Bang & Olufsen’s second television in the North American market was a minor upgrade of the previous MX 5000 NTSC. The major difference was a different CRT tube and a software upgrade to allow bidirectional Infrared communication with the BeoLink 7000 and BeoLink 5000 remote controls.
There were no fussy buttons to spoil the clean looks of Beovision L2802. You controlled it entirely with the Beolink 1000 remote control terminal. Only a discreet red light told you that the TV was ready and awaiting your commands. The flat-square 66cm picture tube gave you a clear, undistorted view, even if you were not sitting right in front of the screen. Bang & Olufsen’s own VisionClear system regulated the colour balance 50 times a second, and in variable light conditions the picture always looked good, with automatic contrast regulation and the contrast screen.
As specialists in good sound, Bang & Olufsen are always very particular about loudspeakers. That is why both Beovision LX and L models incorporated a special bass-reflex speaker system, giving you genuine hi-fi quality to enhance your stereo video tapes. You could also have a NICAM decoder fitted, ready to receive stereo broadcasts of TV programmes.
Beovision LX models had Bang & Olufsen’s powerful Teletext module fitted as standard. However, for the Beovision L2802 and L2502 models, this was left out. This was the only difference between the LX2802 and L2802 models.
Beovision L2502 had a 63cm screen; the specifications were the same as the 66cm model.
There were no fussy buttons to spoil the clean looks of Beovision L2802. You controlled it entirely with the Beolink 1000 remote control terminal. Only a discreet red light told you that the TV was ready and awaiting your commands. The flat-square 66cm picture tube gave you a clear, undistorted view, even if you were not sitting right in front of the screen. Bang & Olufsen’s own VisionClear system regulated the colour balance 50 times a second, and in variable light conditions the picture always looked good, with automatic contrast regulation and the contrast screen.
As specialists in good sound, Bang & Olufsen are always very particular about loudspeakers. That is why both Beovision LX and L models incorporated a special bass-reflex speaker system, giving you genuine hi-fi quality to enhance your stereo video tapes. You could also have a NICAM decoder fitted, ready to receive stereo broadcasts of TV programmes.
Beovision LX models had Bang & Olufsen’s powerful Teletext module fitted as standard. However, for the Beovision L2802 and L2502 models, this was left out. This was the only difference between the LX2802 and L2802 models.
L2502 had a 63cm screen; the specifications were the same as the 66cm model.
TV and video in all simplicity
A Bang & Olufsen TV is always a good investment. But perhaps you didn’t want all the highly advanced functions in Bang & Olufsen’s video systems. In that case, you could choose a television like Beovision LS instead. It had the same classic lines as Beovision LX and the quality again was extremely high. There was just a slight difference in design and technical specifications. For example, unlike Bang & Olufsen’s video systems, Beovision LS and its VCR partner, Beocord V3000, could not be included in a Beolink® system.
Beovision LS was available as a 66cm or a 63cm TV – the LS5500 and LS4500 (as well as two further models – LS5000 and LS6000). All materials were of the finest quality and as always, attention to detail was meticulously made. For example, it was real wood that was used in the rosewood model and not plastic laminate. The glass screen in front of the picture tube was made of a high-quality glass, from Europe’s leading glassmaker. It served two functions: it captured the light reflections that struck the screen, minimising their effect on the picture. And at the same time, it unified the appearance of the television.
Picture and sound in high quality
You obtained the same distinguished picture on a Beovision LS as on the more advanced TVs in Bang & Olufsen’s range. The philosophy behind Bang & Olufsen’s TV picture is that it should appear as natural as possible. One of the reasons for this choice is that your eyes tire quickly if colours are too strong. In comparison with other brands, this philosophy can make a Bang & Olufsen picture seem less like a picture postcard. But Bang & Olufsen would rather be compared to reality than to glossy reproduction.
The sound in Beovision LS4500 and LS5500 also lived up to the expectations you had for a Bang & Olufsen TV. The amplifier in the built-in two-way bass-reflex speakers was, in fact, the same fine quality that was used in audio systems.
Beovision LS5500 66cm television was the result of generations of development and provided superb natural colour which is balanced automatically up to 50 times every second. Its powerful loudspeakers were set smoothly on each side of the screen which stretched from the very top to the bottom of the cabinet. Fast Teletext access was provided together with, satellite compatibility and NICAM digital stereo sound including Beolink 1000 remote control.
Beovision LS5500 could be happily married to Beocord V3000 video cassette recorder and both Teletext and NICAM stereo sound were standard on both the Beovision LS4500 and LS5500.
TV and video in all simplicity
A Bang & Olufsen TV is always a good investment. But perhaps you didn’t want all the highly advanced functions in Bang & Olufsen’s video systems. In that case, you could choose a television like Beovision LS instead. It had the same classic lines as Beovision LX and the quality again was extremely high. There was just a slight difference in design and technical specifications. For example, unlike Bang & Olufsen’s video systems, Beovision LS and its VCR partner, Beocord V3000, could not be included in a Beolink® system.
Beovision LS was available as a 66cm or a 63cm TV – the LS5500 and LS4500 (as well as two further models – LS5000 and LS6000). All materials were of the finest quality and as always, attention to detail was meticulously made. For example, it was real wood that was used in the rosewood model and not plastic laminate. The glass screen in front of the picture tube was made of a high-quality glass, from Europe’s leading glassmaker. It served two functions: it captured the light reflections that struck the screen, minimising their effect on the picture. And at the same time, it unified the appearance of the television.
Picture and sound in high quality
You obtained the same distinguished picture on a Beovision LS as on the more advanced TVs in Bang & Olufsen’s range. The philosophy behind Bang & Olufsen’s TV picture is that it should appear as natural as possible. One of the reasons for this choice is that your eyes tire quickly if colours are too strong. In comparison with other brands, this philosophy can make a Bang & Olufsen picture seem less like a picture postcard. But Bang & Olufsen would rather be compared to reality than to glossy reproduction.
The sound in Beovision LS4500 and LS5500 also lived up to the expectations you had for a Bang & Olufsen TV. The amplifier in the built-in two-way bass-reflex speakers was, in fact, the same fine quality that was used in audio systems.
Beovision LS5500 66cm television was the result of generations of development and provided superb natural colour which is balanced automatically up to 50 times every second. Its powerful loudspeakers were set smoothly on each side of the screen which stretched from the very top to the bottom of the cabinet. Fast Teletext access was provided together with, satellite compatibility and NICAM digital stereo sound including Beolink 1000 remote control.
Beovision LS5500 could be happily married to Beocord V3000 video cassette recorder and both Teletext and NICAM stereo sound were standard on both the Beovision LS4500 and LS5500.
Beovision LX was the result of several generations of development. Superb technology offering a wealth of functions. And the elegant design was sheer pleasure to look at. Without doubt, Beovision LX was a thoroughbred, according to Bang & Olufsen’s 1990 catalogue. And the Beocord VX5000 video cassette recorder a worthy stable mate.
Bang & Olufsen continually seeks new ways not only to streamline operation and function but to simplify exteriors. The powerful speakers of Beovision LX had a totally smooth facade when they were originally introduced in 1990. The contrast screen in front of the picture tube stretches from the very top to the very bottom of the cabinet. And the lacquer was as polished as a grand piano’s.
The result was unity; no knobs or displays interrupted the flow.
You could keep an eye on more than one programme at a time by letting a miniature picture run in one corner of the screen. Or you could show 4, 9 or 16 ‘clips’ from programmes on air at that very moment. Beovision LX 5500 also gave fast, direct access to to four Teletext pages you used the most. And there was room for a satellite receiver to be installed as well as using the TV set for the connection of extra speakers, loop amplifier for the hard of hearing and TV game consoles.
By mounting the whole TV set on a motorised base, you could sit in your armchair and turn the TV up to 35 degrees to each side with just one press of your Beolink 1000 remote control terminal.
By programming it into the set, the TV then turned automatically towards your favourite viewing position every time the set switches on. And, naturally, the TV returned to centre stage each time you switched it off.
Colours: Beovision LX 5500 / 4500 – high-gloss black, white or grey or rosewood.
A stage designer can creative positive associations of purity by using predominantly white or light grey in stage sets and costumes. White and grey symbolize a simple style of living and, as the audience, we associate this virtue in our mind’s eye with the person who decorates with, or dresses in, these light colours. In interior design white and grey give a modern impression with everything blending together, perfectly executed down to the tiniest detail. For those who prefer an all-white look,. Bang & Olufsen in 1990 dressed its Beovision LX range completely in white; even the back.
You could put Beovision LX White Line in the middle of a large room if you so desired. It looked discreet and elegant and spoke its own, well-modulated design language. If a pleasant light grey was more to your taste, the Beovision LX range was available in a light grey finish too. All the other technicalities internally were identical to the other LX family members.
B&O’s long awaited answer to replacing the long running Beovision MX range of stand alone televisions which dated back to 1985, the Beovision 8 was released first as a 26″ model and was followed by the 32″ model later in the same year.
Sharply styled
The set was a marked change in direction in styling with the trademark contrast screen no longer fitted. Instead a radical new look with a prominent speaker box was seen and the same Sharp LCD screen as seen in the Beocenter 6 26″ was fitted. Resolution was set at 768p – completely acceptable for a screen of this size. Particular care had been taken with the speaker which had been optimised for speech reproduction. It utilised three drive units – a 50mm treble/midrange unit mounted at the two opposite ends and a central 100mm woofer. This was separately enclosed and unlike the midrange/tweeter was in a bass reflex box to enhance the output. In some ways this set up resembled that of the Beosound 1 thought that unit had separate midrange and tweeters rather than relying on a full range unit.
Connected to the future
Unlike the other LCD sets in the B&O range, a HDMI socket was fitted which allowed the connection of a digital source. The set also came as standard with two SCART sockets though one extra cost option was the so called System Module which provided a Masterlink socket, an RF modulator and a third SCART socket.
Dark or light smoothie
Soft touch plastics predominated with an aluminium grille for the speaker with the brand name prominently displayed. Only black with a silver grille was available at the launch.
Currently, Beovision 8 is also available in white.
A range of stands were provided with options for storage of other source boxes or a minimalist black or white metal single leg.
Digitally challenged
However what attracted a fair bit of attention was not only the daring styling but also some omissions to the specification. With some countries actually starting to turn off the analogue transmitters, the absence of a DVB-T module for the Beovision 8 was a surprise. B&O’s argument that this was a set designed for use in a kitchen or small bedroom and would be likely to be attached to the main room digital tuner was reasonable if possibly a little mean. Full STB-C connections were fitted and, to be fair, offered considerable scope for upgrading, something that would be far more expensive should an internal tuner have been fitted.
Not easily surrounded
Of rather more concern to some was the absence of a surround sound option. A single Powerlink socket was fitted to allow the use of stereo Beolab speakers with the option of Centre Balance control, a feature seen on Beovision sets in the early nineties. However there was no Dolby or DTS surround, implying that this set was not designed to be part of a main room set up.
Remotely attractive?
And there was one more surprise! In the UK the set was supplied with no remote control – although it was not able to be operated without one. The rationale behind this was two fold. Firstly, much like the Beovision 3 28″, which was another of the models it replaced, the Beovision 8 offered a very low headline price to attract customers more used to buying other brands into the showroom. And secondly, the customer was then offered the choice between the Beo4 remote and the brand new and much more expensive Beo5.
Mounting Options & Stands
This model was supplied with adjustable tilt feet designed to allow the screen angle to decline when placed on furniture. The original Bang & Olufsen stand did not allow rotation or screen adjustment and was replaced by a three position, open front cabinet, supplied with wheels. The wall bracket allowed limited rotation to the left or right and screen tilt adjustment.
“As yet, none of us need 32 TV channels, let alone 100. But satellite re-broadcasting systems and cable TV, including regional and community networks, might soon change that” (1983 catalogue)
Therefore, Bang & Olufsen equipped all the luxury Beovision models with an advanced digital tuner that had the capacity for receiving 100 UHF channels, 32 of which could be stored in the set’s microcomputer memory for instant recall at the touch of a button.
Beovisions 5502, 7702, 8802 and 9002 all shared the same advanced chassis design and offered the same user-benefits. They were true “luxury” sets because many ‘extras’ offered by other companies, were given as standard by Bang & Olufsen.
The Beovision Video Terminal supplied with Beovisions 5502, 7702, 8802 and 9002 offered a plethora of operational benefits. In addition there was also an advanced ‘tune and store’ function that allowed you to operate the automatic tuning system from the comfort of your chair.
One touch of the ‘tune’ button started the digital tuner scanning the wavelengths of the UHF band. When it found a station, it stopped – giving you the opportunity to either reject or accept it. If it was an unsatisfactory reception from a distant transmitter (or simply a station you don’t like!), you just pressed ‘tune’ again to continue the search. When you found a station you enjoy, on a channel giving a good, clear reception, you could instruct the set’s microcomputer to remember that transmission frequency by pressing ‘store’ followed by your own choice of pre-set programme number (e.g. for BBC2 you might designate pre-set number 2). Thereafter, whenever you wanted to watch BBC2, you simply touch button ‘2’ on your remote Terminal.
Up to 32 different TV stations could be located and stored in this way, so your Beovision really is ‘future-safe’ because it has plenty of spare capacity to accommodate new programme sources as and when they come ‘on stream’.
The latest type of Beovision Video Terminal also had a button marked ‘sound’. This was only effective with Bang & Olufsen stereo TVs – Beovision 7802 and Beovision 8902.
Beovision 5502 had a 50cm screen and measured 62cm wide, 40cm high (71.5cm including stand) and 39cm deep.
Beovision 7702 had a 22″ screen. Dimensions were 67.5cm wide, 43.5cm high (76cm including stand) and 41.5cm deep.
Beovision 8802 had a 26″ screen and measured 77cm wide, 49cm high (80cm including stand) and 45.5cm deep.
All three models had slim cabinets finished in a choice of natural teak or rosewood. White finish was available to special order.
Beovisions that put the future at your fingertips
As yet, none of us need 32 TV channels, let alone 100. But satellite re-broadcasting systems and cable TV, including regional and community networks, may in the future change that.
Therefore, Bang & Olufsen equipped all their luxury Beovision models with an advanced digital tuner that had the capacity for receiving 100 UHF channels, 32 of which could be stored in the set’s microcomputer memory for instant recall at the touch of a button.
The real boon for most viewers is that you could locate, store and recall any of these stations without leaving your armchair. All you had to do was to touch a key on the Beovision Video terminal. So although the company gave their “future-safe” luxury TV range more micro-electronics, more features and more connection possibilities than ever before, they had, at the same time, made all this complex technology even more accessible – instantly. To borrow a phrase from the computer industry, Bang & Olufsen’s ’02-Series’ TVs were (and still are) extremely “user-friendly”.
Beovisions 5502, 7702, 8802 and 9002 all shared the same advanced chassis design and offered the same user-benefits. They were true “luxury” sets because all the features and facilities which, in other brands, are offered as ‘extras’ were offered as standard on Bang & Olufsen sets.
The Beovision Video Terminal supplied with Beovisions 5502, 7702, 8802 and 9002 offered a plethora of operational benefits. In addition there was also an advanced ‘tune and store’ function that allowed you to you operate the automatic tuning system from the comfort of your chair.
One touch of the ‘tune’ button started the digital tuner scanning the wavelengths of the UHF band. When it found a station, it stopped – giving you the opportunity to either reject or accept it. If it was an unsatisfactory reception from a distant transmitter (or simply a station you didn’t like!), you just pressed ‘tune’ again to continue the search. When you found a station you enjoyed, on a channel giving a good, clear reception, you could instruct the set’s microcomputer to remember that transmission frequency by pressing ‘store’ followed by your own choice of pre-set programme number (e.g. for BBC2 you might designate pre-set number 2). Thereafter, whenever you wanted to watch BBC2, you simply touched button ‘2’ on your remote Terminal.
Up to 32 different TV stations could be located and stored in this way, so your Beovision really was ‘future-safe’ because it had plenty of spare capacity to accommodate new programme sources as and when they come ‘on stream’.
The (then) latest type of Beovision Video Terminal also had a button marked ‘sound’. This was only effective with Bang & Olufsen stereo TVs – Beovision 7802 and Beovision 8902, for example.
In 1970, a young designer, David Lewis, created one of the world’s first transportable TVs – Beovision 600 – long before small portable TVs became widespread. Beovision 600 was a black and white TV with a solid handle and weighed just over 13kg. Compared to the pocket-sized TVs of today, it could hardly be called portable. Nevertheless, it was transportable with a 44cm screen and excellent sound quality. The TV set won the iF Design Award in 1970.
Full transistorisation meant that sound and picture appeared at the press of a button, a new and unusual feature at the time. The cabinet was made of plastic and the handle was concealed when not in use. Six pre-set stations could be operated by one press of a button and all settings were concealed in small compartments to prevent inquisitive little fingers fiddling with them. It also featured a retractable flex.
All in all, a pioneering TV design which, in later years, was copied by many other TV manufacturers. Beovision 601 replaced its predecessor in 1973, fitted with several new features which were missed out on Beovision 600.
