LG surprises with more plasmas

LG is set to release two additional plasma models this year, including a model which offers an innovative new recording feature called Time Machine Link.

CNET Australia visited LG's design headquarters in Seoul where we were shown all of the new televisions in LG's range, and these included a first look at a new plasma which wasn't shown at CES — the PS70.

This Time Machine Link television features a fully-specified PVR, similar to the PG79, except that it doesn't come with a hard drive. Instead, you add your own via the on-board USB port, which potentially gives a lot more flexibility as you're not restricted by the amount inside the TV.

The PS70 joins the PS80 announced at CES, and series designer Patricke Shim was on hand to explain the new TV's design. While it looks similar to the PS80, Shim said the inspiration behind the PS70 was "walking on a cloud", and the bottom bezel features a three-tiered design that looks a little like overlapping speech bubbles. It will come in two versions: 50 and 60 inches. More details as we get them.

LG designer Patricke Shim stands by the PS80 TV he worked on. (Credit: Ty Pendlebury)

The flagship PS80 was also on show, and it includes a PVR with 250GB hard drive, plus the other functions announced at the show including Ethernet streaming and Yahoo widgets.

The other plasma revealed today was a smaller budget plasma, the PQ20, but very little details are available on that as yet. Shim explained that the two models weren't announced at CES due to its US-centric nature, and that these two models wouldn't be released there. The addition of two plasmas now brings the total to five models destined for the Australian market.

The full line-up includes the flagship PS80 and PS70, the mid-range PS60, the budget PS30, and the new PQ20. Availability of the new models will be from April till June 2009 with pricing to be announced.

Ty Pendlebury is in Seoul as a guest of LG.