Just spotted this on Ebay for sale in the US - never knew B&O made something like it.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/B-O-BANG-OLUFSEN-AV7000-HOME-SURROUND-SOUND-RECEIVER_W0QQitemZ300410272517QQcmdZViewItemQQptZReceivers_Tuners?hash=item45f1d8fb05

Intrigues me as my cheapish Sony LCD TV is currently connected via a BM5500 to my Pentas, but I'd always wondered if there was some way of being able to get surround sound to B&O speakers without needing everything to be connected to a non B&O surround sound amp, and this seems to be the answer unless I've misuderstood how it works! Shame that the shipping costs will probably be prohibitive and it would need a voltage conversion (I think?) as I would have liked one. How come they were only ever sold in the US?

From memory the European consensus is don't bother. US market only and supports surround formats that Noah and possibly William the Conqueror would be familiar with.

How to connect Woofer?

Br. A.

Looks a wonderful idea, doesn't it?! There are a few EU models around but essentially it wasn't sold here because we had the AV9000 which did the same in many ways. Of course you got the TV and VCR and centre speaker as well! It was sold in the US because they did not get the same range and it meant that they could sell Beolab speakers in an easier to use way. John is quite right though - really don't bother! These days it would make far more sense to pick up a cheap Avant which has a better AV processor in it and will probably cost about the same. It also is only one way and makes the Beolink 7000 less useful with the 7000 system.

Yes, I realise it's not exactly going to be the latest in surround sound technology! I wasn't really considering buying it, it just inetrested me because I've genuinely often thought to myself that it would be good if there was a surround sound amp that matched the rest of the system, and I was a bit surprised to find out that such a thing actually existed!

But yes, it's probably best to wait until I can afford a new/nearly new modern B&O TV with built-in surround sound. I did seriously consider an Avant when I was buying the TV, but I wanted to connect a computer to browse the internet, download and watch films, watch iPlayer/4OD, listen to Spotify, etc on the main system, and that wouldn't have been possible with a CRT so sadly a Japanese LCD won out in the end.

Peter :

Looks a wonderful idea, doesn't it?! There are a few EU models around but essentially it wasn't sold here because we had the AV9000 which did the same in many ways. Of course you got the TV and VCR and centre speaker as well! It was sold in the US because they did not get the same range and it meant that they could sell Beolab speakers in an easier to use way. John is quite right though - really don't bother! These days it would make far more sense to pick up a cheap Avant which has a better AV processor in it and will probably cost about the same. It also is only one way and makes the Beolink 7000 less useful with the 7000 system.

Basic B&O surround sound (pro logic?) for under 100$ on ebay.... and fits right in with the rest of my beosystem 7000. What more could I ask for.
Off course there are alot of drawbacks, limited sound formats being only one of them.

Remote of choice is BL1000, however a beo4 works ok and forget using the beolink 7000. 

True a typical product for the North American market. Forget the build-in video puc which is composite only and outdated, however the sound part of the unit is ok. It has a build-in amp for passive center speakers and rca jacks for a powered sub. 

I use my 7000 dialy. No avants (or very few B&O tv's for that matter) available second hand in North America, so I didn't have much of an option.
Beosystem 1 is just about as old and not worth the money either if you don't have the proper Beovision4 to go with it. 
Beosystem 3 is ..... well never mind that one.. I am still waiting for a BV8-40 or BV10 to appear .....in the mean time my kuro and my 7000 will do just fine for me.

For the US, this is a must have product! For the UK, not so much.

Cooldude,

When looking in to my options months ago I decided to get a Beosystem 1 to connect to my BC9500, and it works fantastic via a Beolink converter.  I can still use my Beolink7000 in two-way when using the BC9500 functions.  I only use the audio processing (yes, it is a big cabinet for just that but it is tucked away) but it also gives me lots more audio inputs if I want as well.  BS1 supports Dolby digital whereas the AV7000 is only pro-logic and there is a huge difference in that.

macjonny1:

Cooldude,

When looking in to my options months ago I decided to get a Beosystem 1 to connect to my BC9500, and it works fantastic via a Beolink converter.  I can still use my Beolink7000 in two-way when using the BC9500 functions.  I only use the audio processing (yes, it is a big cabinet for just that but it is tucked away) but it also gives me lots more audio inputs if I want as well.  BS1 supports Dolby digital whereas the AV7000 is only pro-logic and there is a huge difference in that.

I have  (and use) mine for about 3+ yrs now. The few BS1's on offer back them were hardly give-aways, so I opted for the cheaper solution.
Second hand prices for the BS1 dropped over time, I know.. and I can live with the 7000's limitations. 
Have to think of it as an in-between solution till a 40"+ (like a BV8 or BV10)  Beovision will be available here 

Well I can tell you if I didn't have a room right behind my TV to stuff my BS1 in, I would have something else because it is a tank!  I got it relatively cheap (500 with remote). I'm waiting for the BS4 so that BS3 prices can come down, as I don't plan on ever owning a B&O TV...

Also, the AV7000 has a PUC (although by now it is quite dated and limited). Still, if you plan within its parameters, you can still control certain tvs and DVD players. Sony seems to have the most consistent codes. In its day, the AV7000 was quite expensive.

beojeff:

Also, the AV7000 has a PUC (although by now it is quite dated and limited). Still, if you plan within its parameters, you can still control certain tvs and DVD players. Sony seems to have the most consistent codes. In its day, the AV7000 was quite expensive.

I have not even tried to get the puc programmed as I could not find any puc listing of any kind. However might be worth a try if it would have codes for panasonic or pioneer plasma's

The BS3 is a great machine but comes at a ridiculous cost... and I can do without many of the bells and whistles the BS3 has and would never use.

However a new version AV7000 or a cut-down version BS3 would be great.... a smaller, more open structured good AV switching unit that can do the basics of surround sound and puc controlling our B&O and other gear with powerlink,masterlink and hdmi... 

Cooldude,

You might try code 52 for a Panasonic plasma tv or more generally 51,53, or 55 for a Panasonic tv. The code for a Pioneer Pro series tv is 25. Beware, however, that unless your tv has a video out to connect to the AV7000 via composite cable, the AV7000 will not be able to detect the video signal and will keep shutting the tv off. There is a workaround fix to this by sending the video out from the AV7000 to the video in on the AV7000. (This video detection was, in my opinion, a prime example of a really bad idea by B&O. Just like the lack of a component output on the BeoSystem 1 or the use of DVI out instead of HDMI out for the BeoSystem 3....)