I am using a BeoMedia 1 (with Apple iTunes installed) and control it by using a iPod Touch. Because harddisk is full, I am wondering about to replaced it by a BeoSound 5 (+ Beomaster 5) or, alternatively installing a larger hard drive.

The following advantages / disadvantages come to my mind. It would be great if additional points could be mentioned in favor of or against BeoSound 5:

·         Advantage Beosound 5; display is larger and it has a better service concept / user interface (I hope) ???

·         Undecided; The covers are displayed on the iPod Touch and I can look through my music collection on the BeoMedia 1, choose and play songs (all with the Apple "Remote" App via iTunes which accesses the mp3 files on the BeoMedia 1). The iPod touch is connected to BeoMedia 1 (iTunes) via WiFi, so I can use it everywhere in my home.

·         Advantage iPod, no wired connection (contrary to the BeoSound 5) so I can use it on the coach or in a link room.

·         Advantage Beosound 5; fully integrated in Master Link. For the BeoMedia 1 / iTunes solution I first start n.Music and then select the song I want to hear (2 steps). I do not need to stop n.Music, because I recorded a silent MP3 file and placed it in the n.Music directory of the BeoMedia 1, which then runs in parallel but does not interfere.

·         Advantage Beosound 5; just played music title is displayed on the display of my Beocenter 2 (title, album, artist). Unfortunately no information is displayed on my BeoLab 3500, BeoLab 2000 and BeoSound 3000 in the link rooms, so for me not a real advantage.

·         Advantage iPod, even in the link room I have full access to iTunes (and on the BeoMedia 1) and see the music covers, album, track, etc. With the L5 remote adapter (makes the iPod to a universal remote) even my Beolink 4 is redundant. I can control my iPod touch on the BeoLab 3500, BeoLab 2000 or Beosound 3000 with n.Music on and off, volume, and select the desired music tracks. Small disadvantage I have to use two different apps (programs) on the iPod touch (L5 remote + Apple Remote Remote Control for iTunes).

·         Disadvantage Beosound 5; in link rooms I have to rely on blind Beolink 4 navigation Since I do not have neatly defined playlists, I am lost in my large library with Beolink 4.

·         Undecided; Beosound 5 uses MOTS and iTunes uses GENIUS to find similar songs in the archive and automatically compiles playlists. Does anyone have experience with both algorithms and can make a statement which is really better?

·         Advantage iPod touch, offers different apps to make life easier for me as a coach-potato, for example an app of the current television program

·         Advantage Beosound 5; technical design is an eye-catcher on the wall. iPod Touch lies unobtrusive on the coffee table or untraceable because the children are playing with it.

After weighing the pros and cons listed above, the decision can be reduce to the operating concept / user interface of the BeoSound 5 (if price / investment is not taken into account).

What are your experiences is the operating concept / user interface of the BeoSound 5 so great, that a change is worth while?

The new Beo6 remote will be launch soon. It is said to be a two way remote (ipod touch style) which will give you the feedback about what song is playing and the covers pictures, also obviously it will allow you to make songs selection, change volume etc.

Leaving the potential Beo6 out of the picture, I believe the BS5 is great for folks that place a high value on not wanting to spend a lot of time choosing their music.  In my 20s, I took great pride in building "mix tapes", but now (20 years later), I just don't have the time or motivation for this.  Pick a song you're in the mood for, and let MOTS run.  Works for me.  I haven't used Genius so I cannot compare - there were some early threads in this forum where somebody was comparing the song lists generated by each approach - I don't believe any conclusion was reached. 

Just considering the underlying technology, I would speculate that Genius will give you a more "conventional" playlist (wisdom of a crowd - probably sticks to songs mostly within the same genre), whereas MOTS can be "eclectic" at times (for better and worse) because it is a "mindless" algorithm (that doesn't know that say, Frank Sinatra and AC/DC are an unexpected mix)... 

Stan

Stan,

Couldn't agree more. Pick a track that matches your mood and GO - just let the machine do the work. I think I have heard more of my music in the last 12 months than I did for the previous 10 years.

You are right that it sometimes throws up unusual combinations, but more often than not these are nice surprises. In fact I often select a track just to see what it does throw up.

I also find that some tracks that I didn't "like" before, I now do like because I hear them in a different more appropriate context. For example a high tempo track on an album of otherwise slow tracks may sound out of place when playing the album in sequence, but when you hear it with other slow tracks that match your current mood, it sounds great.

sjmcguckin:

Stan,

Couldn't agree more. Pick a track that matches your mood and GO - just let the machine do the work. I think I have heard more of my music in the last 12 months than I did for the previous 10 years.

You are right that it sometimes throws up unusual combinations, but more often than not these are nice surprises. In fact I often select a track just to see what it does throw up.`

I also find that some tracks that I didn't "like" before, I now do like because I hear them in a different more appropriate context. For example a high tempo track on an album of otherwise slow tracks may sound out of place when playing the album in sequence, but when you hear it with other slow tracks that match your current mood, it sounds great.

Totally agree with all of these comments.  Especially about finding songs that you didn't like (or even really know about), but now you do...  in my case, there are songs that I never really gave a chance because I would listen to the CD from the start, but got bored before I made it to later songs... only now to discover that some of these later songs were pretty good.

Stan

As Stan and SJMCGUCKIN are already stated, MOTS is a very nice feature. It works good, however I do hear some songs more regular than other ones and sometimes even complete tracks are repeated. This is discussed earlier in some threads as well, however, normally it works fine.

The assumption is that the Beo6 will provide you with nearly all the features of the iPod Touch, which the execption of the IOS 4 specifics; including email, browser and apps. 

I own the system for about a year now and it was the operating concept / user interface you referred to which made me buy it. In general I am pleased with the system, however there are still a number of  wishes. Have look at the BS5/BM5 wishlist to gain a better understanding of the strong points and lesser poinst of the system. 

If you have time I believe you should wait till the new BS5 Encore comes to the market to make a comparison which solution fits you better:

• BM5/BS5 (likely with the functionality of the BM5 Encore added via a software update)
• ..?.. / BM5 Encore   (You need a place to store your content)
• Apple driven solution/iPod Touch (Mac Mini for example)
• Apple driven solution with a BM5 Encore

Harry