Panasonic VIERA TH-P42X30D - is this a good tv i m getting it for 30 k on ebay- not sure how much would it cost in dubai.
also i have a concern with the power consumption of 200 w .
is this normal or way too high.?or should i consider a LCD to save on power bill.
with this power consumption whats thr impact on the power bill - 100 bucks a month ???
The power consumption theory and worry is a lot of overhype and overstatement. There is some truth but not the absolute truth that is supported by facts and stats. Now I am leaving Dubai out of the equation and considering prices in India only.
Fact 1: The Panasonic 42X30D is now out of the line. What we get now is the 42X50D which is much better than the 30 model (2011).
Fact 2: The Panasonic 42" X series plasma (at Rs. 38K or so) will cost much less than a 42" LCD or LED. Samsung does not have a 42" LCD in its line. The cheapest 42" LCD is LG 42LK450 at 50K MRP and may be had at 42K. Sony's KLV-40BX420 is 52K MRP and will be available at 47K. The cheapest LED in the same size will be at least 10K more.
Fact 3: Even though the Panasonic 'X' model is entry level and HD-Ready only (720p), its performance will be far better than a full-HD 42" LCD. Only an LED will local dimming will be comparable the performance of plasma. Such LED's are even more expensive.
Fact 4: The rated power usage of plasma is when used with full white mode. Under normal usage, the actual usage will be more like 60-70% of the peak usage. In case of LCD/LED, the actual power usage is same as peak usage.
Now let us assume the following:
a) Panasonic P42X50D Plasma (200W peak) power usage at 70% = 140W vs. LG 42LK450 (120W peak) = 120W.
b) Average daily usage time of TV = 8 hours (which is very high in my opinion but considering the worst)
c) Rate of 1 power unit (1 kWH) = Rs. 5.
d) Service Tax at 12.36%
Plasma consumption = 140W x 8 hours x 30 days = 33600 W = 33.6 kWH x Rs. 5 = Rs. 168 x 1.1236 (serv.tax) = Rs. 188.76
LCD consumption = 120W x 8 hours x 30 days = 28800 W = 28.8 kWH x Rs. 5 = Rs. 144 x 1.1236 (serv. tax) = Rs. 161.80
So net extra expense on power via plasma is only Rs. 17 per month. Now consider the extra cost of the LCD or LED TV and you will find that LCD has not really saved you any money.
However ...
If you live in a place where there are frequent power outages and you have an inverter/UPS supply at home, the UPS may not be able sustain the consumption of plasma. When the plasma is switched on, it draws a significant amount of current. The UPS will trip in this case.