Set-top boxes consume lesser power than CFLs: MIB

By A Correspondent

Dismissing apprehensions that Set Top Boxes (STBs) consume lot of electricity, the I&B ministry has released a communique saying that the cable STBs consumes 20 watts of power. As the four metros approach the digitisation deadline of November1, the communique asserted, “It has been wrongly informed that the cable STBs consumes 20 watts of power.” The ministry has also released the table informing about the power rating of various Cable STBs of different makes, and it seems apparent from the table that a cable STB consumes only about 8 watts of power.

Table 1: Power rating of cable Set Top Boxes of different makes

^1 Source: Product leaflets of manufacturers

Power consumption of different electrical household items is indicated in Table 2 below.

Table 2: Power consumption by different household appliances

^2 Source: Product leaflets of manufacturers and NPCL website

The information issued by I&B ministry also clears that even on a standby mode, the STB would consumer less power. “Thus, cable STBs consume very nominal electricity to the tune of 5-6 units in a month which is insignificant in comparison with the electricity consumed by other electric appliances in a house,” said the release.