Here's the scoop: Bang & Olufsen has worked with video device maker Atlona to develop a solution for multiple TVs to share a single set of peripherals. Peripherals are connected to the Matrix (it's basically a big black box for mounting in a rack) along with IR output to a flasher. Then a balun or a local HDMI outputs the video signal to

It allows the television to be used with the matrix solution.

I could be wrong about this as my memory hardly operates any more, but I believe you may need line adaptors for BeoLab 2500s since they don't have a native "line" mode. In the USA these are commonly called BeoLab 2 line adaptors and have the ability to put a 12v power supply to the turn-on pin so that PL-only speakers (BeoLab 2, BeoLab

And yes. You will lose functionality. Any time you omit a Bang & Olufsen product you lose functionality, usability, performance, build quality, physical beauty, and self respect.

It depends on what you mean. Most people, when asking if they can "connect" a non-B&O television to a B&O audio system, they mean that they want the sound to play through the B&O audio system's speakers. If this is what you mean, then no. There is no good way to do this because the BeoSound 5 doesn't have an AUX input which

[quote user="Pauliander"] Ok, thank you for this. In my hypothetical configuration this would allow the attachment of an external blue ray player for local home cinema use in the living room (which could also play a cd if needed). Next to this, the Encore would give me a rather smart platform to distribute full audio and video around the house

Elephant is correct in his assessment. The ports for cables that will be more or less permanently attached, like PL and USB for a hard drive, are placed inside the wheel column where the BeoSound 5's cable connections are. For more "on the go" connections like headphones, aux in, and USB there are connections just on under the screen.

RA2 is a huge improvement over RadioRA and, as has been mentioned, the inclusion of HVAC makes it the best value out there. Anything cheaper would be more like an individual switch rather than a global control system.

The Encore does have WiFi built in.

It is not confirmed that the BeoSound 5 Encore will be able to play Apple Lossless. This has apparently been more difficult than once believed. The Encore simply uses any attached drive as a shared drive and sucks the content off of it. It's still a player the way a BeoSound 5 is.