Dear all BeoWorld members,

The Beo5 has fascinated me from the very moment I saw a few photos of it shortly before its launch. I have tried one out at my dealer, but I didn't really give it enough time to work it out properly. I am interested to read about your thoughts and opinions with Beo5, whether you own one or not. Do you think it is really worth £400? Do you like the design? Having a Beo5, does it replace the quick and easy use of your Beo4 as your main remote control at home? Is the IR range of Beo5 as impressive as Beo4?
These are just a few questions which I would be interested in hearing about.

My other niggle with the Beo5 is the fact that I have to get my dealer to do all the setup for me. Whenever I buy new B&O, I will have to return to my dealer for him to sync the Beo5 with my new goodies. Or if I want to simply add a new album cover to the listings on the Beo5, I will have to get my dealer to do it.

 

Over to you .......

I'd really like to get one, but i'm so without money now. I do love the idea that instead of having "Sat" on my remote (currently a Beo4) I could have Phono which is my 2nd most used function, other than Radio. Sure, I have a MCP5500 but i can't control my lights off it and it's so less easy to move to another room

Hi Henry,

I bought a Beo5 pretty soon after they came out and have been using it every day since. The only problem (if you want to call it that) would be the fingerprints all over it at the end of every night, but how could they have avoided that? I polish it with a duster a couple of times a week. I would like to have seen a wall mounting option for this remote but its shape wouldn't really accomodate it which I guess is why there isn't that option. I do like the design and often find myself holding onto it rather than putting it down when I am watching TV. Have never fully tested the IR range so can't comment on that. Absolutly fine so far from up to about 10 metres away and cutting around a few corners too.

B&O of Bath programmed it for me. More specifically Chris, who has done a very good job. I do still encounter programming issues but rather than taking it back I will wait for a few months and keep a detailed list of what I want changed so that it can be done all in one go at a later date. This is obviously easier for both the dealer and for myself. Its response time when communicating with the Sky HD box is quite slow and on occasion frustrates me. My experiences to date have shown the Back button to be the most problematic. Sometimes it works when you press it once,  most times when you press it twice and at other times it simply doesn't work at all. I assume it should work when pressed once only, as on the original Sky remote. Of course this is a very relevent point because I need it programmed for use with Sky HD and for my specific B&O equipment which will be totally different to someone who wants it to work as part of a different setup and I think this is where its strengths lie in that it is so universal. It is a clever device and I have no problem at all giving it a lot of time to come into its own.

Other problems encountered include the TV displaying a purple screen when switched on. I am sure this is the Beo5 because the TV works fine with the Beo4 and goes straight to the last channel watched or the TV Guide in the Sky menu. I am unable to pause TV using the Stop button with this remote, which I don't like. Obviously you get used to the Beo4 and expect the operation to be similar for the Beo5 but it isn't always that way. Of course, this is probably down to the programming again so its something that could be easily changed (I hope) and this is why its so difficult to give you a detailed review of this device since its going to work completly different in your setup. I guess you should think of it as a little device that does whatever you tell it to, so technically, it should control everything. It's going to take a lot of time and I am guessing that in the near future templates will start to be available to dealers either written by B&O or from third-party sources that can be applied to specific home setups. These would be welcomed times.

There are several other things I could mention that are not quite right but I see them merely as teething problems that I expected and knew about before buying the remote so I am happy. On the whole I would rate this very highly as a remote and I do prefer using it to the Beo4. Is it worth £400? Depends. I traded in a brand new Beo4 boxed remote against it along with a brand new A9 keyring and paid the difference. That justified my purchase but if I didn't have the opportunity to trade then I would have stuck with my Beo4. Although the remote is technically very clever, for me, I would have expected something a bit more 'fancy' for the £400 asking price. The magic B&O gadgetry (such as with the BeoLink 7000 raising up) seems to be a thing of the past on many of their current products. It does have a solid build quality which is always hugely important to me and the Beo5 delivers well here.

Conclusion: Great remote, buy one.

Simon.

 

I still want one, but only as a design-object on my dressoir like the 7000 is now

I chose not to bother.

I got my Beo5 for my birthday in december and have been using it every day since. My dealer did all the programming for me. It took me some days to get used to it, but after 2-3 days, I felt very comfortable with it.

This week, when I got light controls from JBMedia.de, I had to switch over to the Beo4 again, as I had no time go to my dealer's and have the light buttons added. I have to admit, that I now find that the Beo4 is somehow less complicated in use.

For me it is easier to press the LIST button to scroll to the different functions, than to look at the touch-screen of the Beo5 and find the right place to press. I know I have to press list twice and 6 to turn the TV to a certain position, I can do that without looking at the remote. On the Beo5, this is a little more complicated, as it is more difficult to use it without looking at it.

Both remotes have their advantages, but I don't really know which one I prefer.

Thanks to everyone who has replied. I think I will buy a Beo5 by the end of this year, but as Tom mentioned, I have a feeling I will end up using my Beo4 more than the Beo5 as it is so to use simple and all the major and most used functions are just one click of a button, not 3 or 4, or more.

I'd be interested to hear more opinions.

eduard:

I like the Beo-5 a lot, great remote, I have 2 of them, one in the living room and one in the dinner room......

Richie rich.... 

eduard:

I will kick your ........ this year (again)

 be my guest
 

I do have one but it is not quite what I want. The lack of two way with N.Music is very limiting and a Beo4 /Beolink 1000 is so intuitive. Maybe I am getting set in my ways! My iPod Touch is more useful for N.Music.

I had one... and I already sold it. It looks nice, has a lot of potential but I don't like the way you have to work with it. I spended a lot of time programming it the way I wanted it for daily use, but I always took the Beo4.

If B&O should incorporate some programming/macro functions into the Beo4, this should be the perfect remote. Even my dealer takes the Beo4 to demonstrate their equipment... 

It's a pitty, I really wanted it to be as good as the Beo4. 

I sold mine. Prefer the ability to control from the table without picking it up. Also I prefer the old wallmounting for Beo4.... 

Also I wan't to programme it myself. Can't live with having to wait for the reseller to program when I update the system... Maybe a little stubborn here but I just don't like the idea of reseller programming !!!  

From what I read, I'm not sure this will become a success. (About 50/50 between the 4 and 5 from new Beo5 users) Honostly a new remote should easily beat the old Beo4.. If not, don't take it to the market, but invest in truly groundbreaking technology instead.

The Dane 

I am just about to sell mine as well - for me this was one of the most anticipated products and imho too little too late - I now use a combination of the beo4 and ipod touch (with remote buddy) given most of my music is digital..

I'm think some may be very happy with it but if you want to control digital music it does not deliver - shame, with a bit more foresight it could have been one of the greats.

I am quite suprised to see so many people not liking the Beo5. Interesting though and looking forward to more comments. Its also interesting to note how some of you use an iPod Touch to control your B&O equipment. Each to their own but personally I never mix and match unless I have to (e.g. Sky & B&O.) When I choose B&O route its B&O all the way!

Simon.

The Beonic Man:

... Each to their own but personally I never mix and match unless I have to (e.g. Sky & B&O.) When I choose B&O route its B&O all the way!

Simon.

Absolutely my point of view, Simon. Do it right or don't do it!  

Niveau:

Honostly a new remote should easily beat the old Beo4.. 

I think the problem is that the Beo4 is not really old. Sure, it has been around for 14 years now, but its design is so sober and timeless, that it somehow has become an icon for B&O, just like BS9000 or BL8000. I am sure that these 2 remotes will each have their fans and can coexist, if B&O wants to keep both of them in the range. 

I own and use both the Beo4 and the Beo5;

the beo5 for it's looks and my LC2's [the beo5 is easier to  use for the light-settings then the beo4] the biggest disadvantage of the beo5 for me is not really the programming issue (get the CD and do it yourself.....;-) or let the reseller do the programming for you including the items you want to buy in the near future, but........................it has no wall mounting......:-(

the Beo4 for everything else and because it's wall-mounted.......;-)

like having a BMw mini for it's looks and limited use besides your ordinary but sensfull civic hybride.............

 

Tom, and all... 

I guess that this thread shows the diversity on love/hate relations to the Beo5.

The problem is that we don't really wan't more remotes to co-exist in B&O systems... With all other brands it's OK, but with B&O where the whole idea is one linked system and one remote... The remote needs to be state of the art, and the icon in the B&O collection.

I'm still naively waiting for the Beo6... Total user programming (One touch to one function), fantastic futuristic look (as the Beo5) but also lying good in the hand... Wall mountable... Metallic lighting as the new BS5... and everything else which can be packed down to a 15x5 cm aluminium main controller ...:

The Dane

I got a BEO5 some month ago and in the beginning I forced my self to use the BEO5 and not at BEO4. Now I really enjoy using the BEO5 and sometimes when only a BEO4 is in reach I really miss the BEO5. This is mainly due to all the macro's I have made in the BEO5.

Ken