After a 12-hour movie marathon, it’s hard to pull yourself away from the warm glow of that TV. Just because you have to shut it off doesn’t mean it can’t still deliver entertainment during that downtime.

LG wants that screen to multitask, which is why they just announced the 47-inch Digital Photo TV. When the unit is on, you can enjoy “Lost,” football, action flicks, the news, and everything else your little high-def heart can imagine. However, when the unit gets switched to standby, it goes into digital frame mode. So instead of channel surfing, it just flips through some of your memories or artwork.

We can’t promise you won’t burn out your eyes, but the TV should be OK. LG says the photo feature only soaks up 10 to 15 percent of the power it normally does when in use. 

“Today’s TV continues to evolve due to continued developments such as enhanced picture quality and slimmer designs,” says In-Jae Chung, LG Display’s executive VP and CTO. “Looking ahead to the future, we can expect to see next-generation TVs featuring multiple functions. Our new Digital Photo TV enhances the role of the TV in households—serving as a medium that’s capable of more than watching TV and playing video games—but also stores consumers’ cherished memories.”

There’s no word on a price, release date or any other specs. However, we’re expecting some of that to get leaked while it’s on display at CES 2009.

Rachel Cericola - Contributing Writer

Over the past 15 years, Rachel Cericola has covered entertainment, web and technology trends. Check her out at www.rachelcericola.com.