The Danes over at Bang & Olufsen don’t do small, don’t do cheap, and don’t do basic, which is why the company’s latest plasma television should come as no surprise to the cult-like fans who follow the company religiously. The latest BeoVision 4 set dwarfs the existing 50- and 65-inch screens that make up the line with a cinema-like 103 inches of screen size.
If that number sounds familiar, it should. Panasonic was technically the first to tread into this obscene territory with the TH-103FP9, released in Japan back in 2006 to the tune of $70,000. As it turns out, Bang & Olufsen’s version uses the same panel, which isn’t a total shock considering the dwindling number of plasma panel manufacturers lately.
BeoVision 4-103 103-inch Plasma Television
Since the screen size has already been conquered, B&O has gone out of its way to dress up its own version with its typically contemporary style. Rather than a typical static stand or wall mount (which would require quite a wall), the BeoVision 4-3 has a unique motorized stand that actually raises the television up off the floor to prime viewing height every time you turn it on. Like the rest of the BeoVision 4 line, it also has a distinct triangular center speaker that hangs below the screen, a diamond-cut aluminum frame, and even an automatic color management system that allows the TV to calibrate itself after every 100 hours of viewing.
With Panasonic’s no-frills 103-incher selling for $70,000, you had to guess that Bang & Olufsen’s version would make it look downright cheap. And it does. The BeoVision 4-3 will sell for €100,000, which translates to about $135,850 USD. Bang & Olufsen hopes to begin installing its sets in the homes of the ultra-elite come July of this year. More information on the BeoVision 4 line be found at the company’s Web site.
BeoVision 4-103 103-inch Plasma Television
