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LG Electronics has launched the 55-inch M5500C, a widescreen LCD monitor with an eye-watering native resolution of 1920x1080 pixels that are true 1080P (progressive scan) to deliver the ultimate in picture quality.

According to the company, this is the largest LCD in mass production and its long list of features means that it can be used in a range of environments. The DVI and VGA connectors allow you to use the M5500C as a PC monitor both for watching movies and for delivering presentations, and the HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) feature guarantees that the M5500C will be compatible not only with today?s operating systems but also with future software (Microsoft?s Windows Vista) as well as HDTV sources.

A fast response time of 10ms guarantees that the picture won?t be smeared or blurred, which is a technical triumph for LG as some display technologies scale up poorly. The result can be that a larger screen is technically inferior to its smaller counterparts in the same product range but in the case of the M5500C the picture quality is exemplary, claims the company.

Globally, LG took the second place in the monitor market with a 15 per cent market share last year. Out of the estimated market size of 1.08 million sets for LCD monitors in the Middle East, LG aims to capture 54 per cent market share and sell 586,000 units in the region in 2005. LG sold 212,000 units in the region in 2004 with Iran accounting for sales of 87,000 units. The company also registered turnover of 31,000 units in UAE, 20,000 units in Saudi Arabia and 29,000 units in Jordan.

Prices for liquid crystal display monitors have fallen substantially due to oversupply and, according to IDC Asia Pacific, further price drops are possible. IDC also predicts that demand for LCD monitors is likely to surpass traditional cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors by 2008. As the new generation of slim, stylish space-saving LCD monitors hit the market, and the average price stabilises, LG anticipates rapidly accelerating sales for LCD monitors.

LG's product portfolio consists of an unmatched LCD range in terms of depth and functionality. LG's large screen monitors come in sizes ranging from 32-inches to 55-inches, and all materials used in its manufacturing and development are eco-friendly. The 42-inch LCD monitor comes with a built-in PC with an Intel Pentium- M 1.8 Ghz CPU, 256 MB memory and an 80 GB Hard Disk Drive (HDD). The monitor is also equipped with a wireless LAN card. The monitor is coated with an anti-glare panel and offers up to 50,000 hours of viewing time. LG's LCD monitors are thin, sleek and low in power consumption.

Other key features include viewing angles of 176 degrees, a palette of 16.7 million colours, S-Video, composite video as well as DVI with HDCP connectors. The screen will be available in the New Year for $3138 in US (Not yet in India).