Bang & Olufsen Goes Wide and Deep

Bang & Olufsen's BeoVision 8 wants to be your high-def TV...and your computer monitor, game console screen, and high-quality sound system.

Bang & Olufsen is bringing its BeoVision 8 display to stores this month, and instead of going for the thin-is-in look for LCD displays, the 32-inch flat screen opts for high sound quality with a down-facing subwoofer and front-facing speakers keyed to reproduce human speech. And the display can double as a computer monitor, appealing to folks looking to a one-screen solution to a guest room, den, game room, or other area where a single display can serve multiple functions.

“We have moved the sound forward and up like a proper stage with a real orchestra pit,” said chief designer David Lewis, in a statement, “creating the uncompromised synergy of design and sound quality you would expect from a Bang & Olufsen solution.”

The black-and-silver unit features a 32-inch 16:9 LCD display with a native 1,366 by 768-pixel resolution, a 1,200:1 contrast ratio, a 6 ms response time, and 500 cd/m² of brightness. The display features two 21-pin Scart sockets for connecting up A/V gear, but phones with more standard connections will appreciate S-Video, VGA, and HDMI inputs, three phono audio inputs, and headphone jack.

Band & Olufsen isn’t known for their budget gear, and the BeoVision 8 is expected to carry a suggested retail price of $3,950.