ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hi,I would be interested to know what people think, I currently have a BV7-40 MKII. The TV is pretty old and the lack of HDMI inputs is quite annoying, the screen looks faded and dull compared to newer TV’s.With a budget of around £1,500 would you buy a second hand MKIII or spend the money on a brand new different brand TV? For example, a quick search at a department store and you can pick up a 49” LG or Sony 4k smart TV for less than £1.5k.I do have Beolabs connected, centrally, front and rear so within my budget I would need to connect these speakers to the non-B&O branded TV if I go down that route. Also the BV7 is wall mounted on a motorised stand which I would need to replicate with another brand TV.Thanks.
Hi danezro,
One way to look at this is to ask yourself whether your priority is sound quality, or picture quality? For sound quality, a used Beovision 7 mk.3 will win easily, but the picture quality of the newer TVs is much better than the earlier Beovision 7s.
If you want surround sound from a non-B&O TV, don't forget to budget around £500 GBP (or equivalent in your local currency) for an AV receiver with pre-out sockets to process the sound for your Beolab speakers (as only B&O and Loewe currently fit surround sound processors into their TVs). This may change the game somewhat, as that would leave you £1,000 GBP for the non-B&O TV.......
Connectivity should not be a problem either way, as we can get HD inputs and surround sound outputs with either the Beovision or non-B&O TVs. If you need any help getting everything connected and working, please feel free to ask!
Kind regards, Steve.
Steve.
www.soundsheavenly.com
Founder of Sounds Heavenly Cables and Brand Ambassador for Bang & Olufsen
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Please check out my YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/soundsheavenlycables
Beosound Stage, Beovision 8-40, Beolit 20, Beosound Explore.
I can highly recommend the late Panasonic plasmas, I have a 50" VT50 and a 42" ST60 and the picture is great and with the glasd cover and shiny aluminium trim they match my B&O products. Then you would also need an A/V receiver with pre-outs as Steve mentioned. I have a Yamaha RX V-773 which I like.
In my main room I have the VT50 with 2 BL8000 (fronts), 2 BL4000 (center) and 2 BL6000 (rears) and using special cables from AV-Connection. Works great.
Edit: Everything is controlled by a Beo5 to keep an integrated B&O feeling.
My B&O products: Beosound 9000, Beosound 2300, Beosound Century, Beolab 8000, Beolab 6000, Beolab 4000 x2, Beolab 3500, Beolab 2000, Beolab 10, Beolink Active x2, Beotime, Beo5 x2, Beo4, A9 keyring x2, LC2 dimmer x6 and growing....
I'm happy with my Sony TV. Panasonic plasmas are also good
I liked the recommendation about the BV7 too
Decisions Decisions :-)
Even though I love B&O, and have grown up with Beovisions (my parents were also bitten by the beo bug, hehe), I earlier this year replaced my BV with a.. ...Samsung (!).
I haven't regretted that decision even once, even though I still use the original Samsung remote (I planned to get a modified Beo4). The PQ is really good (after I disabled all the "enhancement" functions, of course) and it looks good in its metal frame and all-glass front. I have to wallmount it though, since the original stand is ugly as ****! It actually has good Smart functions, I use its Plex client every day! Parts of the GUI is ugly, but the everyday functions (program info, channel lists etc) uses a minimal interface that looks pretty good. The competition has certainly got better.
It still feels a bit strange to have a different brand though, after over 40 years with B&O.
I plan to get a modified Beo4 that control the Samsung, and also to get a small DAC to be able to use the digital out (at present i use the headphones output...) to connect it to my audio beosystem.
I went for the Samsung F8000, just like this one (not my picture):
...and this is my own tv, still on its UGLY feet! I'm going to wallmount it, of course!
So when it comes to design and PQ, I think it's more difficult than ever to motivate the price difference between B&O and the cheaper brands. However, the integration is the tricky part. In my case it's not a problem since i only use stereo sound (via my old bs7000), but in a surround set-up it gets much more complicated.
henrik: . However, the integration is the tricky part. In my case it's not a problem since i only use stereo sound (via my old bs7000), but in a surround set-up it gets much more complicated.
. However, the integration is the tricky part. In my case it's not a problem since i only use stereo sound (via my old bs7000), but in a surround set-up it gets much more complicated.
..and you don't miss the PUC-controlling of external devices?
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
If I had £1,500 to spend and wanted to connect my BeoLab loudspeakers... I'd look at a V1-40"
The V1 is a 'love it or hate it' television, but the image quality and sound on the set is absolutely superb. it's done all of it's depreciating - and with access to Spotify and Smart Features it's got everything you'd need.
Running HD on the V1 the image is bright, crystal clear and the motion handling is excellent. The sound is also equally impressive.
However, if the design doesn't float your boat it's dead in the water before you start...
Lee
I could not agree more
Millemissen:I could not agree more MM There is a tv - and there is a BV.
If only B&O did the v1 in a 46" i was all set on getting one but for my needs it was a little on the small side, and i really detest the stand it comes with and i really didn't get on with the looks of it. But then the more I saw one the more it grew on me.
On the other hand though as lee points out it does have a very good picture, and if i was looking at getting a new tv i would sacrifice the bigger size and get the v1 with swivel table stand from stb brackets it compliments it better and makes it look a lot more appealing.
and connection wise it really is future proofed.
Beoplay A2
No I don't, but mainly because I use the bulit-in DVB-C receiver and an external HDD instead of an external STB. If I get that modified Beo4, it will be able to control my Apple TV, but at present I use Apple's remote app in my phone and on the iPad.
BTW, the Samsung also has PUC (but only one IR blaster was included), but the list of controllable devices is shorter - the apple TV is omitted, for example.
All this said, if 40" is enough - I'd also recommend the V1! It's not a better TV than the best Samsungs or Sonys, but it IS B&O and the sound possibilities is a HUGE advantage if one wants to go 5.1 och 7.1 or similar with beolabs!
My "problem" was that I wanted at least 46" (and went for the 55"), and the great sound capabilities of the V1 was no advantage at all in my case since I wanted to keep my Pentas connected to the sound system instead of the BV. I even considered the BV11-55, but I couldn't justify spending that amount of money on a tv, and it's also a bit too bulky for my livingroom (thank god :D), så i bit the apple and bought my S*ms*ng. I haven't regretted it once. ...but still - since the OP wants multi-channel audio, go for the V1 if size doesn't matter! It's a great tv, and I thinkt it is an iconic design - I would not be surprised if it in the year of 2050 would be the only flat-panel BV that is featured in design museums an collections. :)
Thank you for all the responses, great idea considering other B&O models. I’ve had a really good look at the V1, it would be a great option if it was for a bedroom / kitchen, it just doesn’t “float my boat” as the main TV. A BV10 is probably going to be the way forward for me, unless a BV7 MKIV miraculously appears in my price range!
To answers Steve’s question, sound is way more important than the picture to me, but I’m the only one in the house that thinks that way!
henrik: Even though I love B&O, and have grown up with Beovisions (my parents were also bitten by the beo bug, hehe), I earlier this year replaced my BV with a.. ...Samsung (!).
My wife and I have just done exactly the same. Alluring though the new Avant was, we decided that spending a third of the price bought us a TV with better picture quality that would interface much more easily to anything else that didn't have a B&O badge on it.
It saddens us both as we are both long-time fans but I'm afraid we're falling out of love with the brand and its modern range of equipment.
danezro:Thank you for all the responses, great idea considering other B&O models. I’ve had a really good look at the V1, it would be a great option if it was for a bedroom / kitchen, it just doesn’t “float my boat” as the main TV. A BV10 is probably going to be the way forward for me, unless a BV7 MKIV miraculously appears in my price range! To answers Steve’s question, sound is way more important than the picture to me, but I’m the only one in the house that thinks that way!