You have to see LG's transparent TV from the future

LAS VEGAS — If there's a single piece of tech at CES 2017 that feels like the future, LG Display has it. And it's not a trendy new category, like an electric car, or an underwater drone, or a fancy VR headset.

It's a TV. And it's transparent.

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Yep, you read that right — LG Display built a TV you can see right through. Thanks to the nature of OLED display tech (LG's forté), which has much higher light transmittance than regular LED/LCD panels, it was able to build a screen that looks like a window when it's off, but can show images when on. And ... ah, just look at the damn thing:

The TV, a 55-inch prototype display, wasn't perfectly transparent. The slight opaqueness means it's not quite like looking through glass when it's off, but it's pretty damn close.

LG didn't have much information on the display, although it did say the panel was full HD resolution or 1080p. The lack of 4K isn't surprising since it's a prototype, and higher resolution would also reduce the transmittance further, making the display darker when off.

This isn't the first time LG Display has shown a transparent panel; it unveiled an 18-inch clear display in 2014. Now, at 55 inches, the tech appears to be perfected for living rooms.

Image: Pete Pachal/Mashable

As for use cases, apart from making your house look like the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, transparent displays have several commercial applications: They're theoretically perfect as heads-up displays in cars and other vehicles, containers (like fridges or vending machines) could have clear sides without the need for a control panel, and shop windows could make great use of them.

If that's not enough, the see-thru screen is sure to be an eye-catching addition to your man cave.

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