At an event yesterday in Beverly Hills, Bang & Olufsen unveiled (on the west coast, anyway) the BeoVision 4, a 103-inch plasma.

Not content to just re-badge the Panasonic that it's based on, the BeoVision 4 has a host of additional features for the discerning buyer.

And at $111,805, I'd hope you'd be discerning.

At its core is Panasonic's 103-inch 1080p plasma. Panasonic claims a contrast ratio of 4,000:1, and you can expect the BeoVision 4 to be about the same in that regard.

Where B&O adds their special sauce is in the stand and "Automatic Color Management."

First, the stand. At approximately 600 pounds the motorized stand weighs just slightly more than the TV itself.

On command, the stand will near-silently raise the 580-pound plasma from its resting state near the floor, to viewing height.

Simultaneously, a custom BeoLab 10 center speaker emerges from behind the screen. The stand will also swivel the screen 20-degrees in either direction, and pivot 4 degrees up and down.

Though, being a plasma, this isn't as necessary as it would be if the screen were an LCD. Regardless, it's a pretty cool trick with something this big.

The Automatic Color Management isn't the usual "feature" with this kind of name.

Instead, the TV actually auto-calibrates itself. A grayscale pattern appears on screen, and a small sensor rotates out from its hiding place inside the frame. The sensor reads the grayscale (at what looks like 100 IRE and 0 IRE-or something close). Then the TV adjusts the grayscale based on this reading. This can be done whenever the user wants, or at the factory preset of every 100 usage hours. While not as thorough as a full calibration, it is fast and will get you most of the way, any time you want.

In a small touch that shows this isn't merely a gimmick (and that the folks at B&O are really thinking), the plasma has to warm up for two minutes before you can activate the ACM. For those reading that don't calibrate TVs for a living, or haven't had their TV calibrated: before you measure a display, it has to warm up and "settle" before you can get an accurate reading.

Video processing is done by the BeoSystem 3, which uses a Pixelworks chipset.

If you want to mount this beastie on your wall, you can get it sans-stand for $93,050.

In order to buy the BeoVision 4, you have to go through a checklist with your B&O rep. Items include: checking to be sure your floor can support it, that you have a dedicated 220v power running to the room, that you can handle your neighbors envy, etc.

The first customers will be getting their new uber-TVs in July.

Requests to review the BeoVision 4 at my house were met with amused looks.

PRICE: $111,805 ($93,050, without stand)
CONTACT: 800.873.6483, bang-olufsen.com