in Search
Untitled Page

ARCHIVED FORUM -- April 2007 to March 2012
READ ONLY FORUM

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

 

Latest post 10-10-2011 5:02 PM by Steffen. 20 replies.
Page 1 of 1 (21 items)
Sort Posts: Previous Next
  • 10-09-2011 12:23 PM

    What are the major B&O product failures?

    Hi Folks,

    No doubts that we’re all B&O fans and would do crazy things to get their latest product, but we must be honest and admit that there have been some failures (sometimes major!) in releasing some of the products. I have been a BO geek for more than a decade.

    I wanted to start this discussion and share with you my opinion on some of these items. This is not about saying bad things on B&O and their products, but to help them not to repeat some of the mistakes. Feel free to agree, disagree or add other items.

    1)      DVD2 (2007-2009):  nice design, but horrible software and drive (a basic Philips).  I still don’t understand how B&O could come up with such software.  Absolutely not intuitive or friendly use. You need to have the manual to navigate the menu. Slow to react (power on needs about 30 s!). The Guide+ system, which is suppose to help recording programs, is no longer in use in most countries, making the DVD2 almost useless.  To get access to the close-up operation panel, you have to press the front of the top panel… which breaks after a few uses (100% of the cases!)

     

    2)      SERENATA (2007-2009):  the most expensive mobile phone ever (with mp3)… with the least functions!  Even a basic mobile phone has more functions. Good luck if you want to write a text message! If it wasn’t the design, this phone would be a joke! No wonder it was stopped shortly after it was release. SERENE was a bit better, but definitely not great either.

     

    3)      BEO5/6 remotes: The most unstable remote in the world and the only remote you need both hands to use (unless you’ve good dexterity). The ergonomics is just awful. How many times you want to grab it and it falls or glitches from your hand. About the touch screen, why did B&O not use the capacitive (iPhone), rather than the resistive type, which is not always working (can sometimes get on my nerves!). Could have been a very interesting product because of its programming possibilities via the Config Tool software.

     

    4)      BEOMASTER5/BEOSOUND5: These products can still be improved by software updates, but they have several issues. I don’t want to go into details (discussed in a specific forum), but among other things I would list the following:

    a.       Navigation wheels (I often mix up the browsing and volume wheel). If you have many songs, it takes forever to get from A to Z . Why not a touch screen??

    b.       When you have both BM5+BS5, you cannot navigate in your library using the TV, which is particularly annoying when you’re in a linked room. Maybe they want you to have a BS5 in all rooms (to replace the remote!) This just doesn’t make any sense to me! Even the BEOMEDIA 1 does it better!

    c.       The BM5 web navigation on TV… just awful. I still haven’t figured out how to do it with the remote or keyboard!?

    d.      The weak or lack of possibilities to play videos (BS5 screen or TV screen)

    e.      The loss of BM5 HD picture in the main room, when turning on the BM5 in a linked room…

    Hopefully most of these issues will be solved by future software updates.

    5)      TV HDMI connection:  they were introduced rather late compared to all other brands. Why did B&O insist with the DVI connection? How many BV7-32 TV (HD-ready) are out there with no HDMI connection? This was bad anticipation of the markets need.

     

    6)      Blu-ray drive software of BV7 series: Unlike the DVD player of the same series, the BR player does no longer read DivX, XviD etc… formats. I agree that on a full HD panel, DivX picture doesn’t look great, but still it’s sometimes useful.

    Well, that’s all folks!

    A huge B&O fan!!!

  • 10-09-2011 2:01 PM In reply to

    • Chris
    • Top 200 Contributor
      Male
    • Joined on 03-19-2010
    • Corbridge, UK
    • Posts 353
    • Gold Member

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Puttiing a SD DVD player in a HD TV?...Beovision 7-40 Mk3Erm

     

    A Beovision 10-40 in black and red fret on order, Beo4, Beo6, many A8's, a pair of white and yellow Form 2's, Beocom 4, 28 inch Avant RF DVD, Apple TV and a wife that loves this stuff as much as i do! 

  • 10-09-2011 2:13 PM In reply to

    • moxxey
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 04-14-2007
    • South West, UK
    • Posts 2,360
    • Bronze Member

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Griebel:

    4)      BEOMASTER5/BEOSOUND5: These products can still be improved by software updates, but they have several issues. I don’t want to go into details (discussed in a specific forum), but among other things I would list the following:

    According to a lot of BM/BS5 owners, it's been a success :)

    However, I owned the combo for two months and, frankly, the thing just got on my nervers. Crashed frequentely, was hard to navigation thousands of tracks, required cables galore to link up (and to speakers and other devices) and I felt it was an expensive combo for the functionality. After two months, sold it on for a reasonable price, taking approx a 15% loss.

    I'd partly agree with the BV7-40 Blu-ray. The biggest issue is the lack of DTS-HD audio support, which is now the primary HD audio source for most recent Blu-rays! Crazy. Half the reason for buying a Blu-ray is the HD audio!

  • 10-09-2011 3:21 PM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    These lists are going to be mostly subjective. The BeoSound 5 has been a big success and continues to pick up pace as the CD becomes less available. The same goes for the Beo5/6. It's been a big hit with customers. I really can't understand continuing to mix up the wheel after a few days of ownership. That strains credibility.

    Any one person can dislike any one thing, but not everything on that list is probably going to garner agreement. I personally don't like the BeoCenter 2, but people continue to buy and enjoy it. Different strokes and all. 

    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

  • 10-09-2011 3:28 PM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    1. Century - Cds jump and skip when you turn the volume up plus all that plastic vibrates horribly!

    2. My DVD1 - Total garbage

    3. B&O using Samsung for Blu Ray drives. Come on guys!

    4. BeoCentre 2  just bizarre and out of date by 10 years

    5. BeoLab 4

  • 10-09-2011 3:29 PM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    The missing RECORD function for Audio/Radio. Think CDR and Internet Radio.

     

    The missing DATALINK function on new products since 1992.

     

    Just my opinion.

  • 10-09-2011 3:41 PM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    TripEnglish:
    These lists are going to be mostly subjective. The BeoSound 5 has been a big success and continues to pick up pace as the CD becomes less available. The same goes for the Beo5/6. It's been a big hit with customers. I really can't understand continuing to mix up the wheel after a few days of ownership. That strains credibility.

    Yes, of course, but again the goal is not to go against the B&O products, but to make them aware that they can be improved. I like both the BM5/BS5 and BEO5/6.

    The BM5/BS5 has indeed be a success... but among convinced B&O product users. I'm not sure it convinced new non-B&O customers, unlike the BS8, which was bought by many iPhone owners.

    Regarding the BS5 and its wheels, with such a beautiful screen I don't understand why it is not a touch screen, much more user-friendly and close to current and future standards.

    Regarding the BC2, its technically limited, but the design is really great.

  • 10-09-2011 3:49 PM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Hands down - Beocom 5 - more software updates than Windows Vista and still doesn't work.

    I don't agree about the BEO5 or Beolab 4 as noted by others, both have their place in the B&O range.

  • 10-09-2011 3:59 PM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    BS8 is ICONIC!!! Nicest B&O for a long time but sooooooo over priced ;'(

    I'd love one but I know I can get awesome sounds from Pioneer studio monitors at half the price but hey...  Maybe id get a BS8 as a piece of art!

  • 10-09-2011 6:55 PM In reply to

    • symmes
    • Top 200 Contributor
    • Joined on 04-21-2007
    • Freedonia
    • Posts 290
    • Bronze Member

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    BeoSound 6?  NOW THAT ONE IS/WAS A DOG!!!!!! What has anybody ever said was good about it other than it came with a pair of A8's?

  • 10-09-2011 7:30 PM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Ar yes I agree with Symmes, that was a Samsung player that looked identical to a Samsung player - now that was a total disgrace!A bit dishonest of B&O that one  not funny really is it?

  • 10-10-2011 1:46 AM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    BeoVision A5... Too late on the market... and incorporating CDI.. 

    BeoSound 6

    All HDR devices.

    BeoVision 1-link only

    The race for quality has no finish line- so technically, it's more like a death march.

  • 10-10-2011 2:28 AM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    I would personally put Beomedia1 on this list. Although i use it nealy every day, the capabilities of this thing are limited for a 2000 euro product at its launch. B&O has somehow accepted their failure by moving quickly to BM5, ignoring all the Beomedia1 customers...

    -Dimitris

  • 10-10-2011 2:34 AM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Completely agree. I also still use my BM1... for the linked rooms since the BM5 cannot be controlled if you have a BS5 connected.

    Again, this doesn't make any sense to me!
  • 10-10-2011 5:06 AM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Paul Winn:
    2. My DVD1 - Total garbage

    the THREE (yes, count them) DVD1s I tried recently ...

     

    the HDR I had on loan from the dealer ... I could not get it to work consistently

    or it could not re-program me Laughing in the two weeks I had it

     

    and my lovely 5000 suite ... only because within 12 months of buying it B&O worked out the MCL was a dead-end and switched to ML 

    it peeved me enough that I did not buy any B&O in the nineties [:'(]

    First B&O (1976) was a Beogram 1500 ... latest (2011) change has been to couple the BL11 with the BL6Ks *sounds superb*

  • 10-10-2011 5:08 AM In reply to

    • madskp
    • Top 500 Contributor
    • Joined on 11-06-2007
    • Denmark
    • Posts 111
    • Gold Member

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    The startup time of the DVB-HD module. a half minute, really!

    I B&O's defense i have read on these forums that it has been made better on the BV10 with af software update.

  • 10-10-2011 5:44 AM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Well, on the even more recent BV 7-55 3D, the DVB-HD still takes 30 s to start!
  • 10-10-2011 2:28 PM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Forgot to mention BeoPlayer (anybody using it?). There has been many updates since the initial version, but no significant improvement. On the contrary, the latest version is not even compatible with Serenata since it does not allow new files to be added in the phone!?

    There are many other issues with this software, which is totally outdated and not user-frienly. I'm not even mentioning the BetNetMusic tool, which makes the software so slooow!

  • 10-10-2011 4:02 PM In reply to

    • pf85
    • Top 500 Contributor
      Male
    • Joined on 04-21-2007
    • Posts 145
    • Founder

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Griebel:
    Well, on the even more recent BV 7-55 3D, the DVB-HD still takes 30 s to start!

     

    Agree on the irritant, however, in my view, B&O allows for two different concepts.

    -One to have "everything built in"
    - the other one to purchase core function (i.e. panel) and then add DVB, BluRay etc separately.

    I would vote for the second: B&O "core equipment" outlasts built-in peripheral equipment which has a higher technological turnover rate. In my view, best strategy to avoid product obsolesence and the irritants described above is to integrate these peripherals with PUC and control with Beo4 or Beo6.

     

     

     

  • 10-10-2011 4:08 PM In reply to

    • pf85
    • Top 500 Contributor
      Male
    • Joined on 04-21-2007
    • Posts 145
    • Founder

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Griebel:

    Forgot to mention BeoPlayer (anybody using it?). There has been many updates since the initial version, but no significant improvement. On the contrary, the latest version is not even compatible with Serenata since it does not allow new files to be added in the phone!?

    There are many other issues with this software, which is totally outdated and not user-frienly. I'm not even mentioning the BetNetMusic tool, which makes the software so slooow!

    I am surprised BeoPlayer still exists. I used it initially with my Beosound 5 but got fed up using a poor interface and coping with slow response times. Clearly, BeoPlayer was not B&Os finest hour...

     

     

  • 10-10-2011 5:02 PM In reply to

    Re: What are the major B&O product failures?

    Paul Winn:
    1. Century - Cds jump and skip when you turn the volume up

    That is not my experience with the Century. Something must be wrong with yours...Are you sure you've released the transport screws Whistle

Page 1 of 1 (21 items)