Bang & Olufsen introduces "entry-level" 40-inch BeoVision 8 LCD HDTV

"Entry-level" is a word that you might not believe Danish high, high-end electronics company Bang & Olufsen is very familiar with, as its super-sleekly designed stereo equipment and home theater gear usually bears the price tag of "if you have to ask, you can't afford it." So when the company announces that the latest addition to its BeoVision 8 line of LCD HDTVs is an "entry-level" 40-inch model, you can't help but place the term in quotes.

We don't know exactly what constitutes entry-level for Bang & Olufsen, though I'm pretty sure it would constitute high-end for most TV brands. That includes the design, which features a speaker at a ledge-like bottom of the bezel as well as retractable feet. In terms of picture quality, the company hypes its contrast improvement technology that adjusts the contrast level depending on the scene being displayed. Curiously, the specs say that the set's refresh rate is 100Hz, rather than the 120Hz that many new LCDs possess—100Hz is generally found in models from a couple of years ago. The specs don't even list the number and type of connections, but checking out the reference guide for the 26-inch and 32-inch BeoVision sets reveals only a single HDMI port; hopefully, B&O is a little more generous with the 40 incher.

I've got a message in to see if Bang & Olufsen will divulge pricing and availability details, but this one definitely looks like one for those who favor cutting-edge design over cutting-edge features.