I don't know when this one was released, but I've just noticed a new SW version on B&O's BeoPort section that I've pasted below:If I read correctly, you can now hold the full BeoPort display/controls on your PC screen, meaning that with a dedicated PC, you get a better display and more navigation options than with a BeoSound 5..one more reason not to buy that BeoSound, don't you think?

Version 5.02.01

This new version of BeoPlayer is designed for use with the BeoSound 5 / BeoMaster 5 or for BeoMedia 1 use.

New features included:

• It is now possible to hold the BeoPlayer control and dismiss hiding
• If you are using BeoMedia 1: You are not required to download this new release, but are encouraged to:
  • if you experience problems using your current version, or
  • if you have updated to a Windows version not supported by the current version
  • The Guide for the new release does not describe use with BeoMedia 1 and therefore a separate Guide (available in English only) must be used.
     » English Guide

Error correction:

• A number of minor error corrections have been made.

It would be really nice if B&O considered all of their long standing customers who bought a Beoport many years ago to run Satellite TV etc from the main rom TV through the MasterLink and into the PC. This required a special ATi (who now don't make PAL cards) or Hauppauge TV card which is now obsolete.

Many have also upgraded their PC's, which now come with the latest Hauppauge analogue/digital TV cards pre-installed. Beoport software still drives the audio side of everything (including Satellite TV audio), but not the Video!!

Clearly the B&O software has not kept pace with this new technology (...err, nothing new there then, is there?), and it is about time they either fixed this issue, or if they are not going to fully support the product, they should stop marketing these features. Surely it can't be that difficult to resolve?

Chances of a fix? - slim and none!

There is a danger in using the "hold" display function with this new update. I've noticed that sometimes it will retain the BeoPlayer control image ON TOP OF the computer's screensaver. You can risk an image burn-in.

beojeff:

There is a danger in using the "hold" display function with this new update. I've noticed that sometimes it will retain the BeoPlayer control image ON TOP OF the computer's screensaver. You can risk an image burn-in.

Burn in? Don't think so...

Hi All

If only an update would be released for those of us using MACs- beoport is almost useless now with the latest versions of ITunes..

:(

David Coyne

Sydney, Australia

Yes. That's the whole point of using screen savers. I've noticed instances with the new upgrade where the "hold" function will, indeed, retain the image on top of the screen saver.

While not as bad as with CRT, LCD can suffer from image persistence and still needs a screen saver. 

http://compreviews.about.com/od/monitors/a/LCDBurnIn.htm

The point I was making is that B&O released this update with this error in the software.

manu:

It would be really nice if B&O considered all of their long standing customers who bought a Beoport many years ago to run Satellite TV etc from the main rom TV through the MasterLink and into the PC. This required a special ATi (who now don't make PAL cards) or Hauppauge TV card which is now obsolete.

Good points, manu.

One of the reasons why I keep one of my PCs “not updated” in a sense of graphic card - updating the drivers can also get “tricky”, indeed - is what you stated. I also like the (‘almost’) integration of the video sources and the computer. I use and treasure my Ati All in Wonder 9600 Pro which is rather aging – in fact was somewhat already when I installed it as I had to replace a better card which was preinstalled (it didn’t have the analog TV tuner, of course …), but it works fine. And the PC is not used for gaming.

 Still, just a few days ago that PC died on me, and I quickly suspected it only could be hardware – the PC would not only refuse to boot, it would not even get to the BIOS screen yet it powered up. I hoped it only was a defect fan on the Ati card which is easy to spot (and get changed) but dreaded the repair shop’s verdict anyway … well, it appeared to be a combination of the burned fan and the insufficient PSU (fixed in no time), though the latter worked for years and no power draining hardware was added …

This made me, however, think (again) what I would actually do if the Ati card was done in. As you, I feel practically no info/possibilities available from B&O with respect to that. Or maybe it’s just me? Does anyone actually have some fresh info on new video cards and BeoPort? In other words, what video cards do people install when they buy BeoPort these days?!

Anyone else notice that you loose N.Radio as source when ou unplug the USB box ?

Thomas

@Thomas

I haven't, moreover, as I type on my laptop which is entirely disconnected from BeoPort hardware which it once had installed, I can confirm that thousands of internet stations are still available. The list was without any problem auto-updated when I switched N.RADIO on to check for you - and it, at present, includes 117 stations from Norway.

In fact, I recall now that some time ago someone here mentioned this as a tip: you can install the BeoPort on another computer using your hardware for this, and BeoPlayer's N.RADIO will later - without the hardware, indeed - offer all those stations. This is not the case when you only install the BeoPlayer software.  

Hi Saf,

I'll give it another try then. Thx for the feedback

Thomas