Sky helps reduce energy with 'Automatic Standby'

[BGonaSTICK]

Sky says it is to help customers reduce their household energy bills with the introduction of a new feature that will automatically switch inactive Sky HD and Sky+ boxes into standby mode overnight.

The ‘Auto Standby’ feature will be introduced to more than two million customers’ boxes in phases over the next few months.

It will be 'sent' automatically to all Sky HD boxes from tomorrow. Sky+ boxes manufactured after August 2005 will receive the update between 18 and 24 April 2007. All other Sky+ boxes will receive Auto Standby later this summer. Sky is also exploring the potential to deliver Auto Standby to standard Sky boxes.

Ben Stimson, Sky's director of corporate responsibility, said: "Energy use is a growing priority for companies and consumers alike so we want to help our customers to cut their bills and reduce their environmental impact. We advise all our customers to switch their Sky box to standby when not in use. But for those occasions when people forget, Auto Standby will be there to help out. This is a UK first whose effects will add up to a significant reduction in energy consumption for our customers."

The new feature monitors whether people are using their Sky+ or Sky HD box overnight between 11.00pm and 4.00am. If the box has not been used for a period of two hours after 11.00pm, an ‘Auto Standby’ warning will pop up on screen for three minutes. If there is no further use the box will go into standby mode automatically.

Robin Oakley, senior climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace, said: "Sky is among the few companies forging ahead to cut out energy wastage in their products, it’s time this became the priority for companies producing all our appliances."

This new enhancement forms part of Sky’s plans for ensuring its products are as energy efficient as possible. Since the launch of Sky Digital, Sky says the energy consumption of Sky’s new standard boxes has been reduced by 50%.

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But don't Sky's digiboxes use a heap of power in 'standby' mode anyway? Don't they actually stay awake 24/7 powering the LNB and waiting for updates via satellite and to phone home to their host via modem?

And I don't suppose this has got anything to do with PR? The timing has nothing to do with the recent government announcement regarding new Carbon Budgets and the attack on wasteful consumer equipment by outlawing 'standy modes'?

[Jimdefruit]

If the standby mode is the same as the standard digiboxes then it is all a lot of sales talk. Standby mode in digiboxes only reduces the power consumption marginally.

[nanochickin]

My old Thomson Digibox used to do that anyway. Evereytime it was updated. Only problem is it used to take me about 2 hours to get it working again afterwards without that horrible high pitched screaming sound in the background

Apparently according to the so called Sky engineer there was nothing wrong with it :?



Nano

[Gav]

Almost everything is still powered up on the inside. The transformer is still on to power the LEDs on the front (To convert 240V AC to like 0.3V DV).

Sky are probably trying to persuade idiots (i.e. the government) that they are green.

[wod]

what we need is going back to proper on/off switches on electrical items instead of this standby rubbish as my sony tv which I've had for ages has this and also my technomate receiver has it on the back which is more convenient than unplugging everything

[BGonaSTICK]

I agree. We've all grown far too lazy. Bring back the on/off switch!

Let's start a petition on the government website!