LG Electronics has just announced that 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 additional external device. This capability comes as an extension of an agreement between the CE maker and the movie rental service which began a year ago, when the two offered similar capability through the LG BD300 network Blu-ray Disc Player with Netflix video streaming.

 

It looks like the LG LCD and plasma “Broadband HDTVs” will have access to an extended library of movies, TV episodes and HD content streamed from Netflix over high-speed internet connections. LG also announced the devices will be available this spring and that they will be joined by a total of eight Blu-ray Disc players and home theater systems with Netflix streaming capability planned for this year.

 

The new devices will be presented by LG Electronics and Netflix during the International CES in the Las Vegas Convention Center, central hall booth 8214. The LG plasma TVs will have access to more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes from Netflix. Furthermore, Netflix members owning one or more of the devices will pay one monthly subscription fee for unlimited DVD rentals by mail and unlimited streaming. Basically, users will be able to download movies and other Netflix content for about $8.99 a month.

 

The TVs are expected to be available in four versions- LCDs with 42-inch or 47-inch screens and plasma TVs with 50-inch or 60-inch screens. They are expected to cost a bit more than the $1,000 average for such sets, but both companies refused to disclose the exact cost.