LG Electronics' lineup of networked Blu-ray disc players for the coming year includes video streaming features from CinemaNow and YouTube, with promised support for these videos on the company's next-generation decks.

The newly-announced functionality will allow users to directly stream millions of Web videos from the Internet to the Blu-ray player, to be later watched on TV. The functionality will be on display at next week's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

In a statement, Tim Alessi, director of product development for LG Electronics USA, said that millions of US consumers who watch and download movies or TV shows through the Internet want easier access to content and additional home entertainment options.

Alessi said, "From Blu-ray to instant streaming from Netflix to CinemaNow and YouTube, LG is bridging the gap between packaged media and video-on-demand services to provide entertainment solutions for consumers' demand for content."

LG - which, along with Netflix, launched its first network-connected Blu-ray player in July - would now bring an additional 14,000 movies and TV shows for its Blu-ray customers, from CinemaNow. The device will also enable users to sort through YouTube's immense catalog directly.

By making it easier for users to find entertainment online and view it on TV later, LG is attempting to cash in on the present trend, whereby a lot of people are canceling cancel expensive cable or satellite TV packages, due to the economic downturn, and looking for video content online!