Sign in   |  Join   |  Help
Untitled Page

ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022
READ ONLY FORUM

This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022

 

Dead Beosound 3.

rated by 0 users
This post has 43 Replies | 1 Follower

BeoGreg
Top 75 Contributor
South of France
Posts 1,417
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoGreg Posted: Fri, Sep 11 2015 6:55 PM
Untill I whent two weeks in holidays in august, my Beosound 3 worked perfectly every day (my wife listen to the news on it at breakfast).

I bought it when it was launched around 550 € (2006 ?) I changed the top panel two or three times a few years after and then perfect...untill august 2015.

Came home, pressed radio, nothing, thought the battery was dead, impossible to charge, no red light any more.

My tech tried a new charger, nada, a new battery, nada, so says it had to go to the repair center.

Problem : he says it should cost minimum 450 € to repair and the repair may not last long.

I really thought I was going to die with that radio in my kitchen like the old lady and her Beolit in the 1995 or 1996 catalog.

I love my BS3 and I use it but 450 € + and only for a year or two no way.

Am I talking about a B & O product ? Don't think so !

So what will you do, what are the alternatives ?

Would be nice to have a new in box model, but at what price and will it work ?

Any other nice radios with battery out their, haven't search yet ?

Only the wall bracket left.

BeoGreg
Top 75 Contributor
South of France
Posts 1,417
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoGreg replied on Fri, Sep 11 2015 7:22 PM
I paid 598 € in november 2006 (list was 630 €).

It drives me mad it can't be repaired at a fair price. I need a radio on a wall bracket with battery so I need my BS3 back.

I'll go to the shop next week, if it can't be done seriously I'm out of the game I won't buy anymore B&O product in my life and I'm going to say it at the factory.
bramble
Top 200 Contributor
Posts 397
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
bramble replied on Fri, Sep 11 2015 7:28 PM
I have an idea for your bs3! See afterlife thread.Big Smile

Beovision 7 40 mk 5 ,beovision 6x3,   beosound 3000, beogram 3300 , 2 x lc2, 2 x beocom 1401, beocom 6000 x 2,  5 x beo4, 

, 4 x beolab 4's, form 2, h2, a2,a1 and a beolab 2 😀😀

 

 

 

BeoMotion
Top 200 Contributor
Posts 384
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoMotion replied on Fri, Sep 11 2015 9:50 PM

BeoSound 3 is really good repairable.
Maybe except for that touchpanel but I think this is still available for a reasonable price. 

The problem seams to be that the dealers and official repair shops don't want to or aren't allowed to dive any deeper into the product than changing modules...

 

w5bno123
Top 150 Contributor
London
Posts 578
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
w5bno123 replied on Fri, Sep 11 2015 9:54 PM
I also have a BeoSound 3 which is an ideal solution for my small kitchen. Top panel has been changed twice and now only works once the battery has been fully discharged. Apply mains and it works until switched off. Really annoying and not prepared to spend good money on a repair that's not guaranteed.
BeoGreg
Top 75 Contributor
South of France
Posts 1,417
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoGreg replied on Fri, Sep 11 2015 11:13 PM
bramble:

I have an idea for your bs3! See afterlife thread.

I want music out of it not flours !
bramble
Top 200 Contributor
Posts 397
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
bramble replied on Fri, Sep 11 2015 11:54 PM
If not flowers, try cooking utensils ...........it's only going to end up in the trash or eBay for spares or repairs! Big Smile

Beovision 7 40 mk 5 ,beovision 6x3,   beosound 3000, beogram 3300 , 2 x lc2, 2 x beocom 1401, beocom 6000 x 2,  5 x beo4, 

, 4 x beolab 4's, form 2, h2, a2,a1 and a beolab 2 😀😀

 

 

 

bidstonhall
Top 200 Contributor
Thailand 5560 miles from Struer
Posts 363
OFFLINE
Bronze Member

I received my player just earlier this year and already I have problems

bidstonhall
Top 200 Contributor
Thailand 5560 miles from Struer
Posts 363
OFFLINE
Bronze Member

I received my player just earlier this year and already I have problems

Duels
Top 50 Contributor
England
Posts 2,553
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
Duels replied on Sat, Sep 12 2015 9:30 AM
BeoGreg:

I paid 598 € in november 2006 (list was 630 €).

It drives me mad it can't be repaired at a fair price. I need a radio on a wall bracket with battery so I need my BS3 back.

I'll go to the shop next week, if it can't be done seriously I'm out of the game I won't buy anymore B&O product in my life and I'm going to say it at the factory.

I don't think 9 years is too bad a life for a €600 product to be honest. If it could be repaired then that's a real bonus. Just my opinion.
BeoGreg
Top 75 Contributor
South of France
Posts 1,417
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoGreg replied on Sat, Sep 12 2015 1:11 PM
Duels:

I don't think 9 years is too bad a life for a €600 product to be honest. If it could be repaired then that's a real bonus. Just my opinion.

600 € was a lot of money 9 years ago for an FM radio I can assure you.

I took great care of it, it shoud last at least 50 years !

Yes it's reparable but for at least 450 € (and they are not sure how high the bill can go) and they are not sure how long the repair will last.

So it's like buying a 100.000 € Aston Martin, after 9 years it's dead (wich is normal then) can be repaired for 80.000 € but maybe for a few months. I just say no.

I would buy a new one today if I could find one, I don't find any other alternative : wall mounted upright fm radio with battery.

I will have a look at a small Tivoli next week but I wanted a more high end product.
BeoBoy68
Top 75 Contributor
Alsace 🇨🇵
Posts 1,247
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoBoy68 replied on Sat, Sep 12 2015 2:10 PM
@ BeoGreg

The BeoSound 3 was the first radio from Bang & Olufsen made in China.

It is a problematic product.

The design form Davis Lewis is beautiful.

You should repair it if you really need it.

Or left it suspend on your wall like a piece of art. Smile

BeoGreg
Top 75 Contributor
South of France
Posts 1,417
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoGreg replied on Sat, Sep 12 2015 6:33 PM
BB, I'm going to try to make it repaired by the service center.

This afternoon, I went to my cellar searching a Philippe Stark radio I bought in 1995 being in the cellar since 2006 (the Besound 3 arrival).

Guess what ? My twenty years old plastic FM radio works perfecly and it cost around 500 francs max (75 €) at the time.

Peter the Biker
Top 100 Contributor
Eastwestfalia
Posts 944
OFFLINE
Gold Member

Did you this thread on our forum?

http://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/p/1432/85173.aspx#85173

 

Peter the biker

BeoGreg
Top 75 Contributor
South of France
Posts 1,417
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoGreg replied on Sun, Sep 13 2015 7:17 AM
Thanks Peter missed it.

I had the idea to have a look inside when I get it back, but now I'll definitely will look inside !
BeoMotion
Top 200 Contributor
Posts 384
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoMotion replied on Sun, Sep 13 2015 7:47 AM

Great tip.

Never had the idea to try this. I still have a "spare" touchpad where only half of the volume ring isn't working anymore. Might be worth a try...

Additionally I want to add please don't try to lift the pad by inserting any metal tools between it and the case as it is described there.
After unscrewing the bottom you can easily remove the speaker grill by releasing the snaplock and sliding it downwards. 
Then you gain access to that large metal clamp that holds the touchpad right above the LED display
Just insert a flat screwdriver below that silver clamp and gently push it upwards.
It should make CLICK then and the touchpad is loose.

Please make sure using electronically contact spray and not normal oil spray.

TWG
Top 75 Contributor
Posts 1,672
OFFLINE
Gold Member
TWG replied on Sun, Sep 13 2015 7:56 AM

Duels:

I don't think 9 years is too bad a life for a €600 product to be honest. If it could be repaired then that's a real bonus. Just my opinion.

 

I don't know how old you are but 9 years life span for a €600 radio/mp3 player is embarassing -especially if you call yourself a "premium" brand!
A €50 Euro product can easily reach that, too.

Bang & Olufsen strongly needs to improve their product quality!!! After the 2nd Beosound 3 and the Beosound 1 died,  even my wife doesn't like Bang & Olufsen anymore. She now changed her mind and calls it "expensive designer rubbish"! I think this is the worst thing for a company to happen to a customers mind! What to argue against that when her Panasonic compact hifi works fine after 20 years? Same goes for some of my Sony, Technics, Kenwood, Yamaha Hifi components: Working fine after 20-25 years without problems!

But I have the feeling that Bang & Olufsen doesn't care about their product quality!

Does anybody know about the price of the top panel? Or maybe one should hack that thing and replace it with a top plate that works for decades - like exepected to do.

Maybe it would be doable to copy the faceplate, produce a mechanical wheel like the essence remote controller, make capacitive backlit buttons and use glass or strong (good!) plastics colored in a silver/grey tone with red backlit buttons. :)


BeoMotion
Top 200 Contributor
Posts 384
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoMotion replied on Sun, Sep 13 2015 8:22 AM

TWG:
Maybe it would be doable to copy the faceplate, produce a mechanical wheel like the essence remote controller, make capacitive backlit buttons and use glass or strong (good!) plastics colored in a silver/grey tone with red backlit buttons. :)

I like that idea. But the mechanical wheel would be to expensive.
Going completely capacitive could be a nice solution.
A PCB with capacitive layout on front and a MCU in one of the unused corners of the back.
A screen printed glass plate could easily be glued on...  

Backlit buttons are not possible since they are too small for placing more than one reversed LED in the middle. 
One might be possible but then you only have a dot. 

Duels
Top 50 Contributor
England
Posts 2,553
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
Duels replied on Sun, Sep 13 2015 9:16 AM
TWG:

I don't know how old you are but 9 years life span for a €600 radio/mp3 player is embarassing -especially if you call yourself a "premium" brand! A €50 Euro product can easily reach that, too.

We clearly have very different expectations TWG and I respect your views completely. But for me this would be a play product if released today and I'm not sure I would expect any of the play portfolio to last more than 9 years. Sure some of them would, but that would be a bonus.

Just my opinion. But the forum would be a boring place if we all had the same views and did nothing but agree with each other Smile.
BeoGreg
Top 75 Contributor
South of France
Posts 1,417
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoGreg replied on Sun, Sep 13 2015 10:26 AM
I prefer my glass half full than my glass half empty.

Don't understand why the Beosound 3 (full alu, touch panel, magical antenna, David Lewis) should be a Play product today.

All over the years B&O made different types of products for different people they were all B&O and that was great, same family.

A Beovision MX was a Play product compared to an Avant ? Beolab 2500 / Beolab Penta ? All the real Beolit range simple FM radios from the 70' 80's should be Play products ?...

Certainly not !
Dave Farr
Top 50 Contributor
France
Posts 2,283
OFFLINE
Gold Member
Dave Farr replied on Sun, Sep 13 2015 10:36 AM

600 EUR was an awful lot of money for what is basically just an FM radio.  Especially when there wasn't even the provision to connect external speakers apart from to the headphone socket.  I don't think more than a 9 year lifespan is unreasonable.  I'd expect it to last much longer - especially with little use.  There was an inherent design flaw with the touchpad which was never properly addressed by B&O much to their shame.

I bought a second life one last year and it's failed now too.  I didn't pay that much for it but it's hardly used and just sits there looking pretty.  I'm still disappointed with it and yes, it does affect my views on B&O quality, customer care and B&O reliability even though I'm a brand champion and have had other good experiences.

For B&O haters, this is the kind of product and issue they will sieze on to lambast the brand further.

Dave.

bidstonhall
Top 200 Contributor
Thailand 5560 miles from Struer
Posts 363
OFFLINE
Bronze Member

+1

Mark
Top 100 Contributor
London
Posts 1,063
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
Mark replied on Sun, Sep 13 2015 11:12 AM
I may require medical attention but I personally like the 3, my only bug bears are it did not have DAB or a larger SD capacity at this price point.

we tend to forget there is more to design than designing.

TWG
Top 75 Contributor
Posts 1,672
OFFLINE
Gold Member
TWG replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 6:20 AM

BeoMotion:

I like that idea. But the mechanical wheel would be to expensive.
Going completely capacitive could be a nice solution.
A PCB with capacitive layout on front and a MCU in one of the unused corners of the back.
A screen printed glass plate could easily be glued on...  

Backlit buttons are not possible since they are too small for placing more than one reversed LED in the middle. 
One might be possible but then you only have a dot. 


I've testet yesterday: The Essence wheel hast exactly the same diameter as the touch volume "wheel" of the Beosound 3. :)
I thought there could be some red backlit buttons like in the Beosound Century or the old Beocenter 9xxxx-Series. I thought that could be possible with red SMD-LEDs. As I'm not an engineer: What is "MCU"? The top plate including button text can be precisely cut and engraved with a laser.

@Mark: I like the Beosound 3, too. That's why I'm especially angry about its lousy(!) quality!

BeoMotion
Top 200 Contributor
Posts 384
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoMotion replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 8:03 AM

TWG:
I've testet yesterday: The Essence wheel hast exactly the same diameter as the touch volume "wheel" of the Beosound 3. :)
I thought there could be some red backlit buttons like in the Beosound Century or the old Beocenter 9xxxx-Series. I thought that could be possible with red SMD-LEDs. As I'm not an engineer: What is "MCU"? The top plate including button text can be precisely cut and engraved with a laser.

MCU - microcontroller
We would need one to emulate the original keypad. If there are capacitive buttons or a rotary encoder we get digital signals (1/0) from them. As far as I know the original one is "analog" and works similar like the old resistive touchscreens. So we need to translate digital into analog signals the BS3 mcu understands.

The only possibility when it comes to the price is using capacitive buttons as I have written above. Everything else would be too expensive.

It is possible to put larger cooper areas on the topside of a PCB. Those can be used as capacitive buttons. If the layout is done correctly you can even have a capacitive rotary wheel. This is exactly how the wooden side of the BS Moment works.

On the topside of this PCB you can then glue a glass plate where the button text was screen printed before. Since there is no space between PCB and glass it is not possible to have backlit on the buttons. Only simple dots are possible using a special LED that gets reverse mounted on the backside and shines through a little hole in the PCB.

If there is really a demand for it since the original top gets to expensive or isn't available any more such a solution could be sold for somewhere around 100,- Euro.

The new interface could be equipped with a serial port so that it is possible to control all functions also via a Raspberry Pi that can be easily mounted inside the BS3. This way it would be possible to extend it with AirPlay and Bluetooth.

Dave Farr
Top 50 Contributor
France
Posts 2,283
OFFLINE
Gold Member
Dave Farr replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 9:46 AM

I unplugged the charge cable to my BS3 about a month ago as it was not responding to the touch panel or was erratic - touch 'Delete' and the radio played but then wouldn't turn off, aerial wouldn't go up or down, volume control inoperative etc.  I thought it was about to become a flower vase too.

However, once the battery was completely dead, I've plugged it in again and it's as new!  Everything works as it should, very gentle touch needed to make anything work etc.  I don't know how long it will last?

Dave.

Dave Farr
Top 50 Contributor
France
Posts 2,283
OFFLINE
Gold Member
Dave Farr replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 9:49 AM

@BeoGreg - if you have no need for your BS3 wall hanger, I'd take it off your hands (or wall).  I hope you can get it fixed - mine mysteriously works 100% after letting the battery drain completely and then just plugging it in again!

Dave.

TWG
Top 75 Contributor
Posts 1,672
OFFLINE
Gold Member
TWG replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 10:39 AM

BeoMotion:

 

MCU - microcontroller
We would need one to emulate the original keypad. If there are capacitive buttons or a rotary encoder we get digital signals (1/0) from them. As far as I know the original one is "analog" and works similar like the old resistive touchscreens. So we need to translate digital into analog signals the BS3 mcu understands.

The only possibility when it comes to the price is using capacitive buttons as I have written above. Everything else would be too expensive.

It is possible to put larger cooper areas on the topside of a PCB. Those can be used as capacitive buttons. If the layout is done correctly you can even have a capacitive rotary wheel. This is exactly how the wooden side of the BS Moment works.

On the topside of this PCB you can then glue a glass plate where the button text was screen printed before. Since there is no space between PCB and glass it is not possible to have backlit on the buttons. Only simple dots are possible using a special LED that gets reverse mounted on the backside and shines through a little hole in the PCB.

If there is really a demand for it since the original top gets to expensive or isn't available any more such a solution could be sold for somewhere around 100,- Euro.

The new interface could be equipped with a serial port so that it is possible to control all functions also via a Raspberry Pi that can be easily mounted inside the BS3. This way it would be possible to extend it with AirPlay and Bluetooth.



Ok, understood. So it would be 1.) easier and 2.) cheaper to use standard analog buttons?
Maybe clear plastic/silicon which could be easily backlit. For example like these soft buttons (Nr. 5 and Nr.7 are active on the picture):
http://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/yamaha-dx200-735163.jpg


If it's expandable I would also argue for Beo 4 control with the commands "Radio" or "A.Tape" :-) The IR-Sensor could be hidden behind the grill without being seen or down in the black plastic base.

 

Dave Farr
Top 50 Contributor
France
Posts 2,283
OFFLINE
Gold Member
Dave Farr replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 11:04 AM
This sounds like an interesting project developing! I like the sound of it, especially with remote or AirPlay options.

Dave.
BeoMotion
Top 200 Contributor
Posts 384
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoMotion replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 11:20 AM

TWG:

Ok, understood. So it would be 1.) easier and 2.) cheaper to use standard analog buttons?
Maybe clear plastic/silicon which could be easily backlit. For example like these soft buttons (Nr. 5 and Nr.7 are active on the picture):
http://medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/yamaha-dx200-735163.jpg


If it's expandable I would also argue for Beo 4 control with the commands "Radio" or "A.Tape" :-) The IR-Sensor could be hidden behind the grill without being seen or down in the black plastic base.

No, the best solution is to use capacitive buttons. 
When using normal push buttons you are either limited to ugly plastic ones or have to put a huge amount into developing nice and tactile caps for it.
Nice buttons with great looking backlit are always causing a lot of headache during development...  

See this video how capacitive buttons work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUxbehXSiJA 
PCB layout is a bit tricky but as soon as it works it is undestroyable and will nearly last forever. 

Let me finish that ML project first. Then I come back to this one. Ultimately we could even build in wireless ML functionality as soon as the BeoPi ML PCB is working. That would be cool... :-)

 

BeoGreg
Top 75 Contributor
South of France
Posts 1,417
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoGreg replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 12:20 PM
Dave Farr:

@BeoGreg - if you have no need for your BS3 wall hanger, I'd take it off your hands (or wall).

Why not. But for the moment 1) I will try to repair the beast 2) I will try to use the wall hanger for an other radio (the Stark almost goes on it).

So you'll have to wait !

This afternoon I'll try to have a look at the Tivoli audio products with battery.
BeoGreg
Top 75 Contributor
South of France
Posts 1,417
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoGreg replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 2:19 PM
My new Beosound 3 untill ???

BeoBoy68
Top 75 Contributor
Alsace 🇨🇵
Posts 1,247
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoBoy68 replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 2:57 PM
Congratulations Big Smile

Good choice Yes - thumbs up

I like the black or white version Cool
Duels
Top 50 Contributor
England
Posts 2,553
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
Duels replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 3:28 PM
Beogreg. That looks rather nice!
BeoGreg
Top 75 Contributor
South of France
Posts 1,417
OFFLINE
Bronze Member
BeoGreg replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 4:44 PM
Thanks guys, the sound is not bad two (2.5 " speaker sealed). Went for a blue but the only blue was on display and scratched. "Water resistant". 179 €.

Didn't took the bluetooth model because that's the job if my Beolit 15.

Madame will have the news on the table tomorrow morning !
Dave Farr
Top 50 Contributor
France
Posts 2,283
OFFLINE
Gold Member
Dave Farr replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 4:48 PM
Not what my wife will be having on the kitchen table tonight!

Dave
Jeff
Top 25 Contributor
USA
Posts 3,793
OFFLINE
Silver Member
Jeff replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 5:33 PM

I had one of the original Tivoli radios, in the wood case, plug in, no batteries, for years. Finally gave it to a friend as I got to where I didn't use it as radio sucked. Did use it for a long time on my desk at work, plugging my iPod into it. Great little radios, amazing sound quality for the size. Mine was reliable as a rock too, nothing ever broke.

Good choice!

Jeff

I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus. Sad

TWG
Top 75 Contributor
Posts 1,672
OFFLINE
Gold Member
TWG replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 5:39 PM

Dave Farr:
Not what my wife will be having on the kitchen table tonight!

Dave




This sounds like "censored scenes".... Big Smile

 

Dave Farr
Top 50 Contributor
France
Posts 2,283
OFFLINE
Gold Member
Dave Farr replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 5:41 PM

After this mornings success when I just plugged it in and it all worked perfectly, now the battery is fully charged, it's back to square one!  I can't turn it off, change volume or anything.  I think I may try to invest in a new battery and see if that helps!  It's in a cupboard running down the power where nobody can hear it.  Strange as the touchpad worked flawlessly when the battery was low.

Dave.

Dave Farr
Top 50 Contributor
France
Posts 2,283
OFFLINE
Gold Member
Dave Farr replied on Mon, Sep 14 2015 5:43 PM

TWG:

Dave Farr:
Not what my wife will be having on the kitchen table tonight!

Dave




This sounds like "censored scenes".... Big Smile

 

Tried to raise a smile - about all I can at my age now!  I meant that we will be having sausages and eggs etc tonight for our meal with no radio on the table!  What did you think I meant? Wink

Dave.

Page 1 of 2 (44 items) 1 2 Next > | RSS