Those of you that have followed my recent posts will know that I have been trying to find the best solution for playing digital music and I have considered all sorts of options including buying a Playstation 3, an Apple TV, a PC or indeed a Mac Mini as well as other options available. In the end I decided upon the Apple TV route because it offered the best interface I wanted to compliment my B&O setup. I have therefore bought a 160GB Apple TV which will be connected to the BV7-40 in the lounge. The last few days and the coming week will be spent digitising my entire CD music collection to the Apple Lossless format, which the Apple TV will then pick up via the wifi network and display/play through the 7-40 in the lounge. I am using iArtwork (www.iArtwork.net) to find and download all missing artwork that iTunes cannot find using the Gracenote CDDB system and once complete I will have a neat litle system to allow for the playback of digital music in a lossless format with the great Cover Flow interface Apple provides, along with the ability to download and purchase further media content if required. I think this is a fantastic solution if you are not yet ready to buy the BeoSound/Media 5. This was not an option for me since I have already spent considerable time and cost chanelling all walls in my home, a process that I am not preapred to repeat at such an early stage having done it only last year.

I was almost sold on the PS3 route because of the Blueray playback option but at the end of the day I want the best looking 'overall' system in terms of design and the PS3's Media Server interface is complicated and unintuitive compared to that of the Apple TV. So, for Bluray playback I will simply upgrade the module in the BV7 when it becomes available later this year. For those also considering this option I believe the cost will be around £500.

Simon. 

Apple TV's interface is nice and polished, but the capabalities are limited to iTunes and a harddisk that is too small. For music I think it's good enough though, but I was looking for a solution that also plays videoformats without recompressing it to a format the ATV understands.

I didn't want to be stuck in Apple-land, so now I use a Networked Mediatank with a 1 TB harddisk, which plays about every digital format I can find on the net. Popcorn Hour, HDX1000, Egreat, it all runs the same firmware with software which can be fully customized. However, this player is (not yet) supported via PUC. For artwork, you don't have to search if you run the right software. This player will do that for you.

http://www.syabas.com/solution_nmt.html

Another great player is the TVIX, which can be controlled via PUC. This player is also based on the Syabas processor.

http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/accessories/0,39100117,49298114-1,00.htm

Hmm, I guess I will never be ready to buy a BS5, if you can have more features and watch HD for less than a 10th of the price.

Honestly, while I have Apple prducts all over the place I tink the ATV is a piece of s h i t. It is aprime example of bad UI design. Imean come one, most users won't buy content from the Itunes stores and that is what it is gearing towards. It doesnt even have a remotely acceptable way of managing my own videos , and to reach my own music I have to navigate for 15 secs passing the itunes store..

I am still using Itunes for Music, cause I think they got that somewhat right. But for Photos and Videos, especially videos Apple needs to get a grip. Boxee.tv and other solutions are a slap to into their face.

i am wondeirng why they suddenly got a bump in sales recently, somehow I feel that because hacking it got so common was the reason.

I am expeting a much improved ATV this year, the existing hardware is just too slow, for hacking it that is.

I have been thinking and experimenting along the same lines as yourself ...

I have just bought a macbook and I am using it to make a decision between Apple TV, MacMini or Beomaster 5 (note, BM5 not BS5!) ...

Apple TV was ruled out early on because I don't think it connects as seamlessly with my set-up (beoport, beosound 4, beowireless, BL 3, 4 and 6000, beosound 2)

I have just priced the Macmini versus the Beomaster 5 and basically it would be half the price (but a full function personal computer for ad hoc access via the TV)

For me the key feature is a comparison of iTunes genius with BM5 MotS ... and I was excited by a B&O email that implied there was a 'try it, like it, keep it" option ... however my local dealer was less enthusiastic with that idea :)

I thought I had read somewhere on these pages that MOTS "required" the BS5.

Not sure why people go down the ATV route, which is probably why it hasn't been popular. The Mac Mini is a far better option. Plus you can configure it with just about any OS or media centre interface.

I heard the Blu-ray module for the BV7-40 is going to be £750. Far too expensive to playback Blu-ray DVDs (which are already expensive in the UK). It would be better value to trade-in the old TV against the new one!

Puncher:

I thought I had read somewhere on these pages that MOTS "required" the BS5.

I am not sure where you read it, but I have just gone back through the two user manuals with a fine toothed comb.

The Beomaster 5 can be operated by the Beo4 or the Beo5.

The Beosound 5 can be operated by itself or the Beo5, for either if you press [GO] and "Hold for 3 seconds. Play similar tracks instantly in player mode" i.e. MotS is invoked.

That description is missing from the Beomaster 5 manual and its Beo5 instructions.

Also MotS is not mentioned in the Beomaster 5 manual.

If it is indeed true perhaps someone can tell us what part the BS5 plays in the MOTS process and why it needs to be present for MOTS playback?

Also,  will the rumoured upcoming 2-way remote "require" the BS5 too?