LG Plasma HDTV with DVR

LG has introduced a couple of new plasma HDTVs with built in DVR (digital video recorders).

While these look pretty we don't think this is a step in the right direction as there will always be problems with the cable and satellite providers trying to control everyone's TV experience.

These TV work with the "industry standard" CableCARD, the same CableCARD system that nearly every US cable and satellite provider is ignoring. A perfect example of this is Time Warner Cable who have a webpage devoted to proving how limited CableCARD is and how you are better off with their set-top box. The main downside of CableCARD is that it is one-way only so you can't get Pay-Per-View or your cable companies program guide.

Other downsides to these TVs are their cost ($15k for 60-inch and $8k for 50-inch) and small storage capacity (just 12 hrs of HDTV).

We think this is convergence gone wrong and that for the same amount of money you could get a great LCD TV along with a terabyte sized storage solution and a media center PC.

(via Gear Live)