Bang & Olufsen announces 40-inch BeoVision 8 LCD
By Laura June 
posted May 20th 2010 9:31AM
posted May 20th 2010 9:31AM
Bang & Olufsen Announces BeoVision 8 40-inch LCD in North America
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill., May 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Bang & Olufsen, the Danish provider of high-end audio and video products, announces the arrival of the BeoVision 8 40-inch LCD in North America. The new 40-inch version of the acclaimed BeoVision 8 TV combines a technologically advanced home cinema viewing experience with the straightforward elegance and ease of use characteristic of this compact screen concept.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060413/CGTU021LOGO-a )
"The new 40-inch version of BeoVision 8 is the fifth video product B&O has launched in less than 12 months. It's a great new addition to our video portfolio," states Zean Nielsen, President of Bang & Olufsen America. "This product is an extremely flexible solution for both wall and floor placement and allows us to offer B&O options to a much wider customer group than ever before."
Optimized performance
The new technologies include double frame rate technology, also known as 240Hz, with motion compensation. As a consequence, the picture refresh rate has been doubled compared to conventional LCD TVs, and the inherent blur of LCD technology has thus been reduced significantly.
BeoVision 8 40-inch also includes contrast improvement technology – so-called Dynamic Contrast – which optimizes the contrast according to the picture content in each scene. In addition, both BeoLink home integration functionality and extra video connections can be included with a convenient plug-and-play module.
Great sound from small cabinet
The sound performance of BeoVision 8 also sets new standards for compact TVs. The down-facing bass speaker provides a firm foundation for movies and music programs, while the front units are tuned specifically for the reproduction of human speech. The overall sound is extremely natural and clearly audible, giving the sense that voices are coming directly out of the screen.
Designer David Lewis explains, "What we did was move the sound forward and up, designing the TV like a proper stage with an orchestra pit. This ensures the synergy between performance and design expected of Bang & Olufsen."
Flexible solution
BeoVision 8 from Bang & Olufsen offers maximum flexibility as this compact television can easily be moved around and placed high or low. The retractable feet support BeoVision 8 in a casual setup - either directly on the floor or on a countertop. The elegant stands and wall bracket solutions allow for further placement options according to each customer's preference.
Made for those who are looking for an advanced yet entry-level TV with multiple placement options and fantastic picture and sound performance, BeoVision 8 40-inch offers a radical synthesis of time-honored craftsmanship, technological innovation and easy operation.
BeoVision 8-40 will be available in all Bang & Olufsen retail locations by summer 2010 and includes the Bang & Olufsen three-year international warranty. MSRP $5400.
Related Links:
Bang & Olufsen official website
SOURCE Bang & Olufsen
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Slightly out of my budget me thinks.
@weeman
Engadget, missed a word in the first sentence there. But oh boy, do I want one! And the stereo and maybe even a landline phone. I love to check out there tech in the store. But I swear, the many times I've been in there, I never, NEVER saw anyone buy something. Only window shoppers like me.
Ugly. Overpriced.
@(Unverified)
You're ugly and overpriced.
Uhm, there are plenty of 240hz LCD tvs out there... and sound quality? Really? Who actually uses their TV's sound on a 40+ tv (especially if they are dropping $5400 on it)?
@chanceusc 240Hz is marketing BS, and would only matter if a) the source was in 240Hz as well, which nothing is, and b) if the pixel (let alone texel) white-black-white refresh time was actually that good, which it is FAR from.
There was a great tech article yesterday about all the marketing BS in TVs and monitors today, http://gizmodo.com/5541957/display-myths-shattered-how-monitor-companies-cook-their-specs
For that price, I could buy a Sony Bravia 3D TV with a 3D Blu-Ray player with enough money for some glasses
@albinomexi
you could... but would you?
for now i'd skip over 3d and move along
Im skipping the 3D fad, I'm happy with my 50 inch Samsung plasma that does 1080p that I got for 800 bucks and my harmon kardon surround system and an xbox 360 for games
This is the television Beowulf has in his apartment.
Bang & Olufsen always produces beautifully designed and ridiculously overpriced hardware. It's definitely for the wealthy. That said, whenever I walk by the B&O store window, I start salivating.
People dont buy things like this because theyre better quality, they but it because the person designing the media room in their home/office buys it for them as part of the project. Most people who own this couldnt even tell you the difference between all of the flat screen TVs in the first place.
well at least its cheaper than my ex wife
@mayhem121
YOU SIR, get my vote for reply of the day.
I too, have an ex, except that I'm the expensive one!
And no Engadget, I don't want one of these. Just picked up a 46 120hz Sammy with Onkyo THX HTIB (huge box) and Sammy BluRay for $2100 cash.
Eeeeeeeeeeexpensive
@iantolee
B & O is like Apple or Bose- so so specs in a fancy wrapper.
@brenro exactly. imho absolutely not worth the price!
@iantolee
It was so expensive there was no money left to buy the furniture to the apartment.
There's a reason that movies are filmed at 24fps, and it's not so that they can be completely ruined by overly smooth refresh rates. Movies look terrible on these things.
Imagine a TV that outputs B.O. rather than a picture.
@L1ONE
Now THAT made me laugh. Good one.
Talk about useless specs. 240Hz does nothing for you. If you're rich enough to afford a $5.4K TV, you can probably afford pretty damn good external audio, which obviates the onboard speakers.
From the side it is very thin.
Who watches TV from the side? Show of hands?
The Beovision 8 is by no means a new model. The 240 Hz might be new, but the TV-set has been around for quite some time now. We even did a test of the 40 inch way back in December last year:
http://www.flatpanelshd.com/review.php?subaction=showfull&id=1259929020
This version "only" had 100 Hz (120 Hz for you guys), but back then it was the upgrade from the pretty old BV8-32. Please update your information accordingly - the only new thing is the 240 Hz.
240hz?
I prefer 24hz...
5400 seems a bit cheap for BnE.. they must be feeling the gfc crunch or something
I'm game only if they give that nice apartment as free. :P
I would rather buy the Sony 52" NX800 and a sick Denon Receiver with JBL speakers and save money, than buy this.
Complete scam. B&O does not make the panels, so this is the same LCD you get in (most likely) a typical $1500 TV. Add to that the realization that all these specs are garbage:
http://hd.engadget.com/2010/05/19/hdtv-tests-pit-fantasy-land-specs-against-real-world-performance/
I think I'll take the wall of Sammy monitors for that price.
http://www.engadget.com/2010/05/11/samsungs-md230x6-six-screen-eyefinity-rig-gets-a-price-to-match/ > this TV and leave money left over for a rig to drive the displays.
No really I don't want one. If its free, great I'd take it and sell it. But B&O is nothing more than the AV manufacturing equivilent to Monster Cables. B&O will always have a market share of exceedingly rich folk who dont have a clue :)
B&O is an example of the mix of art and technoligy. Most people don't get it. It is not the best sounding or best picture but normally its the best looking both turned on and off. Everthing B&O is makes is HAND MADE in Europe, no assembley lines in China. You can purchase a B&O 6K TV set.. and sell it 10 years later for 4K...
You people have to understand how this Danish company work. Yes, they use Samsung panels, but that is where the comparison ends. Sony uses Samsung Panels too... It is simply too costly to produce panels yourself unless you have a Korean factory dedicated to this task alone - and B&O are not THAT big. They don't produce the speaker units themselves either. And they don't make SMD components, IR diodes, or whatever either. Sometimes you just cant make everything yourself.
B&O makes the image processing themselves (and they do a damn good job). There is very little comparison except the viewing angles with a plasticy Samsung TV and these babies. They demand class 1 panels, which is not the ones you pay 1000 USD for at Best Buy. If you find yourself googling for the cheapest price on a Pana X20 and Denon receivers, you are probably not a key customer for B&O. And if you havent tried their products first hand, you should probably avoid passing judgement.
We have several of B&O's TV in our review section, and in terms of LCD picture quality they are not matched by any other make. The BV7-55 sets the bar for quality LCD televisions.
http://www.flatpanelshd.com/reviews.php
Looks a lot like the Sony "Monolith" TVs.
@Mike V
yep quess where Sony looked for inspiration ;)
Useless.
Since the BV8 has been around for more than 2 years now, it's probably not the B&O that looks like the Sony Monolith...
Wierd that is just announced in the US, we have had it here in Denmark for some while now, and apparently it is actually a very! god TV.
I am going to get as soon as I am done with my candidate degree :)
As an Engadget reader and B&O dealer, I enjoy reading many of the articles, and posts that are relevant to our products. If budget, specs, personal preference, and the like are why you buy, I respect that. When you compare what you have or like to Bang & Olufsen, you should know what you are talking about before you hate (or love) on it. Comparing the 8-40 to your equivalent Samsung or whatever is a fools errand. Do you understand our TV has a built in 5.1 surround module? How about MasterLink ? 3 year warranty? Reflective Screen? B&O service and support? Sure the thing costs a lot of money, and the look might not be your cup of tea, but there are many people who love it. Bang & Olufsen surely didn't ask Engadget to post on the products, but the complaints are always the same. Come to a store, bring your worst immature attitude, and I bet you leave saying you were treated like the most important client ever, and you sure would consider the product. Try it, you might like it.
I hope someone does a review of this TV versus a similar Samsung or other model. Then we'll know if it's really worth it.