1 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Public Service of Colorado Ponnequin Wind Farm

BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES PROGRAM

Television Sets

The Effects of Illuminance on TV Power and Luminance with 

the Use of Automatic Brightness Control

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

September 14, 2011 

Department of Energy
2 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

• Power use dependence on luminance – Review 

• How luminance varies with changing room lighting levels

• How power varies with changing room lighting levels

• Luminance versus power charts to further demonstrate varying 

current implementations of ABC

Overview
3 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

1. User modifies screen settings (e.g., home vs. retail or sport vs. 

cinema)

2. Average picture level (APL) of image being displayed changes (as 

we see when running the IEC test clip)

3. Televisions modifies its own luminance settings under Automatic 

Brightness Control in response to changes in room illuminance

 The consequence of increases in screen luminance is always the 

same, though – power use goes up.

How much of TV power use is associated with the production of 

light? About 60-75% in the units we have measured so far.

TVs Can Change Luminance Levels 

in Three Ways
4 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Screen Luminance at 0, 10, 30, 50, 100, 150 and 

300 Lux - Small TVs
5 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Screen Luminance at 0, 10, 30, 50, 100, 150 and 

300 Lux - Medium TVs
6 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Screen Luminance at 0, 10, 30, 50, 100, 150 and 

300 Lux - Large TVs
7 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Power Consumption at 0, 10, 30, 50, 100, 150 and 

300 Lux - Small TVs
8 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Power Consumption at 0, 10, 30, 50, 100, 150 and 

300 Lux - Medium TVs
9 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Power Consumption at 0, 10, 30, 50, 100, 150 and 

300 Lux - Large TVs
10 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Luminance/Power v. Illuminance

Power

Luminance 

Illuminance
11 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Luminance/Power v. Illuminance

Power

Luminance 

Illuminance
12 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Luminance/Power v. Illuminance

Power

Luminance 

Illuminance
13 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Summary of Luminance Values at 

Various Lux Levels

Luminance (cd/m2) at Various Illuminance Levels (lux)

Illuminance (Lux) 0 10 30 50 100 150 300

TV C - 32" LED-LCD 41.1 296.9 296.2 296.1 296.7 298.2 298.5

TV J - 32" LED-LCD 128.3 128.2 141.8 202.5 238.1 246.9 258.8

TV E - 42" LED-LCD 93.8 97.7 130.2 158.7 230.9 247.7 233.8

TV L - 46" LED-LCD 72.6 72.3 87.8 113.4 221.2 316.3 363.7

TV D - 46" CCFL-LCD 232.3 234.1 240.6 246.5 283.1 300.1 298.7

TV M - 47" LED-LCD 18.4 285.7 282.4 283.3 284.5 283.7 283.7

TV K - 46" LED-LCD 28.89 236.1 235.9 236.4 236.2 236.1 236.3

TV N - 52" CCFL-LCD 165.4 169 186.7 226.6 301.2 301.4 302.2

TV A - 52" LED-LCD 92.5 266.9 266.4 266.2 266.5 266.6 266.8

TV G - 60" Plasma 68.2 75 83.7 84.9 83.7 83.7 84.2

TV B - 54" Plasma 23.3 78.9 79.7 80.2 79 79.2 79.1

TV P - 55" Plasma 27 27.1 63.7 63.3 64.4 63.4 62.7
14 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Summary of Power Values at 

Various Lux Levels

Power (watts) at Various Illuminance Levels (lux)

Illuminance (Lux) 0 10 30 50 100 150 300

TV C - 32" LED-LCD 42 83.3 83.6 84 83.3 83.3 83.3

TV J - 32" LED-LCD 28.6 28.5 30.2 38.7 42.5 42.5 46.5

TV E - 42" LED-LCD 61.8 62.5 62.5 74.4 86.5 91.3 90.2

TV L - 46" LED-LCD 43.8 43.8 45.4 48.6 67.2 70.7 85.1

TV D - 46" CCFL-LCD 103.8 104 107.8 109.9 130.3 130.1 130.3

TV M - 47" LED-LCD 37.3 81.7 79.1 80.4 81.8 81.7 81.9

TV K - 46" LED-LCD 28.4 65.7 66.1 66 65.7 65.7 65.6

TV N - 52" CCFL-LCD 115.1 115.5 121.9 137.4 165.6 165.7 166

TV A - 52" LED-LCD 71.4 91.7 93.0 92.5 91.7 119.8 127.5

TV G - 60" Plasma 245.8 434.8 433.3 433.4 434.8 433.8 434.7

TV B - 54" Plasma 111.0 198.4 199.3 199.8 199.2 199.0 188.3

TV P - 55" Plasma 89.3 89.0 133.8 132.7 144.0 136.7 142.7
15 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Power v. Luminance
16 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Power v. Luminance
17 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Power v. Luminance
18 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Power v. Luminance
19 | Building Technologies Program eere.energy.gov

Power v. Luminance