Lee, how did you get on with the UK CEO?

Meeting cancelled and rescheduled for the 23rd June.

Hopefully this will give people more time to post questions. I filled a whole small post-it note with the burning issues our members wanted answers on.

Lee

moxxey:

Bizarrely, I don't see much of a difference between the BV9 and BV5. Basically same TV from my viewpoint. Sure, slightly curved framework, but not much of a difference. Same structure. I guess B&O may think the same?

Kind of like saying 'why did you change the BV4 frame to be more curved' as it's a very similar framework design change. I guess they just wanted t 'modernise' the frame. I think the old squared frame looks rather dated these days. The new BV4 looks more modern.

I like the old and the new frame, but that was not the point. A Beovision 4 is still called a Beovision 4. Beonic_Man is right - they could have just called the BV9 BV5 Mk II

chrisped:

I like the old and the new frame, but that was not the point. A Beovision 4 is still called a Beovision 4. Beonic_Man is right - they could have just called the BV9 BV5 Mk II

No, that's what I said! I said the BV9 is simply an evolution of the BV5. Just a more 'modern' rounded frame. The only downside of the BV9 is that ALT speaker, which looks really odd.

>>I said the BV9 is simply an evolution of the BV<<

I don't think it is. The design of the BV5 was mend to be like a picture frame, that you could hang or lean on the wall. The BV9 with its different proportions and shape has nothing left. I somehow agree with the statement that the BV5 is an icon as the BS9000 is .... for me its still the most beautiful TV that they have.

Since this thread got carried a bit into a discussion, maybe we can have a sticky with the questions listed sofar. That would be bad if we only have 10 or so questions ....

The last 'questions to CEO' thread also meandered in to a multi-page discussion. However, that didn't affect the questions presented by Lee. I'm sure Lee can sort the wheat from the chaff in the thread.

What Lee needs....is more questions to ask!

Mind you, it should be a sticky, you're right.

Change is good... is it time for change?

bumping this up ....

will they keep up the pace of product launches and updates when we go through 2010?

Will there be more product variations or will they focus more on keeping their products current?

Will old equipment like BS9000 or even BC2 integrated into the BS5/Beomedia universe? I.e. 2 way control from the BC2? That would be consistent with what they have done in the past and I think many here expect that going forward to protect investment into our products.

My questions:

1.  As an Apple and BeoPort user, what assurances do I have that BeoPort will continue to function with my Apple products as I migrate to the latest Apple operating system version, which is OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard"?

2.  Is Bang and Olufsen aware that many of its customers use Apple, and that some of its customers, like myself, do not own nor have any access to Microsoft-based devices at all, as both our personal and corporate machines are Apple?

3.  Is Bang and Olufsen aware that there exist customers such as myself who wouldn't hesitate a nanosecond to purchase a Beo5, if it only were user configurable?  This triggers the next question:

4.  Today, multimedia is more and more about the software and less about the hardware (though obviously hardware remains a key foundation).  Beautiful hardware without top notch software is like a great car with no available driver.  And this is what has murdered Beo5, which could plausibly even have become an ambassador, high-volume product to non-B&O customers.  Think iPhone to non-Apple users.  What is Bang and Olufsen doing to improve its mastery of the software business and to empower its customers with it?

Thanks.  I realize the guy only controls UK, but I feel these are universal issues and management at all levels should be aware and communicate upwards.

Hi Lee

Any news on meeting.

Nothing as yet !!

We preliminarily scheduled a meet for the 23rd of this month, but it didn't happen as i suggested something later in the year when new products were launched and BeoWorld traffic was high.  At the moment, it's hot and sunny - and most people are in the garden!

Traffic now in the summer is actually extremely good (as opposed to the early days), but once the hot weather starts to slide away the BeoWorld traffic really starts to kick in heavily again. As the CEO of the UK is so busy, i'd like to make the interview really count

Lee

Actually, I was searching everywhere for this thread yesterday.

Seems to me from the other recent thread http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/t/27249.aspx there is a very pressing question which I think Beoworld has a duty to ask:-

1. Why do a sizable percentage of Dealers not know about how products work, how to solve problems and deal with quality issues adequately? B&O have as part of their growth strategy been engaged in driving up the number of B1 shops over the last 5 years, but this it seems is in converse to Dealer quality experienced in these shops. This is surely counter to B&O's ethos?

2. BeoCare. This may be a workable solution for dealers (but refer to Q1 above), but to the outside world, BeoCare is a joke that simply does not respond to customers (and potential customers) genuine enquiries. Does B&O ever plan to wake-up and address those issues properly or will it continue to live in an ivory tower.

N.B. this question is to drive genuine customer issues of quality, problems, warrenty issues and technical problem solving. It should not be there to drive a chorus of individuals wanting gizzmo x,y and z on their new Beovision or Beosound X

3. Does B&O envisage ever reducing the authority of the ultra-conservitive elements within its organisiation. I mean, to be radical and differentiated from the rest of the A/V world which has to some extent caught up and surpassed B&O, it has got to cast of certain parts of it's past and let a number of free spirits go for something different that drive true technological advances in product design and use as well as ultra-high quality A/V reproduction. Is there going to be a wake-up call?

10%

Thanks Lee

In the garden myself, instead of  dog house which makes a nice change  - your right, and  there could be a lot more questions when summer is over.

Movie

why can't bno make tv's like the avant anymore ?

i got sky hd installed today on my sony's

the pic on the avant via freeview is STILL superior

nuff said

Flappo The Grate:

why can't bno make tv's like the avant anymore ?

I think that's somewhat unfair Flappo. Irrespective of the costs, the BV4 and BV9 give a superb picture. The BV8-40 is widely reported to exceed most customers expectations, including those who have 'upgraded' from an Avant and the BV7-40 MKIV gives as superb HD image. I mean, superb. Ok, SD can be classed as reasonable, but that shows the flaws of the TV signal rather than the picture (as it can produce a stunning image with a superb source).

What you are trying to say is 'why can't they produce a very affordable TV that is as good as the Avant'. I think the BV8-40 is close and the backlit LED screen will be even better. The BV7-55 might be superb, for that reason.

At the moment there's a large gap between 32 and 40 in the LCD range. I find my Avant 32 screen too small, but a 40" BV7 or 8 would either be too big for the room and/or too expensive. The answer is a BV6 based -37. This would close the gap in screen sizes and offer this beautiful looking TV as a main room solution. As for being affordable it would obviously be priced somewhere between BV7 and BV8 so would be an ideal alternative bringing the quality of the Avant without the bulk and with the more minimalist looks of the LX/MX.

David

I don't know if that question has been already put on the list for the UK CEO, but when will B&O launch a fully digital audio-video Masterlink? That would really give a new life to the BeoLink concept, because apart from BeoLab 3500 and BeoLink Wireless, I don't see many BeoLink applications anymore..

All that video and audio cable mess, where you have to connect digital and analog cables to the back of a BeoVision in the main room in order to get some kind of signal in the link rooms is a disaster!