Dear Gang,

I need some advice about setting up a new TV.

I’m getting a BV-7 55” (it’ll be a Mark II model with BL 7.6 speaker), and I wish to realize my long-held dream to utilize an Apple TV as the primary audio source and let a pair of BL3s ported through the Beosystem 3 be the primary speakers (i.e. I would use the BL 7.6 just for watching the TV).  My goals are to have a paucity of equipment, to avoid buying a B&O “audio head” unit by using the BS3 in this capacity, and to utilize the DACs in the BS3 to smooth out the audio from the Apple TV.

I have three questions that plague me and any advice from my fellow beophiles would be much appreciated (even if you only know the answer to one question, I’ll take the advice):

 

•   Can I connect a second generation Apple TV to the Beosystem 3 through both the digital optical out (for music) and also through the HDMI cable (for video)?  Obviously, I wouldn’t want to use them both at the same time.

 

•   When the TV is in the “standby” mode with the little B&O red dot showing, I desire to use the Beo 4 (type 1710) to turn on the BL3s without ever having the screen come on.  I’m thinking that utilizing separate inputs on the BS3 for each of the two Apple TV outputs will help facilitate this (i.e. the optical input to the BS3 will be solely devoted to audio so that the BS3 sees the Apple TV as an audio master when this input is programmed in to the BS3).  I’m also thinking that hitting the “AV-DVD” or the “AV-Aux.” button on the Beo 4 will allow the BL3 speakers to go in to “Speaker 2” mode so that the screen never comes on, and I therefore never have to use the “Picture Mute” button.  Does this sort of set-up sound possible?

 

•    Also, in this set-up, when using the audio-only portion, I’d use my iPhone or iPad as the remote and / or audio source.  I’d therefore like to use some third party software to enable me to also use the “iOS” device as a remote for the B&O system.  This would also afford me the ability to program “macros” in to the remote control software.  Does anyone have any experience with ThinkFlood’s remote control software and hardware for iOS devices?  Or, do you guys have a different brand of iOS remote to recommend?

 

Thank you in advance for any and all advice.

Mark D.

 

BUMP

 

I submitted this yesterday, but it just now got posted (and a day down on the list).

 

M

With two way software, how would you know where in the Apple TV menu hierarchy you were without the screen going on?

 

B

I'll use my iOS device to command the Apple TV to stream a song from the computer or from the iOS device itself.

 

Mark

I know you have a vision and if you can bring it off that would be great

When you talk about the BS3, do you mean the one that is integrated into the BV7, or have you acquired a separate one on eBay ?

As you may know, I have an ATV2 and a MacMini, that are "integrated" (via a swappable HDMI plug) with my BV8, and I either use [N-MUSIC] if I don't want the TV panel to be on (and rely on the DAC in the MacMini), or [DVD] to access the ATV2 and use the DAC inside the BV8 and happily watch a screen slide show of pictures.

I used to [P-MUTE] but now live with the slide show approach - I guess I am wearing out my BV8

And like you plan, I use my iThing to do more complex selections - and when I do I stream directly "from" the iThing to the ATV2

I don't have it all working as elegantly as your vision but I am happy with it as it works 99% of the time - unforunately the other 1% happens when my wife tries to use it 

Elephant,

As always, thank you for responding.  The BS3 I'm referring to is the one within the BV7.

I sure hope this'll work - if so, I'll be a happy camper.

M

BeoNut1:

I’m also thinking that hitting the “AV-DVD” or the “AV-Aux.” button on the Beo 4 will allow the
BL3 speakers to go in to “Speaker 2” mode so that the screen never comes on, and I therefore
never have to use the “Picture Mute” button.  Does this sort of set-up sound possible?

That's exactly how it will work.

I dont use Apple TV but have a TViX Media Box connected via HDMI to a (BC3 type) BV7.

When I press "V.MEM" the screen goes on and all 3 front speakers are playing (speaker 3 mode)
when I select "AV" from "LIST" and hit "V.MEM" after, the screen remains "off" and only the
two front speakers are playing (speaker 2 mode) - same as if playing an audio source.

The "AV" command tells the the TV to handle the signals coming from video sources in the same
way as from "true" audio sources (like CD, radio, ...)

PS: add a Masterlink Gateway and you will be able to control the whole setup via you IOS device.   

Vienna,

Thank you for your insights.

Is there a way to program the newer generation Beo4 to have one of the front buttons be "AV"?  Or, if I seek to have a one button solution for turning on my pseudo- audio master, will I be relegated to using a third party solution and macros?

Has anyone used the ThinkFlood device - I ask as its the only iOS controlled IR device that I know of that is capable of emitting the longer wavelength B&O codes?

I presume (though I may be wrong) that the Beo 6 can be programmed to emit a series of commands that turn on the Apple TV and then click out the necessary order of signals to keep the TV screen from ever coming on.

M

I think you can make this work.

I do this all the time in my setup.

The issue is controlling the music that is coming out.

If you're ok with the iOS device to control the music you're golden.

Just use the AV command as you've discussed.

BeoNut1:

Vienna,

Thank you for your insights.

Is there a way to program the newer generation Beo4 to have one of the front buttons be "AV"?
 Or, if I seek to have a one button solution for turning on my pseudo- audio master, will I be relegated
to using a third party solution and macros?

Has anyone used the ThinkFlood device - I ask as its the only iOS controlled IR device that I know of that
is capable of emitting the longer wavelength B&O codes?

I presume (though I may be wrong) that the Beo 6 can be programmed to emit a series of commands
that turn on the Apple TV and then click out the necessary order of signals to keep the TV screen from
ever coming on.

M

@1 You can prioritize these commands  ("MOVE" the virtual buttons in the "ranking" of your "LIST")
       to access often needed "buttons" faster.
    
@2 Not any experience with ThinkFlood - but MasterLink Gateway & BeoLink-App + i-Device
      will control the whole B&O system including all PUC controlled extenal devices.
      In addition to the B&O standard app "Hit The Icon" solutions can be programmed as "SCENES"

@3 A Beo 6 can be tailored to offer "Hit The Icon" solutions.

Vienna,

Can you give me a ballpark idea of how much the Gateway product costs?

Thanks in advance,

Mark

The ML-GW retails in Austria for 2080 EUR (includung 20% VAT) 
but US retail might be quite different - maybe Trip can tell ...