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ARCHIVED FORUM -- April 2007 to March 2012
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This is the first Archived Forum which was active between 17th April 2007 and 1st March February 2012

 

Latest post 06-01-2009 7:46 AM by soundproof. 15 replies.
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  • 05-30-2009 7:32 AM

    Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    heading says it all really should I go for Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ? for music purposes.

    Let the answers flowBig Smile

    Filed under: , ,
  • 05-30-2009 7:55 AM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    For convienience I have my 40GB of CD's imported onto the iMac and played through BeoPort.

    The only hassle is to remember to set the sound output on the iMac correctly, and music selection (unless I'm happy with a random) requires a visit to the computer.

    For me the Apple TV isn't an option as I have an Avant - no HDMI or component ! As for Beomedia I couldn't justify another computer/power drain.

    Hope this helps.

     

     

  • 05-30-2009 8:45 AM In reply to

    • Kokomo
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    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    I have gone down the way of ATV, connected to my B&O audio system & controlled from my iPod touch. All works wonderfully.

    I only use it to listen to music as I can't connect it to my Beovision 3. Viewing the artwork would be nice, but it's not really something I miss (until I upgrade the TV of course!).

    "Let the love flow........like a mountain stream....."

     

    Paradise

     

  • 05-30-2009 11:09 AM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    Has been discussed million times before but cant hurt to do it again. What is your setup? That can make a huge difference.

     

    Cheers

    JK

    BS9000, BS2300, BC2, BL2500, BL3, Bl2, BS1, BV8, BC4, A8

  • 05-30-2009 11:51 AM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    I know this topic comes up a lot, but I think that aside from different users having different requirements that there is no really good solution in general.

    The sound from an AppleTV is unlistenable on any speakers (to my ears at least), but it's super convenient to sync a music collection with iTunes.

    The BeoPort is a lousy solution because it requires a lot of blind navigation unless you're sitting in front of the computer (in which case, why do you even need it!?).

    The BeoMedia is not really bad, but nothing innovative and as useless in a link room as BeoPort.

    And this discussion would be even crazier if we were talking about video!

    At the end of the day the BeoSound 5 and Sonos are the only things that look like they're steps in the right direction. While both concepts still have major flaws/shortcomings, both will change and advance. AppleTV shows little evidence that it's a focus for Apple (which I think they've even admitted) and the BeoPort & BeoMedia will always be what they are. If the Sonos could solve the quality issues and the BeoSound 5 launches link room accessories that are as good as I expect them to be we can finally start making some firm recommendations. At this point, if you want any sort of distribution it's a lesser of two evils scenario. 

    There is scarcely anything in this world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man's lawful prey. - John Ruskin

  • 05-30-2009 3:51 PM In reply to

    • Affineur
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    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    I have found the ATV/BV8/BL3 combo to be more than aequate from both a convenience perspective and from a sound quality perspective. Perhaps my ears have gotten too old but I do not detect a significant difference between the ATV/BV8/BL3/Beo4 (at our second home) and the same source file played through my BC2 and BL9s (at the primary residence), with the obvious exception of the bass response. Although Apple could easily enable internet radio on ATV, I have been told that they do not want the ATV to become "too much of a product" for fear of lost sales in the computer line up. To overcome this I have dedicated my orphaned Powerbook G4 (2003 vintage) to the system which readily provides the internet radio universe. The libaray of available video from Apple is growing very quickly and I find the HD content to be above expectation. The system is super convenient.... add a Tivo (as I have) and it is a very nice media hub.

    Seek simplicity and distrust it. Alfred North Whitehead
  • 05-30-2009 3:59 PM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    Listening to the same music in three different ways through a BV7 MKIII and Beolab 9s I have detected little or no difference in the sound quality.  1. CD in a Beosound 3000,   2. iTunes on PC connected by Masterlink,  and  Beoport, and   3. Apple TV connected to the BV7 and synced wirelessly to the PC.

    Beovision 7-55 with Beolab 7-4, 9s and 4000s

    Beovision 10-40 with Beolab 1s and 6000s

    Beosound 1, 5, 2000, and 3000

    Beotime, Beotalk, Beocoms

  • 05-30-2009 4:35 PM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    The Apple TV was a hobby for them but market adoption spiked so we should see a somewhat big update soon.

     

    They need to be in the living room with their itunes, otherwise other content provider will grab their share. Netflix is already grabbing a piece with their dirt cheap streaming service for the US. The applications are beeing written ...so if they don't make a leap Apple may just miss the train and be stuck in the Music land. Apple knows this, the 2 way remote on the Iphone/touch was not a gimmick that they did out of boredom, its a piece of the puzzle.

    I run an ATV for Video with Boxee.tv - my music is either on my Ipod or I use CD. The ATV with Boxee is controlled by Beo 4 through STB from the BV8.

    Once there is a larger Ipod Touch, 128GB or more, I switch to high resolution files and then I may do something about the CD as I cant be bothered running 2 libraries.

     

    JK

    BS9000, BS2300, BC2, BL2500, BL3, Bl2, BS1, BV8, BC4, A8

  • 05-30-2009 4:45 PM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    Thanks for all the replys,

    But I think I have decided, I will get a Apple TV to connect to my mac mini which will be relocated to the study to enable the kids to use it as a everyday computer, the apple tv will take it's palce in the playroom so that the kids still, have access to the movies I have stored.

    I will also get a beoport for just music purposes as this will be independent from the Atv & I will access the music by my Iphone to choose etc.

    Any problems with this setup?

  • 05-30-2009 5:42 PM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    I have the 160GB Apple TV plugged into my 7-40 and stream from the iMAC in the spare room/office. Works really well and the sound quality is fine - plays through the 7-2 speaker under the tv. Chose the ATV because of the iTunes interface and menu systems, which comopliment the B&O nicely. Consider B&O solutions beforehand (except for the BS5) but found them to be outdated and uninteresting. The ATV also allows for HD movie rental which is a nice little touch although Apple need to be more competitive with their pricing for the HD movies I suggest.

    Simon.

  • 05-31-2009 11:11 AM In reply to

    • Kokomo
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    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    TripEnglish wrote:-

    The sound from an AppleTV is unlistenable on any speakers (to my ears at least), but it's super convenient to sync a music collection with iTunes.

    In the Beoworld FAQs is the following comment:-

    "Initial reports coming through (April 2007) from our members are that Apple TV with the BV7 is amazing, with clarity and sound of the very highest quality. Early days of course, but initial reports are excellent."

    As with anything I suppose, such things really are in the eyes or ears of the beholder.

     

  • 05-31-2009 12:08 PM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    If the sound quality from ATV is "unlistenable," then we had better throw away all our CDs, as the playback is in that resolution. If you have shitty files stored on the ATV, or which the ATV is playing back from a storage device, then the file decides the result. But if you have the music stored in lossless you're listening to CD-quality sound, particularly if you connect using the optical or HDMI out (the latter is the most convenient for BV7, I should think).

  • 05-31-2009 12:34 PM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    Maybe my BeoSound 5 has spoiled me. I just can't wrap my ears around the sound from an Apple product played through anything but headphones and digital music just wasn't a part of my global system until the BeoSound 5 came home for that reason.

    I record in 320kbps MP3 so the files are more versatile and I'm sure that has something to do with it, but the difference is indistinguishable on the BeoSound 5 whereas it sounds "like and MP3" on the AppleTV. 

    Soundproof, you've discussed outboard DACs, and maybe this could be a solution? I haven't experimented with them myself as I haven't had a need to, but for the person who wants versatility over ABSOLUTE PRECISION, this could be a better compromise.

    There is scarcely anything in this world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little more cheaply. The person who buys on price alone is this man's lawful prey. - John Ruskin

  • 05-31-2009 2:33 PM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    that must be why apple have more computers in recording studios than any other company.. you know the place where they actually make the music in the first place before it's put on cd's.. "rolleyes"

    popgear is grate™

  • 06-01-2009 5:48 AM In reply to

    • Michael
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    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    beolife:

    heading says it all really should I go for Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ? for music purposes.

    Let the answers flowBig Smile

    Yeah... but mate, what are you trying to do?  Confused  Are you trying to stream music or are you trying to what? LOL

    I wouldn't get an apple TV, what I have instead is my ipod and the cable if i want to watch d/loaded content and it also has audio, but this means you want to have it connected to a TV.

    Why don't you just have an airport express?

  • 06-01-2009 7:46 AM In reply to

    Re: Beoport , Beomedia or Apple TV ?

    Not certain what you're trying to compare, Beolife!

    With ATV you get a unit which displays YouTube, Podcasts (Video and Audio), accesses all the content on the iTunes Store (incl. HD-movies), accesses all content on other computers in your home, and which can also be directed to find music on designated servers, such as a ReadyNAS+ with multiple terabyte storage capacity (how I have mine set up).

    You can then place music, movies, photos in folders, and have all of this content available from the ATV, through HDMI, to your music centre/HDMI capable screen.

    The sound quality is at CD-resolution on music; and the unit allows you to purchase and view movies in HD quality, with 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround.

    And you can control the ATV using an iPod Touch or iPhone.

    (And the above is possible without even having begun to think about hacking the unit.)

    As to Flappo's comment concerning Apple and music/movie production. Yes, Apple's computers are preferred in these industries - but getting top quality sound and images out of the units requires proper soundcards, DACs, or HDMI connection (from the ATV).

    There are dozens of audio quality tests of the ATV on the net, a quick google will reveal them. Here's one assessment, one of the original ATV, with a brief discussion in the opening of the revision:

    http://www.platinumhometheaters.com/atvreview.html

    And here's a very thorough discussion of the audio quality:

    http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/AppleTV-Music-Server?page=1

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