Energy saving light bulbs can interfere with television sets

Energy saving light bulbs can interfere with television sets
Energy saving light bulbs can interfere with televisions causing them to randomly change channel and switch on and off, a leading manufacturer has admitted.

By Martin Evans
Published: 7:02PM BST 11 Apr 2010


Low energy lightbulbs can interfere with televisions Photo: REUTERS Ever since old style incandescent bulbs began to be phased out, some viewers with certain types of set top box have reported strange goings on, with their televisions appearing to have a life of their own.

Now Philips Electronics have confirmed that the problem could be to do with an early type of energy saving light bulb, which can cause interference with cable TV equipment.


Related Articles
Britons panic buying last stocks of conventional lightbulbs
Low-energy bulbs don't fit sockets
Customers buy up traditional light bulbs before switch to low energy alternatives
Letters to the Telegraph
BBC to be criticised for 'empire building'
CES 2009: Toshiba's unveils new TV could end loud advertsThe problem is caused when the bulb is first switched on and flickers at a frequency which affects the infra-red sensors on remote control receivers.

According to technicians the problems are isolated to an early type of Philips bulb combining with certain brands of set top box.

A spokesman for the firm said: “Some very early compact fluorescent lamps, shortly after starting, could cause interference with TV controls due to the frequency of operation of the bulb and when placed near a TV.”

The company said the problem was likely to be rare as the bulbs involved are quite old and not many homes are likely to still have them.

But Emma Clements from Carshalton, Surrey said even bulbs in other parts of their house appeared to affect their Virgin Media set top box, which was manufactured by the firm Samsung.

She said: "At first we thought it was the children's sticky fingers on the remote control and the buttons were sticking."

A Virgin Media spokesman admitted it was a problem that a small number of its customers had experienced.

“This is an old problem. Some compact fluorescent bulbs flicker at such an imperceptible rate that it can interfere with infra-red equipment,” the spokesman said.

In 2008 the EU announced a ban on traditional filament bulbs in favour of more expensive but more efficient low energy lights.

Incandescent filament bulbs use up to five times more energy as the new models, but consumers have complained that they are more expensive, take time to warm up and have a tendency to flicker.

There have also been concerns over the health impact of the new bulbs with some people complaining they can cause headaches, rashes and dizziness.