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
Hey Guys!
Having been asked many many times if a BeoLab 3500 could work with PlayMaker, we decided to give it a go and have spent the last few weeks developing a prototype.
We used the MCL socket on the rear of the speaker and carried out internal circuit modifications and additions so that the BeoLab 3500 is now activated by the trigger voltage from the PlayMaker (whilst maintaining on/off muting)
We have been testing it in our showroom for the last week or so and it works brilliantly!
We just wondered what you guys thought to this prototype? Perhaps this is something that could be useful to others?
Regards,
B&O Nottingham
Wow, that is something I would look into very closely as I have a spare BL3500 and currently only a Beotime waking me in the early morning!
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Does that mean, that you would modify a BL3500 for a costumer...
...or are you willing to make a 'how to' for interested BL3500 owners?
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
Just so we are clear, will it support the ML connection at the same time as the PlayMaker? Or is this in place of?
Ah, you know... A little B&O here, a little there
Lars: Wow, that is something I would look into very closely as I have a spare BL3500 and currently only a Beotime waking me in the early morning!
Yes, we have many clients with a similar set up and can see the benefit of this solution
BeoMegaMan: Just so we are clear, will it support the ML connection at the same time as the PlayMaker? Or is this in place of?
This modification would be in place of the ML connection, thus allowing the BeoLab 3500 to be re-utilised with a more modern digital set up
Millemissen: Does that mean, that you would modify a BL3500 for a costumer... ...or are you willing to make a 'how to' for interested BL3500 owners? MM
The modification is quite detailed and involves a lot of dismantling of the BeoLab 3500 to access the various circuits. We are still evaluating the possibility of us providing this as a service to existing BeoLab 3500 owners, depending on demand.
I'll give you my compliments for the job.Can you explain in detail the modifications to the circuit?The Beolab 3500 must be on the remote control or the Beolab 3500 is turned on by playmaker?
assume this could be used to work with a sonos connect, which will give more flexibility?
November35: I'll give you my compliments for the job.Can you explain in detail the modifications to the circuit?The Beolab 3500 must be on the remote control or the Beolab 3500 is turned on by playmaker?
Hello,
The BeoLab 3500 does not need to be switched on via remote for the PlayMaker to work. Instead the trigger voltage from the PlayMaker activates the speaker. Much like a regular pair of BeoLab speakers.
Because of this, it means the user could use the BeoLab 3500 with a PlayMaker without even owning a remote control!
Kokane81: assume this could be used to work with a sonos connect, which will give more flexibility?
The BeoLab 3500 requires the trigger voltage from either a PlayMaker or Bang & Olufsen audio system / video system to activate the amplifiers. There is no 'LIne' mode like you may find on other BeoLab speakers.
Because of this, the BeoLab 3500 would have to be connected to a Bang & Olufsen product via PowerLink.
just buy a beoplay A8,does much the same from the box,with better sound than 3500.
👍
....but only if you don't need the ML function.
butch1: just buy a beoplay A8,does much the same from the box,with better sound than 3500.
As stated earlier by B&O Nottingham:
[Quote] 'The modification is quite detailed and involves a lot of dismantling of the BeoLab 3500 to access the various circuits. We are still evaluating the possibility of us providing this as a service to existing BeoLab 3500 owners, depending on demand.'
-then I guess it's not an option to buy a A8...
-and isn't the A8 just for Apple products..? While the Playmaker is more versatile - can be used with a lot of other devices (as far as I know...)
Steffen: [quote user="butch1"] just buy a beoplay A8,does much the same from the box,with better sound than 3500.
[quote user="butch1"]
'The modification is quite detailed and involves a lot of dismantling of the BeoLab 3500 to access the various circuits. We are still evaluating the possibility of us providing this as a service to existing BeoLab 3500 owners, depending on demand.' -then I guess it's not an option to buy a A8... -and isn't the A8 just for Apple products..? While the Playmaker is more versatile - can be used with a lot of other devices (as far as I know...)
Hey Guys,
Yes the BeoPlay A8 is a fantastic product. But this modification was aimed at an existing BeoLab 3500 owner who wanted to integrated the speaker more with his digital music.
If ML was still active in it I think you would sell a ton of people!!
Very interesting solution.
Too long to list....
Certainly a good solution for "existing BL3500 owners".
But with a A8 (in Option 0) connected (via AUX-IN) to the PL of a BeoLink Active you can also enjoy the ML sources (in addition to AirPlay and the dock).
Greetings Millemissen
Millemissen: Certainly a good solution for "existing BL3500 owners". But with a A8 (in Option 0) connected (via AUX-IN) to the PL of a BeoLink Active you can also enjoy the ML sources (in addition to AirPlay and the dock). Greetings Millemissen
It might come as an unpleasant surprise... Not everybody own those Apple products!!! So we will not 'enjoy' the dock...
Actually there are more Android users...
And - Yes - it's about 'existing BL 3500 owners'. Not about buying a new device...
"It might come as an unpleasant surprise... Not everybody own those Apple products!!! So we will not 'enjoy' the dock...
Actually there are more Android users..."
How can one live without? Streaming via Android devices is such a p.i.t.a.
Enjoy the dock..."
Personally I never understood the purpose of a dock on the BS8/A8. the BS8 was launched pretty much at the same time as Apple presented AirPlay...
...which made a dock unnecsesary.
OK - in some cases if guests are there or if a wifi is not available, it might be usefull - but then again,..
...I really feel sorry for the Android users who have choosen 'another path' .
But they surely don't need a 'BS3500 AirPlay version' either.
Greetings MM
Millemissen:...I really feel sorry for the Android users who have choosen 'another path' .
You don't have to feel sorry - there are plenty of solutions without 'fruit boxes' - it's working fine...and with Windows too...But what will an Apple owner know about that...BTW - to me it sounds a bit too 'religous' , this 'I feel sorry for those who has chosen another path' - even if it's said 'tounge in cheek', 'wink, wink' etc...There's too much of this cr.p from Apple owners... It reminds me of the movie 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' - which was actually a warning about brainwash and regimentation in politics (back then against communism) -and also religous fanaticism. 'One day you'll be one of us'... - yeah right... Kneel before Jobs...Amen...
Millemissen:But they surely don't need a 'BS3500 AirPlay version' either.
Who was talking about a 'AirPlay version' of the 3500 ??? The subject is about using it with a Playmaker - which is not only Airplay.
Just for clarity, we have modified the BeoLab 3500 for use with Playmaker, which, as Steffen rightly says, makes it compatible with AirPlay and DNLA devices. An additional benefit is the AUX input on the PlayMaker so local sources can also be played.
Without wishing to be seen as too altruistic, our reason for doing this is that we were alarmed at the large number of BeoLab 3500s that are no longer being used, and we thought that this would give them a new lease of life.
http://www.iconic-av.co.uk/item/1192/Added/
/ Peter Pan
Steffen: Kneel before Jobs...Amen...
Kneel before Jobs...Amen...
Hi Steffen,
you really are pulling out the big knife. If you want to start a war, please do it - I am not in for it.
I changed from Windows to Apple because it suits my needs better. I have found better solutions for most things, but not for all - and I still use a Win7 laptop once in a while
I do not use Android, because I did not find any solution for what I wanted with it - or rather I found solutions with iOS long before 'Android' became halfways usefull.
Rather than starting this war, you should tell me/us how you use the Playmaker/DLNA.
Since you have written "there are plenty of solutions", you must know it.
The DLNA part of the PM surely is what I use the least - although I have plenty of DLNA app's or components in my homenetwork.
Millemissen: Hi Steffen, you really are pulling out the big knife. If you want to start a war, please do it - I am not in for it.
I have no intention of 'starting a war' - I've just had enough of this 'Apple is the only solution' - 'nothing else is usefull' -coming from a few people here on Beoworld over and over again. A few people here (not you, offcourse) do have an almost religous approach to 'iDevices' and get very angry when somebody dare to question their 'addiction'. At least one person here loves to critizice Windows and Android (and B&O too) - and anyone who disagree with him...So - when someone gets too 'Apple-happy' , I sometimes like to tease them a little. It's not personal...
Millemissen: Rather than starting this war, you should tell me/us how you use the Playmaker/DLNA. Since you have written "there are plenty of solutions", you must know it.
Sorry - I can't tell you much about the Playmaker, as I do not have one (yet)
But I can tell you about the 'plenty of other solutions'...(well -at least the ones I use...):
I have a WD TV Live box - that can stream movies/audio/videocontent etc. from the net to my B&O tv and my Audiosystem (a Beocenter 9500).This (LiveBox) can be remote controlled with both my Nokia Lumia Windows 8 Phone and my Asus Android tablet. I can stream content from both my HP laptop (running Win 8), my NAS - and my Phone and Tablet, to my TV and audio system. It was quite easy to set up and is working flawlessly.
That's what I mean - it doesn't have to be 'all Apple' or all 'any other brand'.
Hi Steffan,
glad that it wasn't meant 'personal'
Actually we were talking about the Playmaker and DLNA - and audio!
But if you do not have any experience there, it is hard to discuss.
My conclusion is that the DLNA function ist the least usefull function of the PM - especially knowing how easy the handling via AirPlay/iDevice is.
One big thing about DLNA and audio is the lack of playing 'gapless' - a nogo for me!!!
Actually Most of rhe time I use the 'Line In' of the PM for high quality audio (FLAC files) with a 'Squeezebox/NAS-LogitechMediaServer/Squeezeplay-iOS-app solution'.
I have a lot of experience with DLNA servers and DLNA compatible devices (Mac's can do DLNA too by the way), and owned a WDTV Live box years ago (in my Windows time), but ditched it after a couple of months.
They have become better later, but the app's(Android or iOS don't impress me.
Playing audio from Windows to a WDTV Live doesn't make much fun - might get better in the future.
The HomeMedia platform of the BV11/V1 is DLNA based - I hope that the BeoRemote App will offer a smooth solution in the future.
Having experience with DLNA, AirPlay, Windows, Mac and iOS devices, I picked what I thought was best.
There is nothing more to it.
P.S. I love my Playmaker - best Bang & Olufsen device for years!
Hi Millemissen
First of all, I will wait and see what solution B&O Nottingham comes up with...After all - he started this thread. And as he wrote above - it's about creating a solution for 3500 owners... But then suddently it was suggested that people should buy an A8 instead - which was a bit off-topic, as he wanted to help those 3500 owners -so they should not buy a new device...-well -enough of that.
Millemissen:Playing audio from Windows to a WDTV Live doesn't make much fun - might get better in the future.
About the WDTV live and Windows:
I don't know what your idea of 'fun' is - but if your experience with WDTV and Windows is from years ago, I will just tell you that it has become better (well - I guess so - as I didn't try the earlier versions of WDTV ) I have the latest WDTV live box (2 months old) and Windows 8 and it is working fine.
But - the most important is that people like what they have - whether it's Apple, Windows or Android -or whatever...Otherwise they would have wasted their Money - and that's not fun.
And now I will leave the rest to the good man from Nottingham
Greetings