Measuring and Reducing Set Top Box Power Use

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Measuring and Reducing Set Top Box Power Use

• International Stakeholder Workshop
• June 29, 2005
• By Noah Horowitz
• Senior Scientist
• NRDC
• nhorowitz_at_nrdc.org

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Todays Meeting

• Go over energy and environmental impacts of set
  top box power use.
  
• Explore feasibility of reducing overall box
  energy use, especially during extended periods of
  set top box inactivity.
  
• Share information on research and policy
  developments from around the world.
  
• Discuss test methods, operating modes, and
  performance metrics.
  
• Create process for ongoing communication and
  collaboration.

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Who is NRDC?

• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
• Environmental advocacy group with more than
  600,000 members.
  
• Air/Energy program interested in reducing global
  warming pollution and protecting public health.
  
• Long track record of collaboration with industry
  and policy makers on energy efficiency (monitors,
  soda machines, computers, lighting).

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Energy Efficiency

• Deliver same level of performance
• while using less energy
• Efficiency gains through improved designs, more
  efficient components, etc.
  
• Reduce users operating costs. Extremely cost
  effective.
  
• NO CONSUMER SACRIFICE
• Policies should be performance based, not
  prescriptive. Encourage innovation.
  

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Todays Scope

• Cable and satellite set top boxes
• Analog and high definition (HD)
• Multifunction including built-in digital video
  recorders (DVRs)
  
• Focus on new boxes to be deployed, not
  retrofitting existing ones
  
• For today, exclude
• DTAs digital TV adapters (digital to analog)
• Game Box Consoles (X-Box, etc.)
• CableCARDs integrated in TVs

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Why Set Tops?

• More than 80 of U.S. homes have cable or
  satellite TV.
  
• Many of these customers have 1 or more set top
  boxes.
  
• Per box power use increasing because new boxes
  have added functionality (dual tuners,
  recording/storage capability, HD, etc.)
  
• Number of new full featured boxes expected to
  grow dramatically.
  
• Set tops consume 1 of national residential
  electricity use and projected to increase by up
  to 75 by 2008.

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Highlights of NRDC/Ecos Research

• Set top boxes draw between 10 and 30 Watts all
  day long.
  
• Pressing off button has no significant impact
  on power use.
  
• Most boxes do not have sleep mode. (always fully
  on)
  
• Annual power consumption of new full featured HD
  boxes with DVRs approximately 200-300 kWh/yr.
  
• Household set top box annual energy use (for
  homes with multiple boxes) approaching that of a
  new refrigerator.

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Set Top Environmental Overview

• Power plants largest source of CO2, mercury
  emissions
  
• If no efficiency gains made in new set top box
  designs
  

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Set Top Box (STB) Primer

• To date, service provider (eg Time Warner, Direct
  TV, etc.) buys the box and gives or leases the
  box to their customer.
  
• Customer, not box purchaser, pays the electric
  bill (split incentive).

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Unique Challenges

• Service providers need to maintain continuous
  connectivity to the boxes in their system
  
• Send updates program guide, encryption codes
  (prevent theft)
  
• Ability for two way communication (eg. pay per
  view
  

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Low Power Mode Challenge

• Box not being used by the consumer for most of
  the day. Typical use 4 to 6 hours/day.
  
• Can box enter low power mode due to user action
  or after extended period of inactivity, but still
  wake in response to head end or user signal?
  
• Good analogies cell phones (uses a lot less
  power during standby, but always connected and
  ready to take a call computer sleep mode).
  

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More Low Power Mode Thoughts

• Box should enter this mode when
• User pushes the STB power button to off or hits
  STB remote (unlikely)
  
• After extended period of inactivity
• After completing service provider induced update
• After recording pre-scheduled show
• TiVo type issues hard drive spinning, and
  speculative recording
  

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Efficiency Gains May Require

• STB modifications
• Head-end modifications
• - Wake and sleep protocols developed and used
• Will likely need changes in both software and
  hardware. Proactive coordination between various
  stakeholders will be needed.
  

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The Potential

• If US adopted a similar approach to Australia, we
  could
  
• Avoid the need for 3 large (500 MW) power plants
• Prevent 10 million tons/yr of CO2 emissions, a
  major global warming pollutant. This is equal to
  taking all the cars off the road from a city the
  size of Philadelphia for a year.

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Lots of Worldwide Activity

• EU working to create Code of Conduct.
• Australians have established mandatory
  performance standards (MEPS)
  
• China very interested in this topic. Current
  focus DTAs, more complex set tops next.
  
• EPA ENERGY STAR voluntary labeling program.
  Current spec suspended, planning to reissue in
  future.
  
• Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) Working
  Group created
  

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Worldwide Harmonization

• Recognize national markets around the world vary
  considerably as do local broadcasting
  requirements. One size fits all spec probably
  unrealistic.
• To the extent possible worldwide harmonization
  desirable for modes, test methods, capabilities,
  etc.
  
• Goal is to reduce burden on STB manufacturers and
  to achieve energy savings at lowest cost

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Todays Ground Rules

• Today is not a negotiation or an attempt to set
  power levels.
  
• Dialogue to focus on test methods, modes, and
  what is possible.
  
• Aim for constructive discussion/strive for
  collaboration
  
• Please participate. Lots of meeting dedicated to
  open discussion.
  
• Avoid talking about specific pricing, trades
  secrets, etc.

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Link to NRDC/Ecos Paper

• http//www.nrdc.org/air/energy/energyeff/ienergyef
  f.asp.
  
• Includes raw data on set top box field
  measurements