Ok now that some of you have been living with the Beo5 for a couple of weeks I’d really appreciate some of your comments/answers

 

Do you really like it?

Do you think it is value for money?

Is it a usable solution without the software at home to adjust/reconfigure things?

What is the best thing about it?

What don’t you like about it?

 

Thanks

 

 

Well, these are only my initial comments and there will be many more in the future after I have done a complete study of the product, but my initial comments to your questions are:-

• Yes, I do really like the product and it is a real icon of B&O, it is like no other remote I have seen on the market and whilst the product is at its early stage, I think this will be a big seller for B&O.
• The question of value for money is a difficult one because it really depends on configuration. If you have one BeoVision in one room without a Masterlink, then it is poor value for money. However if you have a large complexed link system, then not only will you be unlikely to question the cost, but you are likely to see the Beo5 as "icing on the cake" to use a British saying. For me, it is good value for money.
• There has been much debate over the pass couple of months about why the customer cannot have the software, on the dealer side it brings both new problems and revenue generation opportunities, on the other side in complex link systems you may need to change the configuration several times before the user is happy with the results. If you have a dealer willing to spend the time needed to do a complete job, then it is a usable solution for the dealer only to do the work. I was surprised that as this is mainly a revenue generation opportunity, they did not provide two options a) dealer configuration b) Licence annual payment for one user with one Beo5 which gives then an on-going revenue stream.
• The best thing about this is easy to use, you have a station icon which you press, you don't need to know the station number or anything, setup is automatic, except for people like Andy. No one appears to have commented yet, but using the RED button approach in some configurations is still a learning curve, but again the product can have almost everything configured, so this will be solved and that is also what makes it a great product, it is so configurable.
• The only thing I am not so keen about is the way you mute the sound. To increase or decrease the sound you turn the dial in the expected way, but to mute the sound you must turn the dial counter-clockwise fast, not so good in my view.

Good Morning Keith,

Having asked your dealer to program the Beo5 for Saunders Palace, how do you use it?

Leave it in one room? Wander around the house with it in your dressing gown pocket? Have multiple Beo5's so there is one in each room?

This is a serious question because at the moment, I can't get my head around what are the advantages, other than it is a very pretty and desireable, affordable toy from B&O

Morning Graham,

Not sure about the "Saunders Palace", I do have above average number of link rooms and we do make a lot of use of the Beocom 6000 intercom feature. I also use the conference call facility which is also a great asset.

But back to the Beo5, well to be honest the jury is still out for me on the Beo5 in terms of how to use it. Currently I only really use it in the living room and I have so far only used it in other rooms for testing its functions and making sure they work. I only have one Beo5 and I do not intend to have more than one in the future. I am aware that several people have ordered a Beo5 for each room which seems a little over the top or they just have to much money.

Putting aside the Beo5 as an icon product and one of those must have products, the real benefit comes from the ability to make a multi button action on the Beo4 to pressing one button (macro) on the screen. This will be a big hit with the wives in particular, who like mine could not get there head around the "List" key for example.

When you ask yourself the question you are thinking of it from a technical viewpoint, most wives say they just want to press one button and it immediately works without first receiving a training course on what actions must be taken to achieve the required function.

In its raw form the Beo5 is an single icon to function translator where one or more commands are executed in a macro subroutine to create the desired function. In other words the Beo5 can be tailored for ONE button press for each function required by the user.

So it's not just me being cynical then!

I will have to let my wife read your post Keith and maybe she will buy herself one and let me play with it????

Heelo Kieth, so how can you listen to headphones if u can't mute it with a click if you have to turn the wheel?

Not totally sure what you are saying, but no matter how or what you are listening too, to mute the sound on the Beo5, you must turn the dial quickly anti-clockwise. However, you could add your own MUTE button on the screen if you wished, then it would be one press for mute.

Thanks for the detailed replies Keith, gives me a much better idea of the product.  I have a 5 room setup and now believe it would simplify some of the actions using the macro functionality (multi button action) with say lighting general TV and different for a Movie/DVD.  Yes my wife also finds the LIST key confusing, particularly as it has grown with the product range.  Anyway I’ll take myself of to the dealer and have a constructive play…

The Beo4 was born from the principle of ease of use and ONE button for each source. As time went on the "LIST" button became needed much more often, yet the main sources such as DTV, CD and Radio are still available with one button push, even if other commands need several button pushes.

Along comes the Beo5 and from "ZONES" which for most people means room, if I wish to select a common source like DTV, CD or RADIO I must press TWO buttons, i.e. the zone followed by the source.

However, there is a solution for people who only have a few link rooms and that is add the above common sources to the "ZONES" then you can switch on the CD, Radio or DTV from any room without pressing that room and it is ONE button push as with the Beo4.

So, why am I making a big thing of this, well frankly the wife's who only want to press ONE button which does not require a training course to use is the reason.

For your dealer to achieve the above he must create a zone called something like "CD in any Room" and assign no products to the room and just add the IR command "RADIO:CD" and on pressing this button in the "ZONES" area will switch on the CD

 

Well I went to my local store yesterday and had a play.  They have only had one for a week and not really fully conversant with it yet.  But I really liked it, very different concept for a remote.  I am going to order one today.

 

Totally agree Keith re the list button, more function added there with each new product.

 

Actually in Australia all main Audio and Video products came with a remote, since the Beo5 launch they wont and a remote will have to be order separately, like most other countries.