LG's $15k, 71-inch plasma & friends coming to CES

LG is already bringing 1080p content and a hybrid Blu-ray / HD DVD drive to CES, and it just wouldn't make sense not to have brand new displays too, so the company plans to unveil a slew of new plasmas next week. The literally biggest news, however, is that the company's 71-inch 1080p plasma HDTV that started shipping early last year, will drop its MSRP from $70,000 to a mere $14,999.95 (we can assume losing the 24 carat gold paint helped drop prices a little). Since not everyone can take out a wall to fit their new plasma TV, LG is prepping many smaller models for next week's show. Each and every one is capable of "full HD", ready to accept and 24, 30 or 60 frame rate 1080p source you throw at them. The 42- and 52-inch PC5D series represent the "vanilla" HDTVs, including Clear Filter Pro technology to reduce reflection, Extreme Contour Compensation to improve color transitions and LG Simple Link connectivity to control compatible HDMI-CEC devices. The PY3D line comes in 50- and 60-inch sizes, featuring three HDMI inputs and USB Media Host capability to playback music and photos (but not video) from connected devices. The PB4D series builds on those features by adding 160GB HD DVRs integrated into 42-, 50- and 60-inch plasmas with LG's "time machine" time shifting technology, and a newly added ability to record video at 480p from any external source via the component jacks. Last but not least of course is the 71-inch 71PY1M, with the most important feature of being bigger than your neighbor's plasma (unless you live next door to Mark Cuban). Whether you're looking for a simple 1080p plasma, media hub, DVR or just a massive HDTV at a "low" price, it appears LG will have a plasma for everyone at CES 2007.

[icepop4who @ Jan 5th 2007 9:17AM]

i wonder what's the interest rate for a TV loan these days.

[GunForHire @ Jan 5th 2007 9:49AM]

$15K is a disgusting amount of money for a TV. That money could be used way more elsewhere.

[Big Fudge @ Jan 5th 2007 10:29AM]

If you work at Goldman Sachs, $15K is toilet paper.

[JoeMamma @ Jan 5th 2007 11:16AM]

Like where? A used car that you will probably spend a lot less time using?

[NHAnimator @ Jan 5th 2007 11:01AM]

Let's see... Feed my family for the next three years OR play Guitar Hero on da big screen. Hmmm...

[Sam @ Jan 5th 2007 12:23PM]

ZOMG! Are you really comparing your car to a freaking plasma????????? I love tvs but man there is a place for living driving and eating. After that you have fun, a $15,000 70in tv is for if you make such an ungodly ammount of money that it will not affect other parts of your life. BAHHH I quit, do people really pay $70,000 for a 107" TV? I'd put that as payment on a new house.

[Sam @ Jan 5th 2007 1:00PM]

Oh wait I got an idea, Im going to mount 2 of these in my ENZO Ferrari!

[gdott @ Jan 5th 2007 1:01PM]

I dunno. At 10 years lifespan 15k > 1,500 per year > $125 per month. What's your viewing worth to you? I'd say at that rate for high end tech it's pretty reasonable. The only problem is coming up with the coin to begin with.

[Nick @ Jan 5th 2007 1:45PM]

That's the first time I've seen a $15k price tag on a TV and thought, "that's a good deal."

Granted I'd never spend $15,000 on a television, but I'm surprised to see 71" plasmas going for only $15k msrp.

[branko.milojic @ Jan 5th 2007 2:42PM]

the price seems big?
well, think about it.
15 years ago, the average salary might have been 1000 to 1500 $ a month, yet people bought a TV for 2 to 3K$ (sony trinitron, philips matchline....
now that a lot of people have an average salary over 60K a year 95K a month) is is the same as buying a 10K $ TV, pushing to 3 months worth wages is just a little step to get the best.

might it be you're too young and never faced this time? ask your parents then, how many months salary was their tv worth (and it only lasted 4 to 5 years, then died)

oh and NO I am not talking of vacuum tubes technologies, not that old myself ;)