Beovision Eclipse MKI with new LG screen, a journey

[Mbee]

In 2023, I had the opportunity to get an Eclipse MKI, which I thought was in perfect condition. Arrived to my home, I discovered that the panel was broken.I did know that the special Oled 55C7BO was expensive to get for an outdated technology. My dealer confirmed that with a €2600 quote. (at this time, a brand new 55C3 was only €1600).Then, I thought a bit about the fact that the new Eclipse are working with a software that is easy to get from the LG store, and that the connectivity of the newer MKIII Eclipse were the same that mine (Ethernet + HDMI), so I thought that with a bit of chance, my MKI could work with the new LG software, as it seemed that my Eclipse was, like the new ones, a HDMI ARC soundbar with a control over ethernet.I discussed about that with my dealer, who contacted B&O to ask if it was possible.

The answer from B&O product manager in Denmark was a clear “NO”, as for him the MKI Eclipse didn’t support HDMI ARC.I doubted about that, and I just thought that the current product manager has no idea what was inside the MKI, because he might not be at this job for long, and never worked on MKI.

Fortunately, my dealer is multi brand and sells LG. So I asked him if I could connect my sound center to one of his LG C3 panels, which he allowed me to do, interested to see the result.

So I went to my dealer with my sound center AND motorized stand. Connected his LG C3 where he already installed the B&O app… And saw that everything was working! So I ordered him a LG 55C3.

I then had to adapt the panel to the Soundcenter, as the old panel stand from MKI wasn’t adapted to the new LG. So I made a DiY stand with 2 metal brackets and a bit of wood (see picture). Overall cost: around €10.

Since then, everything was working, except the MyButtons, which didn’t work at all. That was not a big issue as I still have the MKI Beoremote One: there is only one MyButton and Netflix+amazon buttons were working (but the remote is ugly with those buttons 😀).
Seeing the nice result, my dealer already retrofitted one customer with a homemade bracket.
If you’re a Beoworld follower, you may have heard about that from this topic : https://forum.beoworld.org/forums/topic/eclipse-mki-with-lg-c3-oled/
I then saw the Facebook post of Ariel, a dealer in Israel who was asking if he could switch the panel of one of his customers to a standard C4. So I explained him everything in MP, as I didn’t want B&O to be upset… His installer made a better job than me (picture).

But as a dealer, he knows people… And talked about that to STB Brackets, who started working on a very nice adapter, with covers to make everything very clean.So now, in may 2025, it’s officially available: the STB Bracket Eclipse MKI to LG C4/C5 adapter!! 🥳
https://www.stbbrackets.co.uk/product/beovision-eclipse-lg-c4-upgrade-adapter/
But there is more ! STB worked with B&O, and now, there is a special “Retrofited Eclipse” software, which makes the MyButtons completely functional!!! And even more : with this software, the Eclipse MKI is displaying the source on the top of the screen in audio mode, as with MKIII and Harmony (and visuals in Radio and Deezer modes). That thing may damage your screen as it’s fixed display on OLED, but now you can replace it at LG cost, and not B&O cost 😆

[Mbee]

Sorry for the post formatting, everything is going mad when I add images… And when I edit, it’s marked as spam…

[NQVHNWI]

Had the same problem earlier myself with the formatting.

I had a similar problem from the otherside – selling a (unknown to me) burnt-in Eclipse 65. Had to do a deal with the Dealer to keep everything on the level.

On one hand…Im happy that I moved from an Eclipse to a Theatre and took the panel (obsolesce – for now or future fault/burn-in) out of the Ownership equation. Even back in late 2022 IIRC, the Theatre was getting up there price-wise and I almost thought the Eclipse was my last Beovision?

Back to the Post. Glad that went well. I have heard anecdotal stories that Dealers can take other panels (oh, and B&O did have some original panels to cover warranty issues only) and graft them on. From what I loosely heard, its more about retro-fitting the C7 for a C9 or CX into the case more than anything else?? Maybe.

This is where B&O really need to pull up their socks. Its history know and Buyer beware but at the time the C7 was a problem panel and B&O knew it. They did very little to warn people, recall or even collaborate on revised software as far as I can ascertain? The STB solution is not cheap but I guess it can get you up and running and not trashing a perfectly good soundbar and stand?

More importantly, this Cradle to Cradle business is less about the Customer having endless repairs on their products I fear….and more about 100% recyclability at the local dump? Im sure we will see when a few PCBs or drivers give-up and there are no spares left (again). Just sign-up for the latest $30k soundbar and swallow it as the cost of doing business?

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