Linkplayer or BM-link?

10 replies

Hi, finally I am about to connect my Mac with my B&O-system and what I really am looking forward to is to be able to listen to iTunes in my link rooms with either Linkplayer or BM-link. I will setup my Beoport as audio master.

Which one of the softwares would you choose in a new setup? As I mentioned, I have the Beoport already and will just connect it to my MacMini. By the way, do I have to upgrade the Beoports firmware? If so, how?

I read about Linkplayer (which I right now find a bit more attractive than BM-link just by reading) and I am i a bit confuserad about the differences between the following text:

  1. •LinkMusic: Plays songs stored in your iTunes library using LinkPlayers internal player. DRM songs cannot be played.

  2. •LinkRadio: Plays Internet Radios stored into any of your iTunes Playlist.

  3. •iTunes: Plays songs by controlling iTunes

  4. •iTunes Radios: Plays internet radios by controlling iTunes

    For example, what is the difference between 1 and 3?

     

    Best regards

    Hans, Sweden 

halid wrote:
For example, what is the difference between 1 and 3?

well as Phillipe says, "DRM songs cannot be played."

I never use LinkMusic ... but that's not for that reason, but rather because I subscribe to Last.FM, and LinkMusic does not interface with Last.FM whereas iTunes does -- so that is a plus for me.

I suspect Phillipe wrote the code for LinkMusic and LinkRadio because he wanted a light-weight piece of software ... which iTunes is not.

On the other hand I have used LinkVideo, but that is because it allows me to find Videos/TV Shows/Movies that my LinkPlayer PLEX set-up does not "find" (or perhaps does not recognise).

By the way, have you downloaded Phillippe's PDF with its Beo4 guide ?  That has a few more differences -- I think it comes down to what we call "horses for courses" (in other words, it depends on what YOU want, which in Phillippe's case was light-weight S/W!)

 

I believe, BM-link does not work as a audiomaster, only the original Beoplayer soft and Linkplayer gives you that option.

Thanks to both of you, I will go for the Linkplayer!

Elephant - a few more questions. Today I have a Mac Mini with Plex installed. I also have a IR-cable attached so I can control Plex with my Beo 5 or Beo 4 remote.

I can´t really see what advantages I get if I would if I "integrate" Plex with Linkplayer, but I guess I have missed something... maybe you can help me understand? Can I send movies etc to other rooms?

 

I also would like to know I if I should upgrade my Beoport firmware, and how if necessary.

BR

Hans

halid wrote:
Today I have a Mac Mini with Plex installed. I also have a IR-cable attached

I use the same approach for my Beo4 - I define the AV port as having an IR attached, and then specifiy that it is simulating "Apple Remote".  That way I do not need the sophistication and programming of tbe Beo5/Beo6

halid wrote:
I can´t really see what advantages I get if I would if I "integrate" Plex with Linkplayer

The advantage (for me) is that my Beo4 uses LinkPlayer to launch Plex, and then the control of the Plex menu is also via the Beo4.

This same launch and control via the Beo4 works for my EyeTV.

halid wrote:
I also would like to know I if I should upgrade my Beoport firmware, and how if necessary.

I would only upgrade the Beoport firmware if you get problems which seem to "point" to the BeoPort.  I have not upgraded mine for a long time, but I think I did do it via my Macbook in 2009.

The firmware update is provide through the guy (Odlund) who wrote BM-Link; proceed via the B&O site to make sure you have the official link:

  1. link
  2. link
  3. and then depending on you vesion of Mac OS X you get a particular version of "BM-Link-1-1.50.?.dmg" which contains the Firmware update
  4. you then use your BM-Link System Preferences icon to go to the Advanced tab to click "Update" and then "point" to the Firmware folder's contents

elephant wrote:
you then use your BM-Link System Preferences icon to go to the Advanced tab to click "Update" and then "point" to the Firmware folder's contents

Perfect. Many, many thanks elephant!

BR

Hans

halid, which hardware environment do you have?

Hi, I have a Mac Mini and I will finally connect it to my never ever used Beoport (I think it must be 4-5 years old... :-) ). Or do you mean my B&O equipment?

BR

Hans

I mean your B&O stuff.

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