I'm thinking of buying a secondhand Beovision 5 - is it available in full HD? If so, how will I know (by serial number?).

There is no Full HD BV5, only HD Ready. MKIV model, types from 8939 to 894x.

What's the current asking price for these?

I am guessing somewhere between £3,000-£4,000 these days which I personally think is a good deal. I know of one that sold for £3,999 very recently through a second-hand A/V dealer. I personally wouldn't have any issue over 720p or 1080i/p and connectivity is not an important issue for me although it may be an important fact for you to consider depending on your current and future use.

Simon.

Here are some statistics of successful Beovision 5 auctions at eBay Germany:

2005 - maximum price 13.150 Euro - minimum price 6.605 Euro, average price 9.967,25 Euro, 17 pieces watched
2006 - maximum price 12.600 Euro - minimum price 6.650 Euro, average price 9.476,88 Euro, 16 pieces watched
2007 - maximum price   9.550 Euro - minimum price 6.499 Euro, average price 7.949,25 Euro, 12 pieces watched
2008 - maximum price   7.554 Euro - minimum price 4.510 Euro, average price 5.451,05 Euro, 12 pieces watched

The_Beonic_Man:

I am guessing somewhere between £3,000-£4,000 these days

I thought the HD models still commanded a price of around £5000? Maybe a little more? It's the non-HD models that go for around £3500-£4000. It's fairly rare to see a HD BV5 appear on the second hand market.

I am sure you are right Chris, I saw one go for that price though only 2 weeks ago. It seems they are getting lower and lower for some reason. Can only be good for the buyer.

Simon.