LG Electronics extended its groundbreaking partnership with movie-renter Netflix, as the two companies announced the first broadband-enabled HDTVs with Netflix streaming software embedded directly in the TV, requiring no external device.

LG's new LCD and plasma "Broadband HDTVs" will display the growing library of movies, TV episodes and high-definition content that Netflix members can watch instantly directly on the TV with Ethernet connectivity.

Available this spring, the new LCD and plasma HDTVs will join the LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player, the first Blu-ray disc player to stream movies instantly from Netflix. These products – and five new models of Blu-ray Disc players and home theater systems planned for 2009 – will offer consumers a variety of ways to enjoy more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes instantly from Netflix.

Netflix members owning one or more of the devices pay $8.99 per month for unlimited instant streaming and unlimited DVDs from a catalog of more than 100,000 DVD titles in more than 200 genres.

LG Electronics and Netflix will demonstrate these broadband HDTVs this week at the 2009 CES fair in Las Vegas.

Netflix began offering its instant streaming functionality on the PC in January 2007 and made the leap to the TV last year via Netflix-ready devices such as the LG BD300 Blu-ray disc player. With this announcement, Netflix will be streaming, for the first time, directly to the TV with no external device required.

Instantly streaming content from Netflix to the LG HDTVs will rely on a broadband connection and Queue-based user interface. Netflix members will use the Netflix Web site to add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues. Those choices will automatically be displayed on members' TVs and available to watch instantly through the HDTV. Once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds. With the accompanying remote control, Netflix members will be able to browse and make selections right on the TV screen and also have the ability to read synopses and rate movies. In addition, they will have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream.

Already, Netflix streamed movies can be watched on a computer, or sent to a TV through an increasing number of devices, including a $100 unit made by Silicon Valley startup Roku Inc. Other partnerships enable Netflix to make its video library available to TV sets through the Xbox 360 consoles or TiVo recorders. Samsung also sell Blu-ray players compatible with the streaming service.

Tim Alessi, director of product development for LG Electronics USA, told the Associated Press that the broadband TV sets will sell for around $200 to $300 more than a regular HDTV set.

Story filed 05.01.09