My son saw one of his doctors that way. On a follow up visit for an accident, he had the Doctor saw him via video chat. This was during Covid. It was so stupid because he was living in NH at the time and the Doctor was in MA. And MA insurance rules prevented the doctor from seeing patients on video chat outside of MA. The URL used for the video chat could determine where you were physically located. So he got in his car and drove over the boarder into MA. First attempt failed because he wasn’t in MA far enough and his cell was connecting to a tower in NH so he drove about 5 more miles and was able to connect and do a 3 minute video chat to meet the insurance requirements.
True, but we are talking about AI and data center power consumption which is a huge concern for not only the companies providing the service but the power company infrastructure supporting it. So this is a topic that has huge visibility and focus right now. The company I work for has several customer funded developments in process specifically focused on power supply efficiencies for this sector.
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States like Texas is giving these AI and crypto server farms breaks on utilities and taxes so they may not be in a hurry to upgrade if the cost isn’t large enough.
Virginia is the world’s leading hub for data centers (not saying this with pride, but as a fact…), with over 600 facilities, primarily in Northern Virginia (Data Center Alley), which handles roughly 70% of global internet traffic. While heavily focused on hyperscale cloud computing, some specialized crypto mining operations are emerging in rural areas.
These centers only need the approval of local officials in these rural areas and the local officials are only concerned with their piece of the pie, Tax Revenue…
The data center growth in Virginia has significantly contributed to our rising electricity rates. Where we have seen rates increased by 25% due to the increased demand for power infrastructure. The massive energy consumption of these server farms has forced our utilities, (like Dominion Energy), to invest billions in new infrastructure, costs that are being passed down to residents, small businesses, and farms.
My electric bill includes: Generation, Transportation, and Fuel Charges that surpass my actual electrical consumption…
I remember some 20 years ago when LCD monitors came out. They were so much cheaper to run. It actually saved companies money to buy new LCD monitors for everyone in the company then to keep using the old CRT monitors. MANY companies were very (and still are) short sighted and took a long time to switch. I’ve still seen CRTs being used today in some businesses.
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I would say that is atypical from what I have seen when visiting customer sites. Of course our global organization is on a 3 year turn for computer systems, primarily to keep up to date on OS and security concerns. Most IT departments will disconnect older systems from the company network if they are behind in OS revisions or updates. Most of our systems have converted to laptops as well. The performance is on par with desktops for the most part. Even our computationally intense applications are using high end laptops. For those desktop systems (a very small box now) they don’t have legacy video interfaces…
There are huge tax and conversion incentives in some states that compel companies to adapt. A site of ours in MA immediately undertook the cost to convert lighting to LED. Upfront cost was more than $300k but we got a ton back in rebates and the electricity savings covered the rest on a 3 year payback.
Electric costs have soared for businesses too. There is a focus on reducing those operating costs in most places.
Not only did the old CRT computer monitors draw more electrical power 60W to 150W (significantly more than LED/LCD monitors, which use 20W to 30W). The CRTs were like small heaters that could keep a chilly room comfortable in the winter, but also stifling in the summer. Therefore, they also contributed to increased utility bills in the summer taxing the A/C systems…
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I used to snuggle up to the old Tektronix tube oscilloscope at work to keep warm in the winter.
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I converted the lighting in the church I attend from flourescent tubes to LED tubes about 10.years ago. The power company gave us $6.00 for each flourescent tube taken out of service and I was able to purchase LED replacement tubes for $6.95. I replaced about 300 flourescent tubes at a cost of under $300. I rewired the light fixtures which involved r removing the ballast transformers. I don’t know the church saves any electrical energy, but it has sure saved my energy. In the 10 years since we converted to LED from flourescent lighting, not a single LED tube has gone out. Before the conversion, I was out in the church building every month changing out burned out flourescent tubes and often having to replace the ballast transformers as well. One added benefit was the invitation once a year to a free breakfast sponsored by the power company. I learned a lot about how the power company recommends power saving measures to businesses and industry. I think the power company figured out that conservation measures would save on the amount of beefing up the infrastructure to handle electric vehicles and data centers.
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I can still recall the noxious odor that was emitted by a failed fluorescent ballast. It was really bad.
Also, an overheated ballast is a fire hazard. A house in my neighborhood suffered a destructive fire.which started from an overheated ballast transformer above a workbench in an attached garage. The flourescent fixture was mounted on the drywall ceiling.
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When I was adding lights to my other old garage, I bought the cheapest 4’ lights and immediately opened them up, cut out the ballast and rewired them for LEDs, I have about 12 or 13 I did that way, that I need to take down and move over to the new garage… At the time is was cheaper than buying “LED” 4’ lights… Bulbs sold separately… lol
I like the image on a CRT better than the same image on a flat screen. it just looks more natural to me.
I got my son one of those curved monitors for his gaming/computer system. Opposite curve from a CRT 
but it is pretty amazing improvement over the flat screen monitors. It looks terrible for off axis viewers but if you’re the one sitting in front of it, it is a huge improvement over the flat screen.
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Sitting in the ‘prime position’ in front of a curved monitor or TV screen makes me woozy.
Yeah, when he is playing games, it can be dizzying (for lack of a better term) for me. Unreal ability to react at light speed at that age. My brain is two or three steps behind the action at my age.
Your comment reminded me of when I first got progressive lenses. It was like the view was swimming on the peripheral image when I moved my head around. My brain adapted in a couple days and now it has no adverse effect…it was very unnerving at first when driving the car and trying to look at the gauges.
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Buy a better flat screen. Image of a good flat-screen is far superior. Have you ever seen an OLED screen?
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Decades ago when I worked at Digital Equipment Co (DEC) during the winter we’d raise the temp in the server rooms to save money. We used the heat from those systems to help heat the rest of the building. If we lowered the temp by just a few degrees it would kick in the AC more. Computers don’t put out the heat they use to. The old tube systems that take up space in a large building needed one building next to it for AC. If the AC system ever crashed for some reason you had just a couple minutes before temps rose to over 140 degrees.
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CRT, for both TV and desktop, just looks more natural to me. I can’t explain it.
I can explain it… You’ve probably not followed Mike’s advice, check out a OLED TV Screen… Stop by a Best Buy or a Costco…