From the Interim Report on the official B&O website :

New TV family
Towards the end of the 2009 calendar year, Bang & Olufsen expects to launch a new TV family with
considerable placement flexibility in that it will allow the viewer to adjust the screen on the wall for a direct view
of the screen from different angles, and it can also be mounted on an elegant stand. The new TV family will be
launched with integrated stereo loudspeakers and digital surround sound module, and the DVB-HD (Full HD)
module will be an option.
New model for the BeoVision 7 family
Bang & Olufsen is also far along with the development of an entirely new TV model for the BeoVision 7 family.
This TV will be a 55 inch Full HD model, which among other things builds on 100/120 Hz technology. Among
the other functions are integrated LED light, which improves the contrast, and sublime sound quality with builtin
digital surround sound module and integrated Adaptive Sound Technology. This TV will also have an
integrated DVB-HD (Full HD) module and Blu-ray player as an option.
New audio product
A new audio product for playing digitally stored music is also under development. It is a plug and play solution
with user-friendly operations that can be linked to an iPod. The product can also be connected to a BeoSound 5
system.
Addition to the acoustic portfolio
The loudspeaker porfolio will be expanded by a new subwoofer, which among other things builds on a new
technology that makes it vibration-free. The tulip-shaped subwoofer will offer a number of positioning options
as it can be placed on the floor or mounted on the wall.
New telephone
For many years, Bang & Olufsen’s telephones have enjoyed considerable success. However, in line with the
Group’s strategy plan, the management does not expect to continue to start development projects for this
product category. Consequently, the Group has initiated its final concept for landline telephony in the form of a
telephone with loudspeakers for among others hands-free conversations and conference calls. The telephone is
also intended for internet telephony. This concept also allows the user to select colours in the full graphic
display.
BeoTime
Bang & Olufsen is about to roll out a watch as part of the Group’s range of gift articles. The Management
believes that the design differs from everything else on the market. The watch can also be used as a remote
control for other Bang & Olufsen products and comprises a built-in movement sensor which enables the in-built
display to be revolved so that it suits left-hand use.

Really cool !

steph:

BeoTime
Bang & Olufsen is about to roll out a watch as part of the Group’s range of gift articles.

so, it is to be a watch!?!? wow! really looking forward to this!

I think we should think more "clock" than "watch"

steph:

Bang & Olufsen is also far along with the development of an entirely new TV model for the BeoVision 7 family.
This TV will be a 55 inch Full HD model, which among other things builds on 100/120 Hz technology. Among
the other functions are integrated LED light

Doh! I *knew* it wouldn't be OLED after people insisted their dealer said it would be OLED-based.  LED backlit (which Apple now uses across their LED products) is completely different from OLED ;)

OLED's life time is very limited. You can't make an OLED tv for now.

It had to be LED backlit.

moxxey:

steph:

Bang & Olufsen is also far along with the development of an entirely new TV model for the BeoVision 7 family.
This TV will be a 55 inch Full HD model, which among other things builds on 100/120 Hz technology. Among
the other functions are integrated LED light

Doh! I *knew* it wouldn't be OLED after people insisted their dealer said it would be OLED-based.  LED backlit (which Apple now uses across their LED products) is completely different from OLED ;)

I never considered anything different - the clue was that none of the large manufacturers are selling a 55" OLED panel on which B&O could base such a TV (the chances of the OLED panel maunfacturer letting another TV manufacturer be first to market with its panel is also very, very slim).

Do we know the panel manufacturer for this model - is it still Samsung, is THIS it?

Puncher:

I never considered anything different

You didn't, I know, but there were two or three genuined threads (from people who'd heard from their dealer!) going around on here from people saying that B&O were bringing out an OLED TV, at the end of the year, and it was likely to be the BV7-55 (as if the first OLED TV would be a 55"). Quite embarassing to see that people were getting excited over this 'possibility' (ahem).

I'm not sure how the 55" BV7 will work. I was up North over the weekend and watched my Mum's old Avant and realised the picture - even with analogue signal - is superb. Got back to my place last night, switched on my BV7-40 and realised, with a SD-based digital signal, it was far inferior and noticed pixelisation I'd not seen before (as I'd got used to the PQ).

Just how they are going to make a 55" BV7 work for UK TV is beyond me. Apart from HD and Blu-ray, it's going to be worse than my 40" for PQ.

What you need for your living room is a "Beo-extension" which will allow you to sit an extra 3 metres away

Beo-extension

Puncher:

What you need for your living room is a "Beo-extension" which will allow you to sit an extra 3 metres away

Anybody remember the ancient TV sets that had a magnifying glass in front of the tiny tube? Perhaps there's now a market for reducing lenses

moxxey:

<snip>

I'm not sure how the 55" BV7 will work. I was up North over the weekend and watched my Mum's old Avant and realised the picture - even with analogue signal - is superb. Got back to my place last night, switched on my BV7-40 and realised, with a SD-based digital signal, it was far inferior and noticed pixelisation I'd not seen before (as I'd got used to the PQ).

Just how they are going to make a 55" BV7 work for UK TV is beyond me. Apart from HD and Blu-ray, it's going to be worse than my 40" for PQ.

I agree.  With a decent source, a good CRT set like the Avant has better PQ than any flatscreen at any price.  I saw a HD set upscaling a SD broadcast the other day, and it was dreadful!  The only thing a LCD/OLED/plasma is better at is geometry.  But CRT's aren't big enough or flat enough for people these days...

Still, decent sources are hard to come by...  Some Sky digital channels are so compressed that the picture is apalling on any TV above 5 inches...Even analogue is being blighted by nasty pixellating digital relays to the transmitter, and no TV can do anything about that. 

As with DAB radio, the technology is there for wonderful quality, but too often there is too much compression used so they can cram more and more channels into the same bandwidth, as it is more profitable, so the quality is worse than the supposedly inferior analogue it is replacing.... </rant>

I think we need to be careful what we say when we say things like "with a decent source." The fact of the matter is that HD screens look better with HD content and SD screens look better with SD. While the Avant is king among 480p tube televisions, it can't hold a candle to HD content on a 720p or 1080p BeoVision.

Hmmm - if that is what they are offering, sounds like I will either be buying more Apple or saving my money for next year.

A tulip shaped woofer, more over-priced TV's to watch......nothing but crap.

-michael

mfirst:

A tulip shaped woofer, more over-priced TV's to watch......nothing but crap.

-michael

actually, i was looking fwd to the woofer (can't wait to see what "tulip shaped" means), checkbook is ready! and i am intrigued by the beotime, watch or otherwise!

oooooohhhh, great corporate vision - build you audio/video future on a clock....... I already finally broke down for a BL2 a while back, why would I need a flower?

Does anyone remember the watch B&O offered many moons ago? It's somewhere in the BeoWorld archives, and had an integrated remote control. Think it was a gift item or something. Anyway, this BeoTime looks like an evolution of the concept.

Leo

Dear Gang,

I've been wanting an LCD flat panel that was larger than 40" so I've been eagerly awaiting news on the 55" BV7.  However, in looking at the Samsung LCD panels in this range, I've discovered some issues.

I may have some of these facts (or my understanding of the facts) wrong so please feel free to correct me - I'm presenting this info in the interest of seeing what others might be able to add to the knowledge base.

It seems that Samsung's top of the line 55" LCD is en route to stores and it's of the "8000" series (also called the "Luxia" series).  It's very thin owing to LED lighting that comes in from the sides rather than via backlight-ing.  I've been watching this TV and it's reviews from the media and internet forums that normally watch flat panel TVs as I felt it the most likely candidate for the new BV7.  However, the preliminary reviews (primarily from the US and German press) is that it's not near as good as Samsung's (last generation) LED back-lit panels.  This is discouraging to me.  Even more discerning is that Samsung has recently announced a 65" LCD panel (for it's upcoming 9000 series) which will revert back to the LED back-lit LCDs rather than with the LED side-lit LCDs.  Also, I don't believe that the 9000 series Samsung panels will be offered in a 55".

Anyone with knowledge or insights in these regards?  If I'm going to pay a premium for a rebadged Samsung panel in late 2009, I at least want B&O to use Samsung's best technology and best quality panels.

Just my .02,

Mark D

So I guess BeoVision 10 has been canceled or will be delayed?

Don't you think the "new TV family" is BV10?

Daniel:

Don't you think the "new TV family" is BV10?

That's the way I took it.....

The only interesting products for me:

- Beotime
- New Audiosystem with Dock (hopefully they have a normal AUX input, too. The iPod is just audio crap
- New Beocom

TripEnglish:

I think we need to be careful what we say when we say things like "with a decent source." The fact of the matter is that HD screens look better with HD content and SD screens look better with SD. While the Avant is king among 480p tube televisions, it can't hold a candle to HD content on a 720p or 1080p BeoVision.

That's a very valid point Trip.  I should also know better than to use ambiguous phrases like "better"... 

To clarify, the thing that annoys me about LCD/plasma compared to a CRT is colour graduation, and all the nasty pixellation it has, that a CRT simply doesn't.  That's why anyone who is doing anything mega-seriously with colour is still using CRT monitors on their computers.  It's not all about the broadcast-induced pixellation, which is a sometimes similar looking, though unrelated, issue.

Still, in the same way that I often listen to MP3's, not sonically "better" CDs or (under optimal conditions) vinyl, I will eventually get a flatscreen TV.  If I move back to Moscow there's no choice - I can't take an Avant!

Is there any possibility that  B & O will incorporate RGB-LED backlighting in the proposed 55" BV7,as has Sharp in their (BV7 lookalike) LC52XS1E,and LC65XS1E models?

Absolutely stoked about a new sub - if i can afford it i'll get one!! A competent sub from B&O is long over due

yes, a new sub, and a new Beocom,  both would get me spending more on B&O this year, the shame of it is that I was half expecting a really good surround sound 5.1 speaker line up, but at least we got the sub.