LG Launches Next-Generation Digital TV Featuring an Upgraded Digital Video Recorder

Mr. Sang Han Yoon, Executive Vice President and CEO of LG Electronics Digital Display Company, said, "Today's TV viewers already have too many choices in high-resolution widescreen TVs. LG provides differentiated products focusing on the 'viewer's experience'. LG's flat panel TV with a built-in DVR provides viewers with a seamless viewing experience and greater control by allowing them to watch whatever they want, whenever they want." He also said, "Today's launch is the beginning of LG's next-generation flat panel TV marketing campaign, targeting the World Cup which will be held in Germany in June this year. LG predicts that World Cup 2006 will be a milestone for TV viewing audiences worldwide. And LG's TV with its built-in DVR will be at the center of the new TV culture."

LG has redefined the TV viewing experience by launching the world's first plasma TV equipped with a built-in DVR, which accounts for half of LG's overall plasma TV sales last year.

Riding on its success, LG will continue the trend with the upgraded model unveiled today and position itself as global leader in digital display. Mr. Yoon said that LG's goal is to become the number one in the global display market by achieving USD 10 billion in sales by 2010. To achieve this goal, LG will focus on securing the largest production capability in plasma panels and developing the new LCD standard.

The new digital flat panel TV, which is available both in LCD (37-inch/ 42-inch/ 47-inch) and plasma (42-inch/ 50-inch) versions in Korea market, incorporates a built-in 250GB HD-DVR (High-Definition Digital Video Recorder). The Digital Video Recorder has the capability of storing up to 21 hours of digital high-definition programming (equivalent to 14 World Cup games) or 92 hours of digital standard-definition programming (equivalent to the all of the games in the World Cup). It also has continuous automatic recording in 2-hour intervals. All the features are a striking upgrade from those of the previous 160 GB HD-DVR model (currently available in Korea and the US market) which only has the capacity to store up to 13 hours of digital high-definition programming with 1-hour interval automatic recording.

Other features include commercial-skipping capabilities, high-speed rewind (8 seconds)/ fast-forward (20 seconds) functions and 9-in-2 multi memory card readers (CF/MD/SD/SMC/MMC/MS/MS Pro/MS Pro Duo/xD), allowing users to view still images and listen to digital music, such as MP3 files, through the display. With nine different formats of memory cards and the DVR, users can store digital photos or music from their digital camera or MP3 player onto the hard drive and the files can further be organized and saved for future viewing and listening. The TV set can even be utilized as a digital picture frame.

To become the global number one in the display market by 2010, LG plans to enhance the global production system of its flat panel displays at its four major plants in Mexico, Poland, China and Korea, focusing on region-specific R&D and marketing efforts.

The company also expects to be the world's largest producer of plasma panels, which amounts to 55 thousand panels each month. Based on these capabilities, LG will secure the market leadership by continuously developing core technologies and enhancing cost competitiveness. The company also aims to be the number one in LCD TV by 2008, differentiating its products and focusing on widescreen TVs (37-inch and wider).

Source: LG Electronics