ENTR Lot 3: Sound and imaging equipment: DVD/video players and recorders, video projectors, video game consoles.

Last updated: 10 November 2019

A voluntary agreement on game consoles was recognised by the Commission in April 2015. The latest version can be found here.

Video game consoles

Manufacturers of game consoles presented agreed on a voluntary agreement for this product group in April 2014. More information about this VA can be found here.

In November 2014, after revision, the game console industry submitted a new version of the VA to the Commission. The revised text includes enhanced non-energy requirements, improved alignment with the new VA guidelines, additional consumer information disclosure requirements, and strengthened governance provisions.

The market for game consoles is growing, and a greater variation of functionalities (such as motion-detecting peripheral devices) expands the potential audience for this product group.

Game consoles are identified as one of the largest category of energy use in households (besides the TV) in the home entertainment area.

Other products

Other product groups included in the preparatory study were video players and recorders and projectors

Video players and recorders

The market for video players and recorders is declining more rapidly than predicted. There is a shift from disc-based systems to internet-connected and other systems and from hard disk drive to USB-powered solutions. There is also a shift towards media streaming, which will remove the need for hard disks. By 2025, it is estimated that there will be no new sales of video recorder/player products, except for small volumes of niche, high-end products.

Projectors

The market for projectors is also declining more rapidly than expected. Indications show that projectors in many applications will continue to be replaced by widescreen televisions.