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
Does anyone out there know if there is still a plan to release a new version of the Playmaker in the near future? I remember reading somewhere that a new version was rumoured, but have not heard anything further.
BeoNut since '75
I wish they will have a high end version that has automatic speaker calibration built-in along with one that has 7.1 decoding.
Is that for sure? Not currently shown on the website.
1983beo:The playmaker mk2 is out now for a few months so i don't think there are plans for a new one allready
Microsoft is dropping support for XP in 2014. In a way I'll be sorry to see it go, it was a good OS, but so was NT...time marches on. What that means for XP that works not as a general purpose PC OS, but more as embedded software. I would imagine they will need to do an update, will it be possible to push out a completely new OS? If so, which one? Win 8.1? RT? In a way, it's surprising something like Linux wasn't used.
Jeff
I'm afraid I'm recovering from the BeoVirus.
Jeff:What that means for XP that works not as a general purpose PC OS, but more as embedded software. I would imagine they will need to do an update, will it be possible to push out a completely new OS?
BS5 is not running plain vanilla desktop XP, but XP Embedded. It will be supported until 2016, I believe. Also, for most embedded applications you won't be needing any "support" from the vendor - you won't be installing any new hardware that would need new drivers, and the users can't run IE to suck in malware that would need security updates (yes, I know you can, if you really want to...).
Jeff:In a way, it's surprising something like Linux wasn't used.
There are still quite a few executives that won't take it seriously, since you can't pay for the basic product. My new Sony TV (sorry) runs on Linux.
--mika
The BeoSound 5 Encore runs on Linux, i believe...
Yes, for some strange reason though they discontinued it if I am not mistaken, that caught me by surprise
Thanks for the info Mika. I would imagine that with an embedded OS you could go almost forever without updating it regardless of support, or at least until you couldn't get the same hardware configuration and what you moved to was incompatible and if you couldn't write your own drivers. Once you put it in an embedded mode you should be able to lock down any security vulnerabilities and as you say, the configuration is fairly static.
I've worked on systems with embedded s/w a lot in my career, but never anything using an embedded commercial OS.
My guess is that they will bring ot 'some kind of audiosystem' - now based on the NL-protocol.- there were rumours.
And therefore disconnect the Encore.
Probably the BS/BM5 will continue a while - since it is possible to integrate it using the MLGW.
MM
There is a tv - and there is a BV
I don’t understand why you bring up MLGW. Just a few own it and for most people I don’t think adding a MLGW is an option, just to integrate a BS5. It is already hard enough for dealers to talk customers into a NL/ML convertor, which is a 3rd of the price. Not sure though, but don’t you need the convertor anyway if you want it to work with a BV11?
I am just saying that the MLGW makes it possible to use the BS/BM5 in a mixed NL/ML setup.
I am not trying to convince or advice anyone to buy a MLGW.
This is not possible with the Encore.
Just talking facts!
Whether you need the NL/ML-converter or not depends on your setup, and on the wishes for the functionality of the setup.
If you can afford a BV11-46/55 and already have/want to keep a ML-based audiosystem, the costs for the converter should not be the problem.
Besides - there is more to this 'new converter thing' than just to convert between NL and ML.
This has been describet in some posts already in another thread:
Through it you can integrate a Playmaker (which brings us back to the subject of the op) into both ML and NL.
I’m not talking about the Encore. My point of view in this matter is, there are 2 scenarios that will happen for most users:
- The customer owns a Beovision (with ML) and a BS5, and wants to trade in his TV for a BV11. The best selling TV at this moment, I guess. Dealer says okay, but you need the NL/ML convertor. (not even talking about the additional switch, cabling UTP, hiding the convertor, etc) You really think this is not a problem? I know he has no other choice, but he only came in the store for new TV…
- The customer owns a BV11 and want to upgrade with a BS5. Same scenario. Adding a convertor is a must here. And yes, the convertor can do some more things. It happens to be an active kit too. Just spend €6000,- or more for 2 Beolabs. That will justify the need for the convertor. Really?
See my point here? MLGW is not in play here. That's why I was surprised tou brought it up. Great product though, if you have some Home Automation, but for other things this is serious money! B&O needs to bring out a new audio product that talks the same language as the BV11 and their future TV’s, without extra boxes. ML is a dead end, like it or not. And the way I see the NL/ML convertor, is the same as the 1611 convertor was 15 years ago. A bridge to connect old and new products.
"! B&O needs to bring out a new audio product that talks the same language as the BV11 and their future TV’s,"
Could not agree more!
Never the less there are tons of well-funtioning ML(audio)setups out there.
The converter is absolutely usefull in times when only half the setup is NL - for some it will stay so for many years to come!
Whether you want to pay for the comfort of using your 'old' audio products in the NL-tv room as well, is up to any NL-BV buyer.
Just leave him the opportunity/the decision.
Would you like to be the dealer, who tells your costumer to throw your beloved ML-audioproducts away, just because B&O now uses a 'new technology'?
When/if there will be a NL-audio product, there will be new decisions to take.
This audio product won't be free - will probably cost more than a converter/cabling.
The 1611 is still in use in many setup - and I guess it will for many years on.
I only brought in the MLGW in to say that you this way (with the BeoLink' app) can have one userinterface for NL-products and for the BS/BM5 as well.
Let the costumer decide what he wants/what he wants to/can pay for.
Important is that he has the option to do so.