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 all
We needed a "modest" tv to replace our faulty 8-32, so I bought the monolith that is the 5-42 from our local trusted dealer in Yarm.
Thry delivered today what resembles the computer from the film Interstellar, and for under £300 with a new stand and cables, all I can say is that I'm nightly impressed. For a first gen plasma screen in a dark room it's very good, but the sound is a tour de force. Even compared to our 7-55.
I'd post some pics but am unable to on both the Beoworld app and from Safari.
Incredible
Beosound Stage, Beovision 8-40, Beolit 20, Beosound Explore.
yep it's annoying I've had to give up on the app and use Chrome as my browser .... Like to see some pics at some time sounds like a fun piece of kit
we tend to forget there is more to design than designing.
Great choice. Always loved the 5. Enjoy it...
B&O products are V1-32, BS2, H95, E8 and an Essence remote.11-46 now replaced with Sony A90J 65”, Sony HT-A9, Sony UBP-X800M2 and Sony SRS-NS7.
I love my Beovision 5. The picture is still more than good enough and the sound is indeed 'stellar' but it's the connections that let it down. The only way I can watch netflix is to connect a nintendo Wii which doesn't give the best picture quality.
If we could find a decent latest version with DVI connections, I'd buy it in a shot. My wife and I both agree that the picture on our 7-40 Mk3 which was full HD, wasn't as good. If I'd bought one of these with a lot of hindsight, I would haven't had bought my 7-40/10-46 or 11-46.
The 7-55 is obviously a different machine, but I have to admit. When it comes to vocals I prefer my mother in laws Avant 32 and our 5-42.
To think this tech is nearly 14 years old, and is still relevant even to a " must always get the latest tech geek" like me, shows what work goes into this stuff.
I agree Chris.
When I was buying my TV at that time it was between the 7-40 III and the BV5. I wrote many posts on Beoworld before making my decision and was constantly battling with which to buy.
My heart was totally sold on the BV5 and this was the first time in my life I had ever gone against the grain and not followed my heart. I bought the 7-40 III in the end due to better connectivity options, 1080p full HD, the integrated DVD player, a newer panel update, BeoSystem 3 and the white power on/off light. Apart form the light, which I saw more as a nice little extra, the other upgrades were far too significant to dismiss at that time. I felt the 7-40 III would have more longevity than the BV5; represented much more in terms of features, was current and up to date.
I wanted to connect an Apple TV, external Blu-Ray Player and Playstation 3, all of which would have been difficult (or impossible) concurrently with the BV5. It was a heartbreaking decision in many ways and I was so sad that the BV5 hadn't been updated so I could still have chosen that design over the 7 series. The BV9 was coming out to replace the BV5 around that time but I wasn't going to spend £16,000 on it new. I updated to it a few years later at a price point I was happy with. I also changed my speakers from 8000s/6000s to the 9s and this remains my setup to date.
I am so happy with the design of the BV9 and while the picture may not be as good as current technology (displaying blacks specifically) it is more than good enough for me and for the types of television I watch. I will update soon enough, perhaps this year depending on what B&O release, but the BV9 will simply move to another room. I could only ever part with it if it died.
The 7-40 III was a remarkable TV and gave me a lot of pleasure too. It's picture was impressive with the B&O magic in the DVD module and the LED light when the tray opened. I loved it, but it didn't capture my heart in the same way the BV5 did. In terms of design current and older, I still think the BV5 and BV9 models look the best aesthetically. I also thought the BV8s were an interesting take on design but never owned one.
Cheers,Simon.
What baffles me Simon is that I've never actually liked plasma, even the latest versions. So to get this potentially 14 year old tv that admittedly isn't as sharp as the 7-55 and can come across a little grey, is a revelation. Is the Mk4 with DVI HD ready screen that much better does anyone know?
Nice one Chris. I'm struggling to think of a better way to spend £300. Enjoy your new TV.
Guys have you tried one of these converters so that you could have your Apple TV working with the BV5 etc?
http://www.nexxia.co.uk/product.asp?s=Audio%20Connectors&c=hdmi%20converter%20Adapters&product_code=NX-HDMI-055
I believe there is quite a noticeable difference Chris with the 720p DVI version yes, but only when watching HD channels. Standard def is going to be just as sharp on both and if I recall from owners at the time, many preferred watching SD on the non-DVI models. As I haven't ever owned either I am just recalling conversations from this forum around that time and from my own observations in stores, of which there were many.
I can tell you that the BV9 I bought is a Mark 2, so 720p version and HD is very impressive on it, especially The Voice on BBC1 HD and The X Factor ON ITV HD. I see such a significant difference when watching these 2 shows in HD compared to any other HD channels. I can only assume that the cameras being used to record these 2 shows are in some way better or more up to date; either that, or the other HD programmes I am watching are perhaps upscaled HD as opposed to originally recorded in HD. The only thing I notice is blacks looking dark grey - and noticeably so - but in a lit room this is disguised and the eye doesn't pick it up so much, if at all in fact.
Watching 4K programmes on this TV also seem amazingly sharp, which is something I can't explain at all. They do actually appear better than HD to my eye, but how with it only being a 720p panel? This makes me think it so much more about the recording equipment being used and not the 'output device.'
Considering this BV9 is probably a 2007/2008 model I am amazed at the picture quite frankly. I was looking for Mark III 1080p models but chose this one instead at the time as it had less than 3 months usage on it from new and was very reasonably priced. It was far too good to pass up as I felt I was getting a brand new tv pretty much. It's worked flawlessly since purchase and still has relatively low mileage.
I would imagine we are both looking at very similar pictures aside from the 720p HD channels on the BV9, which I rarely watch anyway as I a don't subscribe to the Sky HD channels. To buy a BV5 for £300 is ridiculous but quite marvellous too! Who wouldn't?
Simon.
Reading this thread and the A3 thread .......... If the old technology is now cheap enough then suddenly its perceived quality increases???
Graham
Very much so, and I made this very clear in my first post. But I've also said that I could have bought this 5 years ago, and in hindsight happily bypassed the 7-40/10-46 and 11-46. Not because it was a bargain today, but that it has excellent picture quality, and better sound than any of them.
Price aside, I was listening to my mother in laws Avant 32 today, and I think for vocals it's better than our 7-55. Whoever was setting up the sound for these TVs at the time for me, did a fantastic job.
I think its interesting Chris to see customers buy into B&O for different reasons. I agree with much of what you write and have had similar experiences thus holding similar views about the technologies. I also bought the 7-55 (Mark 1) after the 7-40 III but changed and bought the BV9 instead soon after.
Of course the 7-55 had a far superior picture quality and the Mark 2, which I believe you have, was (and still is) arguably the best TV in terms of picture quality B&O has ever made, due to the many backlit zones predominantly.
However, from a style perspective; what I knew would look right and best fit into the current interior design of my home, the BV9 (as the with former BV5) was the right choice as it looks like a piece of art on or off and fits in with the artwork and sculptures within my home, which I have designed to look and light up like an art gallery. The 7-55 wouldn't have worked quite as well. I find the reasons people buy quite fascinating.
What I am surprised to read, is that you say you prefer the BV5 to the BV11. I had always thought the BV11 knocked spots over the BV5s and BV9s picture wise, but having never bought one you have far more experience to judge as an owner. I have often seen the BV11side by side with the BV7-55 and there was never a comparison in terms of picture quality. The BV7-55 wins hands down; the picture looking just 100% real somehow. Also, I have often noticed a lot of motion problems on the BV11s and none at all on the BV7-55. It is such a large TV to place though, and that's why I swiftly changed my mind to the BV9, even at the cost of picture quality.
I currently have both a BV5 and BV11. The BV11 has a very high quality picture with none of the theoretical problems discussed in the flatpanels review.
Viewing distance is the key! If you are sat at a normal viewing distance from both TVs both are perfectly acceptable. If you want to go up close to read some newsprint, then that can only be done with the BV11.
Soundwise, the BV5 has the edge but has limited configurations. The BV5 is identical to the old Avant as far as the sound system is concerned.
The BV5 and BV9 have the huge disadvantage that they are difficult to move because of their weight.
I use one of these on a BV6-26
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00NGHAPBI?keywords=hdmi%20converter&qid=1457688578&ref_=sr_1_3&sr=8-3
At only £9 it means I can watch Apple TV or indeed any other HDMI device on it - ok text suffers a bit but picture quality is excellent - I have one on my BV8 as well and that enables it to distribute sound and picture - if you use an HDMI splitter as well you get HD on the BV8 and SD on the link TV's. The only slight niggle is that on the link TVs and any other you have to adjust Format everytime but it has given them a new lease of life and proves the quality of the sets in the first place.
I am tempted now to look for a BV5 as I always loved them
Be under no illusion, they are a two man job.
One thing it's taught me and it's something that's kind of posted on somebody's Avatar, there is more to a Beovision than just the picture.
It took 2 engineers to carry in and install my BV9 and they definitely struggled! They were doing small baby steps from their van to my back door and then all the way to my lounge. I didn't envy them at all, but did give them a very nice tip to say a big thank you! This is why it is so sad to read in other threads about people's lack of customer services, which it seems is going from bad to worse in recent times - and I have experienced it too from some dealers, hence moving to others to try and find the right service. It's almost as if B&O don't understand their own customers and what the holistic buying, installing and owning experience is all about. This leaves room for Lee (for example) to move in and do it properly... and good luck to them. It's a business model that can't fail if you get it right and understand customer service.
B&O TVs are built like tanks! Most definitely a 2+ person job.
I remember how difficult it was for a friend and I to lug my old Avant up two flights of stairs, and more recently, moving the BV11-55 into position (while installing an easel stand). A few precarious moments at the edge of disaster both times on the verge of a heart attack for fear of the TVs falling, even with 2 people, sometimes not enough. I'm sure they were never truly close to being dropped, but still.
Does the BV5 have hand hold / grip positions? The old Avant did under the front of the CRT and behind, convenient, but still oh so heavy.
Sal: A few precarious moments at the edge of disaster both times on the verge of a heart attack for fear of the TVs falling
:-)
Good buy Chris, still an incredible product.
A billionaire's tv for a bedroom when it came out !
Hi Chris,
i have had the HD ready Dvi bv5 from new, it has a excellent picture, it took the mk 6 beovision 7-40 to replace it from my TV room.I still have it in the family giving faithful service.
Worth a try! Have just ordered one!
The £9 HDMI converter that is...
So, received the £9 HDMI converter that Andrew mentions above. After a bit of swearing it's working well! At first I could only get vision and no sound. I then tried attaching the supplied usb power lead to a socket and hey presto! So, I now have an Amazon fire stick attached to my ancient Beovision 5, something that I have been told many times is impossible. I'm not convinced by the build quality of the converter, but for £9 I can't argue. Does anyone know if there's any alternative versions which might be a bit longer lasting?
Hi Simon
I use mine with apple TV and it doesnt need the external supply - I have four of them and they have lasted a good 3 or 4 years and still going strong - there are more expensive ones available but not sure if they are any better - my only gripe with them has been that they do not send a switching signal to switch the TV to 16:9 so on the BV6 I have to press format - and there seems no way of defaulting the TV to 16:9 instead of 15:9 - other than that for the money they are great.