This morning, the 42" flat-panel LCD Philips Eco FlatTV garnered a "Best of Show" award for its superb picture and equally impressive energy conservation capabilities.

Besides a clear, sharp 1080p image the Eco FlatTV includes various ways to lower power consumption for the backlights that help to light up its LCD screen. It includes a light sensor that can measure room lighting levels and dim the backlights to provide viewability at the lowest power levels tolerable. It also features a power-saving mode that can keep power consumption down irrespective of local light conditions. All of these features are user-settable, through the set’s configuration menus. The result is a 42" LCD that can consume as little power as 75W (nearly 50% less than most LCT HDTVs of the same size) while active, and that consumes less than 0.15 Watts in standby mode. In addition, the Eco FlatTV makes other concessions to the environment. Most important, the construction complies with ROHS (Restriction of Hazardous Materials Directive, a set of EU guidelines for composition and construction of electronics gear) so that it is lead-free and contains very low levels of mercury as well. The unit also comes packaged in a carton made of recycled materials.

With a great picture, a slim profile, strong energy efficiency, and the usual HDTV accoutrement—remote, multiple HDMI inputs, and so forth-the Philips EcoTV emerges as a strong contender for the mid-sized, mid-level HDTV market. That said, this unit does not operate at 120 Hz as do high end LCD HDTVs nowadays, nor does it support the patented Philips ambilight system that likewise manages backlight leels (and power consumption). At an MSRP of just under $1,400, this unit is bound to attract some interest from prospective buyers. Stay tuned to the Philips Website for more information about this unit, which is expected to hit the stores in March or April.