I have a laptop on which I would have my mp3 collection. The mac mini would be strictly for the Beolabs.

I also already have an external hard drive as a backup for music and pictures. I could have this synced to the Mac mini.

I have also heard about the rumored update to the Mac mini, and therefore getting a new one right now might be a dumb idea? 

Can the Beolab 5 sync sound with a powerlink cable, or will they need the specified "sync" cable? If so what kind of cable is that? I can bet my dealer won't have it on his shelve.

bayerische:

Can the Beolab 5 sync sound with a powerlink cable, or will they need the specified "sync" cable? If so what kind of cable is that? I can bet my dealer won't have it on his shelve.

It's a special sync cable, which the dealer should find on his parts list. Here's the number: Nr 6270901

And here's some info on the long rumoured Mac mini, now due in March, according to some. It will have a new chip set, will probably get HDMI support, but not much else will change. It could be that it can support two screens.

http://www.macrumors.com/2009/01/15/intel-atom-based-mac-mini-due-in-march/

Worth waiting for the new one? They'll be priced similarly, apparently. I'm very pleased with my "old" mini, which also has an Intel chipset, though not the Atom one.

In the manual it reads that the "sync" cable is a mini-jack cable, and it should be recommended by Beo, does this mean that if my dealer don't have one, that I could use any good quality mini-jack ( 3,5mm) cable? 

bayerische:

In the manual it reads that the "sync" cable is a mini-jack cable, and it should be recommended by Beo, does this mean that if my dealer don't have one, that I could use any good quality mini-jack ( 3,5mm) cable? 

I tried that, and it didn't work properly - could be that the jack was too short, though it should be to a standard. When I got the one from B&O (took them two days to get it to the dealer) everything worked perfectly, and there's a noticeable audio effect from synchronising the speakers. Really worth doing.

As to the Mac mini, I understand from the comments in the thread I linked above that the Atom chipset is inferior to the one in the existing minis, go figure!

You would need some software then to sync the libraries. Think about how often you change the category of a CD or go after cover art. it's typically not just done by simp;ly copying the files around unfortunately.

That is one thing I give the ATV the thumbs up for, it does sync with itunes like an Ipod. I just wish they would re-do the UI so that it stops looking like a shopping cart for Itunes.

 

Well, you have the various library sharing options, and with the Touch or iPhone you can select different libraries that have been enabled as sources to either the mini or the ATV ... not really a problem, I find.

For me it's no problem not to have them synced. My iPhone (8gb) is full, and I really have to be selective to what I put on it. So putting music on the Mac mini, will also be a bit selective at first since I don't want to put anything unnecessary on it.

Just ordered the Sync cable from my dealer. 

There are different ways of sync'ing libraries. You can merge them, which is what you want to avoid, as you have different content on different libraries, or you can just make each separately available through your wireless setup, to every playpoint in the house (your laptop, the mini, the ATV ...) The instructions for choosing modes are quite straightforward.

In my home, I have a number of outlet points, either computers or Airport Express units. Using the laptop or the Touch/iPhone, I can select a library, content from the same, and then choose which outlet I want that music piped to, wirelessly. It's quite neat. As you already have a server, you'll just assign that as your main depository for the content you put into your system from the mini, and don't let yourself be constrained by the capacity of the harddisk on the mini. I keep very little content on it, and have the majority on a stand-alone NAS-server.

soundproof:

bayerische:

In the manual it reads that the "sync" cable is a mini-jack cable, and it should be recommended by Beo, does this mean that if my dealer don't have one, that I could use any good quality mini-jack ( 3,5mm) cable? 

I tried that, and it didn't work properly - could be that the jack was too short, though it should be to a standard. When I got the one from B&O (took them two days to get it to the dealer) everything worked perfectly, and there's a noticeable audio effect from synchronising the speakers. Really worth doing.

Yes, only the one from B&O works perfectly:

http://retail1.bang-olufsen.dk/Communityaccess.asp?CatalogueType=Accessory&Produkt=6270901

You never ever should use anything else (like the usual minijack cables), as this wouldn’t work (I tried that too). The B&O cable is changing from (the) left to (the) right (channel), what should be the secret (if my information is correct).

Soundproof : read your post and was wondering if you more in detail could describe your setup. Sounds really, really neat.

Best regards

Hans, Sweden

Hi Halid,

It's on my "to do" list, I've had some inquires via PM, as well. I'll try to put something together!

soundproof:

Hi Halid,

It's on my "to do" list, I've had some inquires via PM, as well. I'll try to put something together!

 

Soundproof, I decided getting the 1,83ghz Mac mini tomorrow. I think I'll have all the pieces on the 22'nd. Beoworld should be up and running by then. I'll post my results as soon as possible. 

I got the Mac mini and sync cable, but still missing the toslink -> coaxial converter... 

 

bayerische:

I got the Mac mini and sync cable, but still missing the toslink -> coaxial converter...

I’m using this one without any problems:

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/CO2.html

There are other (more simple and technical often identical) models like already mentioned before. The only one I’ve never used is the DTO-3 from ada:

http://www.ada.net/products/bb/dto_3.php

maclife:

bayerische:

I got the Mac mini and sync cable, but still missing the toslink -> coaxial converter...

 

I’m using this one without any problems:

 

http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/CO2.html

I've used the same one, before my present Cambridge Azur 840C solution. It's an excellent converter. Particularly the bi-directional version I specified above.

 

I ordered one from ebay.co.uk, The only ones I found where those "cheap" looking ones, that was already linked too. But it hasn't arrived yet... I'm currently ripping music. In apple lossless.

Just tried the sound quickly via the miniplug, and it was pretty decent, but I guess nothing to make a judgment from.

Seriously, I think you get full bit-transparency with the "cheap" ones. There shouldn't be any change or modification to the digital signal, just from a simple conversion. It's just that it seems so counterintuitive that one can get the necessary translation without spending a fortune. (Bel Canto sells DACs and soundcards that run into the thousands of pounds, for instance.)

I am confident you will notice a serious difference when you switch to all-digital, and I'm curious to hear of your experiences. I will put up some info in the Mac forum as to the best settings for the Audio MIDI app, iTunes Preferences, etc., to ensure you get the best possible output to your speakers.

Thanks Soundproof, I'll really be looking forward to that, cause the settings was something I was thinking about..