Energy Star TV Lab Reports Must Show Test Procedure Used, EPA Says

Manufacturers seeking to qualify TVs for Energy Star 4.0 that took effect May 1 must state in their lab reports which of two available test procedures were used to test energy use in download acquisition mode, EPA said. EPA on Tuesday authorized the temporary use of a CEA-developed DAM test procedure for hospitality TVs after conceding that Rovi Corp. test procedure prescribed in version 4.1 was not appropriate for TVs used in hotels, restaurants and other hospitality settings (CED May 6 p3).

There’s “some confusion” over the two test procedures, said Katharine Kaplan, Energy Star product manager, on a stakeholder conference call. EPA will send out a note to clarify that labs doing the testing must indicate which of the two test procedures was used, she said. Only sets defined as hospitality TVs in the specification can use the CEA test procedure, she said. The CEA test protocol will expire June 28 and if no test procedure was approved for hospitality TVs by then, hospitality TVs that use DAM for things other than downloading the Rovi electronic program guide will not be able to qualify, EPA said.

EPA was told on the call that unless there was an overarching test method that covers any use of DAM it may have to open up the specification frequently for revisions. Rovi supports CEA’s approach for hospitality TVs, a Rovi representative said. But one of the concerns that Rovi has is that “there are so many different people that are using DAM mode so many different ways” that it’s likely that CEA test procedure will be only the second of “potentially a handful of others” in the future, he said. Other stakeholders may come up with test methods for emergency alerts, firmware updates and other functions that will mean subjecting the specification to frequent revisions, he said.

Warning of a “potential problem” with “constant updating” of the specification as “new and emerging uses” of DAM arise, a CEA official said EPA should explore a DAM test procedure “that is not specific to hospitality TVs but is high level that be used for any uses of DAM.” One way to do that could be through the lab reports that manufacturers now have to submit to EPA, he said. Another stakeholder sought more market research on the use of DAM. Kaplan said stakeholders could work with CEA to “get a better handle” on the uses of DAM and the agency was “very keen” to get a better understanding of the subject. But that shouldn’t mean “revisiting the idea” about whether DAM energy use should be covered in the specification, she said.

EPA will re-circulate the CEA test procedure for comment and seek input on issues raised by LG and others on hospitality TV customers adding additional hardware to the sets for functions like pay-per-view, she said. EPA did not immediately respond to our query whether hospitality TVs qualifying now using the temporary CEA DAM test procedure would have to re-test if EPA adopts a modified version of the CEA test method.