B&O BeoVision 7

The basics

The B&O BeoVision 7 is a 40-inch Full HD (1920x1080p) LCD television with built-in Blu-ray Profile 2.0 player. There’s support for surround formats up to Dolby 7.1 EX and DTS ES 6.1 and Neo:6.

The good

Most new tellies have 120Hz frame doubling, surround sound and video tweaks, but only Bang and Olufsen products transform your living room into a 1970s shag-pad. Is it the motorised stand that deploys cheekily into viewing mode? The ability to link the BeoVision into a home automation system that automatically dims the lights and close the curtains (oh yeah!)? Or possibly the silent Blu-ray tray that’s softly illuminated so you don’t need to spoil the mood by turning up the house lights while changing discs? One thing that’s bang up to date is the stunning Blu-ray playback, ripping every last byte from movies. Audio reproduction is excellent too, supplied courtesy of BeoSound 7-2 or 7-4 speakers (the latter sporting the company’s ever-popular acoustic lens tech).

The bad

While there’s nothing really bad about an item as assured as the BeoVision, don’t expect its luscious but ageing 40-in panel to be as richly contrasted or brightly coloured as cutting plasmas and LED-backlit LCDs. Gadget freaks might also be disappointed by the paucity of connections. And needless to say, you don’t get a whole lot of Bang for your buck.

The bottom line

You’re a James Bond villain, a Bentley dealership owner or at the very least an arrogant neurosurgeon. Whatever we say about the BeoVision 7, your position in life demands a B&O-packed living room. As it happens, the BeoVision 7 is actually a fine bit of kit that, weak connections aside, should continue to age well.