International Stakeholder Meeting STB Power Use

1
International Stakeholder MeetingSTB Power Use

• San Francisco
• June 2005
• Presented by Bob Harrison

2
European Policy Digital TV Reception Platforms
(STB and DTA)

• STB (Set Top Boxes) are used throughout the EU
  for Cable Satellite and Terrestrial Digital
  Television Services. They are mainly specified
  and procured by Service Providers operating
  subscription services.
• DTA (Digital Television Adapters) are low cost
  STBs (usually for terrestrial digital TV
  reception) They are freely available in retail
  outlets from around 60 and are purchased to
  adapt analogue TVs and Video Recorders for
  Digital TV Reception

3
European Policy Measures Energy Efficiency of
STBs and DTAs

• There are no regulatory measures in place
  proscribing the energy requirement of these
  platforms
• Agreements with Industry and Service Providers
  are voluntary.
• Over arching voluntary agreement mechanism is
  the EU Code of Conduct for Digital Service System
  Platforms (CoC)

4
Basic Mechanism of the CoC

• An ad-hoc working group of Key Stakeholders
  (Manufacturers, Service Providers, and Technical
  Experts representing National Energy Agencies)is
  convened twice a year under the chairmanship of
  EC DG TREN.
• The digital TV STB CoC group has been active for
  over seven years.

5
Basic Mechanism of the CoC

• Technical Experts from Platform Manufacturers,
  Silicon Providers,and Specialist Component
  Suppliers, defined a generic platform in terms of
  functional blocks.
• Each block was then given a power requirement
  range in three carefully defined STB operating
  modes, Standby, Standby Active, and On.

6
Basic Mechanism of CoC

• From this functional block power budget table the
  criteria for the operating states of each
  platform type was agreed and embedded in the CoC
• These are reviewed annually.
• Each participating manufacturer and service
  provider undertakes to meet the current criteria
  for any new platform introduced after the start
  date of the criteria.

7
BasicMechanism of CoC

• In 1999 basic STB Platform for Satellite
  Terrestrial and Cable was generally around 27W in
  On mode and often not much less in standby modes.
  (one notable exception at 13.5W on mode)
• In 2004 the same platform is 9W in on mode and
  8.2W in Standby Active meeting current CoC
  criteria.

8
Basic Mechanism of CoC

• Standby Active Criteria agreed with the Industry
  and Service Providers from 2006 are
• Basic STBs,
  Cable 7.0W, Terr.- 6.0W, Sat.8.0W
• However complex, No STB configuration shall
  exceed 15W in standby active.

9
Basic Mechanism of CoC

• DTA criteria from 2006 are
• 2W standby for all types
• 7W on for cable, 6W on for Terrestrial and
  10W on forsatellite.
• Best practice for Terrestrial DTAs was 0.3W
  standby and 5.7W on.
• No DTA in the European market currently meets the
  CoC criteria and average standby power is rising
  monthly now 7.5W

10
Current Developments in CoC

• PVRs will be added to the CoC with suggested
  Standby Active and Standby Passive criteria.
• A new Generic Functional Block power table will
  be produced this year, by Industry experts, to
  generate criteria for HDTV STBs
• A full version of CoC and related Papers may be
  seen or downloaded from
• http//energyefficiency.jrc.cec.eu.int