Consoles wasting large amounts of energy in standby

monument

And most people never really think of the running costs of consumer electronics ...

A British government energy review due out this week will claim that videogames consoles are responsible for GBP 70 million of wasted energy each year, according to The Times newspaper.

The report will highlight what has been widely known for some time - that consumer electronics devices are increasingly leaking energy at an alarming rate while in standby mode.

Last month, a group of bloggers in the United States reported that while the original PlayStation leaked just 0.2W - accounting for some 1.752kWh wasted each year - the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2 both leak a massive 2W, or 17.52kWh each year.

http://gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=18441

DonkeyRhubarb

I agree completly, but I don't always practice what I preach.

I usually leave my 680w PC on most of the time, just in case I need to check something on the net, or the mood hits me to play a game.

Thing is, I will always turn off a light in a room Im not using, or put just enough water in the kettle without having too much.

Human nature is a strange thing!:p

projectmayhem

do people really leave their ps2's and 360's on that much without playing? i can understand leaving a PC on without actually playing or doing work, but a console?

monument

They're talking about while the consoles are in standby – in the PS2's case a red light shows similar to TV, VCR/DVDs, Skydigiboxs etc, it’s not clear with the Xbox 630 could it always be in standby mode when not on?

Retr0gamer

I really don't see the point in standby modes on consoles since they all take the same amount of time to boot up even without standby. It's bloody annoying that you have to reach around the back of the PS2 to turn it off completely especially when you have it in a cramped place. The most annoying thing is the xbox and the 360 since it loses the date and time when standby is turned off and messes with savegames. All standby mode seems to be useful for is the red light on the front of the console.

TheAlmightyArse

The PS2's off switch couldn't be in a more awkward place, and the slimeline model doesn't even have one. You have to wonder why Sony are so afraid of people turning their consoles off. Also, those figures for the PS2 and the XBox 360's energy usage in standby are mad. Why are they so much higher than that of the PSX? What are they doing with it all when they're, presumably, not donig anything at all?

steviec

It's necessary on the xbox 360, it has to keep wireless on to know when you press the power button on the joypad to turn on. In the case of the other consoles though I have no idea why they use more power.

steviec

By the way is this report specific to video games consoles? If so it's a bit silly, I was almost certain I'd read before that they're among the most energy efficient home electronics when on standby, and a quick google tells me the average TV uses 5w - more than twice that of the worst offending console.

Is energy waste the latest fad to blame games for now that we're a good while away from a new GTA game for the media to get their paws on?

projectmayhem

monument wrote:

They're talking about while the consoles are in standby – in the PS2's case a red light shows similar to TV, VCR/DVDs, Skydigiboxs etc, it’s not clear with the Xbox 630 could it always be in standby mode when not on?

ah skewz me, didn't read properly

i didn't realise that little red light took up so much energy... madness.

what does this mean for the "always connected" (so i assume "always on") wii...

TheAlmightyArse

That you should turn it off, FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND! As far as I can make out, Nintendo's "always on" thing mostly means you can leave the console downloading large files while its in standby, along with a few throwaway gimmicks linked into Animal Crossing. You can still turn it off if you like.

skywalker

monument wrote:

it’s not clear with the Xbox 630 could it always be in standby mode when not on?

I just got a lend of a mates 360 and Ive noticed a light stays on on the power supply when its "off" anyway. I only noticed it as its in my bedroom.

EDIT. most likely for the reason Steviec mentioned.

Matt Simis

1: I like to be able to turn on my XB360, Projector etc wirelessly
2: Since the original PS didnt actually do anything in Standby (and the PS2 it seems), one could argue they are infact more wasteful than the XB360 imo.
3: How is this "waste", this is the electrical cost of the feature and Im paying my ESB bill. Ifs its bad for the environment, then we need to look at the methods we are using to generate power, not the legitimate uses of it.

This is a flawed argument like the argument that building a car uses X large numberhere of gallons of water that would be better used to irrigate some farm in some desert... A pointless argument considering the planet is 70% water, people are just too cheap and self centered to use it alternative sources (which is replicated with the semi-made up "Oil crisis")..



Matt

RotalicaV

Suck the big one tree huggers, i leave all my **** in standby.. all the freakin time!

fobster

Well one way to make sure something is turned off properly, pull the plug out of the socket.

And who really cares about the date and time on the xbox anyways, when I play games I don't care that it's the year 2001

Fanny Cradock

Matt Simis wrote:

This is a flawed argument like the argument that building a car uses X large numberhere of gallons of water that would be better used to irrigate some farm in some desert... A pointless argument considering the planet is 70% water, people are just too cheap and self centered to use it alternative sources (which is replicated with the semi-made up "Oil crisis")..

^ now that's a flawed argument

monument

Matt Simis wrote:

3: How is this "waste", this is the electrical cost of the feature and Im paying my ESB bill. Ifs its bad for the environment, then we need to look at the methods we are using to generate power, not the legitimate uses of it.

We (as in Ireland, same as the UK) are slow to develop cleaner energy sources for power generation generally, so I’m guessing your need to turn on your console wirelessly is really going to kick start the government.

With this it is actually rather not important what kind of sources we use, the government will not see your need to turn on a console wirelessly Vs an unacceptable amount of energy for such. Even if we were using 100% clean sources, it would be still seen as waist (just as leaving light on or TVs in standby for no real reason for a long time is waist).

Matt Simis

monument wrote:

We (as in Ireland, same as the UK) are slow to develop cleaner energy sources for power generation generally, so I’m guessing your need to turn on your console wirelessly is really going to kick start the government.

With this it is actually rather not important what kind of sources we use, the government will not see your need to turn on a console wirelessly Vs an unacceptable amount of energy for such. Even if we were using 100% clean sources, it would be still seen as waist (just as leaving light on or TVs in standby for no real reason for a long time is waist).

Well then we have a difference of opinion on the term "waste". IMO, wasting electricity is leaving the TV or Radio on when out of the house to "pretend" someone is home or keep the pets entertained. Waste of water is the abandoned farms and derelict houses of my youth with water spewing out of burst pipes.

It isnt someone using their devices as intended. If you think the ability to turn on a console wirelessly is a waste, then is it really much of a stretch to say having a TV larger than 14" or a console at all isnt a "waste". Its hardly a life or death requirement, the device itself it purely for entertainment afterall..

Reports like these focus on easy sellable sound bytes, which is exactly what you see before you. Slap a dollar (on this case Sterling) figure beside it and low and behold, the worlds problems are identified.


Matt

monument

I understand what you mean a bit more now, but I think the point is that the when the standby function is taking up so much energy just so people switch on devices using the controller/remote, the intended function is flawed and a waste of energy.

As for comparing it to a large size TV, (if the standby issue was fixed) such only uses power when its been actually in use, in that use most people see an actual improvement in enjoyment of content from 14” to say your average TV. Could you really compare the advantage of not having pressing a button on the device it self to the advantage of reasonable sized screen, to a small 14” one?

steviec

monument wrote:

Could you really compare the advantage of not having pressing a button on the device it self to the advantage of reasonable sized screen, to a small 14” one?

Nope. But the difference between a small and large tv is an awful lot more than 2 watts. In percentage terms of the amount of energy we all use, a console on standby is absolutely tiny. I know every little helps, but a euro's worth of electricity per year is probably worth the convenience of wireless activation to most people.

monument

Just "GBP 70 million of wasted energy each year" in the UK.

It’s seen as “leaking energy” – TV and consoles while in use are not.

KdjaCL

Who leaves anything on when its not being used? People who dont pay the ESB bill


kdjac

Fanny Cradock

in an age were energy costs are rising, and the reality of burning fossil fuels is becoming apparent, it would seem prudent to conserve energy. i've never understood the need for "stand by" on any electrical appliance. as radical as it may sound, i can live with walking over to the console and manually turning it on, or the inconvenience of waiting a few seconds for the appliance to get going.

Balfa

Ha, their article is stupid. "OMG Teh PS2 is pwnz0ring my f0rtun3 - ph34rm0ng0r!!"

I like "the original PlayStation leaked just 0.2W - accounting for some 1.752kWh wasted each year - the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 2 both leak a massive 2W, or 17.52kWh each year.". A massive 2W. Or the equivelant in one hour of what your living room light uses in 72 seconds. And who here has only one light in their living room these days?

Oh, they also fail to mention that 17.52kWh per year is, what, 20 cents a year?

Come on, a PS2 in standby is not going to bankrupt anyone. I'm all for conserving energy, but it only makes sense to work on the big users like heating (or cooling, here in texas. Damn 107 degree weather this week ) and lighting, then big appliances like washing machine, fridge, cooker next.

And to put your mind at ease, the PS1 probably uses 0.2W because it has a transformer that converts 230V AC into usable 12V (or something) DC. A side effect of this is the release of some heat, which is where the energy is going.
The PS2 uses ten times as much (still an insignificant amount) because as well as a transformer, it has a irritating bastard little LED on the front.

Like I said, don't worry about standby mode, and look at correctly insulating your home, using fluorescent lights, and changing personal habits if you're really interested in saving on energy costs.

monkeyfudge

Hahaha.. why would I need to leave my 360 plugged in anyway? You'd swear there were some decent games for the thing that you needed to play at a moments notice.

I for one hate having a dozen or so crimson and emerald cyclopses staring at me in the dead of night, so I power everything off all the way.

Balfa

monkeyfudge wrote:

I for one hate having a dozen or so crimson and emerald cyclopses staring at me in the dead of night, so I power everything off all the way.

Oh god... Maybe it's actually one giant Dodecaclops!

Yeah, I hated that too, when I had my PC in my bedroom. I just stuck stickers or bluetak over the LEDs though

mickoneill30

My DVD player has LEDs still working away when I have it turned off. Same for my Sky box and microwave, and cooker. How many millions of GBP do these devices waste each year. If you go through any city during any night have a look at how many offices have their lights on. In my office (and this isn't unusual) nobody turns off their PCs when they go home. You're lucky if they turn off their monitors.

I don't think that consoles are the only source of the waste. If we got people to turn off lights in unoccupied rooms we'd probably save more energy. It's not as glamerous for the politicians though.

Matt Simis

mickoneill30 wrote:

My DVD player has LEDs still working away when I have it turned off. Same for my Sky box and microwave, and cooker. How many millions of GBP do these devices waste each year.

Well, if you read Balfa's post, its pretty clear that conversations about "energy conversation" that revolve around turning off a led of a set of appliances are clearing pi$$ing against the wind the in grand scheme of things.

We should look at this "leakage issue" when the rest of the energy world is perfect. Afaik, the report is someone justifying their comfy government job. Its not intended to really seriously do anything (a least it shouldn't be).



Matt

Balfa

Matt Simis wrote:

the report is someone justifying their comfy government job. Its not intended to really seriously do anything (a least it shouldn't be).

Amen.

monument

Ah, sure it the UK it's only 70 million of wasted energy each year, sure that pocket change for you guys, right?

Balfa

Balfa wrote:

Oh, they also fail to mention that 17.52kWh per year is, what, 20 cents a year?

Erk, I must correct my own mistake. Although I copied and pasted 17.52 from the article, I was thinking 1.752 in my head, which is the amount for a PS1, not a PS2. So a PS1 wastes about 20 cents a year. A PS2 though, using ten times as much, wastes 2 euro a year.

Yes, pocket change.

Granted, I don't even like the LED, so I'm certainly not happy about paying 2 euro a year for the privelidge of its presence. But I am willing to pay 2 euro a year for the benefit of not having to climb around behind the TV to unplug and replug my slim PS2, so I guess that's okay.

So, the PS2 is just being an arse. However, the XBOX360 and Wii (and probably PS3) have legitimate reasons for sucking power while not in use.

Dooom

Yeah sure they waste power, but what else are they doing while they're in standby mode?

Watching your every move and recording it! That's what..

byte

mickoneill30 wrote:

My DVD player has LEDs still working away when I have it turned off. Same for my Sky box and microwave, and cooker.

Oddly enough, a Sky digibox in standby is pointless, as it continues to use the same amount of electricity as it would in operational mode. THe only thing that gets turned off is the video module.

As for the likes of PS2/XBOX, I don't see why they need a standby option.

Balfa

[nintendofanboyism]Gamecube doesn't have a standby mode [/nintendofanboyism]

L31mr0d

Balfa wrote:

Yeah, I hated that too, when I had my PC in my bedroom. I just stuck stickers or bluetak over the LEDs though

lol, same here, good ol bluetak.

I've still got my money on cold fusion to save the day

Its like trying to make your computer silent, you moan about one noise until its gone, then as soon as you do you realise theres another noise behind it... and another, on and on. If you stop the standby mode in consoles, they will then stop the standby mode in TVs, soon you'll find they are hardwiring your computer to shut down after 5 minutes of inactivity, next we'll all be living in tree huts singing coombyah and burning sage. We shouldn't be concerned with how much energy is being used but methods for improving energy efficiency and production. Pull all the money from warfare research and put it into energy research and i'd say we'll have our own mini suns powering the planet in a decade.