TV's and digi recorders on standby?

twopenny

This group seemed the most likely as the TV forums are for deals it seems.

Just saw this on the news and it is something I've often wondered. Does keeping them on standby really use so much a year - though I don't have the prime set top boxes just a digi recorder.

"It may be convenient to leave the television on standby and wake it up with a press of a button on a remote - but it costs £24.61 per year, the research suggests, plus a further £23.10 for a set-top box, such as from Sky or Virgin Media."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-61235367

I only have it on for a couple of hours in the evening in summer, maybe more on a wet winter weekend.

If that's £50ish pounds it's something else I could do to cut bills with no difference to lifestyle. Don't have the microwave or shower on standby.

razord

The set top box price is probably right, maybe even a little low for something like a Sky box... but the TV number is nonsense.

No TV in the last 10 years should be using anything near that much. It should be 90% lower, unless you're doing some kind of built in recording system the TV offers to a USB stick or equivalent.

Microwaves will be lower than they say too imo, and showers - well I have no idea how they expect that number. Most showers will use zero energy on standby.

twopenny

Thanks Razord.

I managed to use less electric this last quarter and currently trying a few things to bring it down more.

I was just hopeful.

gefnew

Try this thread.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6337760/standby-power-consumption#latest

k_man

If you have a smart meter with IHD, or even better a plug in energy monitor, then you can see how much energy they use in standby.

As suggested by @razord the standby should be low for a newish TV, but certain options can increase it (recording to USB, network play, network control/wake etc).

Even though most if these news articles contain quite a lot of incorrect information, it is worth checking what your devices are actually using.

Changing a network setting on my AV receiver reduced standby from 2-3w to less than 0.1w/ not measurable

TELLIT01

I'll put up with the cost rather than faff around switching devices off at the mains every night.  I like to be able to switch the telly on from my bed when I'm still 9 parts asleep in the morning. 

twopenny

What is a plug in energy monitor please?

I am curious, it's all very well stuff just costing a small amount but sometimes I wonder when 'only a small amount' x multiple charging/standby becomes noticeable.

Kindle most days and slow, 2 cameras, 2 phones, tv and digi on standby etc

gefnew

These are a few to look at.
plug in energy monitor - Bing - Shopping

compfan100

yes it used electic but mime is always left on, most boxed will stand-by after 3 hours.

droopsnoot

I have inherited the "switch everything off at the wall" mentality from my parents, and I'm a little less embarrassed about it now that electricity is increasing in price. The only down side is that I can't really make any easy savings, though of course some of the figures in that BBC article are a little exaggerated. I don't use much "stuff" anyway, so it's really not a hardship to flick the mains switch off when I've finished with them for the day. 

I can't find my smart meter display anywhere, so I suspect I'll have to get one of those power meters and just check individual things when I get a chance.

Jenni_D

The TV in my living room is an older model that has a physical On/Off switch, so we switch it off at night. TV boxes etc. underneath just go to standby though. And the TV in my office/bedroom (which I use as a 2nd monitor for my laptop) just goes to standby.

I'm sure I could do more to save on energy, but the saving achieved would have to outweigh my level of apathy before I tried. 😁