Digtal radios, wi-fi radios and set-top decoders use micro-controllers running an operating system. If you shut down the power completely, they would have to "boot-up" when you turned them on - takes a few seconds. So you lose the "instant on" feature. The MCU inside is still alive and running its operating system when "off" - only the output stage (audio or video) goes into "mute".
I totally agree with your assesment. I do not know, nor do I really care what all of those little glowing lights aroound the house cost. But an aircondtioner that did not make my meter spin like a pin wheel would be very welcome. We are isulated coming out our ears, do not keep the thermostat too cool (except in the winter when we have to wear sweaters and watch TV while under blankets) but I draw the line at the Chrismas display of LEDs around the house.
Electronic devices with remote controls are always on, drawing power. I use a power strip to supply power when needed ( for electronics that don't have to reprogram themselves each time they lose power). I replaced an old crt tv with an lcd tv that paid for itself. I'll fill my gas tank to half, makes the vehicle fifty pounds lighter. I save my shower water in winter until it cools to room temperature. I use 9w bulbs for security night lights. I use a fan to draw heat off the oil burner exhaust. I lowered the thermostat to 66F. So the electric co. raised the rates and the oil supplier is asking six times the price for a gallon of heating oil vs ten years ago.
If you put any value on your time, the pay-back on home energy audits is nearly non-existent. Even at full power, this radio only costs $5 a year to operate. If you were to go through the trouble of unplugging it every time you wanted to hear some music, you would never save more than $5 a year and probably get annoyed at having to plug it in all the time. And if a better, more efficient model were offered at a premium price, how likely would you be to pay an extra $10-$20?
Energy audits and efficiency can be VERY worthwhile and productive, but efforts like this just remind me to focus on the big stuff: loads with long run-times and/or high power needs. In a home environment these would be things like lighting, air conditioning, etc.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
New versions of BASF's Ecovio line are both compostable and designed for either injection molding or thermoforming. These combinations are becoming more common for the single-use bioplastics used in food service and food packaging applications, but are still not widely available.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
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