ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
seethroughyou:When they say next year, B&O mean the second half of 2021 but it will have bugs. Things that now work may get broken in the update requiring another update arriving in late 2022 and then it will suddenly become EOL discontinued. This is the usual trajectory for B&O.
Sandyb: Yes, form has taken precedence over function with the Halo.
Yes, form has taken precedence over function with the Halo.
Mine ran out of battery (again) power about 3 weeks ago, not bothered charging it. Never use it. It's one of those devices we kid ourselves in to thinking we need. I just pick up the BeoRemote most of the time.
Might be a better once I move house (early 2021) and I can wall mount the Halo. But it does spook me how quickly it runs out of battery compared to the BeoRemote (almost the same tech!).
moxxey:Mine ran out of battery (again) power about 3 weeks ago, not bothered charging it. Never use it. It's one of those devices we kid ourselves in to thinking we need. I just pick up the BeoRemote most of the time. Might be a better once I move house (early 2021) and I can wall mount the Halo. But it does spook me how quickly it runs out of battery compared to the BeoRemote (almost the same tech!).
Interesting. I found the Halo too expensive so I ended up just using an iPhone docked with the B&O App and I find myself using it all the time and probably one of my best moves. It's an old iPhone X and in addition to B&O, I use it with Apple Home, Apple Music, Hue and Ecobee...I was planning on getting a Halo for Christmas, but might hold off now. I don't mind the current B&O App at all.
B&O in my life 😊:
Sandyb:As for the Halo usage, it's too limited a product to gain much use. Any assumption that it would gain new functionality soon was misplaced I would suggest
I think the Halo uses a lot of battery power because whenever you go near it the device senses and starts up and this happens....a lot. I wish it had a function to only sense your hand when you were much closer and perhaps about to touch the device? You can walk past it, 2 metres from the device and it starts up.
But I just find it fiddly and limiting. I occasionally used it to turn up volume, but even then you often have to find the speaker you want to adjust. I wish it would auto-sense the active speaker? That would make some sense. So say you're listening to your Stage, rather than go to the Halo and select Stage, then change volume, it could auto-sense it's playing and choose automatically.
It was uneccessary fluff when it was released and it will end up gathered with the other fluff in the corner, unused.
B&O have a really annoying habit of wasting time, effort and resource producing irrelevant stuff like this when it really should be spent on core products
Ban boring signatures!
Beolab 28s Beolab 9s Beolab 12-3s Beolab 1s Beolab 6000s 2 pairs Beolab 4000s Beovision 7-55 Beovision 10-40 Beoplay V1 32 inch Beovision Avant 32 inch Beosound 1 (CD player) Beosound 3000 Beosound 5 Core Essence MKII Beoplay M5
My halo is in the Kitchen where I also have a wall-mounted Essence Remote that was the main control for the previous 4 years. I find I use the Join button at the top of the Essence when I walk into the room, and use the Halo for everything else. I like seeing the display of what is playing, and like the controlled access to other stations versus just jumping to the next with the Essence.
I'm disappointed that it doesn't support the Beosound Moment: if it did, I would carry it from the kitchen to the dining room to have control over both systems while I'm dining. Instead I have to use the phone app or the moment to join the kitchen stream, and then an Essence remote to control volume on the Moment.
Still, I find that it is growing on me, and expect I will continue to appreciate it for as many years as B&O maintains software support.
Sources: 2x Beosound Moment • 4x Beosound Essence Mk II Speakers: 3x Beolab 8000 • 2x Beolab 6000 • 2x Beolab 3 • 3x Beolab 2 Integrated: 1x Beosound 2 • 1x Beosound Level • 4x BeoPlay M5 • 1x BeoPlay A6 Control: 16x* Essence Remote • 1x Beoremote Halo
* Yes, really! 🤦♂️
Puncher:It was uneccessary fluff when it was released and it will end up gathered with the other fluff in the corner, unused.B&O have a really annoying habit of wasting time, effort and resource producing irrelevant stuff like this when it really should be spent on core productsBan boring signatures!
.
Present: BL90, Core, BL6000, CD7000, Beogram 7000, Essence Remote.
Past: BL1, BL2, BL8000, BS9000, BL5, BC2, BS5, BV5, BV4-50, Beosystem 3, BL3, DVD1, Beoremote 4, Moment.
I'm curious if anyone here has done a Halo wall installation and which power connection method they used.
Maybe this can help or at least inspire:
https://youtu.be/s-5QJOJkGGw
N.B. Sceduled for the 17 th.
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Thanks, MM. I had earlier seen the official B&O video on options for wall-mounting. I'm curious which direction people are taking. The POE requires a large space in the wall for the adapter. I'm inclined to just drill the smallest possible hole to drop a USB cable through the wall. I think the Halo looks better when you can see the wall rather than the wall-plate. I think I might install a USB jack near the floor with a coupler to neatly connect the USB cable in the wall so that I can connect a USB cable on the outside of the wall to the jack and then run that external cable along the floor to a power outlet.
As I told my dealer yesterday, the Halo wall mount is much better suited to new construction, sadly. The Essence remote was something you could just stick on the wall! But I understand, less functionality and thus, it could take some replaceable batteries whereas Halo cannot and therefore requires cabling behind walls.
Good luck, Jeff!
Currently: BeoLab 17, BeoLab 18, BeoSound Core, Beosound Level, Beosound A1 2nd Gen, BeoPlay S8 Connection Hub, Halo, Essence Remote
Previously: BeoSound 1 non-GVA
Curly: As I told my dealer yesterday, the Halo wall mount is much better suited to new construction, sadly. The Essence remote was something you could just stick on the wall!
As I told my dealer yesterday, the Halo wall mount is much better suited to new construction, sadly. The Essence remote was something you could just stick on the wall!
It gets worse. You can't add a wall mount option to the table mounted version!
I never use the Halo. Complete waste of money. It's one of those things you sort of have to force yourself to use. It runs out of battery so quickly (approx 4-5 days) that I can't be bothered to charge it.
So, I thought I'd look at moving it to a wall mount as it's mains powered. You can't.
The Halo-bashing is getting rather old. You either like it or you don't. I use mine quite often and now have three.
New: Beovision Harmony, Beolab 50's, Beolab 28's, Beolab 18's, Beolab 17's, Beosound Stage & LG, Beosound 2, Beoplay M3, Beoplay A1, Beoplay Portal, Beoplay H4 gen 2, Beoplay E8 3.0
Mikipedia on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Mikipedia
Mikipedi4 on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mikipedi4
Mikipedia on Intagram: https://www.instagram.com/mikipedi4/
Old: Beosound 9000 mk3, Beolab 3's, Beovision Eclipse, Beolab 1's, Beolab 2, Beovision 10-46, Overture 2300, beolab 8000's, Beolab 4000's, Beovision avant 32" etc. etc.
beojeff:The Halo-bashing is getting rather old. You either like it or you don't. I use mine quite often and now have three.
Mikipidia:Just wait for what Henrik has in store for you New: Beovision Harmony, Beolab 50's, Beolab 18's, Beolab 17's, Beolab 3's, Beosound 9000 mk3, Beosound Stage & LG, Beosound 2, Beoplay M3, Beoplay A1, Beoplay H4 gen 2, Beoplay E8 3.0 Mikipedia on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Mikipedia mikipedi4 on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mikipedi4 Old: Beovision Eclipse, Beolab 1's, Beolab 2, Beovision 10-46, Overture 2300, beolab 8000's, Beolab 4000's, Beovision avant 32" etc. etc.
Mikipidia:Just wait for what Henrik has in store for you
beojeff:Would you perhaps provide me with a translated summary after the video airs?
beojeff: The Halo-bashing is getting rather old. You either like it or you don't. I use mine quite often and now have three.
Halo-bashing? I friggin own the thing. I'm allowed to say I love or dislike it. I spent hard-earned cash on this and am entitled to tell you what I think of my own device, positive or negative. In the same way I'll tell you I love the BeoSound 2, Stage and plenty of other devices. In fact, almost every other B&O device I own.
In my opinion it's a very expensive BeoRemote with a tiny fraction of the battery power. It simply dies too quickly. I've often come to the Halo to find the battery has run out. I just turn to the BeoRemote or control the device manually.
If you actually read my response it's hardly 'bashing' it's more a critique of an expensive remote. If you pay almost $1000 for a table stand remote, you want the battery to last more than a few days. I don't think that's unreasonable? The wall-mounted version is probably better value-for-money for this reason alone and I'm frustrated you can't move from the table to wall-mount: again, a fair comment to make as an owner.
So many times I've come to use the Halo after a few days to find it's completely dead, whereas the BeoRemote lasts for years on two batteries. I just don't think the table (battery) version is quite up to the level required and happy to tell people this so they can make their own decision, in advance. Again, fair.
I'm glad you own three. But more fool you - I wouldn't spend almost $3000 on a sphere volume control.
This is hardly 'bashing' and a forum isn't a place where you come online just to tell everyone how amazing something is and they should buy it. If that was the case, I'd be lying, frankly.
Of more interest than umbrage @moxxey, would be to ask, @beojeff, how do you actually use three in your setup? Given that PoE is not (yet!) happening at your pad (see above), that means they are all 3 table models? So... One could imagine a situation where they are each wall-mounted (next to the Lutron keypad, of course!) at the entrance to each of 3 rooms -- like some people bought wall brackets for their Beo4's or BeoRemote One's. Or one might imagine a "table lazy" setup -- like some people get enough remotes one-per-system but they just lie there on the table forever, one or two standard buttons being pressed, but never being moved. Or, like @Mikipedia apparently does (see his videos), actually carried from place to place as a personal remote control? Or some combination...? I just can't envisage it: I see only one, a side-table remote in the living room, arm's length from the main listening position, plus an iPad Mini to walk around, and/or a Lutron button (or Essence, or any other single-button "Join only" solution) at the room entrances, just like the old IR eyes in B&O catalog photos from days gone by. Just curious to know what your overall intended scheme is...
moxxey: beojeff: The Halo-bashing is getting rather old. You either like it or you don't. I use mine quite often and now have three. Halo-bashing? I friggin own the thing. I'm allowed to say I love or dislike it. I spent hard-earned cash on this and am entitled to tell you what I think of my own device, positive or negative. In the same way I'll tell you I love the BeoSound 2, Stage and plenty of other devices. In fact, almost every other B&O device I own. In my opinion it's a very expensive BeoRemote with a tiny fraction of the battery power. It simply dies too quickly. I've often come to the Halo to find the battery has run out. I just turn to the BeoRemote or control the device manually. If you actually read my response it's hardly 'bashing' it's more a critique of an expensive remote. If you pay almost $1000 for a table stand remote, you want the battery to last more than a few days. I don't think that's unreasonable? The wall-mounted version is probably better value-for-money for this reason alone and I'm frustrated you can't move from the table to wall-mount: again, a fair comment to make as an owner. So many times I've come to use the Halo after a few days to find it's completely dead, whereas the BeoRemote lasts for years on two batteries. I just don't think the table (battery) version is quite up to the level required and happy to tell people this so they can make their own decision, in advance. Again, fair. I'm glad you own three. But more fool you - I wouldn't spend almost $3000 on a sphere volume control. This is hardly 'bashing' and a forum isn't a place where you come online just to tell everyone how amazing something is and they should buy it. If that was the case, I'd be lying, frankly.
Then sell it, and save us all from hearing you whine about it.
Mikipidia:I’ll have a chat with henrik, but a lot of it is visual so you’ll get it iam sure I basically use it on the chair that is “mine” and on my desk. Use it just about every day and use my desk daily and there is a qi charging pad on my desk so i just pop it on there every other day or so. I get 4 to 5 days out of the battery if i forget to charge it, but iam really impressed with the charging speed.
I basically use it on the chair that is “mine” and on my desk. Use it just about every day and use my desk daily and there is a qi charging pad on my desk so i just pop it on there every other day or so. I get 4 to 5 days out of the battery if i forget to charge it, but iam really impressed with the charging speed.
Speaking of the qi charging pad, I just got one on sale for $50 USD from the Philadelphia B&O store last week.
I would love B&O to let the Halo to step out of their ecosystem in the future. It would, imo, be a perfect remote for ROON. If fact, I wished all the recent B&O gear would integrate with ROON (native).
Hi RichardIII,
I would prefer to get the original B&O equipment integrated first! That should be the first step, than go for 3rd party stuff.
One intermediate step could be to communicate with the BLGW or BLI to seamlessly bridge the gap to 3rd party systems.
Best regards
Doc Leisure
Hi,
one curious observation I made with my Halo:
1. If my BLC (BeoLink Converter ML /NL) is (primary) connect to my Avant 75 (MK I) via the web configuration tool of the BLC, so that all sources of the BLC are seen as linked sources on the TV and
2. after step 1. my Core is (via configuration website of the Core) set to an integrated setup with my Avant 75 (MK I) and
3. my Halo controls the (integrated) Core
I have (until I restart any of the above components) full control over my ML (MasterLink) sources (e.g. BS 3200, BS 5) and my Avant 75 (MK I) sources (e.g. TV, Blu-ray, HomeMedia, Apple TV, etc.) and my Core sources (e.g. Music) over the Halo. This means, I can select or switch to any of the above sources via the Halo and control volume and things like "next track".
I don’t know, if it is a bug a feature. Either way, I like it - unfortunately, it stops working after a system shut down...
Hello Rudi,
I think there are basically two ways to get to the Core configuration page:
1. IP-address of the core (works for me) or
2. B&O app settings (unfortunately I don’t know the exact click path...)
Hello,
here is the B&O app path to the Core configuration site:
DocLeisure: Hi, one curious observation I made with my Halo: 1. If my BLC (BeoLink Converter ML /NL) is (primary) connect to my Avant 75 (MK I) via the web configuration tool of the BLC, so that all sources of the BLC are seen as linked sources on the TV and 2. after step 1. my Core is (via configuration website of the Core) set to an integrated setup with my Avant 75 (MK I) and 3. my Halo controls the (integrated) Core I have (until I restart any of the above components) full control over my ML (MasterLink) sources (e.g. BS 3200, BS 5) and my Avant 75 (MK I) sources (e.g. TV, Blu-ray, HomeMedia, Apple TV, etc.) and my Core sources (e.g. Music) over the Halo. This means, I can select or switch to any of the above sources via the Halo and control volume and things like "next track". I don’t know, if it is a bug a feature. Either way, I like it - unfortunately, it stops working after a system shut down... Best regards Doc Leisure
This makes sense since the Core is integrated and is supported by the Halo. Over the weekend, I found the solution to why some linked sources weren't showing up on the Halo.
1. First, if changes were made to the sources of the linked product ON the linked product setup, it helps to remove that linked product and then re-add it as a linked product before selecting the sources available on the local source list.
2. Second, after doing the above step it can be necessary to restart the Halo by removing its front plate and holding down on the reset button.
After performing these steps, I resolved the issue of missing sources. I don't know if it's relevant to your setup, but it's worth trying to get a stable setup.
Hello beojeff,
thanks for you hints. I guess my "problem" is, that two products are "integrated" into my Avant 75 (the BLC and the Core). And with B&O integration “There can only be one!” (Like in Highlander)
Until now, I didn’t found out how a "cascading" integration is done...
I also tried to "integrate" the BLC into the Core and then "integrate" the Core (with the integrated BLC) into the Avant 75 – initially worked as expected, but the configuration doesn’t survive the "power off"...
Doc,
Since the Avant isn't actually supported by the Halo (yet) but the Core is, can you add the Avant as the primary linked product to the Core and add the NL/ML Converter as the secondary linked product to the Halo and get it to work that way? Both of my integrated BeoVision setups involve a Moment, which isn't supported by the Halo, so I don't know if the Core still shows up as a product on the Halo when used in an integrated setup. You'll still want to follow my 2-steps when making any changes. I went for months scratching my head trying to figure out why my second beogram turntable wasn't appearing as a source on BeoRemote One for bluetooth devices in my NL system.
Carolpa: Audio:I have a compatibility question regarding Beosound 35?Is somebody able to test, if the new BeoRemote Halo is showing the meta-data (e.g. title name, album name) when streaming via Airplay to a Beosound 35?(as expected) only "Airplay" is displayed on the Halo
Audio:I have a compatibility question regarding Beosound 35?Is somebody able to test, if the new BeoRemote Halo is showing the meta-data (e.g. title name, album name) when streaming via Airplay to a Beosound 35?
Do I understand this correctly? With the Beoremote Halo I can only change the volume on the Beosound 35? Same functions as a Beoremote Essence offers? So no need of the display of the Beoremote Halo?
mm08642:Do I understand this correctly? With the Beoremote Halo I can only change the volume on the Beosound 35? Same functions as a Beoremote Essence offers? So no need of the display of the Beoremote Halo?
Carolpa:You will get no tag info on the Halo when you AirPlay to the BS35.
It's a pity that B&O can't manage to display the meta data of an Airplay stream with the Beoremote Halo. Unfortunately, no reason to invest in a Halo for me. Too bad.
In my case I have several B&O speaker systems now, all either connected to a Core with Essence Remote or having the inbuilt B&O streaming technology. For me the Halo would have been a perfect product since I am all in on the B&O audio ecosystem. My current set up is to use 2x Essence remotes (which I have really grown to like) and an iPhone SE that is basically only running the B&O, Music and home automation apps. At $399, it is half the cost of the Halo, aluminum and glass with wireless charging but missing the amazing volume control of the Halo. But the Lock Screen shows the card of what is playing on any speaker...at $399 I would buy the Halo in a heartbeat. So it comes down to cost/value to me...
Can literally ANYONE explain to me why it is better to get this thing vs:
Any old iPod touch that's basically free and will do the same thing.
An iPad Pro and fancy desk stand and still come out cheaper.
I really can't make sense of this thing.
--
BeoLab 18's. Beolab 3's. A8. A9. A2. H7.
Severed_Hand_of_Skywalker:Can literally ANYONE explain to me why it is better to get this thing vs: Any old iPod touch that's basically free and will do the same thing. An iPad Pro and fancy desk stand and still come out cheaper. I really can't make sense of this thing. -- BeoLab 18's. Beolab 3's. A8. A9. A2. H7.