Absolving (some of) the guilt of buying a flat-screen TV

I've just started the research for my next big purchase: a flat-screen TV. Hey, somebody's got to kick start this economy, right?

The good news is that I'll be ready to sit back and watch the Summer Olympics in glorious high definition. The bad news is that my electricity bill is going to go up because even though they're nice and slim, plasma and LCD TVs use more power than old-fashioned tube TVs on an inch-by-inch basis, according to EnergyStar.

So what to do? Seek out a flat-screen that does a few little tricks to mitigate its power consumption.

One example that's a little too big for my humble apartment but that could make sense for you is the Philips Eco TV. Among its features is a sensor that detects the ambient light in your room and dials down the TV's backlighting to achieve a picture that's always easy on the eye. It's even smart enough to tone down the backlighting in accordance with what's actually being shown on screen, something not many TVs can do. Philips also says that the TV is built with lead-free components and is shipped in recycled packaging. Every little bit helps. And I should add that at around $1,200, this feature-rich TV seems to be a good deal, too.

Keep in mind that you can always turn down the backlighting on your flat-screen TV if it's too bright for the room or if you just want to save some energy. All you have to do is figure out how. Did you keep the manual?