LAS VEGAS – When most CES attendees arrive at the Las Vegas Convention Center for opening day, full of vigor and energy that'll be long sapped by week's end, they usually head straight for Central Hall, where all the major tech players are situated. Of course, something worthy has to draw the pole position, the first stretch of prime booth space just on the flip side of those double doors.

[bug id="ces2012"]For 2012, LG garnered that plush assignment and it sure didn't waste its real estate, showing off (among other advancements) its long-hyped 55-inch OLED TV, which measures only four millimeters thick and sports a one-millimeter bezel that is so minuscule, it's almost nonexistent. While LCD screens require some sort of internal LED backlighting source, OLED screens produce light on their own – hence the "O" for "organic" – and the result is some of the most vibrant and captivating display quality ever seen.

LG could have easily demoed their ground floor OLED models with gimmicky 3-D content, but the simple, static nature scenes and cityscapes that filled most of the screen time offered more tantalizing glimpses into an experience most consumers have yet to see.

From the atmosphere in the booth, where throngs of people stood mesmerized by the sizzle reel showing above LG's entrance way, it was clear the unveiling of the 55-inch OLED felt like a moment for redemption for company execs – especially considering that last year's 31-inch model never made it into consumers' living rooms.

"That wasn't a consumer model," said one LG rep bluntly. "This is going to be available to consumers this year." When exactly he wouldn't say, but the rep said that pricing was also "going to be lower than we had anticipated."

For sure, LG would consider itself one of the pioneers in the OLED space. It was less than three years ago that it was was touting a 15-inch model for around $2,500. (That smaller model didn't enjoy a smooth road to the market.) If it can bring the beautiful 55-inch OLED monster to electronics stores with nary a hiccup, it will be a top-tier victory for the Korean tech stalwart.

LG's latest Smart TVs, due in March, feature their own proprietary operating system, streaming 3-D, and in-screen web browsing. Photo by Jon Snyder/Wired.com

While the OLEDs stole much of the initial booth attention, there was also news in LG's latest iterations of smart TVs, due out in March. Coming in 47- and 55-inch sizes – LG reps said a 65-incher was not out the question – the smart TVs feature an operating system built from scratch by LG, access to third-party apps like Netflix, and a "3D World" marketplace where consumers will be able to stream 3-D content straight to their sets. They'll also feature smart remote technology that will allow consumers to use voice commands to control their TV-watching regimen.

While these LED models, with their 5-millimeter bezel and sub-inch thickness, don't look as compelling as the OLEDs, it's a reaction that only arises in immediate comparison. On its own, the LM-9600 Smart TV also provides dual-core processing, smooth in-screen navigation menus, and full HTML5 and Flash support.

And while LG was also pumping its 84-inch "ultra-definition" display that appeared nearly as thin as the 55-inch OLED, while boasting sweet 4K x 2K resolution (four times more pixels than true 1080p), it was clear that most everyone's attention was rapt by the OLED units on display. As 2012 gets into gear, perhaps no tech company more than LG hopes American consumers keep moving toward organic products.