{"id":501514,"date":"2022-10-16T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-16T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/do-cable-and-satellite-boxes-still-waste-tons-of-electricity\/"},"modified":"2022-10-16T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2022-10-16T14:00:00","slug":"do-cable-and-satellite-boxes-still-waste-tons-of-electricity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-cable-and-satellite-boxes-still-waste-tons-of-electricity\/","title":{"rendered":"#Do Cable and Satellite Boxes Still Waste Tons of Electricity?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35efd9b24c2\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a35efd9b24c2\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-cable-and-satellite-boxes-still-waste-tons-of-electricity\/#%E2%80%9CDo_Cable_and_Satellite_Boxes_Still_Waste_Tons_of_Electricity%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Do Cable and Satellite Boxes Still Waste Tons of Electricity?&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-cable-and-satellite-boxes-still-waste-tons-of-electricity\/#Why_Do_Set-Top_Boxes_Consume_So_Much_Power\" >Why Do Set-Top Boxes Consume So Much Power?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-cable-and-satellite-boxes-still-waste-tons-of-electricity\/#How_Much_Power_Do_Set-Top_Boxes_Consume\" >How Much Power Do Set-Top Boxes Consume?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/do-cable-and-satellite-boxes-still-waste-tons-of-electricity\/#P3_International_P4460_Kill_A_Watt\" >P3 International P4460 Kill A Watt<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CDo_Cable_and_Satellite_Boxes_Still_Waste_Tons_of_Electricity%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Do Cable and Satellite Boxes Still Waste Tons of Electricity?&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-837831 size-full\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CableBoxPower1.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A digital cable box sitting on a TV credenza, next to a remote control.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/settop-box-remote-digital-tv-1657003723\" data-credittext=\"Ultraskrip\/Shutterstock.com\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/settop-box-remote-digital-tv-1657003723\">Ultraskrip\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Years ago, there were a lot of shocking articles about how much energy cable and satellite boxes wasted. Have things gotten better since then?<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Do_Set-Top_Boxes_Consume_So_Much_Power\"><\/span>Why Do Set-Top Boxes Consume So Much Power?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Way back in 2016, we answered a reader\u2019s question about cable box power use, and while things have improved since then, cable and satellite boxes are still significant sources of phantom loads in the home.<\/p>\n<p>It would be easy to assume that the set-top boxes millions of people use for their satellite and cable service have been so power-inefficient over the years because the manufacturers just didn\u2019t care about power consumption.<\/p>\n<p>To a certain degree, that\u2019s true. From their perspective, there was no pressure to do so, and any money saved by improving the boxes was realized by the consumer and not them. But, part of it is a combination of necessity coupled with how we expect a set-top box and the associated service to function.<\/p>\n<p>First, any device that responds to remote controls or that stays in a standby mode ready for us to use it must, by necessity, consume at least a small amount of power to do so. Without that phantom load keeping the device in ready-and-waiting mode, you\u2019d have to manually turn it on by pressing a button or flipping a switch.<\/p>\n<p>Second, when it comes to set-top boxes, it\u2019s not just enough to have a remote control. Consumers, especially American consumers, expect that their satellite or cable service will be ready the second they turn on the television. A cold start where the device isn\u2019t already in standby mode introduces a significant delay.<\/p>\n<p>On top of that, in addition to the power demands of <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a> standby and the always-at-ready power, DVR systems have to maintain an even higher power state to serve as a DVR and record your shows. Further, many DVR systems are set up where one box in the house serves as a combination DVR and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a> server, streaming content to the other non-DVR boxes in the home.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Much_Power_Do_Set-Top_Boxes_Consume\"><\/span>How Much Power Do Set-Top Boxes Consume?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In 2011, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nrdc.org\/sites\/default\/files\/settopboxes.pdf\">a study by the National Resources Defense Council<\/a> found that the common setup, a cable box with a DVR and a second box in the home, consumed more power than running a new Energy Star-rated refrigerator. It wasn\u2019t unusual for set-top boxes, especially those with DVRs built in, to use 35W or more in standby mode.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, set-top box energy consumption has improved\u2014thanks largely to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/energy.cablelabs.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/VOLUNTARY-AGREEMENT-ENERGY-EFFICIENCY-OF-SET-TOP-BOXES.pdf\">a voluntary agreement<\/a> brokered by the NRDC and other environmental and energy-oriented organizations. According to <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.energy-efficiency.us\/library\/pdf\/STB2019AnnualReport.pdf\">data from D+R International<\/a>, an energy efficiency group, between 2012 and 2019 the energy use of set-top boxes fell 50% for DVRs and 38% for non-DVR boxes.<\/p>\n<p>Still, there\u2019s no such thing as a free lunch when it comes to always-on functionality. Despite improvements, the lightest weight boxes consume around 4-6W in standby mode, and the more power-hungry models still consume around 25W.<\/p>\n<p>If you <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/redirect.viglink.com\/?key=204a528a336ede4177fff0d84a044482&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xfinity.com%2Fsupport%2Farticles%2Fset-top-box-energy-usage&amp;cuid=xid:{xid}&amp;___trxnet=vg\">reference this list of cable boxes used by Xfinity<\/a>, for instance, you\u2019ll get a rough feel for the power consumption ranges of different kinds of boxes. The majority of DVR units consume around 22-25W in standby mode. Many of the traditional but not-DVR set-top boxes consume around 12-16W.<\/p>\n<p>One thing worth noting while studying the list (or any similar list for that matter) is the difference between traditional cable\/satellite boxes and IP boxes. You\u2019ll often find IP-based cable boxes with very low power consumption (2-5W) because they\u2019re your TV provider\u2019s answer to a Roku streaming stick. They don\u2019t have the same hardware overhead as a traditional box and, comparatively, sip power.<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-box  \">\n<div class=\"product-img product-img-noaward\">\n<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" aria-hidden=\"true\" tabindex=\"-1\" role=\"presentation\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B000RGF29Q?tag=lsmedia-11246-20\" onclick=\"fbq('track', 'Buy Button'); if (fb_t_convert){fb_t_convert();}\"><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41htdrTnnML._SL160_.jpg\" height=\"147px\" width=\"150px\" alt=\"\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/><br \/>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"product-title \">\n<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Shop for P3 International P4460 Kill A Watt\" aria-label=\"Shop for P3 International P4460 Kill A Watt\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B000RGF29Q?tag=lsmedia-11246-20\" onclick=\"fbq('track', 'Buy Button'); if (fb_t_convert){fb_t_convert();}\"><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"P3_International_P4460_Kill_A_Watt\"><\/span>P3 International P4460 Kill A Watt<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"product-features\">Curious about your cable box&#8217;s power consumption? Use this handy little meter to measure how much energy your devices and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>liances use.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Although you can\u2019t reduce the power consumed by your cable or satellite box to zero, we do recommend calling your provider to replace really old boxes with newer ones. Not only will you likely get a better and faster experience with the newer hardware, but you\u2019ll also save money on your electric bill.<\/p>\n<p>If all of this has you very curious to see how much power your particular box uses, you\u2019ll need <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B000RGF29Q?tag=lsmedia-11246-20\">a Kill a Watt meter<\/a> and our guide to measuring home power use. We hope you\u2019re pleasantly surprised and your equipment is more like an ultra-efficient LED light bulb and less like an old-school incandescent flood light when it comes to power consumption.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/837685\/do-cable-and-satellite-boxes-still-waste-tons-of-electricity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Do Cable and Satellite Boxes Still Waste Tons of Electricity?&#8221; Ultraskrip\/Shutterstock.com Years ago, there were a lot of shocking articles about how much energy cable and satellite boxes wasted. Have things gotten better since then? Why Do Set-Top Boxes Consume So Much Power? Way back in 2016, we answered a reader\u2019s question about cable box&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":501515,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/CableBoxPower1.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-501514","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/501514","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=501514"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/501514\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/501515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=501514"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=501514"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=501514"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}