Thinner is beautiful on LG's new LCD line
CES 2008: The skinny on LG's 2008 models
LG has been showing off eight new lines of LCD televisions consisting of 24 new models - 17 of which are full 1080p - and ranging in size from 19 inches to 52. For plasma enthusiasts, there are four new models on that side of the technology fence too.
And we don't mind saying, they're all pretty sumptuous.
Who's got the thinnest TV?
The flagship of the LCD range is the LG75, a 1.7-inch thick number with an exotic red finish around the back and - like the rest of the range - invisible speakers built-in.
It's not the skinniest model on the catwalk, though - Pioneer, Hitachi and others have pipped LG on that score - but it is one of the best looking of all the new TVs at CES 2008.
At the LG press conference there was a lot of self-indulgence over the success of the flat panel TV market, with pat-on-the-back PowerPoint slides showing the industry's growth over the past few years.
LG has also teamed up with audio expert Mark Levinson, who has helped tune the new LHT888 surround sound system and the new 'invisible' speakers that LG is integrating into the 2008 TV range.
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The LG75's speakers are mounted into the TV around the outside bezel, so there are no visible speakers and cover grills. There's also TruMotion 120Hz technology, four HDMI ports, and a USB socket for viewing photos and playing music through the TV sets.
Champagne lifestyle
Back to the LHT888 surround sound system. It's pretty lovely too. The speakers have a striking "champagne glass" form factor (well, sort of), and the setup features a 700W 5.1-channel DVD player with upscaling (to "nearly 1080p" apparently - letters to the editor, please, if you know what that means).
It'll be interesting to review the system in proper test conditions - rather than in the vacuous halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center - to see if the output lives up to the Mark Levinson's reputation.
Meanwhile the BH200 is LG's second generation high-def video player to offer full Blu-ray disc and HD DVD playback in one device. It will ship at $799 (£405), although with HD DVD now on the ropes against Blu-ray, do consumers really need a dual-format player?
Finally, a nod towards the connected utopia we know as the 'digital home'... LG has teamed up with Netflix to produce a box that will stream movie rentals straight to your telly. Nothing new here, but all contributions to improved convergence between the interweb and the gogglebox in the corner - without a blinking computer in the middle - are greatly appreciated.
The Netflix box will be out later this year, but it will come nowhere that's even close to UK shores. Dream on, people, dream on.