LG’s Netflix connected TVs hit US stores

LG HDTVs that are able to carry Netflix streaming Watch Instantly service without need for a separate box are available now in the US. The TVs were first announced at the CES in January.

The first two connected TV models, a 47-inch LCD and 50-inch plasma, are available now, while two more models, a 42-inch LCD and 60-inch plasma, will arrive later this summer. The sets enable viewers to directly stream movies from Netflix on their TV screen.

The sets also include the Yahoo TV widgets with direct access to YouTube and other streaming websites.

The Netflix library already has over 12,000 movies available, and several hundred of those titles are in HD. A monthly subscription fee of $8.99 gives unlimited access to streaming movies.

Users will need a broadband connection, and Netflix claims that most titles will start playing within 30 seconds of being selected.

“With 2.5 million North American households looking to purchase a networked TV, incorporating broadband connectivity into our new HDTVs became a natural progression of our partnership with Netflix,” said Peter Reiner, LG’s senior VP, marketing and strategy, in a statement.