LNtHGYSTAR
PAR I N! R
ENERGY STAR® Program Requirements
for Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes (DTAs)
Partner Commitments
DRAFT FINAL
Commitment
The following are the terms of the ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement as it pertains to the
manufacturing of ENERGY STAR qualified DTAs. The ENERGY STAR Partner must adhere to the
following program requirements:
comply with current ENERGY STAR Eligibility Criteria, defining the performance criteria that must
be met for use of the ENERGY STAR certification mark on DTAs and specifying the testing criteria
for DTAs. EPA may, at its discretion, conduct tests on products that are referred to as ENERGY
STAR qualified. These products may be obtained on the open market, or voluntarily supplied by
Partner at EPA's request;
comply with current ENERGY STAR Identity Guidelines, describing how the ENERGY STAR
marks and name may be used. Partner is responsible for adhering to these guidelines and for
ensuring that its authorized representatives, such as advertising agencies, dealers, and
distributors, are also in compliance;
qualify at least one ENERGY STAR DTA model within one year of activating the DTA portion of
the agreement. When Partner qualifies the product, it must meet the specification (e.g., Tier 1 or
2) in effect at that time;
provide clear and consistent labeling of ENERGY STAR qualified DTAs. The ENERGY STAR
mark must be clearly displayed on the top/front of the product, in product literature (i.e., user
manuals, spec sheets, etc.), on product packaging, and on the manufacturer's Internet site where
information about ENERGY STAR qualified models is displayed;
provide to EPA, on an annual basis, an updated list of ENERGY STAR qualifying DTA models.
Once the Partner submits its first list of ENERGY STAR qualified DTA models, the Partner will be
listed as an ENERGY STAR Partner. Partner must provide annual updates in order to remain on
the list of participating product manufacturers;
provide to EPA, on an annual basis, unit shipment data or other market indicators to assist in
determining the market penetration of ENERGY STAR. Specifically, Partner must submit the total
number of ENERGY STAR qualified DTAs shipped (in units by model) or an equivalent
measurement as agreed to in advance by EPA and Partner. Partner is also encouraged to
provide ENERGY STAR qualified unit shipment data segmented by meaningful product
characteristics (e.g., capacity, size, speed, or other as relevant), total unit shipments for each
model in its product line, and percent of total unit shipments that qualify as ENERGY STAR. The
data for each calendar year should be submitted to EPA, preferably in electronic format, no later
than the following March and may be provided directly from the Partner or through a third party.
The data will be used by EPA only for program evaluation purposes and will be closely controlled.
Any information used will be masked by EPA so as to protect the confidentiality of the Partner;
notify EPA of a change in the designated responsible party or contacts for DTAs within 30 days.
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Performance for Special Distinction
In order to receive additional recognition and/or support from EPA for its efforts within the
Partnership, the ENERGY STAR Partner may consider the following voluntary measures and should keep
EPA informed on the progress of these efforts:
consider energy efficiency improvements in company facilities and pursue the ENERGY STAR
mark for buildings;
purchase ENERGY STAR qualified products. Revise the company purchasing or procurement
specifications to include ENERGY STAR. Provide procurement officials' contact information to
EPA for periodic updates and coordination. Circulate general ENERGY STAR qualified product
information to employees for use when purchasing products for their homes;
ensure the power management feature is enabled on all ENERGY STAR qualified monitors in use
in company facilities, particularly upon installation and after service is performed;
provide general information about the ENERGY STAR program to employees whose jobs are
relevant to the development, marketing, sales, and service of current ENERGY STAR qualified
product models;
feature the ENERGY STAR mark(s) on Partner Web site and in other promotional materials. If
information concerning ENERGY STAR is provided on the Partner Web site as specified by the
ENERGY STAR Web Linking Policy (this document can be found in the Partner Resources
section on the ENERGY STAR Web site at www.enenavstar.gov). EPA may provide links where
appropriate to the Partner Web site;
provide a simple plan to EPA outlining specific measures Partner plans to undertake beyond the
program requirements listed above. By doing so, EPA may be able to coordinate, communicate,
and/or promote Partner's activities, provide an EPA representative, or include news about the
event in the ENERGY STAR newsletter, on the ENERGY STAR Web pages, etc. The plan may
be as simple as providing a list of planned activities or planned milestones that Partner would like
EPA to be aware of. For example, activities may include: (1) increase the availability of ENERGY
STAR qualified products by converting the entire product line within two years to meet ENERGY
STAR guidelines; (2) demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of energy efficiency
through special in-store displays twice a year; (3) provide information to users (via the Web site
and user's manual) about energy-saving features and operating characteristics of ENERGY STAR
qualified products, and (4) build awareness of the ENERGY STAR Partnership and brand identity
by collaborating with EPA on one print advertorial and one live press event;
provide quarterly, written updates to EPA as to the efforts undertaken by Partner to increase
availability of ENERGY STAR qualified products, and to promote awareness of ENERGY STAR
and its message.
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ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR® Program Requirements
for Digital-to-Analog Converter Boxes (DTAs)
Eligibility Criteria
DRAFT FINAL
Below is the Version 1.0 product specification for ENERGY STAR qualified DTAs. A product must meet
all of the identified criteria if it is to be qualified as ENERGY STAR by its manufacturer.
1) Definitions: Below is a brief description of a DTA and other terms as relevant to ENERGY STAR.
A.	Auto-Power Down: Eligible equipment shall provide the capability to automatically switch from the
On state to the Sleep state after a period of time without user input. This capability shall be
enabled at the factory as the default setting for the device.
B.	DTA: Receives terrestrial, (over the air) digital signals and converts them to an analog output
suitable for analog TVs. Does not provide digital signal output. The DTA category does not include
converters that work with satellite or cable digital signals, nor does it cover devices with multi-
functionality such as a DVD player with digital to analog conversion capability.
Note: The DTA definition provided above continues to mirror the definition proposed by the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) in their public rule-making process for
developing a coupon program for DTAs. Some stakeholders asked that the definition for this product
mirror that included in the European Code of Conduct. However, EPA believes that aligning with the
NTIA definition for this product is most critical for DTAs as they will likely be produced for regional
markets rather than for global sale like most other electronic products. It is EPA's expectation though
that other electronics specifications will follow the more traditional path of harmonization with
international country partners, both in test procedures and levels, as feasible.
EPA's intention remains that the definition for a DTA eligible to earn the ENERGY STAR mark aligns
with NTIA's definition of a DTA, therefore the above definition may be modified upon completion of
NTIA's rule-making process. If the final definition developed by NTIA requires modifications to the
ENERGY STAR DTA specification, EPA will carefully consider the ramifications on DTA power
consumption prior to incorporating the changes. EPA will engage stakeholders in such a change.
C.	Off Mode: A state in which there is negligible or no power consumption.
D.	On Mode: A state in which the DTA is actively delivering its principal functions and some or all of
its applicable secondary functions.
E.	Sleep Mode: A state in which the device has greater power consumption, capability, and
responsiveness than it does in the Off state, and has less (or similar) power consumption,
capability and responsiveness than it does in the On state.
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Note: Definitions for On, Sleep, and Off Modes remain consistent with CEA-2022: Digital STB Active
Power Consumption Measurement, and CEA-2013-A: Digital STB Background Power Consumption,
which are the test procedures referenced in Section 4 of this Draft Final DTA specification. Several
stakeholders requested changes be made to the above modal definitions - specifically aligning the
definitions with those used in the European Code of Conduct and defining the principal and secondary
functions of DTAs more precisely.
EPA recognizes that with other ENERGY STAR electronics specifications, harmonization with
international country partners is crucial to ensure that stakeholders have similar requirements for their
products, regardless of where these global products are being sold. However, given the fact that DTAs
are specific to an individual region's existing broadcasting network, EPA continues to reference the CEA
definitions associated with that organization's test procedure, which stakeholders will use to determine
whether their DTA models meet ENERGY STAR requirements. Stakeholders should note that
development of all other electronics specifications will follow the more traditional path of harmonization
with international country partners, both in test procedures and levels, as feasible.
2)	Qualifying Products: In order to qualify as ENERGY STAR, a DTA model must meet the definition in
Section 1 .B and the specification requirements provided in Section 3, below. As explained in Section
1, this specification does not cover converters that work with satellite or cable digital signals, nor does
it cover devices with multiple primary functions, such as a DVD player with DTA conversion capability
or a DTA with video recording capabilities.
3)	Energy-Efficiency Specifications for Qualifying Products: Only those products listed in Section 2
that meet the following criteria may qualify as ENERGY STAR. The effective date for these
requirements is provided in Section 6 of this specification.
Table 1: Criteria for ENERGY STAR Qualified DTAs
Mode
Power Consumption under Test
Conditions
Effective Date: January 31, 2007
On Mode*
< 8 watts
Sleep Mode
< 1 watt
* DTA must incorporate an auto-power down feature to automatically switch from the On state to the
Sleep state after a period of time without user input. This capability shall be enabled at the factory as
the default setting for the device. The default period of inactivity before the equipment automatically
switches to the Sleep state shall be four hours or less. Eligible equipment may allow the current
program to complete before switching to the Sleep state. The default energy related settings may not
be altered during the initial user set-up process and shall persist unless the user chooses at a later
date to manually:
a)	disable the "automatic switching to Sleep state" capability, or
b)	adjust the default time period from 4 hours or less to some other value.
DTAs may come out of Sleep Mode in order to scan for program and system information or private
data (PSIP). When doing so, DTAs may exceed the 1 watt Sleep Mode requirement for no longer than
one hour in an eight hour period.
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Note: EPA received support for the On and Sleep Mode levels proposed in the Draft 1 ENERGY STAR
DTA specification from all stakeholders who submitted comments. As such, the levels remain consistent
with the Draft 1 specification.
EPA requested feedback from stakeholders in the Draft 1 specification on how to address DTAs with
electronic program guides (EPGs), and presented two possible solutions for consideration. Based on
feedback received, EPA has added language to the requirements for auto-power down to clarify how
DTAs should handle maintenance and PSIP updates with regards to energy consumption under this Draft
Final ENERGY STAR specification.
EPA prefers not to define and develop a power allowance for an additional mode during which program
and system information or private data updates occur (e.g., Active Standby). Additionally, the current
CEA-2013-A test procedure lists EPG download activity as a non-routine event that does not need to be
measured when making Sleep Mode measurements; however, EPA believes that there is a certain
threshold above which PSIP updates, including EPG downloads, should be considered routine activity.
There are several ways that such a threshold could be specified. Ultimately, based on stakeholder
feedback, EPA chose to propose a time limit on updates to one hour per every eight hours.
4) Test Criteria: Manufacturers are required to perform tests and self-certify those product models that
meet the ENERGY STAR guidelines. The test results must be reported to EPA using the DTA
Qualifying Product Information (QPI) Form. EPA is calling for the use of the below named test
procedures. Any power allowances included in the documents containing and pertaining to these test
procedures that originate from a source other than EPA are not relevant to the ENERGY STAR
program requirements for DTAs and should be ignored.
In performing these tests, partner agrees to measure a model's On Mode power consumption using
Section 6 of CEA-2022, Digital STB Active Power Consumption Measurement and Sleep Mode power
consumption using Annex A of CEA-2013-A, Digital STB Background Power Consumption. However,
the following clarifications shall be incorporated into the test procedures when testing to determine
whether a product meets ENERGY STAR requirements:
A.	In place of section 6.4.i) in CEA-2022 and section A.4.i) in CEA-2013-A regarding the amount of
allowable variation in the load when measuring On Mode and Sleep Mode, respectively, ENERGY
STAR wishes to reference the following language adapted from IEC 62301: Household Electrical
Appliances - Measurement of Standby Power. The language provides guidance on how to take
an integrated, averaged measurement over a period of time in situations when the load being
measured may not be entirely stable.
Where the power meter reading is stable and where there is no cyclic or pulsing behavior of the
load, the instantaneous power reading for the load can be recorded directly from the power meter.
(For the purposes of this test procedure, a stable load is one that varies by no greater than ± 5%
over a five-minute period.) In the case that the load is unstable, report the average power reading
over a five-minute period by integrating the energy consumption of the product over this period
and dividing by the total time. The meter shall be capable of sampling at a minimum of one-
second intervals. If the power in On or Sleep Mode varies periodically (i.e. a regular sequence of
power fluctuations that occur over several minutes or hours), the five-minute integration period
shall be increased to encompass one or more complete cycles in order to get a representative
average value.
B.	Manufacturers will be required to test their DTA models in On Mode with three different input
signals at the following commonly broadcasted resolutions: 480p60 (4:3), 720p60 (16:9 HD) and
1080i30 (16:9 HD). On Mode power consumption results will be submitted to EPA at all three input
signal resolutions, but only the highest value will be displayed on the ENERGY STAR Web site.
(Note that the DTA will have to meet ENERGY STAR requirements when tested with all three
input signals; however, the highest power consumption value will be the only one shared with
consumers.)
C.	Section A.6, Responsibilities, in CEA-2013-A should be ignored. The test criteria as laid out in the
respective test procedures should be adhered to by partners when testing their DTAs to determine
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ENERGY STAR qualification.
5)	User Interface: Although not mandatory, manufacturers are strongly recommended to design
products in accordance with the Power Control User Interface Standard — IEEE 1621 (formally known
as "Standard for User Interface Elements in Power Control of Electronic Devices Employed in
Office/Consumer Environments"). Compliance with IEEE 1621 will make power controls more
consistent and intuitive across all electronic devices, as more products begin to conform to this
standard. The following aspects of IEEE 1621 are most likely to apply to DTAs and are presented here
for your convenience. The complete standard is available at: www.ieee.org. A draft version is available
for download at: http://eetd.LBL.gov/Controls/1621.
A.	Use of the word "Power" and/or the power symbol — (L) — as the central organizing term for
power controls, and specifically on the power indicator and power switch on the box, on the power
control on the remote, and on any applicable on-screen displays [sections 4.2 and 4.5],
B.	Present the state in which the DTA is powered-down but able to wake up from the remote control
as the "Sleep" mode. It may not be necessary to refer to sleep directly on the box, control, or on-
screen displays, but if that is done, use the word "Sleep" and/or the crescent moon symbol for
sleep — 4=. [section 4.1],
C.	Use Green/Yellow/Off color indications for the power indicator to show On/Sleep/Off (for DTAs,
Off only occurs when AC power is removed) [section 4.4.2],
D.	For on-screen displays and user manuals, use "Auto Power Down" as the term for the auto-power
down function [section 4.3],
6)	Effective Date: The date that manufacturers may begin to qualify products as ENERGY STAR under
this Version 1.0 specification will be defined as the effective date of the agreement. The ENERGY
STAR specification for DTAs is effective January 31, 2007.
7)	Future Specification Revisions: EPA reserves the right to revise the specification should
technological and/or market changes affect its usefulness to consumers or industry or its impact on
the environment. In keeping with current policy, revisions to the specification are arrived at through
industry discussions. Please note that ENERGY STAR qualification is not automatically granted
for the life of the product model. To carry the ENERGY STAR mark, a product model must meet the
ENERGY STAR specification in effect on the model's date of manufacture.
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