I am about to trade in my Beosound 3200 for a Beosound 5 as I prefer the way you can manipulate the CD's once recorded (drag and drop onto MP3 player, etc). I am a bit tired of recording CD's in real time (plus its full to the brim)

However, I am unsure how this comapres to just getting a top of the range MAC or similar with one mother of a hard disk and just linking it into the system to manage my CD colleciton (6-700+) and just link it into the system somehow.

Does anyone have a view on alternatives or is the Beosound 5 really all it is cracked up to be (in a psotive manner!)

Thanks, Rob

I haven't used Beosound 5.... but we have 2 Apple TVs at home....

In addition to storing all your music you can rent movies as you wish, store photo albums and display them on your TV. Watch previews for movies.

Although we still buy CDs it's nice not to have to buy entire DVDs and just rent them as you wish. Plus it's environmentally friendly :-)

Sorry for being dumd but what is apple TV?  My dealer mentioned it but never presented it as an option.

I have a really old Mac Mini which still has the old PowerPC version of Mac OS X installed. However, as a streaming media server, this is sufficient. You can probably pick one up on eBay for next-to-nothing.

On the Mac Mini is OS X, of course, plus the latest iTunes. That's it! I then have two iPod Touch devices, one for upstairs and another for downstairs. These use the 'Remote' iPhone/Touch application which enables you to control iTunes on the remote Mac Mini, via WiFi. It enables you to choose a track, move to another track, choose speakers, alter volume (if necessary) and more. Dead easy to use.

I then have an Airport Express device connected to any B&O product which I want to stream audio - that could be the Beosound 4, Beocenter 2, direct to the BL5s, the BV7 (with BL9s) and so on.

When I want to play some music, pick up the iPod Touch, choose the Airport Express speaker (you can stream to multiple speakers!) and play. You can then control volume and so on from the Beo4/Beo5.

This whole system is relatively cheap and I don't think it can be bettered (for the price or functionality). The only downside, as you'd expect, is that you can't move to another track using your Beo4/5.

robc4674:

Sorry for being dumd but what is apple TV?  My dealer mentioned it but never presented it as an option.

Apple - Apple TV

Works beautifully with B and O. It is fully controllable with the Beo 4 and provides cover art on the TV. Alternatively a screen saver of whatever photos you choose can be displayed while watching music. Also, an iTouch or iPhone can be used to select music, again with full cover art.

Hi Moxxey.

Sorry for not sending DVD's previously - I have taken stock of situaiton and actually got refund for many of the things causing me issues so now moving forward I hope. Would appreicate it if you could review my other threads - I respect your opinion.

However, I have no idea what the hell you just wrote!  You seem to have a bis-botch of everything! My brief to my dealer was a system that works of one controller, ie Beo4.  This must be TV, DVD, CD, DTV, CCTV, TRadio, DRadio, etc, etc as I do not like controllers littering my house (my issue I know!).  My wife will not let me have Beo5 as I leave them out at night in the garden and they do not like rain that much.

Are you saying I can interlink other systems into the B&O system?  This is not what my dealer said!  They advised I am limited on what works with the controller Beo4 (I know you said you can not change tracks on what you have).  I am slightly worried at blowing another £6k for Beosound 5 and Free Sat if I become limited again.  For example - I can always add hard drives to a MAC or PC. I do not believe you can do this with Beosound 5 so there is only a finite amount fo space, especially if they record flawlessly.

Do they really need to do this to start with? Whats wrong with 192kbps anyway - Beosound 6 seems fine so do most other systems.  Do you really notice the difference?  Can I down grade the quality of recording onto the Beosound 5 to get more capacity of CD's. Dealer advised that Beosound 5 has a 10,000 track capacity which is only 500 CD's - I am way over this already.

Lots of questions I know but would be grateful for your help once again. Many thanks for your help. Rob 

I use the Apple TV connected to a BV8 and some BL3s.  I control it via the Beo4 by using the PUC on the BV8.  This is, IMHO, the ultimate "poor man's media server".  If I don't want to run the BV8s LCD backlight and if I'm only listening to music, I click in to the "picture mute" mode via the Beo4 and peruse my music collection via an iPhone.  The integration is wonderful.  The sound and video quality is good, too.  Plus, I'm not spinning the hard drive on my computer (which serves as my central media repository), but rather spinning the hard drive of a peripheral device (the Apple TV).

As many of the forum members (whom I routinely bother with questions) know, I consider this an experiment as I aspire to upgrade to a larger B&O LCD panel and BL5s in the near future.

I don't find the Beosound 5 a compelling enough product at this time.  I'd consider purchasing it, but primarily for it's digital coaxial outputs.  The fact that it doesn't play well with Apple lossless format means that it's a "no no" for me.  Long ago, I reconciled myself to the fact that I'd need to "buy in" to one media player and I made the decision to go with Apple's iTunes software.

For the record, I'd love to see B&O do what I consider to be the smart thing, and better enable their products to play well with Apple's products.  For instance, I'd like to see the BS3 have digital coaxial outputs to allow the inherent DACs integrate with BL5s.  I'd like B&O to simply make software that serves as a conduit to sync with iTunes.

So, I say that you ought to look at a cheaper solution than the BS5 and look at the Apple TV.

Just my .02,

Mark

Same here. I won't touch Bs5 until they provide better Mac support. I won' t go back to having gaps between my songs for remixes and live concers which I understand I would get as I cant rip lossless wav.

I use my ATV with my BV8, mostly for Video - hacked and connected to a NAS. For music I reverted to take the actual CD, I just dont want to bother myself ripping it twice and my Ipod touch doesnt have enough memory to do lossless.

JK

What about the Loewe MediaCenter?

Apple TV is nice if you don't mind to be stuck in Apple-land and fine with a limited harddisk.

I use a Popcorn Hour. Interface is very very customizable, but I wouldn't recommend it, if you're not in computers.

Best bang for the bucks is definitly a TVIX 6500 or 7000. Pop in a 1 TB harddisk and take off. Nice interface out of the box, and PUC-controlled if you wish! It plays almost any format you can find on the internet. A lot of B&O dealers already use this device, to show HD-content in their shops. Last year B&O used the TVIX at their dealer meeting in Cannes.

DoubleU:

Apple TV is nice if you don't mind to be stuck in Apple-land and fine with a limited harddisk.

I use a Popcorn Hour. Interface is very very customizable, but I wouldn't recommend it, if you're not in computers.

Best bang for the bucks is definitly a TVIX 6500 or 7000. Pop in a 1 TB harddisk and take off. Nice interface out of the box, and PUC-controlled if you wish! It plays almost any format you can find on the internet. A lot of B&O dealers already use this device, to show HD-content in their shops. Last year B&O used the TVIX at their dealer meeting in Cannes.

Do you know if Tvix 6500 can output HDMI and S-VHS/Composite/component at the same time?

Very useful for Linkroom setup

robc4674:

You seem to have a bis-botch of everything! My brief to my dealer was a system that works of one controller, ie Beo4.

I don't know what you mean? A 'bis-botch'? It's three products, from the same company: computer (either Mac Mini or Apple TV), WiFi streaming devices and a controller. Where's the 'bis-botch' there? If you used the system - and many others have the same system - then you'd realise how effective it all works. If you ONLY want something that is controllable via your Beo4, you're restricting yourself somewhat.

Bizarre. I'll move on from this discussion. Good luck!

mr_anders_son:

Do you know if Tvix 6500 can output HDMI and S-VHS/Composite/component at the same time?

Very useful for Linkroom setup

However, it makes more sense not to use linkroom setup anymore. If your content is on a NAS, and you have a TVIX in every linkroom, you can stream 3 different movies in full-HD. Or listen different audio in linkrooms. Technology these days makes ML very limited.

Apple TV is fully controllable by the Beo 4 and works fine in link rooms for audio. However in link rooms an iTouch/iPhone is needed for the visul component of selecting tracks.

TivX; Looks good but also looks like it's not supporting mac?

I think you have to separate out Music and Video.

For Music, I want 2 way remote and integration into Itunes. Sonos does support that, Apple TV as well. I do not want to deal with mouse and keyboard in my living room which you have to with Mini Mac/ Imac based on my experience. 

For Video, I don't like to use Itunes as it stands. I like the idea of having an automated library, meaning base don file name it should pull movie trailer, review and DVD cover for me. There are quite a few applications that do that. Also I like integration with streamaing services like Youtube or Netflix or Hulu. I have my ATV hacked to run a software like that, however it does not have enough processor power to deal with much content besides whats coming from Itunes.

Most products mentioned here offer only simple navigation, they miss the automated trailer and cover functionality for the Library.

My setup, I run ATV with Boxee Media Center and a NAS to handle my video. Down the line I will use this for Music and my Ipod Touch as a 2 way remote. There should be an upgraded ATV coming soon, which I am sure will provide more processor power and it should not take long to install applications like Boxee.

Oh, my ATV with Boxee is controlled through Beo 4. I basically have a Kaleidescape installation on the cheap. Disadvantage is that I have to compress the DVD files and convert them to MP4.

JK

i know this sounds a bit silly but i think you should just go with one you like the best in terms of features you want and the looks.

i have been thinking about trading my Sound 9000 for a Bc2 because it has more modern features but then i love CDs and despite slowed down sales they sound fantastic and will be around for another 10-20 years i'm sure.

if you like it buy it. there's always stuff out there that is more feature proof or cheaper or.....etc but if you like the look and will be happy living with it in front of your eyes for years to come buy it.

if you're less fussed about looks, materials and functionality then go with a more computer based system. i have seen the sound 5 and it is very impressive but too expensive given that i am happy with my bs9000.

summary - using my newish MacBook Pro does not compare to using my beovision 5 and beosound 9000...my bang & olufsen looks and feels more satisfying then the computer by far!!

I agree with seethroughyou, the last thing I want to do when I get home is have to use a computer to put music on to relax. I spend the day e-mailing etc...so to use a B&O is a pleasure. I think people are so obsessed about technology, there's nothing wrong with being up to date with technology and making use of it but within reason.

I have to admit I am not an Apple fan at all. I have an apple Ipod touch which is nice but I got rid of my Apple airport express. Had a horrible habit of cutting out and then wouldn't stream to the dining room so I got another one for the diningroom but it also did the same thing. Sometimes people walking from one room to another would cause a problem. Not much fun in my opinion and of course this is only my opinion

mr_anders_son:

DoubleU:

Apple TV is nice if you don't mind to be stuck in Apple-land and fine with a limited harddisk.

I use a Popcorn Hour. Interface is very very customizable, but I wouldn't recommend it, if you're not in computers.

Best bang for the bucks is definitly a TVIX 6500 or 7000. Pop in a 1 TB harddisk and take off. Nice interface out of the box, and PUC-controlled if you wish! It plays almost any format you can find on the internet. A lot of B&O dealers already use this device, to show HD-content in their shops. Last year B&O used the TVIX at their dealer meeting in Cannes.

 

Do you know if Tvix 6500 can output HDMI and S-VHS/Composite/component at the same time?

Very useful for Linkroom setup

No. Tvix 6500/7000 can NOT output HDMI and composite simultanously. I`m using a Gefen HDMI - composite converter for linkrooms.

Stefan