New Delhi: A set top box of a cable TV consumes less power than a CFL light, the information and broadcasting ministry said Monday denying reports that the massive rise in number of set top boxes due to digitization of India's cable television network would result in major hike in power consumption.
"Recently, it has been reported in some sections of the press that digitisation of cable TV would result in huge power consumption by the Set Top Boxes (STBs). It has been wrongly informed that the cable STBs consumes 20 watts of power," a ministry statement said Monday.
"STBs of a number of makes and models are supplied by Multi System and Local Cable Operators... A cable STB consumes only about 8 watts of power. This power consumption by an STB is even less than that of CFL light," it said providing a detailed table of the power consumption pattern of different makes of STBs as well as that consumed by household appliances.
Citing the table, it said: "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."
It said the digitization would provide "huge benefits" to consumers "in terms of providing superior quality of picture and sound, choice of channels from a large bouquet, movies and games on-demand. These benefits will be available to consumers at nominal electricity consumption."
It also said that power consumption by STBs in standby mode "is even lesser".
IANS
First Published: Tuesday, October 09, 2012, 11:30