Does using a Beoport have any benefit vs. connecting a MacBook to a BV 7-40 directly? I just don't see a reason why do use this little black box?!

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Unless you have link rooms I don't see that either. Onlt thing, you gain Beo4 control which you don't really have unless you stick the STB cable onto the Macbook. For mac mini and apple TV this is possible, for Beo 5 its not needed since it can control Apple directly.

The Beoport at this point does really have very limited use I must say, especially if you are part of the Apple Universe.