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

 

Switching from BeoMedia1 to BeoPort and iTunes

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This post has 9 Replies | 3 Followers

hfat
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hfat Posted: Thu, Dec 13 2012 9:46 AM

Hi all,

I currently use BeoMedia1 with iTunes additionally installed. Audio-out goes to Aux-In on my BeoSound3000.

So I mainly use BM1 for N.Music and N.Radio (playlists) via BS3000 and Remote-App on iPad/iPhone for selecting and playing music interactively. I don't use interactive version of BM1 via PC command anymore. As it's hard to keep all playlists in BM1 and iTunes in-sync, I want to move to N.Music, N.Radio to iTunes.

Yesterday I ordered a BeoPort which will arraive next week. I'm not shure to use BM-Link or LinkPlayer.

I found the link for downloading BM-Player, read the documentation and everything seems clear to me.

For Linkplayer1 I didn't find a linlk where to download. Could someone please give me a hint, where to download. Additionally to my initial intention to use N.Music and N.Radio, I saw Linkplayer can control other media players like boxee. This could be a very interesting feature, which i want to test.

 hfat

elephant
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elephant replied on Thu, Dec 13 2012 11:20 AM

hfat:
For Linkplayer1 I didn't find a linlk where to download. Could someone please give me a hint, where to download. Additionally to my initial intention to use N.Music and N.Radio, I saw Linkplayer can control other media players like boxee. This could be a very interesting feature, which i want to test.

The download link to the first version of LinkPlayer disappeared when Apple closed down the service that Philippe was using for hosting the software and the documentation.  So it's basically not available I believe ...

LinkPlayer 2 in beta mode had a different download location which you can find in the LinkPlayer 2 Feedback thread.

I would keep things simple to start with - use BM-Link and see what it does for you.

BeoNut since '75

hfat
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hfat replied on Thu, Dec 13 2012 1:19 PM

Hi elephant,

Thank you for your quick response. I'll follow your proposal and start with BM-Link and keep an eye on LinkPlayer 2.

hfat

Christophe
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Hi,

Philippe Robin (who designed Linkplayer) is a BeoWorld member, so he can most probably send you a link for Link Player (the last beta being 2.9, that I have and can send you).

I started with BMLink and shifted to Linkplayer 2 years ago, basically because it has far more features than BMLink, which requires an audio master to work (Linkplayer can make BeoPort act as audio master, which in my case, was exactly what I needed). Besides, it can offer video sources, remote control via Ipod/Iphone, customization & a real visual interface (whereas BMLink shows nothing per se, only your Itunes typical skin). You can even choose to have a display that matches the colour of your speakers' displays or room !

I can also send you the latest user guide.Smile

elephant
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elephant replied on Tue, Dec 18 2012 8:19 PM

Christophe :

Hi,

Philippe Robin (who designed Linkplayer) is a BeoWorld member, so he can most probably send you a link for Link Player (the last beta being 2.9, that I have and can send you).

I started with BMLink and shifted to Linkplayer 2 years ago, basically because it has far more features than BMLink, which requires an audio master to work (Linkplayer can make BeoPort act as audio master, which in my case, was exactly what I needed). Besides, it can offer video sources, remote control via Ipod/Iphone, customization & a real visual interface (whereas BMLink shows nothing per se, only your Itunes typical skin). You can even choose to have a display that matches the colour of your speakers' displays or room !

I can also send you the latest user guide.Smile

I am glad you are enjoying LP2 ... my advice to go slow was purely because of the problems I have had ... I keep hoping Phillipe will return to working on LP2 . . . . . . 

BeoNut since '75

hfat
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hfat replied on Thu, Dec 20 2012 6:21 AM

Christophe :
Philippe Robin (who designed Linkplayer) is a BeoWorld member, so he can most probably send you a link for Link Player (the last beta being 2.9, that I have and can send you).

Thank you for the hint. I've sent him a mail asking for a download link. Regarding LP2 Beta and documentation I have downloaded form the LinkPlayer feedback thread. I don't know if its version 2.9.

hfat

PS: My BeoPort is in delay. I'm hoping it's arriving before weekend, so I can start testing.

hfat
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hfat replied on Fri, Feb 8 2013 7:05 AM

Dear all,

After some weeks of working and experimenting I have finished the transition from BM1 to a Mac Mini+BeoPort and want to share my experiences with you.

This new installation replaces my BM1, mainly used for N.Music and N.Radio audio commands played via BS3000 and my Media Centre running XBMC mainly used for watching movies. Additionaly to BeoPlayer I had iTunes installed on the BM1 to airplay to my BeoLit12. Managing the Playlist and libraries both on iTunes and BM1 was a pain, so I decided to chance to the central Mac Mini.

Installation:

Mac Mini is the 2012 modell with HDMI output connected to BS3 (via Gefen HDMI Matrix).Sound settings are set to alalog sound output. Analog sound output is going to BeoPort and BS3000 A.Aux.

Mac Mini is running Mountain Lion 10.8.2 including the HDMI firmware upgrade. After initial installation of iTunes 11, I decided to do a downgrade to iTunes 10, as i wanted N.Radio to work. (See the here)

BeoPort is integrated into the system using the latest version of BM-Link. (firmware upgraded to the version packaged with BM-Link).

XBMC is the latest version 12.

Problems ans Solutions:

The first problem I encountered was that HDMI output didn't work via HDMI matrix. The picture disappeared and came back constantly within a view seconds. When connected directly to BS3 all worked fine. The solution was to use Gefen HDMI detective and deactivate HDCP on the HDMI detective.

Mac Mini is remote controlled by the Apple Remote PUC of BS3. Mountian Lion has an hard wired IR link to iTunes. This lead into a problem running XBMC and iTunes at the same time. iTunes is controlled by BM-Link not needing any IR-Input. The Remote input is assigned to XBMC. But from time to time OS X was catching the IR-Input and system reacted as responding both OS X and XBMC to a IR command. The solution was to install Remote Buddy an IR control software for Mac. This has a predefined profile for XBMC and deactivated the hard wired connection to iTunes which isn't needed. iTunes is controlled by BM-Link or via the Apple Remote App (BS3000 A.Aux or AirPlay to BeoLit12).

XBMC is a free media player software supporting a lot of video and audio formats and nice very flexible user interface. The sound output for XBMC is directed to HDMI. As soon as XBMC is playing video/music it utilizes the HDMI output, where as iTunes is using analog output. It works perfectly.

BS3 is setup to source DVD using Apple Remote PUC and the associated HDMI port. Movies using Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS 5.1 and music (played in PCM) are working perfectly.

Result:

Very happy.

hfat

 

elephant
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elephant replied on Fri, Feb 8 2013 10:57 AM

Thanks for letting us know how it went

Very glad you are happy !

Certainly you had to over come many obstacles

So thank you for sharing them - a good lesson for others to follow !

BeoNut since '75

Scott Needham
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hello hfat,

glad to see your installation is up and running.  Smile   i'm very curious about :

hfat:

The sound output for XBMC is directed to HDMI. As soon as XBMC is playing video/music it utilizes the HDMI output, where as iTunes is using analog output. It works perfectly.

how did you direct the output by program, xbmc->hdmi & itunes->jack ? i ask because it has been complicated for others... was it made easier by the fact that itunes is analog ?

thanks for your help !

 

- scott

 

hfat
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hfat replied on Thu, Mar 7 2013 5:59 AM

Hi scot,

In fact, XBMC does the job. In OS X system sound settings I use standard output. So iTunes playes via stereo output jack, which runs to BeoPort.

XBMC has it's own system settings within the app. There I use HDMI output device. As soon as XMBC plays music it opens a PCM output channel on the HDMI device. When I play a film with DTS or DD it uses the pass through function and the bitstream goes via HDMI to my BS3.

There is no need to setup custom audio devices with MIDI-Tool.

When I want to airplay to my BeoLit12, I use the iTunes Remote App to control iTunes and direct output to BeoLit12.

hfat

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