LG TVs To Add Netflix Streaming

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, January 5, 2009

Las Vegas – LG Electronics said it will market several models of LCD and plasma TVs with the built-in ability to stream Netflix online movies without the need of an external device.

The capability comes as an extension of an agreement between the CE maker and movie rental service which began a year ago, when the two partnered to offer similar capability through the LG BD300 network Blu-ray Disc player with Netflix video streaming.

The new LG LCD and plasma “Broadband HDTVs” will have access to a “growing library of movies, TV episodes and high-definition (HD) content” streamed from Netflix over broadband connections.

LG said the Netflix-enabled sets will be available this spring, and will be joined by a total of eight Blu-ray Disc players and home theater systems with Netflix streaming capability planned for 2009.

The devices will have access to “more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes from Netflix,” LG said. Netflix members owning one or more of the devices will pay one monthly subscription fee for unlimited DVD rentals by mail and unlimited streaming.

The new devices will be presented by LG Electronics and Netflix during International CES in the Las Vegas Convention Center, central hall booth 8214.

“Embedding the Netflix streaming software in the television is a natural progression of our partnership with Netflix and our innovative product line,” stated Teddy Hwang, LG Electronics USA president. “This is an LG industry-first, which provides another flexible option for consumers seeking to access content directly from their HDTV.”
“LG Electronics was first to embrace Netflix as a streaming partner a year ago, and was first in 2008 to introduce a Blu-ray disc player that streams movies from Netflix,” said Reed Hastings, Netflix CEO. “So it’s fitting that LG is the first to introduce Netflix instant streaming directly to the TV with these next-generation HDTVs.”