Picture settings and how it can save you cash

One thing that many HDTV owners don't know is that tweaking some settings on their television sets can translate to a significant amount of savings in their next electricity bill.

The settings you would want to adjust would be the backlight (also called brightness) and contrast (also known as picture) controls, which both directly affect the output of light. Generally, the more light your TV produces, the more power it consumes.

Toning down the backlight and contrast controls will lead to less power being consumed, and more savings to you.

Owners of newer "green" HDTVs might also want to look out for an "energy saving" button on their remote controls. This will bring your TV to settings that are optimised by your HDTV's manufacturer to give the best balance between picture quality and power consumption.