Morning,

Finally received my new BV7-40 MKIII yesterday morning and it was connected up to my BL2 and the 7.2 speaker. I'm not going to write this as a review, more of a synopsis of my initial thoughts on the TV.

Most of you will know, I had a MKI BV7-32, connected to Sky HD. I was fairly impressed with the picture using a HD source, and still am. However, it's way short of a HD picture on this BV7-40 MKIII.

Connected my new Playstation 3 and tried a few of the blu-rays which I've been collecting for the last few weeks. These blu-ray DVDs (Layer Cake, 300 etc) replace some of the standard DVD based action movies I have in my collection. My initial impression was: stunning. The 7.2 + BL2 experience made the sound far more spectacular than my previous 7.1-only speaker setup. Visually amazing. Rich colours, superb contrast and deep blacks.

Tried Bourne Ultimatum (standard DVD) on both the internal DVD player and the Playstation 3. Both upscale. I wouldn't say I was disappointed, but you could see a lot of graininess in the picture. SD DVDs also look a little washed out, probably due to the upscaling. I would say that the upscaling through the PS3 was slightly better than the internal DVD player, however. The PS3 also enables you to select audio streaming, upscaling quality and so on. Perhaps this is accessible in the BV7-40 service menu, but I'm not going to fiddle with that, apart from turning of 'movie mode'.

HD channels through the BV7-40 MKIII are again, superb. Far better than my previous BV7-32 MKI and really show what this TV is capable of displaying, depending on the source.

SD channels through via the DVB-T module, on the BV7-40 MKIII, are possibly worse than on my old BV7-32. I'm assuming that this is due to the 1080p screen and the fact that any flaws in the signal/picture are magnified by the 40" screen? Luckily the same SD channels via Sky are slightly better, although you can definitely see more flaws than my old BV7-32. I'm guessing a BV7-46 - if it happens - will show even more SD-based flaws, so be careful if you're waiting for a 46" BV7.

Playstation 3 through the BV7-40 MKIII looks superb. It can upscale SD games, too.

Overall, impressed. It really shows that the incoming signal dictates the quality of the picture on the BV7-40 MKIII and that the screen will display almost flawless images, depending on the signal. I really suggest that anyone who has a BV7-40 MKIII, should connect a HD or blu-ray player as this really gets the most from the picture. Upscaled SD DVDs are no-way near as good, in comparison. Also remember you get uncompressed audio on most blu-ray DVDs.

Credit to Bath B&O who spent ages tidying up the cables and connecting all my devices (BL2, Sky box, PS3 etc).

Oh...I forgot to mention that it looks huge in my sitting room, compared to the BV7-32. In the store, the BV7-40 doesn't look much larger than the BV7-32. However, at my place, when they were sitting side-by-side, the BV7-40 is massive. The 7.2 speaker is nearly 50cm wider - or it seemed that way ;)

Chris.

Hi Chris,

Thanx for sharing!! What a great way to start 2008 whith such a lovely TV. Can you tell if your TV has a 100 Hz panel. Someone on the Dutch forum claims that the 100 Hz panel is already present on the MK III and that he has one. My dealer tell's me that this is not possible.

Regards,

Rob

DiaBandO:

Hi Chris,

Thanx for sharing!! What a great way to start 2008 whith such a lovely TV. Can you tell if your TV has a 100 Hz panel. Someone on the Dutch forum claims that the 100 Hz panel is already present on the MK III and that he has one. My dealer tell's me that this is not possible.

No, as far as I can tell, it's not a 100Hz panel.

One thing to add is that I've just been testing 300 this morning, which I have on SD DVD and blu-ray. It's really pixelated on the BV7-40, compared to the BV7-32 - the background is almost like one of those effects where you can turn a picture in to a 'painting'. It's annoyingly pixelated. Bizarrely, the blu-ray version is the same, although a little better. Casino Royale and Layer Cake weren't pixelated at all. Weird. It's the same on the internal DVD player as on the PS3, which implies it's the film.

Best way I can describe this is as if someone has ripped the original DVD, compressed, then burned back to DVD and it's about 80% of the original. However, I can safely say both my SD and blu-ray 300 DVDs are the originals!

Just goes to show that the larger the LCD screen, the more likely it shows any flaws.

Hi Chris,

Is the connection panel AKA Beosystem 3 exactly the same as the standalone version & also does it connect directly or is it a separate box & lead like on the BV9. 

Simon 

The BS3 is built-in to the BV7-40, so you can't 'see' it in any way. So, the HDMI sockets etc are built-in to the back of the TV (and hidden away). As far as I know, it's the same as the standalone version - supports the same codecs etc.

Thank god, testing Last Samuari blu-ray and it looks absolutely superb. Definitely only an issue with 300, then. 300 is almost unwatchable! So pixelated.

Congrats to you

I have PS3 connected to my BV9 and the picture is amazing. But as you say it´s differents betweens

Blueray movies.

the ps3 is an amazing bit of kit

2008 WILL be it's year . oh yes :) 

I have heard a rumour that B&O will shortly launch a new flat screen television that is aimed at the great unwashed majority of people who want to watch broadcast material. You know what I mean......news, current affairs, sport and general entertainment for families rather than those weird individuals who seem to spend so much of their time engaged in playing mindless shoot 'em up games and watching the same type of thing re-enacted for them (called action movies I believe).

Apparently the latest 40in offering is not suitable for the former types of individual unless the TV is placed in one room and the set is viewed from the other side of an adjoining room via a neat hole in the wall. Apparently, B&O will provide said hole in the wall via their installation agents as a temporary measure pending launch of the "new" version.

Watch This Space..............

moxxey:

DiaBandO:

Hi Chris,

Thanx for sharing!! What a great way to start 2008 whith such a lovely TV. Can you tell if your TV has a 100 Hz panel. Someone on the Dutch forum claims that the 100 Hz panel is already present on the MK III and that he has one. My dealer tell's me that this is not possible.

No, as far as I can tell, it's not a 100Hz panel.

One thing to add is that I've just been testing 300 this morning, which I have on SD DVD and blu-ray. It's really pixelated on the BV7-40, compared to the BV7-32 - the background is almost like one of those effects where you can turn a picture in to a 'painting'. It's annoyingly pixelated. Bizarrely, the blu-ray version is the same, although a little better. Casino Royale and Layer Cake weren't pixelated at all. Weird. It's the same on the internal DVD player as on the PS3, which implies it's the film.

Best way I can describe this is as if someone has ripped the original DVD, compressed, then burned back to DVD and it's about 80% of the original. However, I can safely say both my SD and blu-ray 300 DVDs are the originals!

Just goes to show that the larger the LCD screen, the more likely it shows any flaws.

Congratulations Moxxey!

What color do you have on your new set?

And if you hit menu then set the marker at "remaining opportunities". Then push the red button on the beo4 two times + Go.

Now you are in the "costumer service menu". Go down to the Screen information. And the default panel type is: LTA400HS-LH2 on my BV7 MKIII.

Then push stop and go in to the "Signal information" to see if the panel is 50Hz or 100Hz ...

Regards

Hi Beolab,

It's aluminium, like my previous BV7-32. As the floor stand is so silver/chrome, I think the black TV doesn't work on the stand.

I can't find this 'remaining opportunities'. I saw your post about this to The Beonic Man, earlier last month, but couldn't find it in the menu. Pressing the red button (twice) + go, results in the Timer Menu. You have to press 0, 0, go.

Screen: LTA400HT-L04
Type: LCD-40 HT-L0

I can't find 'Signal Information'.

joeyboygolf:

Apparently the latest 40in offering is not suitable for the former types of individual unless..

It isn't, you're right. I switched to watching BBC1 on the DVB-T and it was very pixelated. Worse than the old analogue signal on my BV7-32. So, you really need Sky minimum to use the BV7-40 MKIII. Sky SD channels are the bare minimum I'd accept for comfortable viewing on this TV.

I hope Peter is right and B&O realise that even SD on digital (DVB-T) is too pixelated for comfortable viewing.

moxxey:

joeyboygolf:

Apparently the latest 40in offering is not suitable for the former types of individual unless..

It isn't, you're right. I switched to watching BBC1 on the DVB-T and it was very pixelated. Worse than the old analogue signal on my BV7-32. So, you really need Sky minimum to use the BV7-40 MKIII. Sky SD channels are the bare minimum I'd accept for comfortable viewing on this TV.

I hope Peter is right and B&O realise that even SD on digital (DVB-T) is too pixelated for comfortable viewing.

They do! I am sure there will be a fix soon! The older sets soften the picture much more whereas the Mk3 shows it as it is! Fine for HD, not so good for SD!  

Just as well the BV7 is not expensive!!

This whole flat panel lark is for the birds until HD broadcasting is the norm rather than the exception - SKY HD channels can be counted on one hand (and they don't broadcast 24/7). How many folk really spend the majority of their viewing time watching dvd content?

I can't imagine spending umpty thousands of pounds to watch a worse picture than I have now!

Puncher:

I can't imagine spending umpty thousands of pounds to watch a worse picture than I have now!

Last Christmas we purchased a 32" Samsung LCD as a present for our elsedt Son. Looks fine on his Xbox360 games, and as a PC monitor. Try showing an SD source on it and the picture is just plain freaky. Just don't know how else to explain it. After 5 mins of watching it I have had enough. There is life in those old CRT things for some years to come if you ask me.

Craig

Puncher:

Just as well the BV7 is not expensive!!

This whole flat panel lark is for the birds until HD broadcasting is the norm rather than the exception - SKY HD channels can be counted on one hand (and they don't broadcast 24/7). How many folk really spend the majority of their viewing time watching dvd content?

I can't imagine spending umpty thousands of pounds to watch a worse picture than I have now!

At last.........common sense has returned to the forum!

Meanwhile..........another rumour.........all Beovision 7-40 MkIII owners are being banished to a small island in the Indian Ocean where they will be forced to watch non Blu-ray copies of the Last Samurai until someone pleads for their 7-40 MkIII's to be skipped and replaced with 32in Avants. Shouldn't take long by all accounts!!!!

Craig:

Last Christmas we purchased a 32" Samsung LCD as a present for our elsedt Son. Looks fine on his Xbox360 games, and as a PC monitor. Try showing an SD source on it and the picture is just plain freaky. Just don't know how else to explain it. After 5 mins of watching it I have had enough. There is life in those old CRT things for some years to come if you ask me.

I know someone with a 2007-model Samsung 32" LCD and watching the F1 (via digital) on his TV was unbearable.

If you want to stick with your old CRT (Avant or whatever), and are happy with your 5-channel analogue signal, feel free to keep it. I want to connect my PS3 and other digital devices. I also wanted a picture larger than 32" - something not offered by any CRT.

As long as you have Sky (SD or otherwise), the picture through the BV7 is fantastic. HD, even better. Blu-ray, can't be bettered.

moxxey:

Hi Beolab,

It's aluminium, like my previous BV7-32. As the floor stand is so silver/chrome, I think the black TV doesn't work on the stand.

I can't find this 'remaining opportunities'. I saw your post about this to The Beonic Man, earlier last month, but couldn't find it in the menu. Pressing the red button (twice) + go, results in the Timer Menu. You have to press 0, 0, go.

Screen: LTA400HT-L04
Type: LCD-40 HT-L0

I can't find 'Signal Information'.

 

Menu +00+Go = "Service Menu"

Press menu + set the cursor to "Options". Now press the red button two times and then Go. Now you are in the "Customer Service menu" . Under Signal info you can see if the panel put out 50Hz, 60Hz or 100Hz.

But with the Movie Mode set to on the BS3 render 100/120 pictures/second instead of 50 pictures/s for a smoother picture in pans and fast movements. Almost the same as 100Hz. The result is  the famous "Philips Natural Motion syndrome ". It looks like the movie was filmed by a armature camcorder  but with less motion sickness.. But i think B&o does a much better job..

And here you can see that the LTA400HS-LH2 got 2000:1 Native contrast  http://www.samsung.com/global/business/lcdpanel/productInfo.do?upper_fmly_id=602&fmly_id=607&partnum=LTA400HT

The  LTA400HT-L04 dossen´t exist according to Samsung Global product homepage or google ??

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And we must be aware of that the broadcastings over DVB-T have a max bitrate of 5Mbps  and DVD have max 10Mbps of bitrate. HD DVB-T got 20Mbps.  So less bitrate= more pixilated pictures because of the compressed signal and less picture information..

So i don´t think the inbuilt DVB-T module is the thing to speak badly about.. It its the compressed broadcastings that is the "bad guy in the drama"..

Regards

Go careful in the service menu of the BeoSystem 3! You can easily mess things up a lot in there, which only a B&O service centre could fix...

My BV7/3 went back.

The PQ was totally unwatchable on SD.Plus it had a few other 'niggles'.

Got me a Kuro which is sooo much better.Combined it with a £150 Pioneer upscaling dvd player and the picture quality is superb!

I don't enjoy juggling remotes again though... 

Synergy:

The PQ was totally unwatchable on SD.Plus it had a few other 'niggles'.

PQ is absolutely fine with SD channels on Sky. They must be upscaled or something, as BBC1 (and others) look fine on the Sky box, but really poor/pixelated through the internal DVB-T. So, Sky HD and blu-ray generates amazing PQ. Sky SD offers decent PQ and SD DVDs, good PQ. Anything less is poor.

So, if you have Sky (SD or HD), you'll get decent PQ from the BV7-40. Anyone without Sky may be rather disappointed and should keep what they already own.

I'm amazed few other people haven't pointed this out before. I had the impression, for example, that PQ through the DVB-T was excellent!

Synergy:

My BV7/3 went back.

The PQ was totally unwatchable on SD.Plus it had a few other 'niggles'.

Got me a Kuro which is sooo much better.Combined it with a £150 Pioneer upscaling dvd player and the picture quality is superb!

I don't enjoy juggling remotes again though... 

Yes, I went with the Pioneer Kuro too, and I don't regret it. Certainly better picture quality (to my eyes) than B&O's offerings, at least with SD or DVD content, and of course much cheaper - so we can see it as an 'interim' solution and maybe look again at a B&O TV in a few years! I'm not sure the Kuro is massively better than a really good CRT, but it's at least as good, and at a larger screen size.

G. 

Synergy:

My BV7/3 went back.

The PQ was totally unwatchable on SD.Plus it had a few other 'niggles'.

Got me a Kuro which is sooo much better.Combined it with a £150 Pioneer upscaling dvd player and the picture quality is superb!

I don't enjoy juggling remotes again though... 

 

 

Selling a TV for upwards of ~ £6K with a suspect picture quality on SD (i.e. still the standard broadcast medium for the short to medium term) is unbelievable / laughable (if not criminal) IMO.