General Forum

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

Chrisreunion — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 02:34:43 GMT

Talking about gapless playback, I thought BS5 could do this, I can't believe that a EUR 5,000 machine can't handle this, when an Ipod Classic costing 20 times less can do it. Besides, even in the B&O family, my BeoSound 2 could play gapless, you heard the same 3 light"pops" at the end of each track, like with Itunes, but there were no gaps during MP3/WMA playback, and BS2 doesn't play lossless files.

Lossless music per se is gapless, then comes the player limitations/specs, so B&O should have enough skills to find a solution, since they had it for BS2 (funny too, that my Serenata can't play gapless..).

Going back to the BeoConnect software for PC, I'm confused: does it only work with BeoMaster 5? Or is it eventually going to replace BeoPlayer/BeoPort softwares?

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

csmager — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 01:25:58 GMT

Windows Media Player doesn't support it (for MP3), and as far as I know that's the backend of BeoPlayer/BS5.

In fact, unless you use something like LAME to encode with a certain tag set and a player that supports it, nothing can play MP3 gapless except iTunes. All the solutions (DSP etc - including whatever iTunes uses) isn't perfect and you'll likely end up with some side-effects. Wikipedia has a good article.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gapless_playback

I'm sure they're working on something, but it's not likely to be easy. I'd recommend ripping as Lossless, as it's better quality and supports it properly. Hopefully more support than WMA Lossless will be added one day...

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

jk1002 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 20:19:36 GMT

>> Without liberal software fudging, barely any of the common lossy codecs support gapless playback<<

I know that is is caused by the codec, I remember researching this when I switched from Sony Minidisc and Atrac to MP3/AAC and Ipod.

Thing is, most players support that these days somehow so I wouldn't cause it a liberal software change but a common standard feature that they fail to support.

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

csmager — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 18:44:47 GMT

jk1002:
I rate this a 4. It doesn't bring me closer to buying one. I like that they picked up on the christmas music issue and that would have bugged me but not as much as the missing gapless does.

I'd imagine missing gapless is mainly a codec issue. Without liberal software fudging, barely any of the common lossy codecs support gapless playback. To make it work, you need to do what iTunes does and scan each end of the track and work out how it might fit seamlessly.

WMA Lossless supports it, as do a most of the other lossless codecs. Unfortunately, as yet, the BS5 only supports WMA Lossless.

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

pf85 — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 13:04:57 GMT

My BM5 / BS5 update is running now all day already... not yet finished. Is the server infrastructure a bit weak in Struer to handle a few thousand updates ?

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

Carolpa — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 09:41:10 GMT

the photo option is NOT new. The 5.03 was already capable to distribute photo and web to link TV.

what is ment now is the "AV TV" command; to listen to the sound of the tv-set when BL are connected to the BS5.

it's a step forward but stll a little bit disappointing!

No flac

When mots is disabbled the music stops after one selected track, album, artist, playlist

hardly any control to choose albums, artist, etc. in a link room

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

TWG — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 02:22:58 GMT

Could anybody explain how the 2 new main functions work on the Beosund 5? 1. Having multiple BS5 in your Masterlink Setup: How do they behave, does a slave Beosound 5 in the bedroom show what's playing on the Beosound 5 master in the living room? 2. Masterlink-Gateway: What does the BS5 screen look like when you control lights etc.? thank you :-)

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

IngvarW — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 23:48:14 GMT

For me the photo thing is really useable and all vacation pictures are in the BM5 and shown via the TV. Now with my new 10-46 it will be even more fun. The websurf functionality is also fun, I use it to show old TV-programs from the TV-stations website.

Ingar

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

TripEnglish — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 20:41:04 GMT

jk1002:

I can not believe that so many customers wish to access their TVs through the link system. To me this is a function that would become obsolete the 2nd there is a 2 way remote.

It's as much for photos as anything else in my experience. Clients seem to love the photo capabilities. It's like boring your guests with vacation slides for the new millennium. I'm always surprised to find out just how many of my clients have loaded it with photos.

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

jk1002 — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 19:50:05 GMT

I rate this a 4. It doesn't bring me closer to buying one. I like that they picked up on the christmas music issue and that would have bugged me but not as much as the missing gapless does.

I just appreciate that they listen to customers complaining even though they don't pick up on my main issue. As long as that is not addressed I won't be buying any B&O digital music product.

I can not believe that so many customers wish to access their TVs through the link system. To me this is a function that would become obsolete the 2nd there is a 2 way remote.

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

Puncher — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 17:28:20 GMT

TripEnglish:

I was disappointed that the Apple Lossless & FLAC were not included in this update, but they're on the way. Soon from what I understand. As a dealer I rate this one around a 7 or 8 as it addresses nearly all the issues that I have found troubled my clients and potential buyers. With the inclusion of additional audio formats and the possible addition of a streaming service, I think we'll have pretty good product.

Seems fair enough. It's unfortunate (in my eyes at least) that they still haven't quite got there, with what folk wanted and have vocally asked for, this far down the line after release.

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

TripEnglish — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:32:01 GMT

I was disappointed that the Apple Lossless & FLAC were not included in this update, but they're on the way. Soon from what I understand. As a dealer I rate this one around a 7 or 8 as it addresses nearly all the issues that I have found troubled my clients and potential buyers. With the inclusion of additional audio formats and the possible addition of a streaming service, I think we'll have pretty good product.

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

linder — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:17:11 GMT

I have MOTS turned off for the whole system. Thanks

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

linder — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:09:06 GMT

Puncher:

Anyone who has one care to mark the update out of 10, in terms of solving your issues, misgivings of your BS/BM5?

Are you asking us to rate the update on the basis of rumors? The ability to turn of MOTS was something I really wanted. Because they did everything in the release notes, B&O would probably get a 10. I wanted Apple Lossless but they never announced they would do that. Otherwise the Beosound 5 works as detailed in the specifications.

Since I already own a Beosound 5, I guess I am satisfied for the time being. I am not going to be an early adopter of new B&O products. However I still like the brand.

Re: Tomorrow comes the BeoSound 5 software update !

fishta — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 16:04:07 GMT

This is most likely because the BeoSound 5 has not had a chance to do the MOTS calculations. Turn MOTS off and then try. It may solve this problem.