I currently have BM-Link working with no problems with Snow Leopard. I can not use the colored buttons for functions I have heard exist but volume, on/off, and skipping from song to song seem to be working flawlessly. I use an iTouch to choose the songs most of the time. BM-Link is working in the room with the iMac and two other rooms via Masterlink.

Still am eagerly awaiting an update from Odlund or the new software mentioned in this thread.

I have experienced BM-Link freezes (spinning rainbow disc) on occasions but I now have the ritual of stopping the BM-Link before I remove the BeoPort's USB, and also not starting the BN-Link until I have reconnected the USB ... that seems to have produced more stability.

NO news here... and B&O in Sydney seem to suggest I'll be waiting a long time!

David Coyne

Hi All,

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I have been working hard on a Beoplayer equivalent for the Mac.

My aim was to create a programme that will give access to all the features of the Beolink PC2, that looks and behave like a proper Mac programme, but also like a B&O device. This programme should of course work with recent versions of the OS and iTunes.

While I want to concentrate on core features for the first version, I am planning to add support for controlling various sources, such as tuners and Mac media players if people are interested.

The challenges are the following:

- The Masterlink protocol, and the protocol between the Beolink PC2 and the computer is not documented by B&O.

I could install Beoport and trace the protocol, but a lot of it is guess work and requires a LOT of time.

- Each B&O setup is different, and each model speak the same ML language, but with a "different accent"

Having tested my software on one of my friend's setup, I could notice that ML messages are slightly different than those sent by my own setup. As I do not own (unfortunately) every B&O product, it makes it difficult to test every combination.

Again, if B&O could give me the ML protocol, that would make my life easy, but I know some have asked before... and you can guess what was the answer.

- I did not originally own a Beolink PC2, but bought one on eBay for this specific purpose.

- I do not own a N.MUSIC compatible Audiomaster (I have a BC 2500)

Beolink PC2 can still be used in that case, and you can still access main sources, or local sources, It can also work in Option 0,1,2 as an Audiomaster. I have to rely on a friend to test the N.MUSIC/N.RADIO distribution in option 4,5,6.

- Just like there are many different B&O setup, there are also many different Mac setup.

I am trying to produce a software that works with the lastest macs, OS and iTunes (as BMLink is broken on these) but I would also like not to forget older Macs. Therefore I am aiming to make it work on Intel and PPC macs, running Leopard or Snow Leopard, and the latest version of iTunes.

Anyway... despite all these obstacles, I have some good news as I have made some good progress lately.

What I have got is a programme that can control iTunes and iTunes radios, iTunes CD player and Frontrow (that includes the DVD player).

All can be controlled through a virtual remote, see screenshot earlier in this thread, or with the Beo4/5/beolink 1000 remote.

Sources of the audiomaster and Videomaster can also be called and played on speakers connected to the Powerlink socket of the Beolink PC2 or the headphone socket of the Beolink PC2.

When in Option 0,1,2 it can act as an Audiomaster, and these sources can be accessed from the main TV for example.

When in Option 4,5,6 it can distribute N.MUSIC and N.RADIO if you have a N.MUSIC compatible audio master.

Yesterday I finally solved a important bug that made it crash under Leopard (I am developing under Snow Leopard).

I am going to work on it this weekend and if it looks good, I am planning to start Beta testing from next week.

If some of you are interested to help me with Beta testing, please send me an email through the Contact button.

Philippe

Dear PhilLondon,

Thank you for the update. Looks very exciting and promising. :)

First of all I would like to thank you for having the guts to start a project like this and spending the time and effort and determination this project obviously will take to complete. 

I did sell my beoport (knocking myself silly now ....) when I switched from PC to Mac about 2 years ago now. The constant problems and lack of support by B&O didn't help. I now use a mac mini with Ridax's cable solution which works ok... for now, and I would love to see a more capable and more up-to-date and permanent solution. The beoport would be a great (and affordable) solution.

Also glad to read that you will add support for other media players later (May I suggest to add 'Plex" as several people I know use this).

I will also start looking on ebay to find a second hand beoport or beolink pc2 asap. Though it may take a while to find one in North America :(  

Regards,

O.

cooldude:

I will also start looking on ebay to find a second hand beoport or beolink pc2 asap.

Thanks for your encouragement...

Wait until it is finished ;-) for the moment it is only a Beta! Got to make sure I can get it to work on many systems...

PhilLondon:

cooldude:

I will also start looking on ebay to find a second hand beoport or beolink pc2 asap.

Thanks for your encouragement...

Wait until it is finished ;-) for the moment it is only a Beta! Got to make sure I can get it to work on many systems...

You're welcome!

Hope to get a beoport in the next couple of weeks (none on ebay right now and even my dealer hasn't got one right now..)

Whenever you're ready, I'll be more than glad to give the beta a go if you want me to.

Fantastic progress

Thank you so much

PhilLondon:

If some of you are interested to help me with Beta testing, please send me an email through the Contact button.

More than happy to assist in your beta program ... my set-up sent also sent via email:

1. Snow Leopard MacBook
2. BeoPort (supposedly, box still said PC2) with IR and optionally BeoLab 3s
3. BeoSound 4 with optionally BeoLab 6000s
4. BeoVision 8-32 with BeoLab 3s
5. BeoWirelesses with BeoLab 4s and BeoLab 6000s
6. Beo 4 and BeoLink 1000

Hi Philippe,

This is great news. I echo other's comments of thanks for taking this on.

Happy to be a beta tester too! I've emailed you my details.

Here's hoping I'll have Snow Leopard and the BeoPort working again soon

Best

Rob

Hi All

On a related topic is there any word on an update by Anders Odlund of the BM Link software for MAC??

Your developments sounds interesting Phil, if i was closer I'd be happy to be a tester!

Kind Regards

David Coyne

david coyne:

Your developments sounds interesting Phil, if i was closer I'd be happy to be a tester!

Project is taking shape...

The Beta version is not reserved for people in the northern hemisphere...

Just send me an email if you want to receive the Beta version.

     Philippe

Hope you do not mind me posting this, Philippe.....just tried the latest version.....it is brilliant!  The speech synthesis is amazing!

Listening to internet radio and having the voice tell me what I am listening to whenever I want is very nice.

Congratulations on what must have been an huge amount of work that is producing an amazing result!

Hi Philippe,

I second Razlaw's comments, beta version 0.4 is terrific. A few bugs still which I've emailed you about but LinkPlayer is looking like a really great piece of work - please keep up the development and bug-fixing. Thanks for all your hard work!

Best

Rob

Displaying the song title in the BV7 display is also a great feature!

Hi All & Philippe..

This looks very exciting.

My set up is:

Beocentre 2

beolab 9's

MAC MINI connected to a DAC MAGIC to beocentre 2

NMUSIC & NRADIO played via itunes 8.2

OSX 10.5.5

BV8-40 (this is the master)

BC 6 Television upstairs as link room which doubles as a pair of speakers for music of all kinds (ie radio, cd, NMUSIC, NRADIO)

Will your system work with this set up?

Presently I can play NRADIO/NMUSIC but have no functions with the coloured buttons, ie cant scroll through playlists

Love to hear more!!!

Best wishes

David

david coyne:

OSX 10.5.5

The current beta version isn't running under 10.5, some people have reported, but it should be supported again in the next beta.

I'll make a website in the next few weeks.

p.

david coyne:

Hi All & Philippe..

This looks very exciting.

It is !

david coyne:

My set up is:

Beocentre 2

beolab 9's

MAC MINI connected to a DAC MAGIC to beocentre 2

NMUSIC & NRADIO played via itunes 8.2

OSX 10.5.5

BV8-40 (this is the master)

BC 6 Television upstairs as link room which doubles as a pair of speakers for music of all kinds (ie radio, cd, NMUSIC, NRADIO)

,,,

David

I have been testing too, my current set up is:

• MasterLink to ...

1. BeoSound 4 with BeoLab 6000s
2. BeoVision 8-32 with BeoLab 3s
3. BeoPort with BeoLab 4s and MacBook
4. BeoWireless transmitter to ...

• BeoWirless to ...

1. BeoWireless receiver with BeoLab 4s

Anyone else testing BeoSound 4 and/or BeoWireless ?

No Beosound 4 or wireless in our system. Masterlink between iMac with Beolab 4000s connected to Beoport, Beolab 6000s in another room, and  BV7/BS3000 and speakers in another room.  The program seems to be working perfectly right now. I have been trying many different actions from all three rooms and have experienced no problems. It appears to be a brilliant piece of software that becomes more and more impressive the more one uses it.

Looking forward to the final version as the Beta version has to be restarted every hour.

I'm glad that the program is working for you, but for some reason i'm not so successful.

ctually i doesn't work at all for me, but crashes almost instantly when i start it and select say N.Music from the Beo4 or the program.

I do use a BeoSound 3000 with two BeoLab 8000 and a BeoLab 2 connected to the BeoPort PC2 FW 1.31

My Mac is a MacBook Pro from Mid 2008. Is there any special Option Setting i have to adjust or is 6 just fine.

How about The BeoSound 3000 does this have to be in a special mode ? Thanks in advance for your answers. I would really love to have a stable Mac <=> B&O COnnection. Regards Harald

Just arrived back from the business trip and can't wait until I install it and let you know about results!!!

rippi:

I'm glad that the program is working for you, but for some reason i'm not so successful.

ctually i doesn't work at all for me, but crashes almost instantly when i start it and select say N.Music from the Beo4 or the program.

I do use a BeoSound 3000 with two BeoLab 8000 and a BeoLab 2 connected to the BeoPort PC2 FW 1.31

My Mac is a MacBook Pro from Mid 2008. Is there any special Option Setting i have to adjust or is 6 just fine.

How about The BeoSound 3000 does this have to be in a special mode ? Thanks in advance for your answers. I would really love to have a stable Mac <=> B&O COnnection. Regards Harald

Are you asking about the Odlund program or the new Beta program some of us are testing?  If the new program, when I installed the first versions, they all worked fine. I then installed .5 and I had the same problems you are experiencing. However, when I went back to it the next day and since then, it has worked fine. I can not explain the difference. The only things I changed in the preferences menu were what types of display the song titles are sent to and I set it to start up in stand by rather than PC for a source when opening the program. I do not know if that has anything to do with it. I have briefly changed the settings back to what they were initially trying to reproduce the problems but so far it just keeps working. We are using a 2 month old iMac and I have it set to option 6 also. Also, fw version is 1.31.

If Odlund, no special settings. It just seems to work. One thing, if Odlund are you using snow Leopard?  To get Odlund to work with Snow Leopard I set it to always open in 32 bit mode instead of 64 bit and that solved the problems I was having with it.

rippi:

BeoPort PC2 FW 1.31

Before replying I tried to find the B&O or BMLink to the firmware but could not.

My recollection is that 1.31 is what I have ...

I have tested each dot version and agree that it is terrific

Phillipe is doing a fantastic job of managing a beta program is his spare time.

But it is beta ... so there are always caveats.

I have some stability issues that I suspect is my environment (one reason I tried to check the FW).

I believe my systems are all in the default factory setting option modes.

I did find some sensitivity with how iTunes is set up - I had 104 playlists that were mostly non-existant movie trailers - once I cleaned up my playlists to the Apple defaults plus 4 extras I was able to better control which track iTunes was trying to use when it was launched.

I can only suggest persevering.

FW is in BM Link Preferences under Advanced.  It is at the bottom of that window, in the center.

Thanks !

My memory was correct ... I am on FW 1.31

I have performed two tests this morning ... one playing B.B.King and then the other the Australian Opera

Razlaw:

I then installed .5 and I had the same problems you are experiencing. However, when I went back to it the next day and since then, it has worked fine. I can not explain the difference. The only things I changed in the preferences menu were what types of display the song titles are sent to and I set it to start up in stand by rather than PC for a source when opening the program.

Interesting ... this parallels my experience ... I have been trying both with and with-out "long display" (for the BS4) ... I have not reverted to earlier versions ... what I have noted is that "track change" transitions (which is where the software detects that iTunes is transitioning from one song to the next) result in about 8 seconds of 100% CPU utilisation ... and that some times the software does not come out of this ... and keeps running at 100% whilst iTunes is still playing music ... but the "track change" transitions are no longer captured and eventually the software crashes about 30 minutes later (perhaps the inbuilt time limiter?) ... I think I will take some measurements without "long display" being present !

UPDATE 1

The removal of "display long" option did not change the CPU processing load ... I have a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo MacBook ... using the Mac's Activity Monitor I count each track change takes 12 "ticks" of the display with both cores running at around 100% ... however in this test where the software went "busy" at the 30 minute mark only one core was running at 100% ... and the software seemed to swap between the two cores 100/0, 0/100, 100/0 a couple of times before sitting at a steady 100/0 (roughly) while iTunes continues to play through the masterlink ...

For my next test,  I might revert from "STANDBY" mode 

UPDATE 2

The revert to starting in PC mode appears to dramatically change the CPU profile of track changes !

The track change now uses considerably less than 100% (down to maybe 10% at max?) and lasts for only 2 to 3 ticks of the Activity Monitor.  I can not do more testing for now, but I will do more in about 8 hours time ...

I feel like Sherlock Holmes :-) 

Come Watson, the game is afoot !

UPDATE 3

Just did another test with the setting of 'start in PC mode' ... and got 4 track transitions of:

1 tick of 10.8% utilisation

1 tick of 11.4% utilisation

1 tick of 13.6% utilisation

1 tick of 11.8% utilisation

Given the vagaries of sampling over a 1 tick time interval I regard this as a significant indicator compared to 12 ticks at 100% utilisation ... (120X ?)

So I think I may have found a contributor in my system environment to the glitches I have experienced ...