I am wondering one thing. Can the USB ports be used to attach  extra hard discs as 500Gb is simply not enough! I have almost 200Gb of compressed music and plan to go lossless. This will take far more than 500Gb.

200 GB, that is the equivalent of 4000 CD!!!!

About 29000 tracks!

 

Given that Beomaster 5 runs Microsoft Windows XP SP1 then I would expect that extra disk space could be added via the USB.

I would hate to spend this much on a media server and then have to start connecting external drives - do we know if the internal drive is replaceable with larger capacities?

I think that the Beosound 5 has a 500Gb memory just because it uses a 2,5" hard drive. 500Gb is the current maximum size for this kind of hard drives. So now there is no debate concerning replacing this drive for more capacity.

Maybe in March, the system will be launched with more memory, if larger capacities are available at this time (highly unprobable, as the press release already says 500gb)

I hope it can't get viruses via the Ethernet...

It CANNOT connect to another external hard-drive, and it will definitely NOT be released with a larger memory.

I know we had a part of the instruction manual posted here so someone must have it.

 

While I can see that Peter is in trouble with his massive collection, I should be OK. I also would not compress lossless but 320 AAC so that I still can move the songs to my ipod and dont have to double rip.

What is more interesting for me, how does video get onto it? Can it connect to a NAS or PC/Mac and read the video from there?

With Windows I would think its easy to browse the network for video files. If that would work with a pretty UI (not as shitty as it was done in Apple TV where my own media disappears in the menu jungle) I would probbaly sign myself up for one.

Well lets be realistic, if economy doesn't turn sour for me I get one anyhow. 1 toy a year.

The user and service manuals are on site. Look here if you are a gold or silver member.

jk1002:

While I can see that Peter is in trouble with his massive collection ...

He indeed might be, though I’m sure he is a very organized and unbelievably multi-tasking person who might be above average (even the American one) and devote slightly more than 9 hours a day of his average media usage to listening to his song collection - among other media consumption. If we assume he has no particular favorites among his songs (we know he has, though…), he would be able to listen to each of his songs twice a year, given each of them plays for app. 3 ½ min … with every new iTunes download, CD ripped, LP record digitalized - and concentration slip - the chances are slimmer though …

Villette010:

It CANNOT connect to another external hard-drive, and it will definitely NOT be released with a larger memory.

Don't know where you got that information from, but B&O have left the pathway open to update the hard drive at a later date. Nothing is planned at present I believe...

I sincerly hope it can stream; access music from a NAS - having to keep folders synchronised all the time (especially if VIDEO is part of the solution) - is going to be a mess

 

Thanks Peter. Awesome that we have the manuals already. Very happy right now that I am gold founding ..

 

cheers

JK