–2011 dynamic
broadcast-content video signal, which is
discussed further in section III.E.3.a of
this NOPR, is supplied in two formats
for testing, DVD and Blu-ray. DOE
acknowledges interested party
comments recommending that a
particular signal source should not be
used but believes that establishing a
specific signal source will increase
repeatability and reproducibility. As
some commenters requested, DOE is
proposing to require testing using a Bluray player. The TV market is moving
towards watching TV in high-definition,
as evidenced by increased production of
high definition TVs and broadcasting of
high definition channels. Blu-ray
players produce a 1080p image that
yields far more detail than the 480p
image provided by DVD; therefore, DOE
is proposing that it be used for testing.
DOE welcomes comments on the signal
source and generation specifications
proposed in this NOPR. (See Issue 3 in
section V.E ‘‘Issues On Which DOE
Seeks Comment’’).
E. Test Measurements
As previously mentioned, DOE is
proposing a test procedure largely based
on IEC 62087–2011, with some
modifications to improve the
repeatability as well as tailor the
procedure to the U.S. market. DOE is
proposing that the following test
measurements be taken as described in
the following sections.
1. Picture Settings to Test
In the 2010 RFI, DOE requested
comment on testing the TV in multiple
power consuming modes. For
luminance testing, ENERGY STAR v. 5.3
requires that the TV be tested in two
picture settings: home mode and retail
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mode. As stated earlier, DOE is
proposing to replace the terms home
mode and retail mode (as used in
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3) with home
picture setting and retail picture setting.
This is to distinguish the luminance
picture setting from the testing modes
for energy consumption. IEC 62087–
2011 does not reference luminance
testing. Alternatively, for power testing,
both IEC 62087–2011 and ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3 require that TVs be tested
only in the home picture setting. DOE
received comments and is considering
testing energy consumption in picture
settings other than the home picture
setting.
Numerous commenters informed DOE
that only a limited number of
consumers switch their TVs out of the
home picture setting, and therefore DOE
should only require testing in the home
picture setting. Other interested parties
suggested that DOE analyze all preset
picture settings to determine the energy
consumption of all possible picture
settings. Mitsubishi commented that
manufacturer statistics show that less
than 5 percent of TV viewers ever
utilize non-default display settings.
(Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p. 2) PG&E and
California IOUs stated that DOE should
collect and analyze available
technologies (e.g., LCD, plasma) in
several selectable preset picture settings:
the dimmest setting, home setting, and
retail setting. (PG&E, No. 12 at p. 1;
California IOUs, No. 9 at pp. 1–2) PG&E
and California IOUs also urged DOE to
develop the test procedure such that any
preset picture setting may be measured
using the procedure. (PG&E, No. 12 at p.
2; California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 2) Finally,
they suggested that the DOE should
obtain and analyze data on consumer
home viewing habits. (PG&E, No. 12 at
p. 2; California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 2)
SHARP commented that because
consumers do not adjust their TV
settings and it is not possible to predict
the popularity of each picture setting,
multiple picture settings should not be
tested. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 4)
DOE also received comments desiring
that only the home picture setting
should be used for testing. SHARP
stated that there are no reliable data on
the popularity of modes that can be
applied across the industry, and,
therefore, the out-of-the-box setting
remains the best predictor of actual
power use. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 3) Sony
commented that there is little
information regarding consumer
preferences for preset picture settings.
Sony’s call center data indicates that
more than 95 percent of returned sets
remain in the home picture setting
when received, while information
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obtained during CEC’s rulemaking
process suggests that consumers tend to
use the home picture setting. (CEC, No.
15 at pp. 2–3 and Sony, No. 8 at p. 2)
NRDC commented that to the extent a
TV has a ‘‘forced’’ set up menu; the test
should be performed on the TV as
shipped after selecting the home picture
setting in the menu. (NRDC, No. 5 at p.
3) CERC believes that the test procedure
should focus on the energy
consumption of TVs in the home picture
setting due to the difference in room
lighting and energy consumption of TVs
in retail and home settings. (CERC, No.
10 at p. 3) CEA commented that DOE
should not require testing of other
preset viewing settings because it is
time consuming and will not yield
useful information because consumer
viewing habits are unknown and preset
viewing settings are not standard across
manufacturers. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 5)
In this NOPR, DOE is proposing that
luminance measurements be taken in
both the home and retail picture
settings, and that power measurements
(for TVs without ABC enabled) only be
taken in the home picture setting. As
many interested parties commented,
most consumers do not switch their TVs
out of the picture setting in which they
are shipped. Therefore, requiring power
measurements in the retail picture
setting or any other alternative picture
settings may cause unnecessary burden
on manufacturers by increasing testing
time. A luminance measurement in both
the home and retail picture setting must
still be taken in order to generate a
luminance ratio, which is utilized by
other regulatory programs such as
ENERGY STAR. However, DOE is also
considering testing on mode energy
consumption in picture settings other
than the home picture setting. DOE is
aware of some TVs that are equipped
with remotes that have easy-to-access
shortcuts that enable the user to switch
from the home picture setting to other
preset picture settings (sport, vivid,
movie, etc.), without requiring that the
user enter the main menu. Although
interested parties commented that
consumers do not switch between
picture settings, DOE believes that if TV
remotes are designed with shortcuts to
switch between preset picture settings,
more consumers may do so, either
accidently or intentionally. For this
reason, DOE is considering whether this
should be taken into account in the test
procedure. In particular, DOE is
considering testing on mode energy
consumption in some of these
additional preset picture settings.
Possible approaches could include
testing in the highest and lowest energy
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consuming preset picture settings, while
displaying the IEC 62087–20011
dynamic broadcast-content video signal,
or the brightest and dimmest preset
picture settings. An additional approach
could include testing in all preset
picture settings. DOE invites comments
on testing in additional preset picture
settings, particularly the balance
between a representative and not overly
burdensome test procedure. (See Issue 4
in section V.E ‘‘Issues On Which DOE
Seeks Comment’’).
2. Testing Order
In today’s NOPR, DOE is proposing to
require that testing be conducted in the
following order: luminance, on mode
power, standby mode power, and off
mode power tests. This is not consistent
with the test procedure prescribed in
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3, which specifies
on mode tests be conducted prior to
luminance tests. DOE is aware that some
TVs are unable to operate in the retail
picture setting once the TV has been
switched into the home picture setting.
Therefore, it is necessary to measure
luminance in the retail picture setting
before switching to the home picture
setting to ensure that the retail picture
setting luminance is captured. For this
reason, DOE is proposing to perform
luminance testing prior to on mode
power testing in section 5.3.1
(luminance test) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. DOE does
not believe that this alternative testing
order will increase the testing burden or
cause any issues with test results, but
will ensure that all TVs are adequately
tested in each prescribed mode.
3. Luminance
Although IEC 62087–2011 does not
include a luminance test, ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3 requires a test of the screen
luminance. The luminance test is
included to ensure that TVs are not
shipped in an overly dim picture setting
in order to achieve a lower measured on
mode power value, since under
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 TVs are tested in
‘‘as shipped’’ condition. In the 2010 RFI,
DOE asked interested parties for
comments on multiple facets of
luminance testing. Specifically, DOE
requested input on (a) whether testing
luminance should be required, and (b)
the different display patterns that can be
used to adequately test luminance. 75
FR 54048, 54049. Many interested
parties provided feedback regarding the
need for luminance testing. Several
interested parties supported luminance
testing. NRDC stated that screen
luminance is important to include in the
test procedure because it often has a
direct impact on TV on mode power use
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and future energy conservation
standards might include these
parameters in the rulemaking; thus,
including a test for screen luminance
would allow policy makers the ability to
add luminance requirements to their
standards. (NRDC, No. 5 at pp. 2–3) It
further clarified that the luminance test
method should include details on (a) the
video signal being used; (b) the type of
instrument and its precision; (c) the
angle and location of the measurement
points; and (d) the ambient lighting
conditions, if necessary. (NRDC, No. 5 at
p. 5) Finally, NRDC stated that it
believes the DOE luminance testing
could require: (a) Testing in ‘‘as
shipped’’ conditions in home or retail
picture settings; (b) ability to measure
either a luminance ratio or a power
ratio; and (c) TVs to be set at a specified
luminance prior to measurement.
(NRDC, No. 5 at pp. 3–4)
LG supported the ENERGY STAR
luminance test method, which involves
measuring the luminance while
displaying the IEC 62087–2011 three bar
video signal. This test is conducted
twice, once while the TV is in the home
picture setting and again when the TV
is in the retail picture setting. After both
measurements are taken, the ratio of the
two luminance measures is calculated.
LG believes that it is an acceptable and
representative measure of luminance
and provides consistency across state
and federal programs. (LG, No. 3 at p.
1) SHARP does not support luminance
testing, but asserts that, if DOE must
define a luminance measurement
procedure, it should follow the ENERGY
STAR v. 4.1 (which remained
unchanged in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3) test
procedure in detail. (SHARP, No. 14 at
p. 5) Similarly, Sony believes that the
luminance requirement as defined by
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 is an unnecessary
test, but finds the method itself provides
a rather simple solution to a complex
subject. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 2)
Alternatively, CEA and some
manufacturers strongly opposed
requiring a luminance measurement,
with primary arguments including that
default TV picture settings are not too
dim, and DOE should not regulate a
performance metric. CEA stated that a
luminance requirement is unnecessary,
premature and essentially not energy
related. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 3) CEA also
commented that any proposal to impose
limits on luminance and/or tie
luminance levels to power levels is
speculative and a performance
requirement should not be embedded
within the test procedure as it may not
be authorized by EPCA. (CEA, No. 13 at
p. 4) Mitsubishi stated that DOE should
not set standards that assure that
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products meet a certain consumer
utility. (Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p. 3) CEA
noted that DOE should not include a
luminance requirement, but if a
luminance test is included it should
mirror the test outlined in ENERGY
STAR v. 4.1 (which, as noted above,
remained unchanged in ENERGY STAR
v. 5.3). (CEA, No. 13 at p. 4) According
to CEA, data indicates that consumers
maintain the default settings of the TVs,
and, therefore, retail picture settings are
not relevant to those consumer viewing
habits. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 3) Sony also
commented that, after thoroughly
reviewing its call center data, it found
no complaint of dim pictures, which
was DOE’s reasoning for including a
luminance test. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 1)
Sony commented that the test procedure
should measure power and should not
be a luminance test procedure. (Sony,
No. 8 at p. 4) Mitsubishi commented
that manufacturers will not produce
TVs with dim home picture settings,
because this would create poor reviews
and high return rates. Mitsubishi further
believes it is undesirable for
manufacturers in this industry to sell a
TV that is too dim because there are
very tight margins. (Mitsubishi, No. 7 at
p. 2) Panasonic believes that a
regulation on luminance is not required
since manufacturer competition
discourages the shipping of dim TVs.
(Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 1) Panasonic
affirmed that the luminance testing in
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 was adopted as a
solution to prevent only the remote
possibility of the TVs being shipped too
dim. (Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 2)
SHARP stated that DOE should not
specify a luminance measurement and
observed that the 65 percent home to
retail ratio required by ENERGY STAR
specifications may be encouraging TVs
to have a brighter home picture setting
than they otherwise would. SHARP did
not believe that setting a lower bound
for luminance would address the issue
of shipping a TV too dim to decrease its
power consumption for home mode
testing. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 3) SHARP
wrote that IEC did not set luminance
requirements because manufacturers
will not ship overly dim TVs and risk
product returns. Additionally, SHARP
commented that there is no consensus
on how to measure brightness levels,
and setting a lower bound on home
mode brightness is a performance
requirement rather than an energy
requirement. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 2)
SHARP further noted that if
performance requirements force
minimum luminance levels to be set too
high, potential energy savings are lost.
(SHARP, No. 14 at p. 3) Lastly, SHARP
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commented that any static video signal
can be detected and circumvented, and
therefore DOE should not implement a
luminance measurement. (SHARP, No.
14 at p. 3) It stated that IEC 62087–2008
(which is the same as IEC 62087–2011)
was not based on prescribed luminance
levels for the following reasons:
(1) Consumers generally do not adjust their
TVs from the default settings,
(2) Relatively few consumers have their
TVs professionally calibrated,
(3) There is no consensus on how to
measure perceived brightness levels,
(4) Perceived brightness is often related to
contrast ratio as it is related to pure
brightness,
(5) Some TV technologies have a nonlinear relationship between power and
brightness,
(6) Variation in consumer illuminance
levels make the ideal brightness difficult to
determine, and
(7) Humans have poor acuity for discerning
absolute brightness levels, and there is no
data that identifies the level of brightness to
which the average person would adjust a
television by hand. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 2)
In this NOPR, DOE is proposing to
include a luminance test as part of its
test procedure. In recognition of
interested parties’ concerns, DOE
clarifies that the proposed luminance
test is included in the test procedure
solely for the purpose of supporting the
ENERGY STAR program; the
Department is not proposing to include
the luminance measurements in its final
metrics for measuring the energy
efficiency or consumption of TVs.
Including a luminance test as part of the
test procedure for TVs will allow other
programs such as ENERGY STAR to
utilize the results. The sections, below,
describe the different aspects of this
proposal, as well as comments from
interested parties on these aspects.
a. Warm-Up and Stabilization
As mentioned in section III.E.2,
above, DOE is proposing to require that
luminance tests be conducted prior to
on mode testing. Due to the change in
luminance testing order (conducting
testing in the retail picture setting prior
to the home mode picture setting), DOE
considered both warming-up the TV
with respect to power and stabilizing
the TV for luminance. However, in
today’s notice, DOE is proposing that
the TV be warmed-up but not be
stabilized prior to measuring display
luminance.
IEC 62087–2011 and ENERGY STAR
v. 5.3 both require that the TV be
warmed-up prior to energy
measurement but do not include a
recommended or minimal time period.
Rather, they state that energy
measurements be taken ‘‘after the TV
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has achieved a stable condition with
respect to power consumption.’’ With
respect to luminance testing, ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3 requires the three bar video
signal be displayed for 10 minutes to
stabilize a TV prior to conducting a
measurement. DOE received comments
from interested parties on the
appropriate time required to warm-up
and stabilize a TV prior to conducting
testing. 75 FR 54048, 54051
Mitsubishi commented that
measurements of power consumption
should be taken after the TV has
reached normal operating temperature.
(Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p. 5) Mitsubishi
further commented that warm-up times
vary by model and it is difficult to
identify a minimally sufficient warm-up
time, but it is also unnecessary. It
continued by adding that it is sufficient
to require that before testing begins, the
device under test has reached thermal
equilibrium, and that the test procedure
need not indicate a specific time but
rather a minimum. (Mitsubishi, No. 7 at
p. 6) PG&E and California IOUs stated
that the warm-up time should be
sufficient to reflect real-world
conditions while also aiming not to be
too long so as to become overly
burdensome. (PG&E, No.12 at p. 3;
California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 3) SHARP,
Sony, Panasonic, and CEA
recommended that DOE refer to the IEC
62087–2008 test procedure for warm-up
periods. The warm-up periods remained
unchanged in IEC 62087–2011. (SHARP,
No 14 at p. 7; Sony, No. 8 at p. 3;
Panasonic, No. 6 at p.7; CEA, No. 13 at
p. 7)
DOE acknowledges all stakeholder
comments and is proposing to
incorporate language that the TV be
warmed-up consistent with that in IEC
62087–2011, with the addition of a
minimum warm-up period requirement.
In this NOPR, DOE is proposing TVs be
warmed-up using the IEC 62087–2011
dynamic broadcast-content video signal
for at least one hour in section 5.2
(warm-up) of appendix H to subpart B
of 10 CFR part 430. DOE conducted
testing to determine if this warm-up was
appropriate.15 Although the power did
not change drastically over the one hour
for any of the TVs tested, DOE believes
that because no interested party
commented on the desire to reduce the
duration, a one hour warm-up period
was still appropriate. DOE will further
propose that the TVs can be warmed-up
for longer than one hour if the TV does
15 The warm up period data can be found on the
DOE Web site: Appliance and Commercial
Equipment Standards: Television Sets. U.S.
Department of Energy. August 2, 2011. https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html.
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not reach a stable state with respect to
power consumption within the one hour
time period. DOE is defining a stable
state as an average power measurement
over the 10 minute test clip that varies
by less than 2 percent on consecutive
plays. DOE believes that by establishing
a minimum warm-up period, the test
results will be more consistent, because
all TVs will be warmed up for an
identical time period. Further, DOE
testing indicates that the majority of TVs
will stabilize within one hour. DOE also
consulted with industry subject matter
experts 16 who had similar findings.17
Although DOE plans to specify that a
one hour warm-up period be used, there
is flexibility to utilize a longer warm-up
period for the TV to reach a stable
energy consuming state. For luminance
stabilization, DOE is not proposing that
the TV be stabilized prior to conducting
luminance measurements, rather that
luminance measurements be taken
immediately upon displaying the three
bar video signal. Luminance
measurements are made immediately to
prevent automatic image correction
programs from revising the luminance
of the observed test pattern.
DOE received a comment from
Panasonic recommending that DOE
adopt the luminance measurement test
procedure in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3,
which requires that luminance be
measured immediately following the on
mode test, ensuring that the TV is
sufficiently stabilized with respect to
power prior to conducting the
luminance test. Panasonic also stated
that it does not object to increasing the
10 minute stabilization periods if it is
felt to be necessary. (Panasonic, No. 6 at
p. 7) No other interested parties
commented on the topic.
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 requires that the
TV display the three bar video signal for
10 minutes prior to conducting a
luminance measurement. As part of
today’s NOPR, DOE is proposing to
require that luminance measurements
be taken immediately after displaying
the IEC 62087–2011 dynamic broadcastcontent video signal from the warm-up
period in section 5.4.1 of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. DOE
conducted extensive research to
16 Keith Jones, Managing Director, Australian
Digital Testing and Bob Harrison, Principal
Scientist, UK Government Market Transformation
Programme Consumer Electronics and Information
and Communication Technologies.
17 The stabilization period can be seen to stabilize
within one hour based on the data found in the
Luminance Period document which can be found
on the DOE Web site: Appliance and Commercial
Equipment Standards: Television Sets. U.S.
Department of Energy. August 2, 2011. https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html.
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determine the appropriate stabilization
period and has preliminarily
determined that taking luminance
measurements immediately after
displaying the IEC 62087–2011 dynamic
broadcast-content video signal is the
most technology neutral method.18
DOE’s research also found that the
luminance of some TV technologies
drops as the same image remains on the
screen and luminance with other TV
technologies increases as the same
image remains on the screen.19 Taking
an immediate measurement helps to
mimic actual operating conditions, in
which images are changing constantly.
Specifically, taking measurements
according to this method ensures that
TVs, particularly plasmas, do not enter
into an automatic brightness limiting
(ABL) state prior to luminance testing.
ABL is a technology that is used on
phosphor based TV screens (CRT and
plasma) that is designed to limit the
luminance of the screen to a level that
will avoid damage to the phosphors.
This type of protection is not necessary
in LCD technology as high luminance
levels cannot cause damage to the
display elements. Measuring the
luminance immediately after displaying
the IEC 62087–2011 dynamic broadcastcontent video signal, without allowing a
substantial period of delay, will ensure
that TVs do not require additional
stabilization time while displaying the
IEC 62087–2011 three bar video signal
which would result in some TVs
entering an ABL state. This method will
promote more consistent testing across
products. Taking measurements
according to this method also ensures
that TVs, particularly LCDs with cold
cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL)
technology, have been stabilized. DOE
welcomes comments on the stabilization
and warm-up periods proposed in this
NOPR. (See Issue 6 in section V.E
‘‘Issues On Which DOE Seeks
Comment’’).
b. Method for Testing Luminance
As mentioned above, many TVs have
multiple preset viewing settings. Again,
the retail picture setting is typically
used in showrooms, whereas the home
picture setting is intended to be more
suited for typical home viewing
conditions. ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 uses
a luminance ratio test that compares
18 The appropriate stabilization period and drop
off in luminance compared to time can be seen in
the Luminance Stabilization Period document
found on the DOE Web site: Appliance and
Commercial Equipment Standards: Television Sets.
U.S. Department of Energy. August 2, 2011.
https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html.
19 Id.
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these two picture settings. However,
DOE is aware of alternative methods for
ensuring that the TV does not have an
overly dim home picture setting such as
power ratios and absolute luminance
measurements, and therefore in the
2010 RFI, DOE requested feedback on
testing by using luminance ratios, power
ratios and absolute luminance. 75 FR
54048, 54049.
Many commenters believed that
power cannot be measured to determine
the brightness of the TV. Panasonic
commented that the relationship
between power and luminance is often
non-linear and is highly variable
between TV technologies, specifically in
TVs with ‘‘local dimming’’ and ‘‘power
on demand’’. Panasonic believes that
this non-linear relationship makes a
power ratio an unfair measurement of
screen brightness. Panasonic believes
that the measurement of the power
would not result in the goal of
determining whether a TV is ‘‘too dim.’’
(Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 2) Panasonic
commented that though they recognized
all of DOE’s concerns pertaining to a
luminance ratio, they support its
inclusion in the test procedure.
(Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 2) Mitsubishi
commented that different display
technologies have different luminance
and power characteristics, and these
two aspects of TVs should not be
conflated. Mitsubishi also noted that
luminance variation across the screen is
unrelated to energy consumption.
(Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p. 2) Mitsubishi
also believes that measuring power
rather than a luminance ratio does not
satisfy the ‘‘goal’’ of preventing
manufacturers from producing devices
that are not useful in the home picture
setting. (Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p. 3)
Finally, Mitsubishi commented that
some TV display technologies have a
power consumption that correlates
significantly with the content displayed
rather than the display luminance.
(Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p. 3) SHARP stated
that a fixed luminance level is not
prescribed for power measurements
made with CEA–2037–2009 and IEC
62087–2008 (nor in IEC 62087–2011),
and therefore DOE does not need to
implement a luminance measurement.
(SHARP, No. 14 at p. 3) Sony also does
not support measuring power
consumption at prescribed luminance
levels or picture settings. Sony believes
that picture settings are performance
settings and are not directly tied to
luminance. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 2)
CEC presented an alternative method
for using power to ensure the TV is not
shipped in an overly dim picture
setting. CEC suggested that a power ratio
be taken between home and retail
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picture settings. The home picture
setting would be used for compliance
when the ratio was closer to one, while
a weighted result of home and retail
picture settings power would be used as
the power deviates from one. (CEC, No.
15 at p. 2) NRDC suggested that DOE
improve the ENERGY STAR luminance
test by establishing a minimum screen
luminance for all presets in the set up
menu. The method would require the
lab technician to record the screen
brightness that was measured prior to
running the on mode power test with
the IEC 62087–2008 dynamic broadcastcontent video signal, which is the same
as the IEC 62087–2011 dynamic
broadcast-content video signal. (NRDC,
No. 5 at p. 4) NRDC also urged DOE to
ensure that all measurements for ratios
should be made identically. (NRDC, No.
5 at p. 5)
SHARP also suggested an alternative
method for ensuring that TVs are
shipped in a picture setting that satisfies
consumer viewing desires. SHARP
commented that DOE should set a
requirement based on a ‘‘floor,’’ which
would be a fixed percentage of the
power of the most consumptive setting,
and recommends that the floor be 40
percent of the most power consuming
setting. This approach will help ensure
that home picture setting is not overly
dim as well as cap the maximum power
consumption of a TV regardless of the
picture setting. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 5)
SHARP supports the maximum power
ratio approach, given that the allowable
home to retail picture settings power
ratio is no more than 40 percent. SHARP
believes that unlike the luminance ratio
approach, which is a performance
requirement, setting a threshold for
reported power is part of the power
measurement process. (SHARP, No. 14
at p. 3) P.R. China suggests
implementing an efficiency ratio of the
output power and input power that
includes luminance in the nominator,
multiplied by the screen size, and
divided by the input power. (China, No.
16 at p. 3)
PG&E, California IOUs, and CEC
requested a flexible test procedure with
respect to luminance. PG&E and
California IOUs recommended that the
test procedure be designed so that
policy-makers could consider
luminance or power ratios between
different preset picture settings. (PG&E,
No. 12 at p. 2; California IOUs, No. 9 at
p. 2) CEC urged DOE to adopt a test
procedure which includes both power
and luminance testing at a minimum
picture setting and the retail picture
setting, but provides enough flexibility
that the policy makers can decide how
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these numbers are used to set standards.
(CEC, No. 15 at p. 2)
Interested parties also offered
comments discouraging the possible
inclusion of an absolute luminance
measurement. Panasonic believes that
absolute luminance does not provide
enough data to determine if the TV is
providing a ‘‘satisfactory consumer
viewing.’’ Panasonic noted that many
TV calibrators and video post
production engineers consider the
contrast ratio to be more important than
absolute luminance. (Panasonic, No. 6 at
p. 2) Panasonic also commented that
when measuring luminance, the method
must provide accurate results across all
technologies, which is much easier with
a ratio than with absolute luminance
measurements. (Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 2)
Finally, Panasonic commented that
using a relative ratio is more tolerant of
non-calibrated luminance meters,
measurement distances and angles and
the measurement location because the
error cancels out between the two
measurements. (Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 3)
In this NOPR, DOE is proposing
measuring luminance to allow the
ENERGY STAR program to utilize the
measurement in section 5.3.1
(luminance test) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. As
mentioned in section III.E.1 above, DOE
is proposing to test the TV in home and
retail picture settings. DOE is proposing
to include a luminance ratio, as is done
in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. DOE believes
that by taking a ratio, less error is
introduced than if taking an absolute
luminance measurement. Further, ratios
have been used in many other TV
efficiency measures. For example,
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 requires that
home picture setting shall not be less
than 65 percent of the peak luminance
of the retail picture setting. The
European Parliament requires a
luminance ratio of at least 65 percent in
the Commission Delegated Regulation
(EU) No. 642/2009. Australia’s
government requires a 50 percent
luminance ratio in AS/NZS
62087.2.2:201. Although DOE does not
currently intend to include the
luminance measurements in its final
metrics for measuring energy efficiency
or consumption, testing for a luminance
ratio will allow DOE’s TVs test
procedure to support the requirements
of the ENERGY STAR Program and
allow other regulating bodies to include
a luminance ratio in their test
procedures. DOE invites comments on
luminance testing and including a
luminance ratio. (See Issue 5 in section
V.E ‘‘Issues On Which DOE Seeks
Comment’’).
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c. Video Signals
To test luminance, ENERGY STAR v.
5.3 requires that a static video signal be
displayed, and a measurement be taken
using an LMD. In the 2010 RFI, DOE
asked for comments on the use of two
video signals: The IEC 62087–2008 three
bar video signal, which is the same as
the IEC 62087–2011 three bar video
signal, and the Chinese TV test
procedure’s nine point video signal
(hereafter referred to as the nine point
video signal). 75 FR 54048, 54050. As
mentioned, IEC 62087–2011 does not
require luminance testing, whereas
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 requires that a
single luminance measurement be taken
while the TV is displaying the three bar
video signal.
DOE believes that an ideal TV
luminance video signal should
represent actual broadcast content as
closely as possible so that the measured
luminance is an accurate reflection of
the luminance produced under realworld operating conditions and is
technology-neutral. DOE recognizes that
it is possible that an ideal video signal
may vary depending on the purpose for
which it will be used. DOE envisions
that the three bar luminance video
signal proposed in today’s NOPR would
be used as part of a luminance ratio. The
table below lists the various video
signals that DOE is considering as well
as their perceived advantages and
disadvantages. It should be noted that a
number of stakeholder comments
appear to equate the number of white
areas in the video signal with the
number of measurements. DOE wishes
to clarify that these are two separate
issues (for example, the nine point
video signal could be used to test at
anywhere between one and nine points);
the number of measurements and
related test burden are discussed in a
following section. Any of the following
video signals could be measured at a
single point or multiple points.
Three key features of plasma TV
technology impact the brightness of
white areas on their screens. These
features, therefore, need to be taken into
consideration in evaluating and
selecting an appropriate technologyneutral video signal. Most plasma
technology TVs limit brightness for very
bright parts of the screen. As mentioned
above, this feature called ABL is
intended to protect the screen. Although
the intention of ABL is to protect the
screen, ABL functions differently across
TVs. The protection is, however,
generally based on the size of the bright
area. For very small areas such as tiny
spots seen on firework displays, ABL is
likely to have little effect and the spots,
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therefore, will be very bright. The larger
the white area, the more ABL tends to
be applied. The second type of
protection is when a static picture is
detected with bright (and maybe not so
bright) areas. After several minutes of a
static image the brightness may be
decreased to try to eliminate phosphor
image burn. The third protection mode
operates when the whole screen is
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bright: To protect plasma drive circuits,
the power, and thus also the luminance,
tend to be limited. What is being
observed is the image burning
protection.
DOE recognizes that none of the video
signals currently under consideration is
ideal. Each has advantages and
disadvantages which are described
below. Until a markedly improved video
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signal is made available, DOE is not
inclined to change the status quo. DOE
understands that IEC is contemplating a
pattern with a dynamic video signal
which may have significant advantages.
DOE supports IEC’s development of this
potentially improved pattern and would
consider incorporating it in future TV
test procedures.
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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DOE received comments on each of
the video signals (see sections, below),
described above as well as alternative
suggestions for luminance testing,
including the number of measurements
to take while displaying a particular
video signal. In response to
commenters’ concerns, DOE considered
20 This pattern was created using the IEC 62087–
2011 dynamic content video signal with black and
white squares in the center of the screen as
measurement points.
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multiple video signals when developing
its NOPR. DOE considered the three bar,
the nine point, and a DOE developed
dynamic video signal. In this NOPR,
DOE is proposing to test luminance
using the three bar video signal in
section 5.3.1.2 (three bar video signal
measurement) of appendix H to subpart
B of 10 CFR part 430, but is also
considering using the other two signals.
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i. Three Bar Video Signal
The three bar video signal was
developed by the IEC and published in
the third edition of its TV broadcast
transmission test procedure, IEC 60107–
1997 Ed. 3.0 ‘‘Methods of measurement
on receivers for TV broadcast
transmissions—Part 1: General
considerations—Measurements at radio
and video frequencies.’’ The three bar
video signal is found in IEC 62087–
2011, and is used to measure luminance
in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. It is the most
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widely used video signal for measuring
luminance. The three bar video signal
produces three equidistant vertical
white bars on a black background. The
width of each of these bars is 1⁄6 of the
nominal horizontal width of the picture.
The three bar video signal has an APL
of 50 percent. A higher APL can cause
some plasma TVs to enter more quickly
into a power limiting state to prevent
screen burn-in caused by displaying a
bright screen for an extended period of
time.
In response to the 2010 RFI, many
commenters expressed desire for DOE to
use the three bar video signal for testing
luminance. CERC, CEA, Sony,
Mitsubishi, and Panasonic supported
the use of the three bar video signal.
(CERC, No. 10 at p. 3; CEA, No. 13 at
p. 4; Sony, No. 8 at p. 2; Mitsubishi, No.
7 at p. 3; Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 3)
Mitsubishi believes that the three bar
video signal is adequate. (Mitsubishi,
No. 7 at p. 4) Sony commented that the
3-bar test pattern is used in IEC and
ENERGY STAR test procedures.
Changing it will add complexity to an
already complex subject. (Sony, No. 8 at
p. 2) CEA stated that DOE should
institute the ENERGY STAR test method
of using the three-bar measurement
procedure. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 4)
Panasonic supports the use of the 3 bar
pattern, as it is used by ENERGY STAR,
CEA, CEC, and Australia. (Panasonic,
No. 6 at p. 3)
Conversely, SHARP commented that
the three bar video signal is ineffective
for plasma TVs, giving an advantage to
the technology and is not necessarily
‘‘unpredictable for LED backlit TVs,’’ as
DOE stated in the 2010 RFI. (SHARP,
No. 14 at p. 4)
Although DOE is proposing that
luminance testing be conducted with
the three bar video signal, DOE
acknowledges that there are drawbacks
associated with its use. The APL of the
three bar video signal is 50 percent,
which is greater than that of typical
broadcast content. The three bar video
signal also does not have a reference
point to vertically center the luminance
meter readings which requires
additional time to establish where the
measurement should be taken. Another
drawback to the three bar video signal
is a static video signal which is not
representative of typical TV program
content. The final disadvantage to the
three bar video signal is that it results
in a quick ABL for plasma TVs due to
the amount of white space on the
screen. Although, the three bar video
signal has disadvantages, DOE is
currently unaware of a truly technology
neutral video signal that isn’t affected
by the type of TV technology. Video
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signals can have differing affects on TV
technologies resulting in higher power
consumption in some technologies and
lower power consumption in other
technologies. Because the three bar
video signal is the current industry
standard, it is used as a basis for
comparison for the other video signals
considered in the sections below.
ii. Nine Point Video Signal
The nine point video signal is used in
the Chinese TV test procedure ICS
27.010. The video signal was developed
to measure variations in luminance
across the screen and account for local
dimming. This video signal consists of
nine white rectangular boxes
symmetrically arranged in a three by
three grid. The nine point video signal
is also a static video signal which does
not improve upon the current three bar
video signal and can also result in some
ABL for plasma TVs. The average APL
for the nine point video signal is 17
percent which is lower than typical
broadcast content. (P.R. China, No. 16 at
p. 3) Because the nine point video signal
has a lower APL than the three bar
video signal, it alters the luminance
ratio between home and retail picture
settings for some TVs which would
force policy makers to alter their
respective luminance ratio
requirements. DOE found that at least
four different plasma TVs, which would
have met ENERGY STAR requirements
for luminance ratio with the three bar
video signal, had a ratio below 65
percent when displaying the nine point
video signal.
Panasonic discouraged DOE from
using the nine point video signal and
Digital Video Essential (DVE) window (a
VESA industry video signal) because
Panasonic believes these patterns do not
prevent some TVs from power limiting;
therefore they are not technology
neutral. Panasonic did not provide any
comment on how the video signals
impact the TV’s power limiting.
(Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 4)
Alternatively, P.R. China
recommended that DOE utilize the nine
point video signal because the APL is 17
percent, it is technology neutral, and it
accounts for non-uniform screen
luminance. (P.R. China, No. 16 at p. 3)
DOE conducted various tests utilizing
the nine point video signal. After
interpreting data, the absolute
luminance values obtained while using
the DOE nine point video signal were
generally higher in the retail picture
setting and lower in the home picture
setting than those obtained while using
the three bar video signal, particularly
in plasma TVs. DOE believes these
results can be attributed to the lower
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APL of the nine point video signal,
which prevents the TV from quickly
entering ABL. This video signal might
than disproportionately disadvantage
plasma TVs. DOE also determined that
changing the video signal will also
impact the luminance ratio. Due to the
change in absolute luminance values
obtained while using the DOE nine
point video signal, luminance ratios
generally decreased for plasma TVs
when compared to displaying the three
bar video signal. DOE did not find any
other major trends in size or brand for
the TVs in which the ratio differed
when using the nine point video signal
as opposed to the three bar video signal.
Due to the reasons stated above, DOE
has determined not to propose utilizing
the nine point video signal in this
NOPR.
iii. DOE Five Point Video Signal
As mentioned above, DOE developed
a five point video signal that has an APL
identical to typical consumer broadcast
content (34 percent). This video signal
is based largely on the VESA five point
video signal and consists of five white
rectangular boxes arranged with one box
in the center of the screen and one box
in each corner.
Upon testing, DOE found that the
absolute luminance values obtained
while using the DOE five point video
signal were generally lower than those
obtained while using the three bar video
signal. DOE believes these results are
due to the fact that the five
measurements took into account the
perimeter of the screen which is
typically dimmer than the center.
Similar to the nine point and the VESA
five point video signal, this can also be
attributed to the location of the
measurements taken, as the center of the
screen is typically brighter than the
edges. With testing, DOE determined
that this video signal also displayed
some ABL for some plasma TVs
regardless of the fact that the APL is 34
percent. DOE did not find any major
trends in size or brand for the TVs in
which the ratio differed when using the
DOE five point video signal as opposed
to the three bar video signal other than
changes in the luminance ratio for some
TVs.
iv. DOE Dynamic Video Signal
Finally, DOE is interested in the
development of a video signal that it
believes may be more representative of
actual consumer use, and may be more
technology neutral. A technology
neutral video signal was requested by
numerous interested parties in response
to DOE’s 2010 RFI.
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Some interested parties expressed a
general desire for a technology neutral
video signal or one that has an APL
more similar to the IEC 62087–2008
dynamic broadcast-content video signal,
which is the same as the IEC 62087–
2011 dynamic broadcast-content video
signal. PG&E and California IOUs
encouraged DOE to develop a video
signal that has an APL that is more
similar to the IEC 62087–2008 dynamic
broadcast-content video signal than the
three bar video signal. This will help
ensure that the luminance
measurements are more reflective of
actual TV usage. (PG&E, No. 12 at p. 2;
California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 2) PG&E and
the California IOUs also commented
that the video signal should not favor
one type of display technology over
another. (PG&E, No. 12 at p. 2;
California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 2) Panasonic
agreed that the goal of a technology
neutral video signal is certainly
appropriate, though they feel that such
a pattern has been elusive. (Panasonic,
No. 6 at p. 3) NRDC encourages DOE to
track the IEC development effort that is
in progress, because IEC may be
considering a potentially more
technology neutral video signal
including the nine point video signal
used in China. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 4)
Finally, CEC supported DOE’s
investigation to identify a suitable video
signal and recommends one that has an
APL close to that of the IEC 62087–2008
dynamic broadcast-content video signal.
(CEC, No. 15 at p. 2) P. R. China agrees
that an alternative video signal with an
APL more similar to the IEC 62087–
2008 dynamic broadcast-content video
signal should be developed. (P.R. China,
No. 16 at p. 3) P.R. China suggests that
TVs be adjusted using the ‘‘8-gray scale
mode’’ and then be tested using the nine
point video signal. (P.R. China, No. 16
at p. 3)
Panasonic also suggested alternative
language found in the EuP 642/2009 21
to conduct luminance testing. The EuP
642/2009 allows for different video
signals for various TV technologies and
only specifies that the video signal must
be a ‘‘full screen,’’ which does not
exceed the APL point where power
limiting occurs. (Panasonic, No. 6 at p.
3) Panasonic commented that the
European Union recognizes that each
technology has a different, non-linear
methodology for determining the
brightness of individual images and
therefore has prescribed different video
21 Directive 2005/32/EC of the European
Parliament and of the Council with regard to
ecodesign requirements for televisions https://eurlex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:
2009:191:0042:0052:EN:PDF>.
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signals for various technologies to meet
the criteria of having a video signal that
is not ‘‘power limiting’’ or dimming the
screen as more pixels are required to be
illuminated. Panasonic believes that
both of these methods are also valid
approaches of measuring luminance.
(Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 3)
Alternatively, Mitsubishi commented
that the APL is irrelevant to the goal of
measuring luminance, which is to
determine if the home picture setting
luminance is overly dim. (Mitsubishi,
No. 7 at p. 3)
To address interested party
comments, DOE’s subject matter
experts 22 have recommended
development of a video signal that
simulates the apparent brightness of a
picture as well as an APL similar to the
IEC 62087–2011 dynamic broadcastcontent video signal. The proposed
video signal would consist of a black
rectangle (with an APL of zero percent)
and a white rectangle (with an APL of
100 percent) placed at the center of the
IEC 62087–2008 dynamic broadcastcontent video signal. These rectangles
will maintain the video signal’s APL at
approximately 34 percent, which is
similar to typical broadcast content.
Each rectangle would be approximately
1 × 1 inch for a 26 inch TV. The purpose
of the small size of the rectangles is to
minimize the overall impact they have
on the APL of the video signal but allow
for a white section to measure the
luminance. Also, to help ensure that the
TV does not detect the squares as
stationary objects, the squares will
alternate places with each other every
minute.
DOE hopes that this video signal will
not unfairly benefit any specific
technology, because it will simulate the
state that the TV enters when displaying
the IEC 62087–2011 dynamic broadcastcontent video signal. This video signal
may also prevent the TV from APL,
because it is a dynamic video signal
which neither the three bar nor nine
point video signal are capable of
preventing.
In summary, DOE understands the
issues associated with the three bar
video signal as well as all static video
signals, but is utilizing the three bar
video signal as the tentative default
video signal for this NOPR while it
continues to investigate other video
signals and receive comments about
them. Although DOE is proposing to
require the three bar video signal, it
would appreciate any comments on
22 Keith Jones, Managing Director, Australian
Digital Testing and Bob Harrison, Principal
Scientist, U.K. Government Market Transformation
Programme ICT and CE products.
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measuring luminance while displaying
either the nine point or dynamic video
signal that DOE also considered for
incorporation in this rulemaking. (See
Issue 7 in section V.E ‘‘Issues On Which
DOE Seeks Comment’’).
d. Number of Luminance Measurements
In addition to the particular video
signal displayed during luminance
testing, the number of measurements
and how those measurements are taken
is important. In the 2010 RFI, DOE
asked for comments on a nine point test
measurement versus a single point test
measurement. 75 FR 54048, 54050.
Given the interested party feedback and
additional testing discussed below, DOE
is proposing to only require a single
point luminance measurement.
In response to the 2010 RFI, many
commenters expressed desire for DOE to
only require one luminance
measurement if a luminance
measurement is required. Mitsubishi
stated that the variation of luminance
across the screen, which they believe is
the purpose of measuring multiple
points while displaying the nine point
video signal, does not relate to the goal
of ensuring that TVs do not have a home
picture setting that is overly dim.
Mitsubishi added that, for this reason,
taking nine measurements using the
nine point video signal adds
unnecessary burden. (Mitsubishi, No. 7
at p. 4) Sony believes that using a video
signal other than the three bar video
signal and measuring multiple points
will add complexity to an already
complex subject. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 2)
Panasonic commented that the nine
point video signal offers no benefit over
the three bar video signal, noting that a
nine points measurement requires more
time, is more difficult to perform, and
is less repeatable. (Panasonic, No. 6 at
p. 3) Sony similarly stated that
manufacturers in China suggested that
measuring luminance while utilizing
the nine point video signal is lengthy
and complex when measuring multiple
points, and it does not provide more
meaningful energy information than
measuring a single point, though Sony
did not explicitly state which Chinese
manufacturers provided this comment.
(Sony, No. 8 at p. 2) CEA also strongly
opposed replacing the single point
luminance measurement with the nine
point video signal measurement,
because taking nine measurements adds
burden without giving more meaningful
results. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 5) SHARP
believes that a single point
measurement is adequate for a ratio test.
SHARP added that the Chinese test
procedure uses a nine point video signal
since it outputs an absolute luminance.
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(SHARP, No. 14 at p. 4) SHARP
commented that a nine point video
signal measurement is much more
expensive than a single, centered
measurement. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 4)
Other commenters urged DOE to
adopt a luminance test that required
multiple measurements, rather than a
single measurement as currently
required in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. PG&E
and California IOUs recommended DOE
collect and analyze data using multiple
point video signals to account for
variations of luminance levels on
different areas of a screen. (PG&E, No.
12 at p. 2; California IOUs, No. 9 at p.
2) PG&E and California IOUs
acknowledged that adding a multiple
measurement video signal will add test
variation; however, they believe that
luminance measurements from multiple
points may be needed. (PG&E, No. 12 at
p. 2; California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 2)
NRDC did not specify a particular video
signal to be used, but they prefer a
method that requires multiple
measurements rather than a single
measurement. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 4)
DOE conducted testing with the nine
point video signal in order to determine
the drawbacks and benefits of
measuring luminance at multiple
locations compared to measuring at only
one point. Testing using this video
signal was conducted using two
separate methods: (1) Perpendicularly
realigning the LMD to the center of each
of the nine white squares (hereinafter
referred to as the DOE nine point
method); and (2) aligning the LMD
perpendicularly with the center white
square, maintaining the LMD fixed
position, and angling the meter to
measure eight off-axis white squares
(hereinafter referred to as the Chinese
nine point method). A distance
luminance measurement is required to
test off-axis measurements, but both a
distance and contact meter can be used
to take the perpendicular
measurements. These nine
measurements can be averaged to arrive
at the overall screen luminance,
ensuring that the brightness across the
entire screen is accounted for in the
measurement. Although the results for
individual points varied across the
screen when measuring luminance at
multiple locations, DOE notes that
measuring the additional locations
would not impact the luminance ratio as
the ratio would remain similar between
TVs. DOE found that each of the
individual measurement points across
the TV screen maintained a similar ratio
in the home and retail picture setting.
DOE therefore believes that its proposed
method of measuring luminance at a
single location is sufficient for this test
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procedure. DOE’s test results show that
the ratio from the average of the nine
locations and only the central location
are exactly the same on all but one TV
tested which had ratios that were within
three percent.23 Because luminance is
calculated as a ratio, multiple location
measurements serve to decrease the
measurement accuracy and repeatability
of measurement.
In summary, DOE is proposing that
only one luminance measurement be
taken in each home and retail picture
setting in section 5.3.1.2 (three bar video
signal measurement) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. Taking
multiple measurements, specifically
with a distance meter, greatly increases
the test burden and this burden
outweighs the potential benefits of
measuring multiple locations around
the screen. Measuring only one location
will also harmonize the DOE test
procedure with other TV test procedures
that manufacturers currently use to
evaluate products. Although DOE is
proposing to only require one
luminance measurement per picture
setting, DOE is seeking comments on
taking a single measurement versus
multiple measurements when testing for
luminance, along with any testing data
that supports or refutes DOE’s proposed
method.
e. Measurement Distances and Angles
for Luminance Testing
In the 2010 RFI, DOE considered
requiring that luminance measurements
be taken at various distances and angles,
rather than perpendicular to the center
of the screen as required by ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3. 75 FR 54048, 54050.
However, after further investigation and
input from interested parties, DOE is
proposing that luminance
measurements be taken perpendicular to
the center of the screen, similar to the
approach in the ENERGY STAR test
procedure.
PG&E and California IOUs believe that
the angle needs to be specifically
defined and that a perpendicular angle
may be appropriate; they also
recommend that DOE acquire test
results using different angles to inform
the decision. (PG&E, No. 12 at p. 2;
California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 2) Sony
questioned the need to measure at
angles and the benefits it provides in a
23 The luminance ratio data indicates that the
ratio from any one particular location (regardless of
location) is similar between home and retail
settings. This data can be found on the DOE Web
site: Appliance and Commercial Equipment
Standards: Television Sets. U.S. Department of
Energy. August 2, 2011. <https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html>.
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test procedure, stating that the optimal
distances to take luminance
measurements are described in the LMD
specifications. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 2)
Similarly, Panasonic recommended that
a single luminance measurement be
taken perpendicular to the center of the
screen. (Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 4) They
believe that the contrast will vary with
the room ambient light and the viewing
angles. (Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 2) CEA
also stated that the measurement
distances and angles are not as
important as making the measurements
in a consistent manner. (CEA, No. 13 at
p. 5) P.R. China measures luminance
from a distance of three times the height
of a high-definition TV screen and four
times the height of a standard display
TV screen because it simulates
consumer viewing conditions. (P.R.
China, No. 16 at p. 4) Finally, SHARP
commented that luminance
measurements at various distances and
angles would only be appropriate if
absolute luminance measurements were
the goal. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 4) SHARP
also commented that a perpendicular
measurement is adequate, if a
luminance measurement is required.
(SHARP, No. 14 at p. 4) SHARP stated
that the correct distance for the
measurement is dictated by the
measurement tool, rather than the TV.
(SHARP, No. 14 at p. 4)
Taking nine perpendicular
measurements using a distance measure
greatly increases testing burden as it
requires that the meter be aligned nine
times, once for the measurement of each
white square. The Chinese nine point
method also increased burden as it
requires nine measurements rather than
a single one. Although the luminance
meter only needs to be positioned once,
the additional off-angle measurements
still increase the burden of the test
method. In addition, the Chinese nine
point method eliminates the ability to
use a contact LMD.
As stated, above, DOE is proposing
that luminance measurements be taken
perpendicular to the center of the screen
in section 5.3.1.1 (LMD setup) of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430. DOE believes that measuring
multiple locations on off-axis angles
will add unnecessary variation to
measurements made, will likely reduce
the repeatability of the test and increase
testing time. DOE is also proposing that
the distance for which these
measurements are taken are in
accordance to the set specifications for
the luminance measurement device,
which can be found in III.D.1.c.ii of this
NOPR.
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4. On Mode
DOE is proposing to use the IEC
62087–2011 on mode test procedure.
This test procedure displays the widely
accepted IEC 62087–2011 dynamic
broadcast-content video signal while the
TV is in the on mode. Consistent with
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3, DOE is
considering testing on mode differently
depending on whether ABC is enabled
or disabled when the TV is shipped. If
the TV is shipped with ABC enabled by
default, the TV would be tested at
multiple room illuminance levels, and if
the TV is without ABC enabled by
default, it would only be tested in the
home picture setting. However, DOE
wishes to continue to encourage
manufacturers to ship TVs with ABC
enabled. Although DOE is proposing to
measure on mode without being
connected to the internet, DOE is also
interested in receiving feedback on
potentially measuring on mode while
the TV is connected to the internet. See
section 11 of this NOPR.
a. IEC 62087–2011 Dynamic BroadcastContent Video Signal
IEC 62087–2011 and ENERGY STAR
v. 5.3 both require the use of the IEC
62087 dynamic broadcast-content video
signal for on mode testing, which is the
same in both the 2008 and 2011
versions of the test procedure. This
video signal displays a variety of clips
that have an average APL equivalent to
typical broadcast content. DOE received
a comment from NRDC supporting the
use of the IEC 62087–2008 dynamic
broadcast-content video signal. (NRDC,
No. 5 at p. 2) Although no other
interested party explicitly stated that the
IEC 62087–2011 dynamic broadcastcontent video signal should be
incorporated, no interested party
opposed the use of the video signal.
Moreover, a number of parties suggested
that the clip should be the basis for any
3D test procedure, affirming its wide
acceptance. In this NOPR, DOE is
proposing that the IEC 62087–2011
dynamic broadcast-content video signal
be used to measure on mode energy
consumption in 2D mode on all TVs.
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b. Testing of Television Sets Shipped
With Automatic Brightness Control
Enabled
ABC is a power saving feature in
which the TV automatically adjusts the
screen luminance to account for the
ambient lighting conditions (room
illuminance). IEC 62087–2011 and
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 require TVs with
ABC enabled by default to be tested
differently than those without ABC
enabled by default. DOE requested
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comment on the method for testing TVs
with ABC enabled by default, as well as
which room illuminance levels are most
appropriate for testing. 75 FR 54048,
54050.
Interested parties were generally in
support of DOE adopting a test
procedure for TVs with ABC enabled by
default. PG&E and California IOUs
commented that appropriate
implementation of an ABC feature for
TVs could result in significant energy
savings. (PG&E, No. 12 at p. 2; California
IOUs, No. 9 at p. 2) PG&E and California
IOUs urged DOE to adopt a repeatable
and representative method for
measuring energy consumption of TVs
with ABC enabled by default, stating
that this should be a key area of focus
for DOE. (PG&E, No. 12 at pp. 2–3;
California IOUs, No. 9 at pp. 2–3) PG&E
and California IOUs have observed that
the on mode power consumption
reported to EPA drops by an average of
24 percent when testing with the ABC
feature enabled. They obtained this data
by comparing 18 specific TV models
that did not have the ABC feature
enabled on the August 2010 EPA
product list, but did have it enabled on
the September 2010 list. (PG&E, No. 12
at p. 3; California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 3)
NRDC also supported the inclusion of a
method to test TVs with ABC enabled
by default, stating that when designed
properly, the ABC feature can provide
low cost means of delivering significant
energy savings. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 5)
NRDC further commented that many
TVs have ABC as a means to comply
with the new, more stringent ENERGY
STAR 4.1 specifications as well as
standards in California and elsewhere
that are also likely to be effective soon.
(NRDC, No. 5 at p. 5) Sony commented
that the IEC 62087–2008 and ENERGY
STAR v. 4.1 use the proper method to
measure ABC energy consumption, and
in the absence of a better method, DOE
should adopt the same method. (Sony,
No. 8 at pp. 2–3) This same method is
used in IEC 62087–2011 and ENERGY
STAR v. 4.3. SHARP believes that ABC
scaling factors should continue to
encourage adoption of a default-on ABC
feature. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 6)
Panasonic commented that due to
tremendous variability between TV
manufacturers and individual models, it
is difficult to measure the performance
of the ABC features of TVs. (Panasonic,
No. 6 at p. 5) Finally, CEA informed
DOE that it will consider changes to
ABC testing in the next revision of
CEA–2037–2009 and will propose any
change to DOE. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 6)
DOE agrees with the interested parties
that are in support of incorporating TVs
with ABC enabled by default in a test
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procedure. Although some interested
parties disagree with the current method
of measuring ABC energy savings, the
majority of them agreed that testing TVs
with ABC enabled by default was
appropriate. DOE therefore is proposing
to incorporate a test procedure for TVs
with ABC enabled by default in section
5.4 (on mode test for TVs without ABC
enabled by default) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. The
sections below provide details relating
to room illuminance levels and the
method for creating test room
illuminance for purposes of measuring
energy consumption of TVs enabled
with ABC.
i. Test Room Illuminance Levels and
Associated Television Luminance
Levels
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 and IEC 62087–
2011 require that ABC energy
consumption be measured at two test
room illuminance levels, 0 lux and
greater than 300 lux. As mentioned in
the 2010 RFI, a 2009 study conducted
by Ecos Consulting discovered that ABC
is often implemented in a manner that
may not take full advantage of the
potential energy savings.24 In particular,
if implemented incorrectly, ABC may
achieve significant energy savings at the
expense of TV picture quality, reducing
the likelihood that users will actually
enable the feature and achieve the
claimed energy savings. The study
showed that some TVs reduce the
brightness of their displays at 0 lux, and
then increase the brightness
significantly at room illuminance levels
only slightly above 0 lux. Since both IEC
62087–2011 and ENERGY STAR v. 5.3
only measure energy consumption at the
mentioned two luminance levels, the
TV seems to consume less energy than
it does in use, causing results that are
not representative of actual use. DOE
also performed testing with respect to
this issue and rarely observed any kind
of gradual change in screen luminance
in response to changes in room
illuminance.25
DOE conducted testing in mid-2011
on multiple TVs representing various
manufacturers, display technologies,
and screen sizes to understand how TV
24 Calwell, Chris, Mercier, Catherine, & FosterPorter, Suzanne. Assessment of Options for
Improving Energy Efficiency Test Procedures for
Display. https://www.efficientproducts.org/
%5Creports%5Ctvs%5CEcos_Display%20Test
%20Procedure%20Report_FINAL.pdf.
25 The energy consumption at different
illuminance levels while ABC is enabled can be
found on the DOE Web site: Appliance and
Commercial Equipment Standards: Television Sets.
U.S. Department of Energy. August 2, 2011.
https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html.
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continuous fashion as room illuminance
increases (models D and L in 1 below).
DOE’s testing shows that other TVs
with ABC operate in a more binary
fashion (models K and M in 1 below),
holding luminance largely constant
until room illuminance becomes quite
low, and then dropping their luminance
dramatically. This behavior is likely a
consequence of the way ENERGY STAR
currently provides an energy savings
credit to TVs with ABC enabled by
default, since ENERGY STAR currently
only measures at 0 and 300 lux, and not
at any intermediate points.
Sample data from DOE’s testing are
shown in 1. DOE has provided the full
data set for this testing on its Web site.27
DOE has also determined that a
significant number of TVs that currently
implement ABC do so in a way that
yields unusually low screen luminance
values (less than 50 nits) when room
illuminance is at 10 lux or less. Display
experts recommend a minimum
luminance for dark room viewing
conditions of approximately 80 to 137
nits.28 Very low luminance levels help
to reduce energy consumption, but may
yield a display that is so dim that users
would want to disable ABC or modify
room lighting conditions in order to
cause the display to operate at a higher
luminance level. In either case, much of
the desired energy savings from ABC
operation would be lost.
As a result, DOE is seeking comment
from stakeholders regarding whether
there should be a limit to the reduction
in display luminance achieved from
ABC, and how a minimally acceptable
display luminance value should be
established. DOE also received a
number of comments on the appropriate
room illuminance levels at which to
conduct testing.
CEC, PG&E and California IOUs
encouraged DOE to continue to research
room illuminance conditions that are
representative of consumer homes. CEC
supports improvements to ABC testing,
and believes that more appropriate
lighting levels can be derived from
Illuminating Engineering Society of
26 Jones, Keith, Analysis of Television Luminance
and Power Consumption, CLASP, August 2011,
https://www.clasponline.org/en/ResourcesTools/
Resources/StandardsLabelingResourceLibrary/
2011/Analysis-of-tv-luminance-and-powerconsumption.
27 The energy consumption comparison when
ABC is on and off can be found on the DOE Web
site: Appliance and Commercial Equipment
Standards: Television Sets. U.S. Department of
Energy. August 2, 2011. https://www1.eere.
energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/
residential/tv_sets.html.
28 The minimum luminance to which CNET
calibrates televisions for optimal viewing in a dark
room is 137 nits. See https://reviews.cnet.com/how-
we-test/tv/. The Imaging Science Foundation (ISF)
recommends a similar minimum luminance for
dark room viewing conditions. Televisions with an
ISF Expert display mode tested by DOE operated at
a minimum luminance in that mode of 100 to 130
nits. Televisions with a THX display mode tested
by DOE operated a minimum luminance in that
mode of 80 to 95 nits.
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luminance varies with changes in room
illuminance when ABC is enabled.
These measurements largely confirm
those recently conducted by the
Collaborative Labeling and Appliance
Standards Program (CLASP 26),
revealing that some TVs increase their
screen luminance in a steady,
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North America (IESNA) studies. (CEC,
No. 15 at p. 3) PG&E and California
IOUs urged DOE to collect and analyze
luminance and power data with and
without ABC enabled with a range of
room illuminance levels typical of
consumer viewing conditions. (PG&E,
No. 12 at p. 3; California IOUs, No. 9 at
p. 3)
Although some manufactures
suggested that 0 lux should be changed,
manufacturers were generally opposed
to altering the room illuminance levels
at which the TV is tested. Mitsubishi
believes that measuring power at two
levels of illuminance and assuming a
linear relationship between the values is
an approximation at best. (Mitsubishi,
No. 7 at p. 5) They continued by adding
that measuring at four illuminance
points (e.g. 0, 10, 100, and 200 lux)
doubles the testing burden on the lab
making the measurement and does not
ensure a linear relationship between any
of the two points or necessarily make
the power consumption approximation
significantly better. (Mitsubishi, No. 7 at
p. 5) NRDC stated that DOE should
require testing at low, medium and high
room light levels, all at least 100 lux or
brighter, to better represent actual
viewing conditions. (NRDC, No. 5 at p.
5) Further, NRDC asserted that the test
should require the lab technician to
report the power levels, at different
luminance levels, and leave it to the
policy maker to determine the weight at
each level. The test procedure should
also require testing with ABC off.
(NRDC, No. 5 at p. 5) CEA advised
against changing the ENERGY STAR
specification, as testing at additional
luminance levels will not create a more
repeatable and representative test
method without further testing. (CEA,
No. 13 at p. 6) CEA recommends the use
of ENERGY STAR’s ABC test, but
changing ‘‘300 lux or greater’’ to ‘‘300
lux’’ with a reasonable tolerance limit.
(CEA, No. 13 at p. 6) Additionally,
Panasonic noted that if absolute
luminance measurements are required
at various levels other than 0 lux and
greater than 300 lux, it will be difficult
to develop a test method that ensures
accurate and repeatable results across
labs. (Panasonic, No. 6 at pp. 5–6) Sony
believes that accurately capturing light
conditions and energy savings
associated with TVs equipped with ABC
is difficult. Illuminance meters must be
placed in the exact same position and
orientation of the light sensor of the TV,
in order to properly create the desired
illuminance which varies from home to
home and from test lab to test lab. Sony
stated that the lighting conditions are
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outside of the scope of the test
procedure. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 3)
Alternatively, SHARP recommended
that, at a minimum, the low light
condition be increased somewhat above
0 lux, but to determine an appropriate
value, or if additional levels are
required, more data collection and study
is required. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 5)
SHARP also supported the high
illuminance condition being at precisely
300 lux, allowing for some reasonable
tolerance in the measurement condition.
(SHARP, No. 14 at p. 5)
To determine the appropriate
illuminance levels required during on
mode testing for those TVs with ABCenabled by default, DOE analyzed a
Japanese study 29 undertaken by Sony,
Seikei University, Sharp, and Panasonic
pertaining to room illuminance and
ABC. In addition, DOE conducted its
own preliminary room illuminance field
test.30 In 2011, the Japanese study of 77
Japanese homes found that the most
common room illuminance range of
either day or night measurements was
50 to 75 lux, and room illuminance was
100 lux or less in more than 50 percent
of the measurements.
In June 2011, DOE conducted its own
preliminary field tests of room lighting
levels during TV viewing events.31
Room lighting levels and TV power
consumption were logged continuously
over a one-to-two week period in nine
homes. From this data, light levels were
correlated to times when the TV was
actually being watched. Across the nine
homes, the TV was watched for 10
minutes or more 95 times in the period
under consideration. DOE has collated
the logged illuminance levels for each of
those sessions, defined as ‘‘TV viewing
session room illuminance’’
measurements, and found that they
ranged in duration from 10 minutes to
over five hours. Thirty-one, or about
one-third, of the TV viewing sessions
occurred during the day (defined as 6
a.m. to 6 p.m.), and 64, or about twothirds, occurred at night (6 p.m. to 6
a.m.). For daytime measurements, the
range was 0 to 499 lux, with a mean of
116 lux and a median of 81 lux. For
nighttime measurements, the range was
0 to 106 lux, with a mean of 19 lux and
a median of 12 lux. Across all room
illuminance measurements, the mean
29 Matsumoto et al., ‘‘Appropriate Luminance of
LCD Television Screens under Real Viewing
Conditions at Home’’, The SID Digest, (2011).
30 The preliminary field tests of room lighting
levels can be found on the DOE Web site: Appliance
and Commercial Equipment Standards: Television
Sets. U.S. Department of Energy. August 2, 2011.
<https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html>.
31 Id.
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was 51 lux and the median was 17 lux.
More than 90 percent of measurements
had a room illuminance level between
1 and 200 lux, and more than 70 percent
of the measurements had a room
illuminance level between 5 and 100
lux.
In addition to the Japanese study and
its own preliminary study, DOE is also
aware that CLASP recently conducted a
study which assessed how TV energy
consumption is affected by illuminance
levels.32 The CLASP study found that
there is no consistency in the way in
which manufacturers implement ABC
(e.g. automatically adjusting TV
luminance according to the ambient
light levels). The CLASP study
suggested that appropriate room
illuminance levels at which to measure
ABC are: 10, 50, 100, and 300 lux 33 to
properly characterize how ABC
performs.
Given DOE’s preliminary results that
more than 70 percent of measurements
fell between a room illuminance level of
5 and 100 lux, and CLASP’s
recommended room illuminance levels,
DOE is proposing to require testing at
10, 50, 100, and 300 lux illuminance
levels in this NOPR. DOE is proposing
this testing in section 5.5.1 of appendix
H to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430.
These proposed illuminance levels will
help to characterize how TV energy
consumption is altered by ABC, which
is affected by changes in room lighting.
The CLASP study included testing on
forty TVs and investigated the energy
consumption of TVs using ABC at
various illuminance levels. DOE’s own
laboratory testing revealed that
televisions implement ABC differently,
with screen luminance often following a
complex function of room illuminance.
Some televisions exhibit an increase to
nearly full screen luminance slightly
above 0 lux, while others exhibit an ‘‘Sshaped’’ response to room illuminance,
with maximum change occurring
between approximately 50 and 100–150
lux. Having at least three (and ideally
four) measurement points at increasing
room illuminance levels can begin to
capture the shapes of either of these
behaviors that become clearly evident
with larger numbers of measurements.
DOE is not proposing testing at 0 lux,
because it believes that ambient lighting
levels this low are very difficult to
achieve in practice in homes or
32 Jones, Keith. Analysis of Television Luminance
and Power Consumption, CLASP, August 29, 2011,
www.clasponline.org/, <https://
www.clasponline.org/en/ResourcesTools/
Resources/StandardsLabelingResourceLibrary/
2011/Analysis-of-tv-luminance-and-powerconsumption>.
33 Id.
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laboratories when the television is
operating. DOE is only proposing one
point above 100 lux, based on the
limited evidence available from the
Japanese study and its own study (both
referenced above), DOE assumes that
viewing at illuminance levels higher
than 100 lux will be limited. The
studies measured room illuminance at
different points—the Japanese study
from the top of the television and facing
the viewer, the DOE study from the
bottom bezel of the television and facing
the viewer—however, with the limited
data collected, static measurements of
light levels at these locations in the DOE
study suggest that the difference in the
recorded values is relatively small (12
percent lower when measured at the top
of the television). DOE is also proposing
to measure these 4 illuminace values
with the IEC 62087–2011 main menu
displayed on the TV. This screen is a
static image that is seen directly before
the Dynamic Broadcast video clip and is
a predominantly black screen. This
allows the TV to stay on so it doesn’t
need to be warmed up again and
increases repeatability.
DOE is proposing testing at multiple
levels to reflect how ABC could change
display luminance in relation to
changes in room illuminance. Although
DOE believes that testing at four
illuminance levels is the most
appropriate for this test procedure, it is
also considering measuring at
alternative illuminance levels to reduce
test burden. DOE welcomes any
comment on potentially testing less than
four room illuminance levels, including
which levels would be recommended
and the rationale for such levels.
DOE believes that it is difficult to
measure exact ambient light values with
illuminance meters having high
accuracy (high resolution). As such,
DOE is proposing specified tolerance
values for each ambient light level. All
measurements made shall be within the
specified tolerance levels. The proposed
tolerance levels for room illuminance
measurements are based on the
observation that power consumed by
ABC-enabled products varies greatly
with changes in ambient lighting
conditions less than 100 lux. Based on
this observation, DOE would require
that measurements at lower lighting
levels be made as accurate as possible
and, as such, proposes low tolerance
levels at 10 lux (± 1 lux) and 50 lux (±
2 lux). DOE observed low variance in
power consumed by TVs at higher
ambient light levels and hence proposes
greater tolerance levels at 100 lux (± 5
lux) and 300 lux (± 9 lux). These
tolerance requirements have been
incorporated in section 5.5.1 of
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appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430. DOE seeks comments from
interested parties on setting tolerance
levels at each room illuminance point.
(See Issue 8 in section V.E ‘‘Issues On
Which DOE Seeks Comment’’)
DOE is currently not proposing to
weigh power consumption at each of the
illuminance levels. DOE is, however,
considering a weighted average to
calculate the overall power
consumption recorded when testing at
the four illumination levels by assigning
equal weights to each of the values. The
weighting would reflect the amount of
time that the average TV spends in that
particular illuminance level. Providing
weighting to different illuminance
levels reflects the fact that TVs are
watched in rooms with different lighting
levels and at different times of the day.
If DOE had additional data on the
proportion of time TVs spend within
different illuminance ranges, DOE might
consider assigning different weightings
to the power consumptions recorded at
each illuminance level. DOE welcomes
comments from interested parties on the
methods under consideration. (See Issue
8 in section V.E ‘‘Issues On Which DOE
Seeks Comment’’).
ii. Method for Creating Illuminance
Conditions
Once the respective illuminance
levels have been selected, DOE must
specify how to create the room
illuminance in the test procedure to be
both repeatable and representative. This
involves the orientation of the
illuminance measurement meter, the
light source type and the location for
measurement.
In today’s NOPR, DOE is proposing to
measure the room illuminance at the
location of the ABC sensor on the TV
with the light entering directly into the
sensor. This method is currently being
employed by ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 as
well as IEC 62087–2011, and was
generally supported by interested
parties. However, DOE is also
considering an alternative method. The
alternative method requires that the
room illuminance be created using a
diffused light source, and be measured
either at the center of the screen or the
location of the ABC sensor. In response
to the 2010 RFI, DOE received
comments on the appropriate method
for creating illuminance levels.
DOE received general comments
requesting a test procedure that clearly
outlines where to create and measure
room illuminance with respect to the
TV. NRDC encourages DOE to establish
a more specific test method on how to
measure the light that is entering the
ABC sensor and/or the TV screen, but
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NRDC did not specify an appropriate
alternative. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 5) NRDC
stated that the test procedure should
provide detail on the orientation of the
illuminance meter, the type of light
source, and the location for
measurement. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 6)
PG&E and California IOUs
recommended that DOE specify
guidance on illuminance meter
orientation, source light and the
direction of the source light to ensure
consistent testing across products.
(PG&E, No. 12 at p. 3; California IOUs,
No. 9 at p. 3)
Commenters expressed desire for
measuring the room illuminance at the
location of the light presence sensor
with the light directly entering the
sensor. PG&E and the California IOUs
recommend that measurement of room
illuminance be taken at the location of
the TV light presence sensor. (PG&E,
No. 12 at p. 3; California IOUs, No. 9 at
p. 3) Sony believed that to accurately
capture light conditions, the
illuminance meter should be placed at
the sensor. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 3)
Panasonic recommended that ABC be
measured with the light entering
directly into the TV’s ambient light
sensor as specified by IEC 62087–2008,
ENERGY STAR v. 4.1, and CEA 2037.
(Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 6) CEA similarly
commented that the illuminance
measurement should be taken at the
sensor and the illuminance meter
should be in the same horizontal
orientation as the light sensor to ensure
repeatability across measurements.
(CEA, No. 13 at p. 6) Finally, Panasonic
commented that the illuminance should
be measured immediately adjacent and
in the same plane as the TV’s ambient
light sensor opening. They believe that
measuring light at the center of the
screen will not provide meaningful and
repeatable results. (Panasonic, No. 6 at
p. 6) SHARP commented that
manufacturers do not gain any
advantage by putting the ABC sensor in
an obscure or hidden position, and thus
the illuminance measurement location
should be at the sensor. (SHARP, No. 14
at p. 6) SHARP also believed that no
problem exists with respect to
measurement location and lighting, and
anything other than the IEC 62087–2008
method adds complexity, uncertainty
and cost to the measurement. (SHARP,
No. 14 at p. 6)
DOE evaluated a second option for
furnishing ambient light to the
automatic brightness control sensors in
a laboratory setup. This second option
utilizes a diffuse light source. Such a
source would be located further away
from the TV than a direct source, and
its light would reach the TV through a
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combination of direct and indirect (e.g.,
reflections from the ceiling, walls, and
floor) pathways. Although a diffuse light
source better represents actual in-home
lighting conditions, DOE determined
that such an approach depends on too
many variables that are difficult to
control and which introduce
uncertainties into the test procedure
relative to the direct approach. The
diffuse light source would need to be
much brighter in order to yield the
target lux values at the television. The
light would be arriving at the television
from many different angles and would
be incident on the television screen as
well as its ABC sensor. This increases
the likelihood that the technician’s
position in the room during the test
would influence the measured result,
and makes it difficult to employ a noncontact luminance meter for television
screen brightness measurements.
Finally, differences in test room size,
configuration, surface reflectivity, and
light source type would also make it
very difficult to replicate identical test
conditions in multiple laboratories. For
the above reasons, DOE proposes to
employ only a direct light source for all
ABC testing.
In addition to specifying to lighting
position and sensor measurement
location, DOE also believes that it is
necessary to specify the lighting type. Of
artificial lighting sources, incandescent
light most closely follows the spectral
distribution of natural light. Compact
fluorescent lights (CFL) and LED tend to
be discontinuous in the spectral density
curves which may impact the ABC
sensors ability to perceive light.
Incandescent lights have a color
rendering index (CRI) of about 100
while CFL and LED have a CRI ranging
from 75–85 (natural light has a CRI of
100, a metric used for how light makes
the perceived color of an object appear).
DOE is proposing that the room
illuminance be created only by using
100 watt halogen incandescent light
bulbs, although the number of bulbs
needed is dependent on the size of the
room and the distance from the ABC
sensor.
While DOE feels that specifying a
halogen incandescent is sufficient for
creating a repeatable lighting condition,
DOE requests comments on
incorporating a color temperature range
in addition to lighting type. Consumers
have a wide variety of lighting options
to choose from ranging from ‘‘warm’’
(2800–3000 K) to ‘‘cool’’ (3600–5500 K)
color temperatures and it is still
unknown how these characteristics may
be perceived by ABC sensors. DOE also
requests comments on a warm-up time
for the lighting source. Incandescent
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lights do not typically have the same
warm-up characteristics as other lights
like CFL that require time before
reaching their optimal brightness.
In today’s NOPR, DOE is proposing to
measure the room illuminance at the
location of the ABC sensor on the TV
with a halogen incandescent light
source entering directly into the sensor
in section 5.5.2 of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. Although
neither ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 or IEC
62087–2011 specifies the particular
location of the light source, DOE
believes that through specifying the
location, it will have a more thorough
and complete test procedure that is
representative of actual use. Although
DOE is proposing to measure using only
one light source, DOE is also interested
in receiving feedback on measuring
using multiple light sources. (See Issue
9 in section V.E ‘‘Issues On Which DOE
Seeks Comment’’).
c. Television Sets Shipped Without
Automatic Brightness Control Enabled
For TVs shipped without ABC
enabled, DOE is proposing to
incorporate testing consistent to that in
the ENERGY STAR v. 5.3, which
references Section 11: Measuring
Conditions for Television Sets in On
(average) Mode of IEC 62087, Ed 2.0.
DOE believes that this is a respected
method that is widely accepted in
industry and reasonably measures the
average on mode power consumption of
the TV in section 5.4.1 of appendix H
to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. In this
test procedure, the on mode power
consumption is obtained by playing the
IEC 62087–2011 dynamic-broadcast
video signal (which was created to
mimic typical TV content) in ‘‘as
shipped’’ condition which is the mode
in which DOE assumes that most TVs
stay according to feedback from Sony.
As noted above, Sony commented that
their call center data indicates that more
than 95 percent of returned sets remain
in the home picture setting when
received. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 2) DOE did
not receive any comments pertaining to
on mode power testing for TVs shipped
without ABC enabled.
d. Three Dimensional Display Testing
In the 2010 RFI, DOE requested
comment on incorporating a test method
for testing TVs capable of displaying 3D
images in 3D mode. 75 FR 54048, 54051.
Interested parties commented on the
inclusion of this testing into the DOE
test procedure.
All agreed that 3D was likely to
become increasingly prevalent.
Interested parties, however, had mixed
views as to the importance of DOE
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incorporating 3D testing in this version
of its test procedure. Some did not seem
to consider it a priority, some
considered it premature, stating that the
market share is currently small but
rapidly increasing and the technology is
still developing, and others felt it
should clearly be included. Sony offered
its support to DOE’s studies into 3D
technology. They believe that the
amount of time consumers spend
watching 3D content is currently
relatively small compared to 2D content
but increasing. Sony believes that
sufficient time should be allowed for the
IEC to create a 3D version of its 2D
dynamic broadcast-content video signal.
(Sony, No. 8 at p. 3) Mitsubishi
commented that a test procedure for 3D
should be included in DOE’s test
procedure but it need not involve a 3D
disc, 2D content could be converted to
3D in real time. (Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p.
6) NRDC commented that TVs having
the ‘‘3D boost’’ feature could result in a
significant increase in TV power to
display 3D content. (NRDC, No. 5 at p.
6) Panasonic asserts that TVs display 3D
images in a similar manner as 2D
images. Thus, they believe that a TV
that is efficient in 2D mode will also be
efficient in 3D mode, when compared to
other TVs operating in 3D mode. Once
IEC has developed a 3D clip, or even
before, Panasonic believes that it should
be referenced by DOE. (Panasonic, No.
6 at p. 7) CEA believes that DOE should
support standards development
organizations investigating 3D
technologies but due to the lack of a
standardized method and current small
volumes on the market, 3D technology
should not be included in DOE’s current
test procedure. CEA acknowledged that
it may be appropriate to modify the DOE
test procedure in the future to include
3D testing. (CEA, No. 13 at pp. 7–8) P.R.
China suggested that it is too early to
consider 3D technology in the DOE test
procedure. (P.R. China, No. 16 at p. 5)
SHARP believes that it is premature to
set power standards for TV in 3D modes
stating that there are three things that
are needed: Standardized language for
testing, a standardized test signal, and
accurate weightings based on actual
viewing habits. SHARP recommended
that the IEC develop a 3D dynamic
broadcast-content video signal, but such
a result is unlikely to be available before
late 2012. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 7) DOE
should revisit 3D power measurements
when a 3D dynamic broadcast-content
video signal becomes available—
probably no earlier than 2013. (SHARP,
No. 14 at p. 7) PG&E, California IOUs,
and Mitsubishi supported DOE in
currently including 3D testing in its
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proposed test procedure. PG&E and
California IOUs commented that 3D TVs
are expected to significantly increase in
market share, and drop in price.
Therefore they urged DOE to develop a
test procedure that applies to 3D TVs on
the market. (California IOUs, No. 9 at p.
3; PG&E, No. 12 at p. 3) Although
Mitsubishi recognized the difficulties of
creating a test procedure for testing 3D,
they believed that power consumption
in 3D operating mode(s) should have a
single, recognized test procedure, and
that power consumption in 3D operating
mode(s) should be measured.
(Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p. 6)
DOE recognizes that 3D content is
becoming increasingly popular and that
3D TVs are becoming more affordable.
PG&E and California IOUs cited a study
that showed that 3D TVs are projected
to increase from 4.2 million units in
2010 to 78 million units by 2015, rising
at a compound annual growth rate of 80
percent, and that the global average
selling price for 3D TVs in 2015 will
drop by more than half the price in
2010. 34 (California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 3;
PG&E, No. 12 at p. 3) Industry has more
recently indicated that over the next
couple of years 3D will become a
common feature on many TVs, almost
available as standard on larger screen
sizes and with higher end models
(Society for Information Display
conference, 2011). Moreover, 3D content
is becoming increasingly prevalent with
emerging native 3D material (movies,
sports content etc. shot in 3D), and Bluray players and TVs on the market with
the ability to convert content from 2D to
3D. DOE understands the need for a
standardized method for measuring the
power consumption of TVs in 3D mode.
DOE’s research thus far indicates that
for most mainstream technologies’ 3D
mode consumes a significant additional
power premium. However, DOE
understands that 3D is a developing
technology and will most likely take
time to mature.
In today’s NOPR, DOE is not
proposing to include a test procedure to
measure 3D energy consumption for the
reasons that: (a) 3D technology has not
yet stabilized, and (b) a uniform method
for 3D mode energy measurement has
not yet been created. However, DOE is
considering two potential alternatives
for future inclusion in its test procedure.
The two alternatives involve either
creating a 3D dynamic broadcastcontent video signal similar to that of
the IEC 62087–2011 dynamic broadcastcontent video signal, or employing a
34 Global 3–D TV Shipments Set to Soar to 78
Million Units in 2015. Riddhi Patel. iSuppli Press
Release. March 1, 2010.
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device that can uniformly convert the
2D dynamic broadcast-content video
signal to 3D and output 3D content in
real time. The two potential test
methods under consideration are
outlined below.
For the first approach that DOE is
considering, DOE would create a 3D test
disc capable of being played in a Bluray player. DOE has been working
closely with the IEC. IEC has agreed in
principle to provide DOE with all the
rights which it is able to provide DOE
to modify the 2D test clip and distribute
modified versions of the test clip. If
DOE creates a modified 3D version of
the IEC test clip for any purpose, it has
agreed to provide a copy to IEC which
IEC could then use in its development
of an IEC 3D test clip.35
It is the intent of DOE that the disc
will be capable of playing Blu-ray
format 3D, an HDMI 1.4 interface at
1080 horizontal lines of vertical
resolution and at least 1440 vertical
lines of horizontal resolution. When
playing the disc, 3D capable TVs will
recognize that the disc contains 3D
content, and will switch into 3D mode.
The average APL of the 3D disc would
be 34 percent thus simulating normal
viewing content even while the TV is in
3D mode. At this time, DOE believes
that this approach is the best approach
for developing a 3D test procedure and
is interested in working with the IEC
and other interested parties in its
development.
DOE is also considering a second
approach, which employs a device that
can convert the 2D test clip to 3D and
output 3D content in real time. Under
this approach, DOE would try to
develop a performance specification for
Blu-ray devices that have this capability
to ensure that the test results are
consistent across labs if using different
2D to 3D convertors. DOE has tested
some of these devices, and cannot
conclude at this time what the
performance specification should be for
these devices. However, DOE welcomes
comments on this aspect of the test
procedure under consideration.
As mentioned, DOE has performed 3D
testing using two Blu-ray players
available for sale in the U.S. from
different manufacturers, both of which
are able to convert 2D images to 3D in
real time. DOE measured the average
power consumption over a specified
amount of time and then played a 2D
35 IEC and necessary copyright holders have
agreed in principle to allow DOE to modify the test
clip and return it to IEC. IEC is able to assign rights
over the material in the test clip with the possible
exception of certain portions of the test clip owned
by one copyright holder. Currently, DOE is in
discussions with that copyright holder.
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disc of the same footage on the 2D to 3D
converter. DOE found very little
difference between TV power measured
using 3D source material and TV power
measured using 2D source material
converted to 3D using the Blu-ray
players. To make the comparison, DOE
used market available Blu-ray videos
with both a 3D and a 2D version and
measured the energy consumption over
the same ten minute section of the film
using both methods for generating 3D
material. The comparison was made on
five 3D capable televisions spanning
LED LCD, plasma, and DLP
technologies.
DOE believes that, generally, the
limited test results of the convertor are
comparable to those of playing 3D
content. However, there were issues
with this approach. DOE is concerned
that the variability found between
playing the test clip in the converter,
versus playing a 3D test clip, can be a
function of the test clip, converter and
TV used in the test and is not certain
how to develop an adequate
performance specification for the
converter alone. DOE also found
through testing that not all convertors
worked with all TV brands. Further,
DOE determined that, in some cases, the
convertors put the TV into a mode that
consumed less energy when playing 2D
content converted to 3D than when
playing the same content in 2D.
DOE requests comment on these two
options for generating the video signal
for 3D TVs, along with any other
considerations for testing 3D TVs. (See
Issue 10 in section V.E ‘‘Issues On
Which DOE Seeks Comment’’).
5. Standby and Off Modes
As mentioned above, EISA 2007
requires DOE to include consideration
of standby mode and off mode energy
consumption in future amendments to
both its test procedure and energy
conservation standard. In order to
adhere to EISA 2007, DOE is proposing
to include the standby mode
requirements according to IEC 62087–
2011 and the off mode requirements
according to IEC 62301–2011. When
developing a proposed standby and off
mode test procedure, DOE assessed both
IEC 62301–2005 Household Electrical
Appliances—Measurement of Standby
Power and IEC 62087–2011. ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3 references IEC 62087–2011.
In today’s NOPR, DOE is proposing to
incorporate standby tests for standbypassive in section 5.6.1 (standby-passive
mode test) of appendix H to subpart B
of 10 CFR part 430 and standby-active,
high in section 5.6.2 (standby-active,
high mode test) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as well as
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an off mode test in section 5.7 (off
mode) of appendix H to subpart B of 10
CFR part 430. Although DOE is not
currently proposing to include a
standby test for standby-active, low,
DOE is considering this requirement for
the future.
In the 2010 RFI, DOE requested
comments dealing with standby and off
mode. Specifically DOE focused on
additional functions, internet
connectivity and power saving
technologies, since they can possibly
alter the energy consumed by the TV. 75
FR 54048, 54051.
a. Additional Functions
As mentioned above, additional
functions have the potential to increase
energy consumption while the TV is in
standby and off mode. Additional
functions are defined as any function
that is not required for the basic
operation of the device. Although DOE
did not specifically request comments
pertaining to additional functions in the
2010 RFI, both NRDC and SHARP
provided comments on assessing the
power use associated with additional
functions.
NRDC asked that DOE provide
guidance in its test procedure for
additional functions and that DOE
revise the standby section of IEC 62087–
2008, which is the same as IEC 62087–
2011. NRDC believes that the test
procedure must address whether the
TVs additional functions should be left
as is, turned on, or turned off/disabled
prior to testing. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 2)
Although NRDC requested guidance,
they were generally opposed to testing
with additional functions switched on
unless initially enabled by default.
NRDC believes that built-in DVD and
Blu-ray players should be tested without
a disc inserted, and play should not be
selected. However, they believe that the
DVD and Blu-ray players should not be
allowed to be turned off or physically
removed prior to testing. (NRDC, No. 5
at p. 2) NRDC also commented that the
TV should be tested without the cable
card inserted, but DOE should
potentially include a supplement to its
test procedure that allows guidance on
how to report for features such as cable
cards. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 3)
Additionally, DOE should gather data
and evaluate methods, including the
Australian method, which includes
measuring standby-active and standbypassive once the TV has been tuned to
an Australian broadcast channel.
(NRDC, No. 5 at p. 7)
SHARP was also opposed to enabling
additional functions when conducting
energy measurements. SHARP
commented that IEC 62087–2008
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requires that additional functions be
turned off to provide for equivalent TV
model comparison. (SHARP, No. 14 at
p. 8) SHARP recommends that DOE
follow precedence and measure the
basic TV functions without intervention
in the areas of nascent technologies,
services and innovations. (SHARP, No.
14 at p. 9)
In this NOPR, DOE is proposing
testing the TV as shipped, without
manually enabling any additional
functions. This method is consistent
with the comments made by both
SHARP and NRDC. Although enabling
additional functions while testing in
standby and off mode would encourage
manufacturers to lower energy
consumption for those functions, it
would make it difficult to compare TVs
with different functions. Also, DOE is
not aware of any usage data that
illustrates how consumers use TVs with
additional functions and DOE believes
that proposing testing with additional
functions would require an
understanding of such usage.
b. Power Saving Technologies
The number of TVs that are being sold
with various power saving technologies
is continuing to increase, and therefore
DOE investigated the how these
technologies affect energy consumption.
These technologies include, but are not
limited to, auto-shut-off, presence
sensor, DPMS, and HDMI–CEC.
Panasonic, Sony, NRDC, and SHARP
believe that TVs with power saving
technologies should not be given an
energy credit in the current rulemaking
because many are still being developed.
Panasonic believes that it would be
difficult to determine the amount of
power saved and to obtain data by
various power saving technologies and
complex measurement procedures will
not be useful. (Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 7)
Sony stated that it is impossible to know
the actual savings of energy saving
functions, so additional studies are
needed prior to DOE adopting them in
its test procedure. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 4)
LG stated that the ENERGY STAR and
IEC 62087–2008 test procedure, which
only account for ABC, adequately
evaluate power saving functions
available today. (LG, No. 3 at p. 2) CEA
also stated that not every possible
energy using feature needs to be
covered, especially if it is too difficult,
impractical, costly or speculative. (CEA,
No. 13 at p. 2) More specifically, NRDC
and Panasonic do not support giving
credit for presence sensors; a power
saving technology that turns the TV off
if it senses that no consumers are
viewing it. They believe that the
technology will likely be disabled by the
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consumer; assuming the TV is shipped
with presence sensors enabled. (NRDC,
No. 5 at p. 7; Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 8).
SHARP also noted that many power
saving technologies are proprietary and
should therefore be avoided.
Specifically, DPMS has intellectual
property implications. (SHARP, No. 14
at p. 9) SHARP believes that HDMI–CEC
can provide some mechanisms for
power saving. They supported their
comment by stating that the application
layer is not well enough defined for
consistent cross-company
interoperability, and many HDMI–CEC
implementations are currently
proprietary. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 9)
Many interested parties supported
DOE research into power saving
technologies. NRDC urged DOE to
revisit power savings features, and
whether credits should be provided for
power saving features. (NRDC, No. 5 at
p. 7) CEA also encouraged DOE to
continue to study and investigate energy
saving features but be cautious as to not
promote technology that is restrictive
and costly. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 8) CERC
believes that the standard should be
allowed to evolve with new
technologies. CERC commented that
technologies still in early development,
including automatic shut-off and ABC,
should be allowed to be developed more
fully before a standard and test
procedure are imposed on their
operation, allowing manufacturers more
incentive to innovate. (CERC, No. 10 at
pp. 2–3) PG&E and the California IOUs
urged DOE to account for new
technologies in the test procedure to the
greatest extent possible. (PG&E, No. 12
at p. 4; California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 4)
Finally, some manufacturers
commented on specific power saving
technologies available in products
today. Sony commented that its TVs
contain intelligent presence sensors
with face and motion detectors, light
sensors, power savings (regardless of
picture mode), idle TV standby, auto
shut-off and the energy savings switch
(completely off). (Sony, No. 8 at p. 4) LG
commented that their TVs have features
that place the TV into standby mode if
no signal is present for 15 minutes. (LG,
No. 3 at p. 2) SHARP commented that
the auto-standby feature that is available
in some manufacturers’ products can
potentially save energy, but also may
annoy consumers. (SHARP, No. 14 at p.
9) SHARP also believes that California’s
requirement that the power button put
the TV into passive standby, can have
negative consequences, such as
terminating a nearly complete program
guide download. (SHARP, No. 14 at p.
9)
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Given the interested party feedback,
DOE is not proposing to test new power
saving technologies because DOE
believes more investigation is needed to
be able to better understand any
potential benefits from these
technologies. Although DOE will
continue to investigate the new
technologies, DOE believes that the
market is currently at too early a stage
of development. In order to continue to
investigate these new technologies, DOE
welcomes interest parties submit
information pertaining to all power
saving technologies, which would help
DOE in its investigation present on TVs.
c. Standby Modes
i. Standby-Passive Mode
As stated in section 5 above, DOE is
proposing a test procedure for standbypassive mode in section 5.6.1 (standbypassive mode test) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. IEC
62087–2011 defines standby-passive
mode as the mode in which the
appliance is connected to a power
source, produces neither sound nor
picture but can be switched into another
mode with the remote control unit or an
internal signal as referenced in III.C.3.a
of this NOPR. Testing in this mode
would require putting the TV into
standby-passive mode as defined in
section 2.12 (standby-passive mode) of
appendix H in subpart B of 10 CFR part
430, and measuring the power
consumed according to section 4.3.1 of
IEC 62301–2011. Standby-passive mode
would include modes such as when the
TV is connected to the internet but not
actively receiving a signal.
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ii. Standby-Active, Low Mode
The number of TVs that are being sold
with the capability of accessing the
internet (either wirelessly or via
Ethernet) is continuing to increase;
PG&E and California IOUs stated that by
2014, internet-enabled TVs are
estimated to account for 54 percent of
the total global TV market. They
supported their statement by
commenting that in 2010, shipments of
these TVs rose 125 percent globally
from 2009. (PG&E, No. 12 at p. 4;
California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 4) In the
2010 RFI, DOE requested comments on
testing TVs with internet connectivity.
75 FR 54048, 54051.
Some interested parties commented in
favor of TVs being connected to the
internet when measuring standby and
off mode energy consumption. NRDC
suggested that the TV should be
connected to the internet, then turned
off normally, and the energy
consumption associated with the TV
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being connected to the internet should
be measured and reported as part of
standby power use. (NRDC, No. 5 at p.
2) PG&E and the California IOUs also
stated that DOE should incorporate
internet connectivity and power usage
associated with this feature in the test
procedure. They suggested that DOE do
this by including a network mode,
consistent with what will be included in
IEC 62301 Edition 2.0. (PG&E, No. 12 at
p. 4; California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 4)
Other interested parties commented
that internet connectivity energy
consumption should not be included in
the test procedure. Interested parties
commented against including a general
internet measurement as well as
enabling internet when conducting the
standby test. Interested parties reasoned
that internet connectivity has not been
researched thoroughly, and is still in the
early development stages. Sony
commented that their limited data
suggests that the power consumption of
TVs equipped with Ethernet ports is
equivalent to the power consumption in
the home mode while streaming
contracted network connects from the
various service providers. (Sony, No. 8
at p. 3) Sony also stated that because
power and usage of internet capable TVs
is unknown, additional study is needed
prior to incorporating it into the test
procedure. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 3) CEA
similarly stated that internet
connectivity is still in an early phase of
development and should therefore not
be included in the test procedure
without further research. (CEA, No. 13
at p. 8) Panasonic recommends using
the same on mode power measurement
with the IEC 62087–2008 dynamicbroadcast video signal, regardless of the
TV’s internet capabilities. (Panasonic,
No. 6 at p. 8) Panasonic believes that the
power consumed from an internet
connection is minimal and complex,
and will be difficult to reproduce.
(Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 8) SHARP further
commented that consumers all use the
internet differently, so setting a test
procedure to mirror actual internet use
would be a daunting task with minimal
value. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 8) SHARP
believes that much more study is
required before DOE can characterize
the power consumed from TVs based on
active internet use. (SHARP, No. 14 at
p. 8) SHARP believes that due to
competitive pricing, TVs have limited
storage capacity, and therefore internet
communications are limited or nonexistent when the TV is in sleep mode,
making testing it not relevant. (SHARP,
No. 14 at p. 8)
Other interested parties commented
on specific details pertaining to internet
connectivity energy consumption.
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NRDC believes that the test procedure
should have language to ensure that no
content is being downloaded from the
internet while the measurement is being
made. (NRDC, No. 5 at pp. 2–3) LG
commented that ‘‘currently the HDMI
input is available to the IEC Standard
62087 internet source; however it is
impossible to implement it through the
current environment LAN Port.’’ (LG,
No. 3 at p. 2) DOE notes that while IEC
62087–2011 provides a video signal of
different Web sites to represent internet
energy consumption, there is currently
no standard method for measuring
actual internet usage when connected to
the internet via a LAN Port.
Given the comments received in the
2010 RFI, DOE researched the energy
consumption associated with internet,
HDMI, and cable connectivity. DOE
completed standby and off mode energy
testing while the TV was connected to
the internet (both wirelessly and via
Ethernet), while connected to a cable
signal, while connected to a peripheral
device through a HDMI cable and while
not connected to input or output
sources except for power. DOE found
very little evidence of increased energy
consumption associated with additional
connections while the TV was in
standby and off mode 36.
In today’s NOPR, DOE is proposing to
test standby and off mode energy
consumption without having the TV
connected to the internet in sections 5.6
(standby mode tests) and 5.7 (off mode
test) of appendix H to subpart B of 10
CFR part 430. As mentioned above, DOE
also conducted testing when the TV was
connected to both a cable signal and an
HDMI input. DOE did not measure a
significant power increase when the TV
was connected to the internet, cable or
an HDMI input while in standby mode
or off mode 37 DOE believes that
conducting additional standby testing
while the TV is connected to an
internet, cable or HDMI input is unduly
burdensome due to the lack of
significant results indicating increased
energy consumption from DOE’s testing.
Therefore, DOE is not proposing to
require that the TV be connected to a
cable input, HDMI input or to the
internet when testing standby and off
mode energy consumption. However,
DOE welcomes comments by interested
parties on the energy consumption
36 The data indicating a lack of increased power
consumption associated with connecting the TV to
the internet, cable or an HDMI input can be found
on the DOE Web site: Appliance and Commercial
Equipment Standards: Television Sets. U.S.
Department of Energy. August 2, 2011. https://
www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/
appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html.
37 Id.
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associated with internet connectivity in
standby mode should be included. (See
Issue 11 in section V.E ‘‘Issues On
Which DOE Seeks Comment’’).
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iii. Standby-Active, High Mode
IEC defines standby-active, high as
the mode when the appliance is
connected to a power source, produces
neither sound nor picture but can be
switched into another mode with the
remote control unit or an internal signal
and can additionally be switched into
another mode with an external signal
and is exchanging/receiving data with/
from an external source. DOE believes
that the TV is in standby-active, high
mode when the TV is actively
exchanging/receiving data (likely from
the internet) as well as while in DAM
mode. In the 2010 RFI, DOE requested
feedback as to the possibility of
including a DAM test. 75 FR 54048,
54051.
iv. Download Acquisition Mode
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 defines DAM as
the mode where the product is
connected to a mains power source, is
not producing a sound or a picture, and
is actively downloading data, to include
but not limited to, channel listing
information according to a defined
schedule for use by the electronic
programming guide, TV setup data,
channel map updates, TV firmware
updates, monitoring for emergency
messaging/communications and/or
otherwise communicating through a
network protocol. DOE believes it is
important to include DAM testing
because the tested TVs had heightened
energy consumption while in this mode.
Several interested parties commented
that DAM should be tested. PG&E and
the California IOUs indicated that there
has been at least one reported instance
of a TV consuming a significantly
greater amount of power and spending
a majority of time in DAM when the TV
should have been in standby mode.
Therefore, they urged DOE to account
for DAM in its test procedure. (PG&E,
No. 12 at p. 5; California IOUs, No. 9 at
p. 5) They requested that the test
programming content, used for testing
in DAM, should be publically available
and able to be utilized by nonproprietary technology. (PG&E, No. 12 at
p. 4; California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 4)
Many interested parties specifically
suggested that DOE implement the
‘‘CEA Test Procedure for Download
Acquisition Mode Testing’’ 38 (CEA test
38 CEA Procedure for Download Acquisition
Mode DAM Testing: For TVs, September 8, 2010.
<https://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/
prod_development/revisions/downloads/television/
CEA_DAM_Test_Procedure.pdf>.
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procedure for DAM testing).
Specifically, Sony, LG, Panasonic and
CEA recommended that DOE adopt this
test procedure. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 3; LG,
No. 3 at p. 2; Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 8;
CEA, No. 13 at p. 8) Panasonic and Sony
supported their recommendations by
noting that ENERGY STAR v. 4.1
references the CEA test procedure for
DAM testing. (Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 8;
CEA, No. 13 at p. 8)
Alternatively, SHARP commented
that although the CEA test procedure for
DAM testing is a good test procedure, it
should not be incorporated into DOE’s
test procedure. SHARP supports the
flexibility of the CEA test procedure for
DAM testing, but is concerned that it is
not specific enough to be used by third
parties. However, SHARP is not aware
of any test procedure that is specific
enough to fit these criteria. (SHARP, No.
14 at pp. 8, 10)
In the 2010 RFI, DOE noted that
ENERGY STAR v. 4.1 tests DAM
according to the Rovi DAM test
procedure. However, Rovi commented
that DOE should not incorporate the
Rovi DAM test procedure into the DOE
test procedure. (Rovi, No. 4 at p. 2) Rovi
explained that EPG software maintains
a local database of programming
available to the viewer, which is
periodically downloaded during times
when the TV is in the standby or off
mode. Rovi noted that the location,
previous downloads, data delivery
method and communication errors are
among the things that affected power
consumption, meaning if any of these
conditions are varied, different results
will be obtained. (Rovi, No. 4 at p. 1)
Rovi stated that in the near-future a
revision to ENERGY STAR v. 4.1 will
replace the Rovi test procedure with a
generic system that depends in large
measure on specific technical
knowledge of the device under test
(after the publication of the 2010 RFI,
ENERGY STAR has revised their test
procedure and standard to include the
CEA test procedure for DAM testing).
(Rovi, No. 4 at p. 1)
DOE notes that the CEA test
procedure for DAM testing does not
identify specific connections to be used
when conducting testing. CEA only
states that an appropriate signal source
for communication should be used but
does not specify what connection
should be utilized when more than one
connection could be used for
communication with the DAM function.
DOE believes that a hierarchy of
network connection types is needed
when more than one connection is
capable of communicating with the
DAM function to produce a more
repeatable test procedure. DOE is
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proposing the following priority to
ensure consistency across standbyactive, high mode tests in section 5.6.2.1
of appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR
part 430:
(1) Wi-Fi
(2) Ethernet. If the UUT supports an
Energy Efficient Ethernet, then it shall
be tested using that connection.
(3) Thunderbolt
(4) USB
(5) Firewire
(6) Other
In today’s NOPR, DOE is proposing to
include the DAM energy consumption
testing under its standby-active, high
test method as defined in 2.3 (download
acquisition mode) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430. The
majority of interested parties including
CEA, Sony, LG, Panasonic, PG&E,
California IOUs and NRDC were all in
favor of requiring a DAM energy
consumption test. Many, including
CEA, Sony, LG and Panasonic,
recommended incorporating the CEA
test procedure for DAM testing. Given
the positive input from interested
parties supporting a DAM test, and
particularly the CEA test procedure for
DAM testing, DOE is proposing to
incorporate by reference the CEA
Procedure for DAM Testing in section
5.6.2 (standby-active, high mode test) of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430. DOE is also aware that TVs can
communicate and obtain similar
information via an internet connection.
Although DOE has developed a network
connection priority list of preferred
connections to conduct DAM testing,
DOE seeks comment on using a priority
list and the hierarchy that should be
used. DOE also seeks comments from
interested parties on the method for
measuring standby mode energy
consumption in all standby modes. (See
Issue 12 in section V.E ‘‘Issues On
Which DOE Seeks Comment’’).
d. Off Mode
DOE is proposing to test TVs in the off
mode if applicable. DOE is defining off
mode according to the IEC 62087–2011
definition. Off mode is the mode where
the appliance is connected to a power
source, produces neither sound nor
picture, and cannot be switched into
any other mode with the remote control
unit, an external, or internal signal. This
mode will not pertain to TVs that are
only able to be switched on or off with
a remote, rather it will be applicable to
TVs that have an additional switch or
method of reaching this mode. In
today’s NOPR, DOE is proposing that
the power consumed in off mode be
tested according to IEC 62301–2011
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section 3.5 in section 5.7 (off mode test)
of appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR
part 430. EISA 2007 requires DOE to
implement an off mode energy
consumption measurement. (42 U.S.C.
6295(gg)(2)(A)) This particular off mode
test will meet the EISA 2007
requirements and allow DOE to capture
the energy consumption associated with
the TV while it is turned off. DOE seeks
comments from interested parties on the
method for measuring off mode energy
consumption. (See Issue 12 in section
V.E ‘‘Issues On Which DOE Seeks
Comment’’).
6. Energy Efficiency Metric(s) for
Televisions
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In today’s NOPR, DOE is considering
two methods for determining the
metrics of TVs in order to receive
stakeholder comments. These methods
include a luminance ratio, on mode
energy consumption, standby mode
energy consumption, and off mode
energy consumption.
The first method would output four
separate metrics, including a luminance
ratio, on mode energy consumption,
standby mode energy consumption, and
off mode energy consumption. The test
procedure yields a ratio of the home
picture setting luminance to the retail
picture setting luminance. This number
would be expressed as a percentage (i.e.,
the luminance ratio). The test procedure
would also output an on mode energy
consumption according to the on mode
test for TVs with ABC enabled by
default or the on mode test for TVs
without ABC enabled by default. For the
standby mode tests, all TVs should be
tested according to the standby-passive
mode test. For TVs with DAM, the test
procedure would also propose requiring
an average energy consumption reading
for standby-active, high mode. Finally,
the test procedure would record the off
mode energy consumption.
Alternatively, DOE is also considering
a single output metric based on
combining the on, standby, and offmode energy consumption values to
provide an annual energy use. The
format of the metric, expressed as
annual energy consumption (AEC, kWh/
year), would be as follows:
AECmetric = ((Pon * Hon + Pstandby-passive *
Hstandby-passive +
P
off
* Hoff + DECDAM)/1000) * 365
Where:
Pm = power measured in a given mode m (in
Watts)
Hm = hours per day spent in mode m
DECDAM = daily energy consumption in
DAM, if applicable (tested according to
the CEA DAM test procedure)
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Proposed values for Hm (in hours/day)
would be as follows:
Hon = 7
Hstandby-passive = 17
Hoff = 0
To determine Hon, DOE obtained
Nielsen TV viewing statistics for the
months June 2010 through May 2011.39
Nielsen collected between 48,791 and
52,105 samples in each month, from a
representative cross section of U.S.
households. DOE separated the data for
each household to consider the primary
TV. The mean viewing hours per day for
primary TVs was determined for each
month, and then the mean across the
whole 12 months was taken to provide
the final value. It was important to
consider 12 months, not just one, as
there is significant seasonal variation in
viewing habits.
It was assumed that the remainder of
the time, TVs would be in standbypassive mode (thus, Hstandby-passive = 24 ¥
Hon), except for the case of TVs with
DAM capability, where the average
hours per day the TV is in DAM would
also be included in the calculation.
Therefore, Hoff = 0 is based on the
assumption that virtually all TVs remain
in standby mode rather than being
physically switched off when not in use.
Note that Pon is itself a weighted
average of measurements for units with
automatic brightness control available:
Pon = P10 * W10 + P50 * W50 + P100 * W100
+ P300 * W300
Where:
Pi = on mode power measured at room
illuminance of i lux
Wi = weighting at room illuminance i,
expressed in percent.
Wi are proposed to be equally
weighted (W10 = W50 = W100 = W300 =
25 percent). See Section IIIII.E.4.b.i for
further discussion and explanation.
The advantage of using a single metric
is that the approximate annual average
energy consumption can be calculated
within the test procedure. Although a
single metric would require
manufacturers to represent the
efficiency of their TVs in a consistent
manner, this is already being
accomplished under the FTC Labeling
Program for TVs as it is currently using
this method. A single metric would help
harmonize the different voluntary,
incentive, and State programs
applicable to TVs. However, the DOE
proposed single metric would most
likely eliminate the current energy
efficiency standards for TVs established
by California, since California
established separate standards for both
on mode and standby mode. All
39 The
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2859
manufacturers would be required to
make energy representations with the
final DOE test procedure within 180
days after publication. After that time,
manufacturers would not be required to
provide to California separate results for
on mode and standby mode in
accordance with the California standard.
This single metric would also require a
change in the ENERGY STAR Program
for TVs, since ENERGY STAR also has
separate requirements for on mode,
standby mode and DAM. The DOE
proposed single metric would require
DOE to monitor how the coefficients
used to calculate the metric change with
consumer usage and technological
advancements in the TV market. For
instance, the average number of primary
TV viewing hours has increased by
approximately 0.16 hour per day each
year from 2007 to 2011, or 10 percent
over four years. Additionally, the single
metric considered in this NOPR does
not distinguish between different usage
profiles for calculating annual energy
consumption for types of TVs with
different features included in our TV
definition, such as computer monitors
over 30 inches. Finally, the proposed
single metric does not capture all
measurements in the test procedure
such as power factor and illuminance
ratio.
Although DOE is proposing multiple
output metrics, it seeks comments from
interested parties on both of the
methods presented in this NOPR,
including the use of a single metric for
calculating annual energy consumption.
(See Issue 13 in section V.E ‘‘Issues On
Which DOE Seeks Comment’’).
IV. Procedural Issues and Regulatory
Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
The Office of Management and Budget
has determined that test procedure
rulemakings do not constitute
‘‘significant regulatory actions’’ under
section 3(f) of Executive Order 12866,
Regulatory Planning and Review, 58 FR
51735 (Oct. 4, 1993). Accordingly, this
action was not subject to review under
the Executive Order by the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs
(OIRA) in the Office of Management and
Budget (OMB).
B. Review Under the Regulatory
Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act (5
U.S.C. 601 et seq.) requires preparation
of an initial regulatory flexibility
analysis (IFRA) for any rule that by law
must be proposed for public comment,
unless the agency certifies that the rule,
if promulgated, will not have a
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significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities. As
required by Executive Order 13272,
‘‘Proper Consideration of Small Entities
in Agency Rulemaking,’’ 67 FR 53461
(August 16, 2002), DOE published
procedures and policies on February 19,
2003, to ensure that the potential
impacts of its rules on small entities are
properly considered during the DOE
rulemaking process. 68 FR 7990. DOE
has made its procedures and policies
available on the Office of the General
Counsel’s Web site: www.gc.doe.gov.
DOE reviewed today’s proposed rule
under the provisions of the Regulatory
Flexibility Act and the policies and
procedures published on February 19,
2003. This proposed rule prescribes a
test procedure to be used to develop and
implement future energy conservation
standards for TVs. DOE certifies that
this proposed rule will not have a
significant impact on a substantial
number of small entities. The factual
basis for this certification is as follows.
The Small Business Administration
(SBA) considers an entity to be a small
business, if, together with its affiliates,
it employs less than a threshold number
of workers specified in 13 CFR part 121.
The thresholds set forth in these
regulations are based on size standards
and codes established by the North
American Industry Classification
System (NAICS).40 TV manufacturers
are classified under NAICS code
334220, ‘‘Radio and Television
Broadcasting and Wireless
Communications Equipment
Manufacturing,’’ and are considered
small entities if they employ 750
employees or less.
DOE determined that most
manufacturers of TVs are large
multinational corporations. To develop
a list of domestic manufacturers, DOE
reviewed the Hoover database 41 and
other publicly available data, including
the Energy Star qualified TVs database.
As a result of its review, DOE
determined that there were no TV
manufacturers who would qualify as
small entities. DOE also notes that
manufacturers are already required to
use a test procedure similar to DOE’s
proposed test procedure to make energy
representations under the Federal Trade
Commission’s EnergyGuide labeling
program. 76 FR 1038. DOE’s proposed
test procedure can be conducted
40 For more information visit: https://
www.sba.gov/. The size standards are available at
<https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/
Size_Standards_Table.pdf.>.
41 Hoovers. Web 12 Dec 2011. <https://
www.hoovers.com/>.
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concurrently with FTC testing without
significant additional burden.
Based on the above, DOE certifies that
there would not be a significant impact
on a substantial number of small entities
and has not prepared an IRFA for this
rulemaking. DOE transmitted the
certification and supporting statement
of factual basis to the Chief Counsel for
Advocacy of the SBA for review under
5 U.S.C. 605(b). DOE requests comment
on its conclusion that there are no small
business manufacturers.
C. Review Under the Paperwork
Reduction Act of 1995
There is currently no information
collection requirement related to the test
procedure for TVs. In the event that
DOE proposes an energy conservation
standard with which manufacturers
must demonstrate compliance, DOE will
seek OMB approval of such information
collection requirement.
DOE established regulations for the
certification and recordkeeping
requirements for certain covered
consumer products and commercial
equipment. 76 FR 12422 (March 7,
2011). The collection-of-information
requirement for the certification and
recordkeeping was subject to review and
approval by OMB under the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA). This requirement
was approved by OMB under OMB
Control Number 1910–1400. Public
reporting burden for the certification
was estimated to average 20 hours per
response, including the time for
reviewing instructions, searching
existing data sources, gathering and
maintaining the data needed, and
completing and reviewing the collection
of information.
As stated above, in the event DOE
proposes an energy conservation
standard for TVs with which
manufacturers must demonstrate
compliance, DOE will seek OMB
approval of the associated information
collection requirement. DOE will seek
approval either through a proposed
amendment to the information
collection requirement approved under
OMB control number 1910–1400 or as a
separate proposed information
collection requirement.
Notwithstanding any other provision
of the law, no person is required to
respond to, nor shall any person be
subject to a penalty for failure to comply
with, a collection of information subject
to the requirements of the PRA, unless
that collection of information displays a
currently valid OMB Control Number.
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D. Review Under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969
In this proposed rule, DOE proposes
a test procedure that it expects will be
used to develop and implement future
energy conservation standards for TVs.
DOE has determined that this rule falls
into a class of actions that are
categorically excluded from review
under the National Environmental
Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. 4321 et
seq.) and DOE’s implementing
regulations at 10 CFR part 1021.
Specifically, this proposed rule
establishes a new test procedure
without affecting the amount, quality or
distribution of energy usage, and,
therefore, would not result in any
environmental impacts. Thus, this
rulemaking is covered by Categorical
Exclusion A5 under 10 CFR part 1021,
subpart D, which applies to any
rulemaking that does not result in any
environmental impacts. Accordingly,
neither an environmental assessment
nor an environmental impact statement
is required.
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
Executive Order 13132, ‘‘Federalism,’’
64 FR 43255 (August 4, 1999) imposes
certain requirements on agencies
formulating and implementing policies
or regulations that preempt State law or
that have Federalism implications. The
Executive Order requires agencies to
examine the constitutional and statutory
authority supporting any action that
would limit the policymaking discretion
of the States and to carefully assess the
necessity for such actions. The
Executive Order also requires agencies
to have an accountable process to
ensure meaningful and timely input by
State and local officials in the
development of regulatory policies that
have Federalism implications. On
March 14, 2000, DOE published a
statement of policy describing the
intergovernmental consultation process
it will follow in the development of
such regulations. 65 FR 13735. DOE has
examined this proposed rule and has
determined that it would not have a
substantial direct effect on the States, on
the relationship between the national
government and the States, or on the
distribution of power and
responsibilities among the various
levels of government. EPCA governs and
prescribes Federal preemption of State
regulations as to energy conservation for
the products that are the subject of
today’s proposed rule. States can
petition DOE for exemption from such
preemption to the extent, and based on
criteria, set forth in EPCA. (42 U.S.C.
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6297(d)) No further action is required by
Executive Order 13132.
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F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
Regarding the review of existing
regulations and the promulgation of
new regulations, section 3(a) of
Executive Order 12988, ‘‘Civil Justice
Reform,’’ 61 FR 4729 (Feb. 7, 1996),
imposes on Federal agencies the general
duty to adhere to the following
requirements: (1) Eliminate drafting
errors and ambiguity; (2) write
regulations to minimize litigation; (3)
provide a clear legal standard for
affected conduct rather than a general
standard; and (4) promote simplification
and burden reduction. Section 3(b) of
Executive Order 12988 specifically
requires that Executive agencies make
every reasonable effort to ensure that the
regulation: (1) Clearly specifies the
preemptive effect, if any; (2) clearly
specifies any effect on existing Federal
law or regulation; (3) provides a clear
legal standard for affected conduct
while promoting simplification and
burden reduction; (4) specifies the
retroactive effect, if any; (5) adequately
defines key terms; and (6) addresses
other important issues affecting clarity
and general draftsmanship under any
guidelines issued by the Attorney
General. Section 3(c) of Executive Order
12988 requires Executive agencies to
review regulations in light of applicable
standards in sections 3(a) and 3(b) to
determine whether they are met or it is
unreasonable to meet one or more of
them. DOE has completed the required
review and determined that, to the
extent permitted by law, the proposed
rule meets the relevant standards of
Executive Order 12988.
G. Review Under the Unfunded
Mandates Reform Act of 1995
Title II of the Unfunded Mandates
Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA) requires
each Federal agency to assess the effects
of Federal regulatory actions on State,
local, and Tribal governments and the
private sector. Public Law 104–4, sec.
201 (codified at 2 U.S.C. 1531). For a
proposed regulatory action likely to
result in a rule that may cause the
expenditure by State, local, and Tribal
governments, in the aggregate, or by the
private sector of $100 million or more
in any one year (adjusted annually for
inflation), section 202 of UMRA requires
a Federal agency to publish a written
statement that estimates the resulting
costs, benefits, and other effects on the
national economy. (2 U.S.C. 1532(a), (b))
The UMRA also requires a Federal
agency to develop an effective process
to permit timely input by elected
officers of State, local, and Tribal
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governments on a proposed ‘‘significant
intergovernmental mandate,’’ and
requires an agency plan for giving notice
and opportunity for timely input to
potentially affected small governments
before establishing any requirements
that might significantly or uniquely
affect small governments. On March 18,
1997, DOE published a statement of
policy on its process for
intergovernmental consultation under
UMRA. 62 FR 12820; also available at
https://www.gc.doe.gov. DOE examined
today’s proposed rule according to
UMRA and its statement of policy and
determined that the rule contains
neither an intergovernmental mandate,
nor a mandate that may result in the
expenditure of $100 million or more in
any year, so these requirements do not
apply.
H. Review Under the Treasury and
General Government Appropriations
Act, 1999
Section 654 of the Treasury and
General Government Appropriations
Act, 1999 (Pub. L. 105–277) requires
Federal agencies to issue a Family
Policymaking Assessment for any rule
that may affect family well-being. This
rule would not have any impact on the
autonomy or integrity of the family as
an institution. Accordingly, DOE has
concluded that it is not necessary to
prepare a Family Policymaking
Assessment.
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
DOE has determined, under Executive
Order 12630, ‘‘Governmental Actions
and Interference with Constitutionally
Protected Property Rights’’ 53 FR 8859
(March 18, 1988) that this regulation
would not result in any takings that
might require compensation under the
Fifth Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution.
J. Review Under Treasury and General
Government Appropriations Act, 2001
Section 515 of the Treasury and
General Government Appropriations
Act, 2001 (44 U.S.C. 3516 note) provides
for agencies to review most
disseminations of information to the
public under guidelines established by
each agency pursuant to general
guidelines issued by OMB. OMB’s
guidelines were published at 67 FR
8452 (Feb. 22, 2002), and DOE’s
guidelines were published at 67 FR
62446 (Oct. 7, 2002). DOE has reviewed
today’s proposed rule under the OMB
and DOE guidelines and has concluded
that it is consistent with applicable
policies in those guidelines.
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K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
Executive Order 13211, ‘‘Actions
Concerning Regulations That
Significantly Affect Energy Supply,
Distribution, or Use,’’ 66 FR 28355 (May
22, 2001), requires Federal agencies to
prepare and submit to OMB, a
Statement of Energy Effects for any
proposed significant energy action. A
‘‘significant energy action’’ is defined as
any action by an agency that
promulgated or is expected to lead to
promulgation of a final rule, and that:
(1) Is a significant regulatory action
under Executive Order 12866, or any
successor order; and (2) is likely to have
a significant adverse effect on the
supply, distribution, or use of energy; or
(3) is designated by the Administrator of
OIRA as a significant energy action. For
any proposed significant energy action,
the agency must give a detailed
statement of any adverse effects on
energy supply, distribution, or use
should the proposal be implemented,
and of reasonable alternatives to the
action and their expected benefits on
energy supply, distribution, and use.
Today’s regulatory action to establish
a test procedure for measuring the
energy efficiency of TVs is not a
significant regulatory action under
Executive Order 12866. Moreover, it
would not have a significant adverse
effect on the supply, distribution, or use
of energy, nor has it been designated as
a significant energy action by the
Administrator of OIRA. Therefore, it is
not a significant energy action, and,
accordingly, DOE has not prepared a
Statement of Energy Effects.
L. Review Under Section 32 of the
Federal Energy Administration Act of
1974
Under section 301 of the Department
of Energy Organization Act (Pub. L. 95–
91; 42 U.S.C. 7101), DOE must comply
with section 32 of the Federal Energy
Administration Act of 1974, as amended
by the Federal Energy Administration
Authorization Act of 1977. (15 U.S.C.
788; FEAA) Section 32 essentially
provides in relevant part that, where a
proposed rule authorizes or requires use
of commercial standards, the notice of
proposed rulemaking must inform the
public of the use and background of
such standards. In addition, section
32(c) requires DOE to consult with the
Attorney General and the Chairman of
the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
concerning the impact of the
commercial or industry standards on
competition.
The proposed rule incorporates
testing methods contained in annex C.3
and section 11.5.5, 11.5.6, and 11.6 of
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the commercial standard, International
Electrotechnical Commission 62087
Edition 2.0 2011, ‘‘Method of
Measurement for the Power
Consumption of Audio, Video and
Related Equipment;’’ section 5.3.1 of the
commercial standard, International
Electrotechnical Commission 62301
Edition 2.0 2011, ‘‘Household electrical
appliances—Measurement of standby
power’’ and CEA Procedure for
Download Acquisition Mode Testing:
For TVs,’’ Revision 0.3, September 8,
2010. DOE has evaluated these
standards and is unable to conclude
whether they fully comply with the
requirements of section 32(b) of the
Federal Energy Administration Act (i.e.,
whether they were developed in a
manner that fully provides for public
participation, comment, and review).
As required by section 32(c) of the
Federal Energy Administration Act of
1974 as amended, DOE will consult
with the Attorney General and the
Chairman of the Federal Trade
Commission about the impact on
competition of using the methods
contained in these standards before
prescribing a final rule.
V. Public Participation
A. Attendance at Public Meeting
The time, date, and location of the
public meeting are listed in the DATES
and ADDRESSES sections at the beginning
of this document. If you plan to attend
the public meeting, please notify Ms.
Brenda Edwards at (202) 586–2945 or
Brenda.Edwards@ee.doe.gov. As
explained in the ADDRESSES section,
foreign nationals visiting DOE
Headquarters are subject to advance
security screening procedures.
In addition, you can attend the public
meeting via webinar. Webinar
registration information, participant
instructions, and information about the
capabilities available to webinar
participants will be published on DOE’s
Web site https://www1.eere.energy.gov/
buildings/appliance_standards/
residential/tv_sets.html. Participants are
responsible for ensuring their systems
are compatible with the webinar
software.
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B. Procedure for Submitting Prepared
General Statements for Distribution
Any person who has plans to present
a prepared general statement may
request that copies of his or her
statement be made available at the
public meeting. Such persons may
submit requests, along with an advance
electronic copy of their statement in
PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or
Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file
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format, to the appropriate address
shown in the ADDRESSES section at the
beginning of this notice. The request
and advance copy of statements must be
received at least one week before the
public meeting and may be emailed,
hand-delivered, or sent by mail. DOE
prefers to receive requests and advance
copies via email. Please include a
telephone number to enable DOE staff to
make a follow-up contact, if needed.
C. Conduct of Public Meeting
DOE will designate a DOE official to
preside at the public meeting and may
also use a professional facilitator to aid
discussion. The meeting will not be a
judicial or evidentiary-type public
hearing, but DOE will conduct it in
accordance with section 336 of EPCA
(42 U.S.C. 6306). A court reporter will
be present to record the proceedings and
prepare a transcript. DOE reserves the
right to schedule the order of
presentations and to establish the
procedures governing the conduct of the
public meeting. After the public
meeting, interested parties may submit
further comments on the proceedings as
well as on any aspect of the rulemaking
until the end of the comment period.
The public meeting will be conducted
in an informal, conference style. DOE
will present summaries of comments
received before the public meeting,
allow time for prepared general
statements by participants, and
encourage all interested parties to share
their views on issues affecting this
rulemaking. Each participant will be
allowed to make a general statement
(within time limits determined by DOE),
before the discussion of specific topics.
DOE will permit, as time permits, other
participants to comment briefly on any
general statements.
At the end of all prepared statements
on a topic, DOE will permit participants
to clarify their statements briefly and
comment on statements made by others.
Participants should be prepared to
answer questions by DOE and by other
participants concerning these issues.
DOE representatives may also ask
questions of participants concerning
other matters relevant to this
rulemaking. The official conducting the
public meeting will accept additional
comments or questions from those
attending, as time permits. The
presiding official will announce any
further procedural rules or modification
of the above procedures that may be
needed for the proper conduct of the
public meeting.
A transcript of the public meeting will
be included in the docket, which can be
viewed as described in the Docket
section at the beginning of this notice.
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In addition, any person may buy a copy
of the transcript from the transcribing
reporter.
D. Submission of Comments
DOE will accept comments, data, and
information regarding this proposed
rule before or after the public meeting,
but no later than the date provided in
the DATES section at the beginning of
this proposed rule. Interested parties
may submit comments using any of the
methods described in the ADDRESSES
section at the beginning of this notice.
Submitting comments via
regulations.gov. The regulations.gov
web page will require you to provide
your name and contact information.
Your contact information will be
viewable to DOE Building Technologies
staff only. Your contact information will
not be publicly viewable except for your
first and last names, organization name
(if any), and submitter representative
name (if any). If your comment is not
processed properly because of technical
difficulties, DOE will use this
information to contact you. If DOE
cannot read your comment due to
technical difficulties and cannot contact
you for clarification, DOE may not be
able to consider your comment.
However, your contact information
will be publicly viewable if you include
it in the comment or in any documents
attached to your comment. Any
information that you do not want to be
publicly viewable should not be
included in your comment, nor in any
document attached to your comment.
Persons viewing comments will see only
first and last names, organization
names, correspondence containing
comments, and any documents
submitted with the comments.
Do not submit to regulations.gov
information for which disclosure is
restricted by statute, such as trade
secrets and commercial or financial
information (hereinafter referred to as
Confidential Business Information
(CBI)). Comments submitted through
regulations.gov cannot be claimed as
CBI. Comments received through the
Web site will waive any CBI claims for
the information submitted. For
information on submitting CBI, see the
Confidential Business Information
section.
DOE processes submissions made
through regulations.gov before posting.
Normally, comments will be posted
within a few days of being submitted.
However, if large volumes of comments
are being processed simultaneously,
your comment may not be viewable for
up to several weeks. Please keep the
comment tracking number that
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 12 / Thursday, January 19, 2012 / Proposed Rules
regulations.gov provides after you have
successfully uploaded your comment.
Submitting comments via email, hand
delivery, or mail. Comments and
documents submitted via email, hand
delivery, or mail also will be posted to
regulations.gov. If you do not want your
personal contact information to be
publicly viewable, do not include it in
your comment or any accompanying
documents. Instead, provide your
contact information on a cover letter.
Include your first and last names, email
address, telephone number, and
optional mailing address. The cover
letter will not be publicly viewable as
long as it does not include any
comments
Include contact information each time
you submit comments, data, documents,
and other information to DOE. Email
submissions are preferred. If you submit
via mail or hand delivery, please
provide all items on a CD, if feasible. It
is not necessary to submit printed
copies. No facsimiles (faxes) will be
accepted.
Comments, data, and other
information submitted to DOE
electronically should be provided in
PDF (preferred), Microsoft Word or
Excel, WordPerfect, or text (ASCII) file
format. Provide documents that are not
secured, written in English and are free
of any defects or viruses. Documents
should not contain special characters or
any form of encryption and, if possible,
they should carry the electronic
signature of the author.
Campaign form letters. Please submit
campaign form letters by the originating
organization in batches of between 50 to
500 form letters per PDF or as one form
letter with a list of supporters’ names
compiled into one or more PDFs. This
reduces comment processing and
posting time.
Confidential Business Information.
According to 10 CFR 1004.11, any
person submitting information that he
or she believes to be confidential and
exempt by law from public disclosure
should submit via email, postal mail, or
hand delivery two well-marked copies:
One copy of the document marked
confidential including all the
information believed to be confidential,
and one copy of the document marked
non-confidential with the information
believed to be confidential deleted.
Submit these documents via email or on
a CD, if feasible. DOE will make its own
determination about the confidential
status of the information and treat it
according to its determination.
Factors of interest to DOE when
evaluating requests to treat submitted
information as confidential include: (1)
A description of the items; (2) whether
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and why such items are customarily
treated as confidential within the
industry; (3) whether the information is
generally known by or available from
other sources; (4) whether the
information has previously been made
available to others without obligation
concerning its confidentiality; (5) an
explanation of the competitive injury to
the submitting person which would
result from public disclosure; (6) when
such information might lose its
confidential character due to the
passage of time; and (7) why disclosure
of the information would be contrary to
the public interest.
It is DOE’s policy that all comments
may be included in the public docket,
without change and as received,
including any personal information
provided in the comments (except
information deemed to be exempt from
public disclosure).
E. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Comment
Although DOE welcomes comments
on any aspect of this proposal, DOE is
particularly interested in receiving
comments and views of interested
parties concerning the following issues:
1. Scope of Coverage—DOE seeks
comments from interested parties on the
proposed scope of this rulemaking, as well as
the definition of TVs. Specifically, DOE
would like comments on including both TVs
and displays greater than 15 inches which
are sold with a TV tuner. (See section III.C)
2. Light Measurement Devices—DOE seeks
comments from interested parties on the
LMD equipment specifications proposed in
this NOPR. (See Section III.D.1.c)
3. Signal Source and Generation—DOE
seeks comments from interested parties on
the signal source and generation specified in
this NOPR. (See section III.D.2.c)
4. Picture Settings to Test—DOE seeks
comments from interested parties on its
proposal to conduct luminance tests in home
picture setting and retail picture setting. For
testing on mode energy consumption, DOE
seeks comment on its proposal to test in
home picture setting, along with its
consideration to test on mode in both the
highest and lowest energy consuming picture
settings (or brightest or dimmest), or all
picture settings. (See section III.E.1)
5. Luminance Testing—DOE seeks
comments from interested parties on its
proposed method of luminance testing. DOE
also seeks comments on its proposal to
include a luminance ratio. (See section
III.E.3.b)
6. Warm-up and Stabilization—DOE seeks
comments on the proposed method of taking
the luminance measurement immediately
after displaying the three bar video signal.
(See section III.E.3.a)
7. Video signal for Luminance Testing—
DOE seeks comments from interested parties
on its proposal to use the three bar video
signal for luminance testing. DOE further
seeks comments on any of the additional
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video signals that it considered. (See section
III.E.3.c)
8. Room Illuminance Levels for Television
Sets Shipped with Automatic Brightness
Control Enabled—DOE seeks comments from
interested parties on whether there should be
a limit to the reduction in display luminance
achieved from ABC, and how a minimally
acceptable display luminance value should
be established. DOE also seeks comment from
interested parties on its proposal to test TVs
shipped with ABC enabled at room
illuminance levels of 10, 50, 100, and 300 lux
and their respected tolerances. DOE
additionally welcomes comments on how
these outputs should be weighted and
combined. (See section III.E.4.b.i)
9. Method for Creating Illuminance Levels
for Television Sets Shipped with Automatic
Brightness Control Enabled—DOE seeks
comments from interested parties on the
method for creating room illuminance levels
including both the direct light method that it
proposed in this NOPR and the diffused light
method considered in this NOPR. DOE also
seeks comments from interested parties on
setting a color temperature range and a
potential warm up period associated with
other light sources in that range. (See section
III.E.4.b.ii)
10. Three Dimensional Display Testing—
DOE seeks comments from interested parties
on 3D testing. DOE specifically seeks
comment on its two methods under
consideration for a future rulemaking which
include converting the 2D IEC dynamic
broadcast-content video signal to 3D using a
real time converting Blu-ray player or
creating a 3D version of the IEC dynamic
broadcast-content video signal. DOE also
seeks comments on how it can best work
with the IEC and interested parties to
promote the development of a 3D test
procedure. (See section III.E.4.d)
11. Internet Connectivity—DOE seeks
comments from interested parties on its
consideration of testing the Internet as part
of on mode; standby-active, high mode; and
standby-active, low mode. (See section III.E.4
for on mode and section III.E.5.c.ii for
standby-active)
12. Standby and Off Modes—DOE seeks
comments from interested parties on testing
standby and off mode of TVs according to the
procedure outlined, above. (See sections
III.E.5.c and III.E.5.d)
13. Single Metrics—DOE seeks comments
from interested parties on the alternative
approach of using a single metric for
calculating annual energy consumption. DOE
also seeks comment on its preliminary
decision not to take into account the
possibility that consumers may switch
between preset picture settings. (See section
III.E.6)
14. Input Format Hierarchy—DOE seeks
comments from interested parties on the
hierarchy of input formats required to
connect the TV to a video source. (See
section III.D.2.c)
VI. Approval of the Office of the
Secretary
The Secretary of Energy has approved
publication of this proposed rule.
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 12 / Thursday, January 19, 2012 / Proposed Rules
List of Subjects in 10 CFR Part 430
Administrative practice and
procedure, Confidential business
information, Energy conservation,
Household appliances, Imports,
Incorporation by reference,
Intergovernmental relations, Small
businesses.
Issued in Washington, DC, on December
20, 2011.
Kathleen B. Hogan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Energy
Efficiency, Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy.
For the reasons stated in the
preamble, DOE is proposing to amend
part 430 of Chapter II of Title 10, Code
of Federal Regulations as set forth
below:
PART 430—ENERGY CONSERVATION
PROGRAM FOR CONSUMER
PRODUCTS
1. The authority citation for part 430
continues to read as follows:
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 6291–6309; 28 U.S.C.
2461 note.
2. Section 430.2 is amended by:
a. Removing the definitions ‘‘Color
television set’’ and ‘‘Monochrome
television set’’; and
b. Revising the definition for
‘‘Television set’’ to read as follows:
§ 430.2
Definitions.
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*
*
*
*
Television set (also referred to as
‘‘TV’’): A product designed to be
powered primarily by mains power
having a diagonal screen size of fifteen
inches or larger that is manufactured
with a TV tuner, and that is capable of
displaying dynamic visual information
from wired or wireless sources
including but not limited to:
(1) Broadcast and similar services for
terrestrial, cable, satellite, and/or
broadband transmission of analog and/
or digital signals; and/or
(2) Display-specific data connections,
such as VGA, DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort,
used typically for a computer or
workstation that is not physically
attached to the display; and/or
(3) Media storage devices such as a
USB flash drive, memory card, or a
DVD; and/or
(4) Network connections, usually
using Internet Protocol, typically carried
over Ethernet or WiFi.
A TV may contain, but is not limited
to, one of the following display
technologies: liquid crystal display
(LCD), light-emitting diode (LED),
cathode-ray tube (CRT), and plasma
display panel (PDP). TV also includes
TV Combination units that DOE has
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further defined in appendix H to
subpart B of this part.
*
*
*
*
*
3. Section 430.3 is amended by:
a. Redesignating paragraphs (h)
through (o) as (i) through (p);
b. Adding a new paragraph (h);
c. Adding a new paragraph (j)(6); and
d. Adding new paragraphs (l)(3), (l)(4)
The additions and revisions read as
follows:
§ 430.3 Materials incorporated by
reference.
*
*
*
*
*
(h) CEA. Consumer Electronics
Association, 1919 South Eads Street
Arlington, VA 22202, (866) 858–1555, or
go to https://www.ce.org.
(1) CEA Procedure for DAM Testing:
For TVs, Revision 0.3 (8 September
2010), IBR approved for appendix H to
subpart B.
(2) Reserved.
*
*
*
*
*
(j) * * *
(6) ENERGY STAR Program
Requirements for Televisions, Versions
5.3, approved August 2010, Section 6.2,
IBR approved for Appendix H to
Subpart B.
*
*
*
*
*
(l) * * *
(3) International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) Standard 62087,
(‘‘IEC 62087–2011’’), Methods of
measurement of the power consumption
of audio, video, and related equipment
(Edition 3.0, 2011–05), Section 11.5.5,
11.5.6, and 11.6 and annex c.3, IBR
approved for appendix H to subpart B.
(4) International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) Standard 62031,
(‘‘IEC 62031–2011’’), Household
electrical appliances—Measurement of
standby power (Edition 2.0, 2011–01),
Section 5.3.1, IBR approved for
appendix H to subpart B.
*
*
*
*
*
4. Section 430.23 is amended by
revising paragraph (h) to read as
follows:
§ 430.23 Test procedures for the
measurement of energy and water
consumption.
*
*
*
*
*
(h) Television Sets. (1) The energy
consumption of a television set,
including on mode, standby mode and
off mode energy consumption levels
expressed in watts, shall be measured in
accordance with section 4 of appendix
H of this subpart.
*
*
*
*
*
5. Appendix H to subpart B of part
430 is added to read as follows.
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Appendix H to Subpart B of Part 430—
Uniform Test Method for Measuring the
Energy Consumption of Television Sets
1. Scope
This appendix covers the test requirements
used to measure the energy consumption of
Television Sets.
2. Definitions and Symbols
2.1. Additional functions are functions that
are not required for the basic operation of the
device. Additional functions include, but are
not limited to a VCR unit, a DVD unit, a HDD
unit, a FM-radio unit, a memory card-reader
unit, or an ambient lighting unit.
2.2. CEA Procedure for Download
Acquisition Mode Testing means the test
standard published by the Consumer
Electronics Association, entitled ‘‘CEA
Procedure for Download Acquisition Mode
Testing: For TVs,’’ Revision 0.3, September 8,
2010 (incorporated by reference, see § 430.3).
2.3. Download acquisition mode is the
power mode in which the product is
connected to a mains power source, produces
neither sound nor picture, and is actively
downloading data. Data downloads may
include channel listing information for use
by an electronic programming guide, TV
setup data, channel map updates, firmware
updates, monitoring for emergency
messaging/communications or other network
communications.
2.4. Home picture setting (or default
picture setting) is the picture setting which
is recommended by the manufacturer from
the initial set up menu or the mode that the
television comes shipped in if no setting is
recommended.
2.5. IEC 62087–2011 means the test
standard published by the International
Electrotechnical Commission, entitled
‘‘Methods of measurement of the power
consumption of audio, video, and related
equipment,’’ IEC 62087–2011 (incorporated
by reference, see § 430.3).
2.6. IEC 62087–2011 Blu-Ray Dynamic
Broadcast-Content Video Signal means the
test clip published by the International
Electrotechnical Commission, entitled ‘‘IEC
62087–2011, video content_BD, video
content for IEC 62087–2011 on Blu-ray Disc,’’
IEC 62087–2011(incorporated by reference,
see § 430.3).
2.7. IEC 62301–2011 means the test
standard published by the International
Electrotechnical Commission, entitled
‘‘Household electrical appliances—
Measurement of standby power,’’ IEC 62301–
2011 (incorporated by reference, see § 430.3).
2.8. Luminance is the photometric measure
of the luminous intensity per unit area of
light traveling in a given direction, expressed
in units of candelas per square meter (cd/
m∧2).
2.9. Off mode is the mode where the TV
is connected to a power source, produces
neither sound nor picture and cannot be
switched into any other mode with the
remote control unit, an external or internal
signal.
2.10. On mode is the power mode in which
the TV is connected to a mains power source,
has been activated, and is providing one or
more of its principal functions.
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2.11. Retail picture setting is the preset
picture setting in which the TV produces the
highest luminance during the on mode
conditions.
2.12. Standby-passive mode is the mode in
which the TV is connected to a power source,
produces neither sound nor picture but can
be switched into another mode with the
remote control unit or an internal signal.
2.13. Standby-active, high mode is the
mode in which the TV is connected to a
power source, produces neither sound nor
picture but can be switched into another
mode with the remote control unit or an
internal signal, and with an external signal,
and is exchanging/receiving data with/from
an external source.
2.14. Standby-active, low mode is the mode
in which the TV is connected to a power
source, produces neither sound nor picture
but can be switched into another mode with
the remote control unit or an internal signal
and can additionally be switched into
another mode with an external signal.
2.15. Symbol usage. The following identity
relationships are provided to help clarify the
symbols used throughout this test procedure.
ABC—Automatic Brightness Control
DAM—Download Acquisition Mode
DVD—Digital Video Disc
DVI—Digital Visual Interface
HDD—Hard Disk Drive
HDMI—High-Definition Multimedia Interface
Lretail—Luminance of TV in retail picture
setting
Lhome—Luminance of TV in home picture
setting
L—Ratio of Lhome to Lretail
LMD—Luminance Measurement Device
Pon—Power consumed for on mode with ABC
disabled
P10 = Power consumed for on mode, ABC
enabled, 10 lux, with a direct light source
P50 = Power consumed for on mode, ABC
enabled, 50 lux, with a direct light source
P100 = Power consumed for on mode, ABC
enabled, 100 lux, with a direct light source
P300 = Power consumed for on mode, ABC
enabled, 300 lux, with a direct light source
Pstandby-passive—Power consumption for
standby-passive mode
Pstandby-active, high—Power consumption for
standby-active, high
Poff—Power consumption for off mode
THD—Total Harmonic Distortion
TV—Television Set
USB—Universal Serial Bus
VCR—Videocassette Recorder
VGA—Video Graphics Array
W10—Percent Weighting for on mode, ABC
enabled, while the Room Illuminance is 10
lux
W50—Percent Weighting for on mode, ABC
enabled, while the Room Illuminance is 50
lux
W100—Percent Weighting for on mode, ABC
enabled, while the Room Illuminance is
100 lux
W300—Percent Weighting for on mode, ABC
enabled, while the Room Illuminance is
300 lux
2.16. TV combination unit is a TV in which
the TV and one or more additional devices
(e.g., DVD player, Blu-ray Disc player, Hard
Disk Drive) are combined into a single
enclosure, and which meets the following
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criteria: (a) It is not possible to measure the
power of the individual components without
removing the product housing; and (b) the
product connects to a wall outlet via a single
power cord.
2. Accuracy and Precision of Measurement
Equipment.
3.1. Electrical Energy Supply.
3.1.1. Power Supply. Carry out
measurements using a power supply
providing voltage of 115 V at 60 Hz.
The fluctuation of the voltage supplied
during the tests shall not exceed ±1 percent.
The frequency fluctuation and the harmonic
components of the supplied power shall not
exceed ±1 percent and 5 percent respectively.
3.1.2. Power Meter. The measurement shall
be carried out directly by means of a
wattmeter, a wattmeter with averaging
function, or a watt-hour meter, by dividing
the reading by the measuring time. For TVs
for which the input video signal varies over
time, use a wattmeter with an averaging
function to carry out the measurement.
3.1.2.1. The sampling rate of the watt-hour
meter or wattmeter with averaging function
should be one measurement per second or
more frequent.
3.1.2.2. The power measurement
instrument used shall measure the power
factor and the real power consumed
regardless of the power factor of the device
under test.
3.1.2.3. Power measurements of 0.5 W or
greater shall be made with an uncertainty of
less than or equal to 2 percent (at the 95
percent confidence level). Measurements of
power of less than 0.5 W shall be made with
an uncertainty of less than or equal to 0.01
W (at the 95 percent confidence level). The
power measurement instrument shall have a
resolution of:
0.01 W or better for power measurements
of 10 W or less;
0.1 W or better for power measurements of
greater than 10 W up to 100 W;
1 W or better for power measurements of
greater than 100 W.
3.1.3. Light Measurement Device. All LMDs
shall have an accuracy of ±2 percent ±2 digits
of the digitally displayed value and
repeatability within 0.4 percent ±2 digits of
displayed value. LMDs must also have an
acceptance angle of 3 degrees or less.
4. Test Room and Set-Up Criteria.
4.1. Installation. Install the TV in
accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
4.2. Dark Room Conditions. All luminance
testing (with a non-contact meter) and on
mode testing (with ABC enable by default)
shall be performed in dark room conditions,
meaning the display screen illuminance
measurement in off mode must be less than
or equal to 1.0 lux.
4.3. Ambient Temperature Conditions. For
all testing, maintain ambient temperature
conditions between 23 °C ±5 °C.
4.4. Ambient Relative Humidity
Conditions. For all testing, maintain the
ambient relative humidity between 10 and 80
percent.
4.5. Input Cable. Testing shall be
performed using an HDMI input cable. If the
TV does not have an HDMI input, the
following inputs shall be used, in the
following order: HDMI/DVI, VGA,
component, S-Video, and composite.
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4.6. 2D Testing Signal Source. The signal
source shall be able to generate a Blu-ray
signal.
5. Test Measurements.
5.1. For on mode and luminance testing,
connect the signal source generator to the TV
via the input cable.
5.2. Warm-up. TVs shall be warmed-up
prior to testing using the IEC 62087–2011
(incorporated by reference, see § 430.3)
dynamic broadcast-content video signal for at
least one hour, found in annex C.3 of IEC
62087–2011. If the TV has not reached a
stable state with respect to power within the
one hour time period, the warm-up shall last
until the TV reaches a stable state. For the
purposes of this rulemaking, the TV is
considered to be in a stable state if the
average power consumption over two
consecutive plays of IEC 62087–2011
dynamic broadcast-content video signal does
not vary by more than 2 percent.
5.3. Luminance Test.
5.3.1. Luminance Test. The luminance test
shall be performed immediately following
the warm-up period. The luminance test
shall first be performed with the TV in the
retail picture setting, followed by the TV in
home picture setting. The ABC sensor must
be disabled during this test.
5.3.1.1. LMD Setup. Align the LMD
perpendicular to the center of the display
screen. If a distance meter is being used for
testing, the LMD shall be at a distance
capable of achieving the desired
specifications outlined in section 3.1.3.
5.3.1.2. Three Bar Video Signal
Measurement. The TV shall be measured in
both the home and retail picture settings
using IEC 62087–2011 (incorporated by
reference, see § 430.3) three bar video signal
found in section 11.5.5 of IEC 62087–2011.
Record the luminance immediately after the
three bar video signal is displayed in the
retail picture setting first, as Lretail, followed
by the home picture setting as Lhome.
5.4. On Mode Test for TVs without ABC
Enabled By Default.
5.4.1. On mode testing shall be performed
with the TV in home mode, while displaying
the full 10-minute duration of IEC 62087–
2011 Blu-ray dynamic-broadcast video signal
(incorporated by reference, see § 430.3).
Measure the energy consumption and record
the value as Pon.
5.5. On Mode Test for TVs with ABC
Enabled By Default. The following test shall
be performed if the TV is shipped with ABC
enabled by default:
5.5.1. On mode testing shall be performed
with the TV in home mode, while displaying
IEC 62087–2011 Blu-ray dynamic-broadcast
video signal for 10 minutes (incorporated by
reference, see § 430.3) with l0 lux (±1 lux)
entering the ambient light sensor. Measure
the energy consumption and record the value
as P10. Repeat the measurements with 50 lux
(±2 lux), 100 lux (±5 lux), and 300 lux (±9
lux) entering the ambient light sensor and
record the values as P50, P100, and P300
respectively.
5.5.2. To create the ambient lighting, a
halogen incandescent light must be
positioned in front of the ABC sensor so that
the light may be focused directly into the
sensor. The light source must be able to
E:\FR\FM\19JAP2.SGM
19JAP2
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Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 12 / Thursday, January 19, 2012 / Proposed Rules
mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS2
achieve a range between 10–300 lux at the
ABC sensor. The room illuminance shall be
measured at the sensor in the direction of the
light source while the TV is on and
displaying the main menu of IEC 62087–
2011.
5.6. Standby Mode Tests.
5.6.1. Standby-Passive Mode Test. The
standby-passive test shall be performed
according to section 5.3.1 of IEC 62301–2011
standby test (incorporated by reference, see
§ 430.3). Measure the energy consumption
and record the value as Pstandby-passive.
VerDate Mar<15>2010
18:31 Jan 18, 2012
Jkt 226001
5.6.2. Standby-Active, High Mode Test. The
standby-active, high test shall be performed
according to the CEA Test Procedure for
Download Acquisition Mode Testing
(incorporated by reference, see § 430.3).
Measure the energy consumption and record
the value as Pstandby-active, high.
5.6.2.1. The standby-active, high test shall
be performed using the following inputs, in
the following order: Wi-Fi, Ethernet.
Ethernet. If the UUT supports an Energy
Efficient Ethernet, then it shall be tested
using that connection., Thunderbolt, USB,
PO 00000
Frm 00038
Fmt 4701
Sfmt 9990
Firewire, and other when more than one
connection can be used to conduct testing.
5.7. Off Mode Test.
5.7.1. The off mode test shall be performed
according to section 5.3.1 of the IEC 62301–
2011 off mode test (incorporated by
reference, see § 430.3). Measure the energy
consumption and record the value as Poff.
6. Calculations.
6.1. Calculate the Luminance ratio, L, as
the ratio of Lhome to Lretail.
[FR Doc. 2012–687 Filed 1–18–12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450–01–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 12 (Thursday, January 19, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 2830-2866]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-687]
[[Page 2829]]
Vol. 77
Thursday,
No. 12
January 19, 2012
Part III
Department of Energy
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10 CFR Part 430
Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Television Sets;
Proposed Rule
Federal Register / Vol. 77 , No. 12 / Thursday, January 19, 2012 /
Proposed Rules
[[Page 2830]]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
10 CFR Part 430
[Docket No. EERE-2010-BT-TP-0026]
RIN 1904-AC29
Energy Conservation Program: Test Procedure for Television Sets
AGENCY: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) proposes to establish a
new test procedure for television sets (TVs). DOE repealed the prior
Federal test procedure for TVs on October 20, 2009, due to petitions
from the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the Consumer
Electronics Association (CEA). CEC and CEA petitioned for the repeal in
light of the June 13, 2009, Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
transition from analog to digital broadcast transmissions for TVs. In
their petitions, the CEC requested repeal of the regulatory provisions
establishing the test procedure and defining ``television set,'' and
the CEA petitioned for DOE's adoption of the International
Electrochemical Commission's (IEC's) test procedure IEC Standard 62087-
2008, ``Methods of measurement for the power consumption of audio,
video and related equipment.'' DOE is proposing a new test procedure
for TVs that was developed from existing industry test procedures
including those by IEC, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and CEA.
Additionally, DOE will hold a public meeting to receive and discuss
comments on the proposal.
DATES: DOE will hold a public meeting on a date that is to be
determined, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Washington, DC. Once a public
meeting date is selected, that date can be found at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html. The meeting will also be broadcast as a webinar. See section
V, ``Public Participation,'' for webinar registration information,
participant instructions, and information about the capabilities
available to webinar participants.
DOE will accept comments, data, and information regarding this
notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR) before and after the public
meeting, but no later than April 3, 2012. See section V, ``Public
Participation,'' for details.
ADDRESSES: The public meeting will be held at the U.S. Department of
Energy, Forrestal Building, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington,
DC 20585. To attend, please notify Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-
2945. Please note that foreign nationals visiting DOE Headquarters are
subject to advance security screening procedures. Any foreign national
wishing to participate in the meeting should advise DOE as soon as
possible by contacting Ms. Brenda Edwards at (202) 586-2945 to initiate
the necessary procedures.
Any comments submitted must identify the Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking (NOPR) for the TV Test Procedure, and provide docket number
EERE-2010-BT-TP-0026 and/or regulatory information number (RIN) number
1904-AC29. Comments may be submitted using any of the following
methods:
1. Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow
the instructions for submitting comments.
2. Email: Televisions-2010-TP-0026@ee.doe.gov. Include the docket
number EERE-2010-BT-TP-0026 and/or RIN 1904-AC29 in the subject line of
the message.
3. Mail: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of Energy, Building
Technologies Program, Mailstop EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue SW.,
Washington, DC 20585-0121. If possible, please submit all items on a
CD. It is not necessary to include printed copies.
4. Hand Delivery/Courier: Ms. Brenda Edwards, U.S. Department of
Energy, Building Technologies Program, 950 L'Enfant Plaza SW., Suite
600, Washington, DC 20024. Telephone: (202) 586-2945. If possible,
please submit all items on a CD. It is not necessary to include printed
copies.
For detailed instructions on submitting comments and additional
information on the rulemaking process, see section V, ``Public
Participation,'' of this document.
Docket: The docket is available for review at regulations.gov,
including Federal Register notices, framework documents, public meeting
attendee lists and transcripts, comments, and other supporting
documents/materials. All documents in the docket are listed in the
www.regulations.gov index. However, not all documents listed in the
index may be publicly available, such as information that is exempt
from public disclosure.
A link to the docket web page may be found at: https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html. This Web page will contain a link to the docket for this
notice on the regulations.gov site. The regulations.gov Web page will
contain simple instructions on how to access all documents, including
public comments, in the docket. See section V for information on how to
submit comments through regulations.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Victor Petrolati, U.S. Department
of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Building
Technologies Program, EE-2J, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington,
DC 20585-0121. Telephone: (202) 586-2192. Email:
Victor.Petrolati@ee.doe.gov.
Ms. Celia Sher, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the General
Counsel, GC-71, 1000 Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20585-
0121. Telephone: (202) 287-6122. Email: Celia.Sher@hq.doe.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
I. Authority and Background
A. General
B. Test Procedure Rulemaking Process
C. Rulemaking Background
II. Summary of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
III. Discussion
A. Effective Date and Compliance Date of Test Procedure
B. Existing Television Test Procedures
C. Scope
1. Products Covered by This Rulemaking
2. Definition of Television Sets
3. Other Definitions
a. Definitions Incorporated From IEC 62087-2011
b. Definitions Incorporated From ENERGY STAR v. 5.3
c. New Definitions for Incorporation
D. Testing Conditions and Instrumentation
1. Accuracy and Precision of Measurement Equipment
a. Power Supply
b. Power Meter
c. Light Measurement Devices
2. Test Room and Set-Up Criteria
a. Dark Room Conditions
b. Ambient Temperature and Humidity
c. Signal Source and Generation
E. Test Measurements
1. Picture Settings To Test
2. Testing Order
3. Luminance
a. Warm-Up and Stabilization
b. Method for Testing Luminance
c. Video Signals
d. Number of Luminance Measurements
e. Measurement Distances and Angles for Luminance Testing
4. On Mode
a. IEC 62087-2011 Dynamic Broadcast-Content Video Signal
b. Testing of Television Sets Shipped With Automatic Brightness
Control Enabled
c. Television Sets Shipped Without Automatic Brightness Control
Enabled
d. Three Dimensional Display Testing
5. Standby and Off Modes
a. Additional Functions
b. Power Saving Technologies
c. Standby Modes
[[Page 2831]]
d. Off Mode
6. Energy Efficiency Metric(s) for Televisions
IV. Procedural Issues and Regulatory Review
A. Review Under Executive Order 12866
B. Review Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act
C. Review Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
D. Review Under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969
E. Review Under Executive Order 13132
F. Review Under Executive Order 12988
G. Review Under the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995
H. Review Under the Treasury and General Government
Appropriations Act, 1999
I. Review Under Executive Order 12630
J. Review Under Treasury and General Government Appropriations
Act, 2001
K. Review Under Executive Order 13211
L. Review Under Section 32 of the Federal Energy Administration
Act of 1974
V. Public Participation
A. Attendance at Public Meeting
B. Procedure for Submitting Prepared General Statements for
Distribution
C. Conduct of Public Meeting
D. Submission of Comments
E. Issues on Which DOE Seeks Comment
VI. Approval of the Office of the Secretary
I. Authority and Background
A. General
Title III of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act (42 U.S.C.
6291, et seq.; ``EPCA'' or, ``the Act'') sets forth a variety of
provisions designed to improve energy efficiency. (All references to
EPCA refer to the statute as amended through the Energy Independence
and Security Act of 2007 (EISA 2007), Public Law 110-140 (Dec. 19,
2007)). Part B of Title III (42 U.S.C. 6291-6309), which was
subsequently redesignated as Part A for editorial reasons, establishes
the ``Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products Other Than
Automobiles.'' This includes television sets (TVs), the subject of this
notice. (42 U.S.C. 6292(a)(12))
Under EPCA, this program consists essentially of three parts: (1)
Testing, (2) labeling, and (3) Federal energy conservation standards.
The testing requirements consist of test procedures that manufacturers
of covered products must use (1) as the basis for certifying to DOE
that their products comply with the applicable energy conservation
standards adopted under EPCA, and (2) for making representations about
the efficiency of those products. Similarly, DOE must use these test
requirements to determine whether the products comply with any relevant
standards promulgated under EPCA.
B. Test Procedure Rulemaking Process
In 42 U.S.C. 6293, EPCA sets forth the criteria and procedures DOE
must follow when prescribing or amending test procedures for covered
products. Specifically, if DOE determines that a test procedure should
be prescribed or amended, it must publish the proposed test procedure
in the Federal Register and give interested parties an opportunity to
provide public comment on the procedures. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(2)) EPCA
also provides that the test procedure shall be reasonably designed to
produce test results which measure energy efficiency, energy use, or
estimated annual operating cost of a covered product during a
representative average use cycle or period of use, and shall not be
unduly burdensome to conduct. (42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(3))
EISA 2007 amended EPCA to require DOE to implement a standby and
off mode energy consumption measurement, if technically feasible, in
test procedures where not previously present. Otherwise, DOE must
prescribe a separate standby and off mode energy test procedure, if
technically feasible. (42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(2)(A)) EISA 2007 also
requires any final rule to establish or revise a standard for a covered
product, adopted after July 1, 2010, to incorporate standby mode and
off mode energy use into a single amended or new standard, if feasible.
(42 U.S.C. 6295(gg)(3)(A)) DOE recognizes that the standby and off mode
conditions of operation apply to the product covered by this
rulemaking. In response to this requirement, DOE proposes adopting
provisions in the test procedures to address standby and off mode as
discussed in section III.E.5 of this proposed rulemaking.
C. Rulemaking Background
DOE adopted a test procedure for TVs on June 29, 1979, codified at
10 CFR part 430, subpart B, appendix H. 44 FR 37938. In May 2008, DOE
received petitions from both the California Energy Commission (CEC) and
the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), which were drafted in light
of the June 13, 2009, Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
transition from analog to digital broadcast transmissions for TVs.\1\
As of June 12, 2009, the Digital Transition and Public Safety Act of
2005 required that all broadcasting stations transmit in digital to
make analog frequencies available for public safety communications.\2\
Both the CEC and the CEA petitioned for repeal of the regulatory
provisions establishing the test procedure. CEC's petition stated that
the old test procedure was not capable of accurately measuring the
energy consumption of modern TVs because TV broadcasting is no longer
transmitted via an analog signal.\3\ In addition, the CEA petitioned
for DOE's adoption of the International Electrochemical Commission's
(IEC) test procedure IEC 62087-2008, ``Methods of measurement for the
power consumption of audio, video and related equipment.'' 74 FR 53641.
In light of these petitions, and the fact that the previous test
procedure was largely obsolete for today's products because of the
mandated transition from analog to digital signal transmission, DOE
repealed the test procedure on October 20, 2009. The test procedure DOE
is proposing today seeks to rectify the problem with the old test
procedure by allowing for accurate measurement of the energy
consumption of modern TVs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Energy Conservation Program: Repeal of Test Procedures for
Televisions. 74 FR 53640 https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/pdfs/74fr53640.pdf.
\2\ Digital transition mandated by Public Safety Act of 2005
https://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/digitaltv.html.
\3\ Chamberlain, William M., ``Petition of the California Energy
Commission to Repeal the Test Method for Television Sets in 10 CFR.
Part 430 Subpart B.'' May 23, 2008. https://www.energy.ca.gov/appliances/2008rulemaking/documents/2008-05-15_workshop/other/Petition_Of_The_CEC_To_Repeal_The_Test_Method_For_Television_Sets_In_10_CFR_Part_430_Subpart_B.pdf.
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DOE notes that the National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act
of 1995 (Pub. L. 104-113) directs Federal agencies to use voluntary
consensus standards in lieu of Government standards whenever possible.
Consequently, as described in today's NOPR, DOE incorporates by
reference in its test procedures the generally accepted test procedures
or recognized industry standards, such as those issued by the IEC, the
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), or the CEA, that provide either
specific aspect(s) of the test procedure, or complete test procedures,
for the specified modes.
As the first step in this rulemaking to establish a new test
procedure, DOE published a Request for Information on September 3,
2010, 75 FR 54048, (the 2010 RFI) requesting stakeholders to provide
information and views on DOE utilizing both the IEC 62087-2008 and the
ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Televisions, Version 4.1 (ENERGY
STAR v. 4.1) as reference standards for the basis of a new DOE test
procedure.\4\ DOE also solicited
[[Page 2832]]
comments on the key issues affecting the development of a new test
procedure including the following:
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\4\ When the RFI was published, the most current version of
EPA's test procedure was ENERGY STAR v. 4.1 and the most recent
version of the IEC-62087 was 2008. Since then, EPA has published an
updated version, ``ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Televisions,
Version 5.3'' and the IEC has published an updated version, ``IEC
62087-2011.''
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
(1) An appropriate method for ensuring screen brightness,
(2) Utilizing the nine point video signal,
(3) An appropriate method for measuring screen luminance,
(4) Requiring testing on all preset viewing modes,
(5) Testing multiple illuminance levels (specifically 10, 100, 150,
and 200 lux),
(6) An appropriate method for generating illuminance,
(7) The best possible signal source and connection to that signal
source,
(8) An appropriate stabilization time for luminance and power
measurements,
(9) An appropriate method of testing 3D energy consumption,
(10) Measuring download acquisition mode (DAM) power,
(11) Measuring internet connectivity power,
(12) Measuring power saving technology energy (including presence
sensors, display power management systems (DPMS), and high-definition
multimedia interface consumer electronic controls (HDMI-CEC)), and
(13) The scope of coverage for the rulemaking. 75 FR 54048.
II. Summary of the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
In today's NOPR, DOE is proposing a new test procedure for
determining the energy use of TVs. The proposed test procedure includes
measuring screen luminance and testing energy consumption for active
(on mode), standby, and off modes.
The luminance test is proposed to be performed by measuring the
screen luminance while the TV is displaying the IEC 62087-2011 three
bar video signal in both the home and retail picture settings. The
luminance test is being proposed to allow the ENERGY STAR program to
utilize the measurement. The on mode test will measure on mode energy
consumption when the TV is displaying the IEC 62087-2011 dynamic
broadcast-content video signal. If the TV is shipped with an automatic
brightness control (ABC) sensor enabled by default, on mode will be
tested at various room illuminance levels. If the TV does not have an
ABC sensor or the sensor is disabled by default, the test would be
performed while the TV is in the home picture setting.
DOE's proposed standby test procedure incorporates both IEC 62087-
2011 ``Methods of measurement for the power consumption of audio, video
and related equipment'' and the CEA ``Procedure for DAM Testing: For
TVs'' (CEA DAM test procedure). DOE's proposed off mode test procedure
incorporates IEC 62087-2011.
Although DOE is aware of TVs with additional modes, DOE is not
proposing to require testing these, but rather is simply considering
these modes and requesting comment on them. These modes include:
(1) On mode tests for TVs with internet connectivity;
(2) 3D mode, if capable; and
(3) Standby-active, low mode (when the internet is enabled but the TV
is in standby, and the TV is not sending or receiving external data,
for those TVs with internet access).
To supports its efforts in developing a Federal test procedure, DOE
conducted various tests, the results of which can be found on the DOE
Web site.\5\ The information found on the DOE Web site helps support
this NOPR by providing additional data and clarification. DOE conducted
testing at two different testing facilities and therefore some of the
data is organized according to where that data was collected. The data
from test facility one is denoted with numerical values, while the data
from test facility two is denoted with alphabetical letters. The test
facilities were determined to produce similar results as indicated in
the Round Robin Test Program Final Report for Televisions. This
information, found on the DOE Web site,\6\ includes the following:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ The DOE Web site: Appliance and Commercial Equipment
Standards: Television Sets. U.S. Department of Energy. August 2,
2011. https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html.
\6\ Id.
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(1) Television Test Procedure Comparison Chart which compares key
aspects of various TV standards including IEC 62087-2011, CEA 2037-
2010, ENERGY STAR version 5.1, CEC, BS EN 62087 ``Methods of
measurement for the power consumption of audio, video, and related
equipment'', and EN 62087 ``Methods of measurement for the power
consumption of audio, video, and related equipment''.
(2) Video Signal of Test Patterns Comparison Table which compares
the different advantages and disadvantages of particular video signals
including the 3-bar, 9-point, DOE 5-point, and dynamic video signals.
DOE assessed these video signals based on their availability, impact on
average picture level (APL), affect on power limiting, and interested
party input among other features.
(3) Room Illuminance Measurements During TV Viewing: Pilot Study
which summarizes a pilot study that DOE conducted to continuously
measure room illuminance in nine homes over a period of a week or more
as well as taking discrete one-off measurements at different locations
in the room. This document also sets out the detailed methodology that
DOE used for its pilot study.
a. Room Illuminance Measurements During TV Viewing: Pilot Study
Data which includes the source data which was analyzed to develop the
conclusions in the pilot study.
(4) Round Robin Test Program Final Report for Televisions that
summarizes a round robin test study to assess the repeatability and
reproducibility of TV energy test results. This round robin study
utilized the ENERGY STAR version 5.1 test procedure across three labs
and compares their results.
(5) Television Energy and Luminance Test Data Set which includes
the energy and luminance data for all of the TVs on which DOE conducted
testing.
(a) Television Luminance Data which includes test results for
luminance testing using the 9-point (both perpendicular and off-axis
measurements), 5-point Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA),
and DOE 5-point video signals. DOE conducted luminance testing based on
the ENERGY STAR version 5.1 test procedure but altered the video signal
to determine which video signal was most appropriate. DOE used the 3-
bar static video signal specified in IEC 62087 Ed. 2.0 as well as the
9-point, VESA 5-point, and DOE 5-point video signals as specified in
this NOPR.
(b) Television Luminance Stabilization Period Data which includes
graphs indicating how TV screen luminance changes over time and with
respect to different stabilization periods. DOE took measurements of
screen luminance after different stabilization periods to determine the
most appropriate method for conducting luminance testing. DOE initially
warmed-up the TVs using the method from IEC 62087-2011 and then
displayed the video signal for 15 minutes to conduct the luminance
measurement. The second luminance measurement was taken after a 10
minute warm-up period followed by 2 minutes of a black screen. DOE
tested this stabilization period for both the IEC 3-bar and 9-point
video signals.
[[Page 2833]]
(c) Television Power Data that includes test results for power
consumption testing while TVs are in various different modes. DOE
conducted this testing according to the ENERGY STAR version 5.1 test
method, but adjusted specific aspects on the TV to determine the energy
consumption associated with that particular feature including volume,
ABC, and internet connectivity.
(d) Television Internet Standby Data which is comprised of data
indicating the energy consumption when TVs are in standby mode and
connected to various external sources including HDMI, cable, Ethernet,
and wireless internet. DOE conducted power consumption testing
according to the ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 standby test procedure while
alternating the specific internet connections present on the TV.
(e) Television 9-point Video Signal Comparison Data that includes
data depicting the difference between perpendicular and off-axis
measurements while the TV is displaying the 9-point video signal.
Luminance results were collected according to the ENERGY STAR version
5.1 test procedure, except that DOE altered the video signal to the 9-
point video signal specified in this NOPR.
(f) Television On Mode Automatic Brightness Control Data which
includes the power and luminance data for TVs tested by DOE with ABC
enabled by default across various room illuminance levels. A PowerPoint
which charts some of this data is also included to demonstrate the
range of implementation of ABC among TVs tested by DOE. DOE conducted
power consumption testing according to the ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 (with
additional room lighting levels) using the IEC dynamic test clip
specified in IEC 62087 Ed. 2.0. Luminance results were collected
according to the ENERGY STAR version 5.1 test procedure, using the 3-
bar static test pattern specified in IEC 62087 Ed. 2.0.
(g) Television Download Acquisition Mode Data which includes data
indicating the energy consumption associated with DAM mode. DOE
conducted this testing on two TVs by configuring the internal
electronic program guide (not enabled by default) and connecting to a
subscription cable service by (1) coaxial cable only, (2) Ethernet only
and (3) cable and Ethernet together. Results over a 24 hour period were
recorded and charted for each connection configuration.
(h) Television 3D Mode Data that contains data as to TV energy
consumption while in various 3D modes. This testing was conducted on
five TVs under the following modes: When the TV is displaying a 3D
video signal, when the TV is up-converting a 2D video signal to 3D, and
when the TV is receiving a video signal from a Blu-ray player that has
up-converted a 2D video signal to 3D.
DOE believes that the proposed test procedure will accurately
represent the energy consumption of TVs by capturing the annual energy
consumption in on mode, standby mode, and off mode. However, DOE
requests comments from interested parties on improvements or changes to
the proposed test procedure. DOE will consider modifications that
improve the accuracy, precision of language, or other elements of the
procedure and/or decrease the testing burden. In submitting comments,
interested parties should state the nature of the recommended
modification and explain how it would improve upon the test procedure
proposed in this NOPR. Interested parties should also submit data, if
any, to support their positions.
III. Discussion
A. Effective Date and Compliance Date of Test Procedure
If adopted, the effective date for this test procedure would be 30
days after publication of the test procedure final rule in the Federal
Register. At that time, the new metrics and any other measure of energy
consumption which depends on these metrics may be represented pursuant
to the final rule. Compliance with the new test procedure for
representation purposes would be required 180 days after the date of
publication of the test procedure final rule. On or after that date,
any such representations, including those made on marketing materials
and product labels, must be based upon results generated under the
final test procedure proposed to be included in Appendix H to Subpart B
of 10 CFR part 430.
Furthermore, EPCA requires the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to
prescribe labeling rules for certain covered products including TVs.
(42 U.S.C. 6294(a)(2)(I)) Hence, the final DOE test procedure is
required to be utilized by the FTC for labeling requirements and shall
be utilized or referenced by other organizations, such as the EPA for
its ENERGY STAR specification for TVs. This test procedure must also be
referenced by the CEC in California and any other state regulation
providing for the disclosure of information with respect to any measure
of TV energy consumption once the test procedure becomes effective 30
days after the test procedure final rule publication. The final rule
would supersede any existing state test procedure for TVs to the extent
the state regulation requires testing in a manner other than that
required by the final DOE test procedure. (42 U.S.C. 6297(a)(1))
B. Existing Television Test Procedures
While developing the proposed test procedure for TVs, DOE
researched existing industry test procedures that measure TV energy
consumption, as discussed in its 2010 RFI. 75 FR 54048, 54049. Among
the most widely accepted are the IEC 62087-2011 and EPA's ``ENERGY STAR
Program Requirements for Televisions, Version 5.3'' (ENERGY STAR v.
5.3).\7\ DOE also reviewed both the CEA-2037-2009 ``Determination of
Television Average Power Consumption'' and the CEC test procedures, and
noted that these test procedures are largely based on both the EPA and
IEC 62087 test procedures. In response to the 2010 RFI, DOE received
comments from interested parties on what they believed aspects of a
robust test procedure should include, as well as on the validity of the
existing test procedures that DOE reviewed and considered.
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\7\ ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 references ENERGY STAR v. 4.2; however,
for the purposes of the NOPR, all references will be made in terms
of ENERGY STAR 5.3 although testing was conducted using ENERGY STAR
5.1. https://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/prod_development/revisions/downloads/television/V5.3_Program_Requirements.pdf.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several interested parties expressed general concerns and made
suggestions pertaining to what should be considered when DOE developed
its proposed test procedure. Consumer Electronics Retailers Coalition
(CERC) expressed desire for a standardized test procedure and standard
that are reflective of consumer use and that will not increase the cost
of equipment. CERC further stated that a patchwork of state
regulations, mandating different test procedures for energy
consumption, different standards, or different labels, will confuse
consumers with conflicting or unclear information, and ultimately be
counterproductive. (CERC, No. 10 at p. 1) CERC urged DOE to adopt a
single federal test procedure for TV energy consumption, because it
will better inform the public and better show energy savings. (CERC,
No. 10 at p. 2) Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) asked that DOE
develop a test procedure that allows flexibility for policy makers when
setting standards such as allowing policy makers to require testing at
different pre-set picture settings and establishing desired luminance
ratios. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 1)
[[Page 2834]]
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) and a joint comment submitted by
Southern California Gas Company, San Diego Gas and Electric Company,
and Southern California Edison, henceforth referred to as ``California
Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs),'' expressed desire for a test
procedure that accounts for all current and future TV technologies.
(PG&E, No. 12 at p. 1; California IOUs, No. 9 at p. 1) Finally, Sony
asked that the test procedure provide adequate guidance and meaningful
power consumption data without forcing manufacturers to perform
unnecessary, burdensome, and costly activities. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 4)
Environment Northeast (ENE) also had general recommendations for
DOE's proposed TV test procedure and suggested that the test procedure
should be designed so that the test results reflect energy consumption
in the field to the maximum extent possible. (ENE, No. 2 at p. 1) It
urged DOE to develop a test procedure that only promotes energy
management features that deliver significant savings in the field.
(ENE, No. 2 at p. 1) ENE commented that energy consumption should be
measured under a range of values (rather than using average values for
ambient illumination, viewing distances and angles, and user
adjustments to settings) and that the average expected energy
consumption of a model in the field be calculated. (ENE, No. 2 at p. 1)
ENE believes that a test procedure that adheres to its direction will
provide more accurate results and reduce the likelihood of
manufacturers ``designing to the test''. (ENE, No. 2 at p. 1) Finally,
ENE urged DOE to design a test procedure that does not discourage
innovation. (ENE, No. 2 at p. 1)
Other interested parties commented that DOE should use existing
test procedures when developing its test procedure. NRDC stated that
DOE should review and adopt key portions of IEC 62087-2008 but noted
that aside from the IEC 62087-2008 dynamic broadcast-content video
signal, the remaining sections of the IEC 62087-2008 test procedure are
either incomplete or need revision. (NRDC, No. 5 at p. 2) CEA believes
that future ENERGY STAR specifications should conform to the DOE test
procedure, and that CEA-2037-2009 is suitable for adoption now with
specified discrete changes, although the CEA did not specify these
discrete changes. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 2) CEA also urged DOE to adopt
CEA-2037-2009 to avoid the federal government using and promoting two
different test procedures. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 3) CERC commented that
the CEA-2037-2009 test procedure is the best test procedure because it
is most familiar to manufacturers and retailers and added that it
provides a reasonably accurate, practicable, and cost-effective test
procedure. (CERC, No. 10 at p. 2) SHARP urged the DOE to utilize IEC
62087-2008 and CEA-2037-2009 as a basis for its test procedure. (SHARP,
No. 14 at p. 1) Finally, Mitsubishi requested that DOE adopt CEA-2037-
2009 as its fundamental TV test procedure, and commented that if DOE
finds that CEA-2037-2009 test procedure is inadequate, then it should
base its test procedure on IEC 62087-2008. (Mitsubishi, No. 7 at p. 2)
Sony and CEC asked DOE to consider how its test procedure will
affect state regulations and test procedures. Sony recommended that DOE
create a test procedure that supersedes state regulations, while CEC
believes that DOE should consider how its test procedure will preempt
CEC's test procedure. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 4) Specifically, CEC urged DOE
to measure on mode power, standby-passive power, power factor, and
luminance to ensure that the CEC can also require this testing. (CEC,
No. 15 at p. 4)
In addition to considering stakeholder comments, DOE also conducted
research and validation testing, which consisted of on, standby, and
off mode energy consumption testing as well as luminance testing. The
results of this research indicated that the IEC 62087-2011 could be
utilized with some modifications as it would adequately measure TV
energy consumption.\8\ DOE proposes a test procedure for TVs that uses
IEC 62087-2011 as a basis, with additional detail and modifications,
most of which are seen in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. DOE believes this is
consistent with the requests of many commenters, who recommended using
IEC 62087-2011 and CEA-2037-2009, which references the IEC 62087 test
procedure. DOE based the proposed luminance measurement on the one
found in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\8\ The DOE Web site: Appliance and Commercial Equipment
Standards: Television Sets. U.S. Department of Energy. August 2,
2011. https://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/appliance_standards/residential/tv_sets.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
C. Scope
1. Products Covered by This Rulemaking
In the 2010 RFI, DOE requested comments on the scope of the TV test
procedure rulemaking. DOE received comments highlighting the
similarities and differences between displays, TVs, and digital picture
frames and the coverage of the test procedure. Unlike TVs, displays and
digital picture frames do not have a TV tuner and therefore cannot
receive digital broadcast content. While all of these technologies have
the ability to display digital content they do have some differences.
DOE notes that these differences are subtle, and therefore considered
the possibility of including all displays in this rulemaking.
Display and TV technologies have started to converge and have
become more similar in their capabilities. Given the convergence of
display and TV technologies, PG&E, and the California IOUs advocated
that the coverage of displays be explored in this rulemaking. They
supported DOE's research into whether displays should be incorporated
into the test procedure and specifically stated that DOE should study
the category of displays less than 30 inches in greater detail as well
as displays greater than 60 inches. (PG&E, No. 12 at p. 4; California
IOUs, No. 9 at p. 4)
Other stakeholders opposed the inclusion of displays in the scope
of the rulemaking. Sony asserted that TVs and displays are different in
the following ways and therefore need to be tested differently. TVs
have different resolutions than displays because rate conversion
circuits operate differently in the two products; resolution affects
power consumption in displays but not in TVs; and TVs with computer
inputs do not fully comply with the VESA DPMS requirements established
for displays. (Sony, No. 8 at p. 4) Rather, Sony recommended that DOE
use the same definition for TVs that is used in the ENERGY STAR v.
5.3.\9\ (Sony, No. 8 at p. 4) Panasonic also does not recommend
combining TVs and displays, as they believe these are two distinct
products. (Panasonic, No. 6 at p. 9) CERC commented that the scope of
the test procedure should not encompass all types of TVs because
professional and retail displays require high luminance, sharpness, and
performance. (CERC, No. 10 at p. 3) CERC further commented that
displays are designed differently than TVs due to their primary use;
namely, TVs are meant to be viewed from further distances than
displays. (CERC, No. 10 at p. 3) Finally, CEA commented that
[[Page 2835]]
DOE should not include displays in its rulemaking because the IEC
62087-2011 dynamic broadcast-content video signal used for TV testing
is not representative of typical content viewed on displays. (CEA, No.
13 at p. 9) SHARP recommended that DOE remain focused on TVs that are
used primarily by residential consumers and that commercial displays
should not be included. (SHARP, No. 14 at p. 10)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\9\ ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 defines TV as: A commercially available
electronic product designed primarily for the reception and display
of audiovisual signals received from terrestrial, cable, satellite,
Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), or other digital or analog sources. A
TV consists of a tuner/receiver and a display encased in a single
enclosure. The product usually relies upon a cathode-ray tube (CRT),
liquid crystal display (LCD), plasma display panel (PDP) which are
examples of the more common display technologies.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
DOE believes that some products can only be identified as TVs or
displays on the basis of marketing. Some manufacturers (e.g., Samsung
and LG) make identical products that are marketed separately as a
display and TV.\10\ Moreover, there exist high-definition displays sold
with the option of purchasing an external tuner or speakers, which
enable the customer to use the product as a TV. Modern TVs can also
typically be connected to computers and function as monitors. Despite
some overlap, DOE agrees with stakeholders who suggested that TVs and
displays are designed differently in most instances (e.g. TVs are
equipped with a tuner and displays are not). Although TVs and displays
may be used interchangeably, they are designed to perform different
tasks. Displays have different screen resolutions that allow for
clearer text reading and are typically set up in a 4:3 aspect ratio, as
opposed to TVs which are primarily set up in 16:9 aspect ratio which is
optimal for displaying video. DOE acknowledges that despite the
increasing overlap between these products, which may increase in the
future, they currently have different usage patterns (e.g. they are
used in different lighting conditions and locations as well as have
different hours of operation).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\10\ Personal Communication, DisplaySearch at SID Conference,
May 22, 2011.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The presence of a tuner is not an unequivocal distinguishing factor
between TVs and other displays; however, DOE still considers it a
suitable way of broadly separating products which are generally
intended to be used as displays or digital picture frames from those
generally intended to be used as TVs (particularly in the smaller
sizes). Accordingly, DOE proposes to define TVs with reference to
displays but excluding displays if they are sold without tuners.
Further, DOE believes that this effectively excludes from the proposed
TV test procedure most displays and digital picture frames currently on
the market.
TVs, unlike displays, often contain a tuner, which historically
cost about $5.50 to the manufacturer and were projected to cost around
$2.70 by the end of 2010.\11\ Modern TVs have similar inputs to
displays, and their uses are increasingly similar, with the latest TVs
having USB ports, PC inputs, video inputs, Ethernet cable inputs, and
inputs enabling connection with cameras and MP3 players (e.g., Samsung,
Panasonic, Sony). Moreover, the latest display connection technology,
High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), is expressly designed to
work with both TVs and displays and does not differentiate between the
two. DOE is monitoring marketplace convergence and will consider
updating the definitions and scope of the TV rulemaking in the future.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\11\ Quarterly LCD TV Cost & Price Forecast Model Report: Q1'11
History with Q2'11-Q4'15 Forecast. Rep. DisplaySearch, 2010.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consequently, DOE is proposing to include in the scope of this
rulemaking only displays of 15 inches and above which are sold with a
tuner. DOE acknowledges interested party comments stating that TVs and
displays capable of showing moving images are not similar in all ways.
However, DOE believes that displays which are sold with a tuner are
used in the same manner as TVs, and is also taking into consideration
that EPA requires displays to be tested with IEC 62087 Dynamic
broadcast content. DOE welcomes comment on the proposed scope of this
rulemaking, particularly the inclusion of certain types of displays.
(See Issue 1 in section V. E ``Issues On Which DOE Seeks Comment'').
2. Definition of Television Sets
TVs are a covered product under 42 U.S.C. 6292(a)(12) of EPCA. DOE
has the authority to adopt test procedures for such covered products
under 42 U.S.C. 6293(b)(2) of EPCA. Further, 42 U.S.C. 6295(l)(3) of
EPCA specifically grants DOE the authority to promulgate energy
conservation standards for TVs. There are no statutory definitions for
TVs under EPCA. In 1979 DOE adopted the following regulatory
definitions for TVs (44 FR 39798, June 29, 1979), which are set forth
in 10 CFR 430.2:
Television set means a color television set or a monochrome
television set.
Color television set means an electrical device designed to convert
incoming broadcast signals into color television pictures and
associated sound.
Monochrome television set means an electrical device designed to
convert incoming broadcast signals into monochrome television pictures
and associated sound.
Similar to DOE's recently repealed test procedure (74 FR 53640,
October 20, 2009), the current DOE definitions for TVs, developed in
1979, are no longer appropriate and are proposed to be updated as part
of this rulemaking. The definition refers to both color TVs and
monochrome TVs (also known as black-and-white TVs, which are rarely
produced for the mass market today) and with the evolution of
technology, these definitions are too broad to adequately define the
products covered by this rulemaking. Since the digital switch-over in
2009, analog TVs can no longer receive broadcast signals without an
external digital tuner. Accordingly, the definitions require updating
in order to reflect the realities of modern TVs and technological
developments, including the convergence of display and TV technology,
and to avoid the proposed rule being rendered ineffective.
DOE notes that at the time the Department repealed the test
procedure for TVs (74 FR 53640, October 20, 2009), it also considered
amending the definition of TVs on the basis of the transition to
digital TV and found this factor in isolation to be an insufficient
reason to amend the definition. At that time, the Department had not
taken into account other factors, including, rapid technology changes,
the changing focus away from transmission towards display technology
and the phenomenon of TV and display technology convergence. The
combination of these factors which are currently evident in this
product market have led DOE to preliminarily determine that a revised
definition of TVs is required.
CEA asked that DOE develop a definition of TVs that excludes
battery-powered TVs because they inherently are designed for efficiency
so as to improve battery life. CEA stated that battery-powered TVs are
different from typical TVs that require AC or main power supplies in
their technology and usage patterns. (CEA, No. 13 at p. 9)
Additionally, CEA commented that displays used for commercial
applications and those that fully function on battery-power should not
be included in the scope of coverage. CEA further observed that
portable and handheld displays are designed to be power efficient and
should therefore not be included in the scope of coverage.
In today's NOPR, after reviewing TV, display, digital picture frame
market trends, and accessory technologies, as well as other industry
definitions from IEC, EPA, and CEA, DOE is proposing an updated
definition for TVs; one that it believes will not become obsolete with
rapid changes in technology.
[[Page 2836]]
Accordingly, a broad technology-neutral definition is proposed that
includes all TVs and displays above 15 inches which are sold with a TV
tuner. This definition also includes products that incorporate internal
media readers (e.g. TV DVD combination units) while excluding laptop
monitors, monitors having integrated computers (all-in-one integrated
desktops), digital picture frames, and TVs operable by battery-power.
The exclusion of these products is based upon DOE's belief that these
products do not represent the typical TV usage and therefore should not
be included in this definition. DOE has determined the typical TV usage
as a product that is commonly used seven hours a day \12\ to watch
dynamic visual information. Consequently, DOE proposes the following
definition to subpart A of 10 CFR 430.2:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\12\ The Nielsen Company, LLC (2011).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Television set (also referred to as ``TV''): A product designed to
be powered primarily by mains power having a diagonal screen size of
fifteen inches or larger that is manufactured with a TV tuner, and that
is capable of displaying dynamic visual information from wired or
wireless sources including but not limited to:
(1) Broadcast and similar services for terrestrial, cable,
satellite, and/or broadband transmission of analog and/or digital
signals; and/or
(2) Display-specific data connections, such as Video Graphics Array
(VGA), Digital Visual Interface (DVI), High-Definition Multimedia
Interface (HDMI), DisplayPort, used typically for a computer or
workstation that is not physically attached to the display; and/or
(3) Media storage devices such as a USB flash drive, a memory card,
or a DVD; and/or
(4) Network connections, usually using Internet Protocol, typically
carried over Ethernet or WiFi.
A TV may contain, but is not limited to, one of the following
display technologies: Liquid crystal display (LCD), light-emitting
diode (LED), cathode-ray tube (CRT), and plasma display panel (PDP).
TVs also include TV Combination Units that DOE has further defined in
appendix H to subpart B of this part.
DOE notes that this proposed definition also includes TV
combination units which are TVs that incorporate additional devices
such as a digital video disc (DVD) player, Blu-ray player, hard disk
drive (HDD), or videocassette recorder (VCR).These products maintain
the general purpose of a TV but are combined with additional features.
3. Other Definitions
DOE's proposed test procedure for TVs incorporates definitions from
IEC 62087-2011 and ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. DOE is also proposing to add its
own definitions, which were neither addressed by IEC 62087-2011 nor
ENERGY STAR v. 5.3, and feels the proposed definitions are necessary.
Specifically, DOE proposes to include the following defined terms
found in IEC 62087-2011: ``additional functions,'' ``off mode,''
``standby-active, high mode,'' ``standby-active, low mode,'' and
``standby-passive mode.'' DOE is aware that section 42 U.S.C.
6295(gg)(1) of EPCA defines on, standby, and off modes, but believes
that the proposed IEC 62087-2011 definitions provide added
clarification to the test procedure. Second, DOE proposes to include
the following defined terms found in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3: ``download
acquisition mode,'' ``luminance,'' ``on mode,'' and ``TV combination
unit.'' For the reasons discussed below, DOE also proposes to develop
new definitions for ``home picture setting'' and ``retail picture
setting.''
a. Definitions Incorporated From IEC 62087-2011
DOE is proposing to define ``additional functions'' using the
definition found in IEC 62087-2011. DOE is proposing to define
``additional functions'' because many TVs are now equipped with a wide
variety of features, such as DVD players, memory card readers, music
player inputs, that are not standard among different manufacturers and
models. Furthermore, DOE believes that this definition from IEC 62087-
2011 is appropriate because it is clear, concise and widely accepted as
an industry definition. The definition for additional functions found
in IEC 62087-2011 also has not been redefined by any of the later
published TV industry standards. Accordingly, DOE is proposing to
define this term in section 2.1 (additional functions) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Additional functions: Additional functions are functions that
are not required for the basic operation of the device. Additional
functions include, but are not limited to a VCR unit, a DVD unit, a
HDD unit, a FM-radio unit, a memory card-reader unit, or an ambient
lighting unit.
DOE is proposing to define ``off mode'' using the definition found
in IEC 62087-2011, rather than the definition provided in ENERGY STAR
v. 5.3. Although ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 also defines off mode, DOE believes
the definition is too broad. Specifically, the ENERGY STAR v. 5.3
definition requires that an indicator be present that shows that the
product is in off mode, a clause that is not included in the IEC 62087-
2011 definition. Accordingly, DOE is proposing to define this term in
section 2.9 (off mode) of appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as
follows:
Off mode: Off mode is the mode where the appliance is connected
to a power source, produces neither sound nor picture and cannot be
switched into any other mode with the remote control unit, an
external or internal signal.
DOE is proposing a test for standby-passive mode in this NOPR and
thus provides a definition for the mode. DOE is proposing to define
``standby-passive mode'' by using the IEC 62087-2011 definition for
standby-passive. This standby-passive mode test is being proposed to
capture the energy consumption associated with the TV when it produces
neither sound nor picture. DOE believes that IEC has clearly and
appropriately defined standby-passive mode. DOE is proposing to define
this term in section 2.12 (standby-passive mode) of appendix H to
subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Standby-passive mode: Standby-passive mode is the mode in which
the appliance is connected to a power source, produces neither sound
nor picture but can be switched into another mode with the remote
control unit or an internal signal.
DOE is proposing to define ``standby-active, high mode'' consistent
with the IEC 62087-2011 definition for standby-active, high. IEC's
definition clearly and accurately captures the state of the TV while in
standby-active, high mode. DOE is proposing a definition for standby-
active, high, since DOE is also proposing a test in the standby-active,
high mode. Standby-active, high mode would cover TVs when they are
switched off with a remote, but remain active in some manner. This
includes TVs that are downloading information from the internet or
cable while switched into standby mode. Accordingly, DOE is proposing
to define this term in section 2.13 (standby-active, high mode) of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Standby-active, high mode: The appliance is connected to a power
source, produces neither sound nor picture but can be switched into
another mode with the remote control unit or an internal signal and
can additionally be switched into another mode with an external
signal and is exchanging/receiving data with/from an external
source.
DOE is proposing to define ``standby-active, low mode'' consistent
with the
[[Page 2837]]
IEC 62087-2011 definition for standby-active, low. Although DOE is not
proposing a test in the standby-active, low mode, DOE is still
proposing a definition for standby-active, low to remain consistent
with IEC 62087-2011 and to ensure that this particular mode is not
tested. DOE has reviewed existing industry definitions, TV technology,
and TV operating modes and believes that IEC 62087-2011 clearly
separates distinct TV operating modes and defines each of these modes
appropriately. Standby-active low mode would cover TVs when they are
switched off with a remote and can be switched into other modes via an
external signal. Accordingly, DOE is proposing to define this term in
section 2.14 (standby-active, low mode) of appendix H to subpart B of
10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Standby-active, low mode: The appliance is connected to a power
source, produces neither sound nor picture but can be switched into
another mode with the remote control unit or an internal signal and
can additionally be switched into another mode with an external
signal.
b. Definitions Incorporated From ENERGY STAR v. 5.3
DOE proposes to include a definition for ``download acquisition
mode'' (otherwise known as DAM) in its test procedure that is identical
to the definition found in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. The DAM involves a TV's
download of data while it produces neither sound nor picture. The
definition allows readers to more clearly understand the DAM energy
consumption test procedure. The energy consumption associated with DAM
is measured when the TV is downloading information from an electronic
program guide (EPG). DOE also believes that the ENERGY STAR v. 5.3
definition is appropriate because it is a widely accepted industry
definition and the term is not defined in IEC 62087-2011. Accordingly,
DOE is proposing to define this term in section 2.3 (download
acquisition mode) of appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as
follows:
Download acquisition mode: Download acquisition mode is the power
mode in which the product is connected to a mains power source,
produces neither sound nor picture, and is actively downloading data.
Data downloads may include channel listing information for use by an
electronic programming guide, TV setup data, channel map updates,
firmware updates, monitoring for emergency messaging/communications or
other network communications.
DOE is proposing to define ``luminance'' by incorporating the
definition found in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. DOE believes that the ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3 definition is appropriate because it is widely accepted
within the industry and the term is not defined in IEC 62087-2011.
Further, the ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 definition is appropriate because DOE
is proposing the luminance ratio so that it may be used in the ENERGY
STAR test procedure. The ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 definition is clear and
concise and provides the manufacturer with a thorough understanding of
what is meant by luminance to allow for luminance testing. Accordingly,
DOE is proposing to define this term in section 2.8 (luminance) of
appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Luminance: Luminance is the photometric measure of the luminous
intensity per unit area of light traveling in a given direction,
expressed in units of candelas per square meter (cd/m2).
DOE is proposing to define ``on mode'' using the definition found
in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3, rather than the definition provided in IEC
62087-2011. ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 defines ``on mode'' more broadly,
stating that the TV can be providing ``one or more of its primary
functions.'' On the other hand, the IEC 62087-2011 definition specifies
that the TV must be producing both sound and picture. Although many TVs
will produce sound and picture, DOE's proposed scope may include units
that are not able to produce sound (e.g. computer monitor that does not
include speakers). Because DOE does not want to prevent those products
from being tested in the ``on mode'', DOE is proposing to exclude any
references to sound consistent with the definition from ENERGY STAR v.
5.3 in section 2.10 (on mode) of appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part
430 as follows:
On mode: On mode is the power mode in which the product is
connected to a mains power source, has been activated, and is
providing one or more of its principal functions.
DOE is proposing to define ``TV combination unit'' using the
definition found in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3. IEC 62087-2011 defines multi-
function equipment, which may be considered similar to TV combination
unit, but this term is not specific to TVs. Defining the term TV
combination unit provides clarity to the test procedure since these
particular TVs may require special consideration when being tested.
Accordingly, DOE is proposing to define this term in section 2.16 (TV
combination unit) of appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as
follows:
TV combination unit: TV combination unit is a television in
which the TV and one or more additional devices (e.g., DVD player,
Blu-ray Disc player, Hard Disk Drive) are combined into a single
enclosure, and which meets the following criteria: a) it is not
possible to measure the power of the individual components without
removing the product housing; and b) the product connects to a wall
outlet via a single power cord.
c. New Definitions for Incorporation
DOE is proposing to define ``home picture setting'' in its test
procedure. DOE developed this definition because neither IEC 62087-2011
nor ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 provides a definition for this particular
setting. ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 does reference a home mode (or default
mode), as the mode in which the TV is shipped. In order to eliminate
confusion between picture settings and testing modes (such as on mode,
standby mode, and off mode), defining home picture setting helps
clarify how to conduct both the luminance and on mode tests since home
picture setting is utilized for conducting part of the luminance test
as well as the on mode test. DOE believes that defining home picture
setting will improve the consistency in which products are tested
across labs. DOE is proposing to define this term in section 2.4 (home
picture setting) of appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as
follows:
Home picture setting: (or default picture setting) is the
picture setting which is recommended by the manufacturer from the
initial set up menu or the mode that the television comes shipped in
if no setting is recommended.
Finally, DOE is proposing to define ``retail picture setting'' in
its proposed test procedure. Retail picture setting is a picture
setting present on most TVs and corresponds to the brightest preset
selectable picture setting. Although ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 uses the term
retail mode in its specification, it does not provide a definition of
this mode. So as not to confuse picture settings with testing modes
(such as on mode, standby mode, and off mode), DOE is proposing to
utilize the term ``retail picture setting'' instead of the term
``retail mode''. In the proposed DOE test procedure, retail picture
setting is one of the two picture settings that the TV is set to for
luminance testing. Therefore, DOE believes that defining retail picture
setting clarifies the requirements of the test procedure. DOE is
proposing to define this term in section 2.11 (retail picture setting)
of appendix H to subpart B of 10 CFR part 430 as follows:
Retail picture setting: is the preset picture setting in which
the TV produces the highest luminance during the on mode conditions.
[[Page 2838]]
D. Testing Conditions and Instrumentation
1. Accuracy and Precision of Measurement Equipment
a. Power Supply
In this NOPR, DOE is proposing a slightly modified version of the
power supply specifications from IEC 62087-2011. DOE proposes to limit
the input voltage and frequency used in its test procedure to 115 V at
60 Hz, rather than including a general requirement that the TV be
tested at ``the nominal voltage of the region,'' as in IEC 62087-2011.
DOE is also proposing to add a power factor measurement requirement.
The power factor measurements are based on those found in IEC 62087-
2011 as well as ENERGY STAR v. 5.3.
DOE is also proposing certain specifications for test tolerances.
First, DOE is proposing to incorporate tolerances for voltage and
frequency identical to those in ENERGY STAR v. 5.3, which specifies
that the voltage and frequency be maintained at 1 percent
rather than 2 percent, as required by IEC 62087-2011. DOE
believes that this will not impose undue burden because many interested
parties are already accustomed to these more stringent specifications
required to meet ENERGY STAR specifications. Second, DOE is proposing
to add a tolerance of power measurements consistent with that in ENERGY
STAR v. 5.3. As mentioned above, ENERGY STAR v. 5.3 refers the reader
to ENERGY STAR v. 4.2 where these specifications can be found. Third,
DOE is proposing to add the requirements for total harmonic distortion
(THD) consistent with that in IEC 62087-2011, which requires that the
harmonic components not vary by more than 5 percent. While ENERGY STAR
v. 5.3 has requirements for THD that are more stringent (2 percent),
DOE believes that these requirements may impose undue burden on
manufacturers by requiring the purchase of more expensive equipment.
DOE believes that the cost of more expensive equipment (e.g., a power
supply unit as found by market research) outweighs the benefits of
stricter THD requirements, therefore less stringent requirements are
being proposed. DOE believes that the requirements that it is proposing
to incorporate are accepted within industry and are sufficient to
ensure a repeatable and reproducible test procedure. THD impacts the
quality and stability of the electricity being received by the TV which
can impact energy consumption. High levels of THD can increase curr
