'Handing you the microphone...'

It's that time again where your questions can be answered by a member of Senior B&O Management - and once again Mr Lars Flyvholm, CEO of B&O UK and Benelux has kindly offered to answer the burning questions BeoWorlders would love to ask, which is very kind of him.

I'm asking you all to field some questions you feel are relevant to the current status of the company, the product line-up, the direction you would like to see or indeed already see B&O going in - plus anything else you would love to know..

Please, no overly technical questions - Lars isn't an engineer, he's a businessman committed to driving forward the brand and delivering the new products the designers and engineers proudly place before him.  Although he has a sound knowledge of the products, he wears a suit and not a white coat - so please bear that in mind!

I can say from personal experience that Lars is a great fan of BeoWorld and appreciates the time, effort and enthusiasm we all have for B&O - and he is truly looking forward to giving us something back.  He mentioned a small scoop, but i think he must have been ordering an ice-cream at the time. LOL  (We'll see...)

Anyway - i really look forward to seeing what you all have to ask, so fire away

It has probably been asked before, but why not make programming software for the Beo 5 available? I can understand that they may want the revenue for their dealers to do the programming, fear of customers being frustrated with trying to program it themselves. On the other hand, the unavailability of the software may cost them sales. I would have purchased a Beo 5 but for the software issue. My dealer is three hours away making it very difficult to correct any minor programming issues and/or very expensive for the dealer to spend six hours of travel time to come to our home.

I will ask for two requests:

1- A toolkit for advanced users to allow them to define their own PUC or to modify an existing one. That may be valuable for some obscure devices. 

2- Again, adding the possibility of reading various audio and video files in the new BV-7 Blu-Ray player (MP3, JPEG, DIVx, MKV, MOV with H.264 codec). 

Best regards,

Jean

I think we do have a lot of open questions from last time since that meeting fell through the cracks, or did I miss the boat on that?

Cheers

JK

Razlaw:

It has probably been asked before, but why not make programming software for the Beo 5 available? I can understand that they may want the revenue for their dealers to do the programming, fear of customers being frustrated with trying to program it themselves. On the other hand, the unavailability of the software may cost them sales. I would have purchased a Beo 5 but for the software issue. My dealer is three hours away making it very difficult to correct any minor programming issues and/or very expensive for the dealer to spend six hours of travel time to come to our home.

Good one Razlaw! Here in Spain I am some hours from a dealer (since the 'nearer' one closed). This, coupled with fuel costs makes going to the dealer an expensive day trip.

The facility to program via the home PC would make it a far more attractive purchase in my opinion.

I did discuss this with a high ranking UK official. He was very sympathetic to this idea and had considered a customer software solution a possibility. I think the original software was unstable but it is better so I think a change of heart might be possible. I do think they would be keen for the initial programming to be done by the dealer though simply so that it all works!

Thank you very much Lee for giving us this opportunity to ask questions to Lars Flyvholm - and thanks to him for his kindness !

I second the JVezina questions, especially PUC toolkit to define own devices: very good point

In addition - recent posts about this on the forum - why is the PIN code absent from BV8/BV10 ? I was really happy with the PIN protection on my BV3, and no PIN on my BV8-40 leaves me interrogative.

It would be very easy to make our questions be more like wishes, however I would like to know when they intend to launch a new range of flat panel speakers to go with the BeoSounds & BeoVisions that are all now flat and wall-mountable?

Clearly we no longer need BeoLabs with strong bass in a 5.1 setup, since subwoofers do that, so a very flat & thin BeoLab on each side of a ...BV10 would be awesome, don't you think? Same for all other BeoVisions, of course..

When will they launch the Ethernet Masterlink (BeoNet)?

And what about the digital audio platform? Where is it?

In this digital age, will B&O find a way to better support Mac users for the existing and new items? Or, as I feel what has been the case lately, will drop that to be a windows only environment ? Software is becoming a bigger and bigger part of their products and it's interaction with other computers is becoming more important.

As most of small High-End manufactors B&O is very much challenged with the fact that is almost impossible to keep up with the fast moving innovation cycles with the time to market B&O usually needs. (e.g. HDMI standards, HD audio formats, BluRay)

So first steps were taken to focus on audio and video core products and let the customer choose and plug eivices like Blu Ray player or HDD recorder to the TV set.

However, from my point of this ignores two facts: HD content protection and recording. (wich is one of the major USP's of the Loewe TV's)

So any plans to fill that gap? Buy DVB multi tuner components from a 3rd party instead of taking the long road of development? implement HDD recording (e.g. HDD built in or attached via USB). Is B&O happy with the current strategy with playing more on the "make" than on the "buy" side?

I am in the midst of planning for new cabling for my condo.  This is probably more of a request than a question.  I would urge Bang and Olufsen to release more if not all of the details of the new link cable scheme.  I saw the pdf for layout of the new cables.  It was not exactly as I had expected.

Since I have a Beomedia 5, I would also ask if B&O is going to support Apple lossless.

Yes Razlaw a very good question, even when Sky make changes on there STB Beo5 has to be reprogrammed - please B&O give customer software to make changes themselves.

CEOs should lead with visions ... so my suggestion would be:

"In 3 years time, what do you want B&O UK to be known as, and how will you know you have achieved that vision?"

I would like to know from the UK CEO as how he is planning to improve CRM with ownerbase of BS5/BM5 (as we are asked to register our devices). So far very poor, no communication whatsoever. 

Suggestions:

a) get feedback from owners regarding future update needs of BS5 (may help setting priorities)

b) better advanced information on significant updates and what they will achieve (don't just dump it into the service menu of BS5)

c) tipps and hints

If I understand it correctly, BS5/BM5 is a platform product for B&O. Become proactive and not reactive.

You could ask him for me.

What he is prepared to do to improve the poor customer service at B&O stores. Are the staff trained in customer care or just sales techniques?

I read on the forum someone complaining of B&O using lower grade materials on their products, is this true? if so do B&O not feel they are giving their customers a sub-standered product and service?, specially to those people who love their products and have to work really hard to purchase their products. Well to all who pay out a hell of a lot of money really. Personally i have been very happy with the products i own.

Clearly every company has their strengths. As mentioned by others, its clear that integration of digital media is more and more critical. I am a bit sceptical about B+O becoming great at software. Are B+O looking to partner with like minded companies to address these kind of issues?

I think the idea of B+O and Apple was suggested before. Its a good example. Can't see you competing well against  the iPod/iPhone, but I bet every B+O customer has 1 or 2. So why not see some products do more than allow a cable-in ? How about an iPod dock and playlist selectable via the Beo Controller ? and the source can be sent around the BeoLink system where other rooms can pick the music ?

I agree with the other comment. With the objective that everything is viewed on a B+O product and listened to on a B+O speaker, we need more than a cable-in going forward.

Personally I work in IT. I thought BS5 is a great piece of design but a disaster. I'd prefer than front-end device browsing the iTunes store likely 75%+ of B+O customers already have. So that one comes back to PC/Mac Integration, next version of BeoLink. Clearly distributing HD mutli-room is a must.

So coming back to my question, are B+O going to do everything alone or partner to get there quicker ?

I have a few questions, which, unfortunately is sort of requests:

Are there any plans - official or not, tentatively or hard and fast -  to make the Beosound 5 respond to the remote?

I mean, so that you from afar can use the screen to navigate your music? Using a telly for that makes the BS5 superfluous, imo.

Secondly, since the BS5 is hardwired, would it be possible to include a small headphone amp and plug (a 1/8th of an inch will do (minijack))?

If you don't think it would be feasible to get good enough sound in a very small package, the Cowon D2/D2+ proves that thesis wrong.

My third question which is also more of a request, is this: Do B&O have any plans, even tentatively, to make it possible to order the BS5 with antireflectory treatment?

You see, I have this thing with shining objects: I really don't like gloss, glistening and reflections.

My fourth and final request/question is whether or not B&O have any plans to make the BS5/BM5 able to control a FM and/or DAB tuner? Perhaps by controlling, say, the Beocenter 2 or some other tuner? It could even be a tuner connected to the BM5, as far as I'm concerned. It has to be a question of writing the firmware to support it.

Stephen Neale:

I read on the forum someone complaining of B&O using lower grade materials on their products, is this true? if so do B&O not feel they are giving their customers a sub-standered product and service?,

I would like to know those things too. However, the question falls for the "negation test".

I cannot imagine someone answering anything negative to that question. No company would go "Well, yes, we DO use subpar hardware. We do this to rip you, the customer, off".

It's all in good fun, though,  so don't take my comment too seriously :)

How about a simple plug-in mains module that will respond to Beotime/Beo4/Beo5?

That way vintage equipment could have an element of remote control added as well as lighting etc. Unless I am mistaken this is all currently left to other specialists, often resulting in rather inelegant or difficult to implement solutions.

Graham

EDIT I am not looking for the 'Beoliving' approach!

When the interview is expected ?

Jean

8th December - get your questions in!!

What would you like for Christmas?

Puncher:

What would you like for Christmas?

Are you planning to buy Lars a present then? How kind - i'm sure he will appreciate it !!

9 LEE:

Puncher:

What would you like for Christmas?

 

Are you planning to buy Lars a present then? How kind - i'm sure he will appreciate it !!

No - I just want to know what he'd like so that when I don't get it him, he'll find out what it's like to be Puncher on Prze Draw nights!

If the prices quoted in the "Welcome BV7-55" thread are correct you should ask him how it is possible to ship and sell a TV in the US for $11000 but charge folk in Europe $20000 for the same item!