I believe B&O is in talk with "the kind customer".

A few years ago, they started to advertise BM-Link on their site and it looks like they had a sort of deal.

They really should get the source code and manage it themselves...

----------------

On this note, I have an announcement to make... another kind customer, myself, is working on a Beoport replacement for the mac.

I currently have a working prototype, but I still have a lot of work to do. The problem comes from the fact that the protocol between the PC2 and the computer is not public and need to be reversed engineered. It is like trying to decipher the rosetta stone!

I am planning to cover most of the features of the PC version of the Beoport software. That is to say to work in all Option settings, and emulate a Beolink active, like the PC version. There could be extra Mac specific features...

I may need a month or two before I can release it.

Here is to make you salivate...

Wow, Phil, quite an undertaking!  Is there a possibility you could get B&O to release the APIs to you like they apparently did to Anders Ödlund?

Best of luck, and looking forward to your product,

Sounds wonderful!

Hi Phil,

This sounds great. I'm based in London and live nearby so if you want someone to be a beta tester just shout.

Good luck!

Rob

I having the same problem with BeoPort after I just upgraded to Mac OS 10.6. Unfortunate I didn't see this thread until AFTER I upgraded - I was pretty sure that my BeoPort hardware was broken - but from this thread it looks like it is the software that is broken. The BeoPort integration with my 32-bit Mac Mini works fine for the first two or so acivations on the beo4 remote after that it simply locks up and some minutes later the music also stops playing.

Any news on Odlund (or someone else is) looking into this?

I currently have BM-Link working with no problems with Snow Leopard. I can not use the colored buttons for functions I have heard exist but volume, on/off, and skipping from song to song seem to be working flawlessly. I use an iTouch to choose the songs most of the time. BM-Link is working in the room with the iMac and two other rooms via Masterlink.

Still am eagerly awaiting an update from Odlund or the new software mentioned in this thread.

I have experienced BM-Link freezes (spinning rainbow disc) on occasions but I now have the ritual of stopping the BM-Link before I remove the BeoPort's USB, and also not starting the BN-Link until I have reconnected the USB ... that seems to have produced more stability.

NO news here... and B&O in Sydney seem to suggest I'll be waiting a long time!

David Coyne

Hi All,

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I have been working hard on a Beoplayer equivalent for the Mac.

My aim was to create a programme that will give access to all the features of the Beolink PC2, that looks and behave like a proper Mac programme, but also like a B&O device. This programme should of course work with recent versions of the OS and iTunes.

While I want to concentrate on core features for the first version, I am planning to add support for controlling various sources, such as tuners and Mac media players if people are interested.

The challenges are the following:

- The Masterlink protocol, and the protocol between the Beolink PC2 and the computer is not documented by B&O.

I could install Beoport and trace the protocol, but a lot of it is guess work and requires a LOT of time.

- Each B&O setup is different, and each model speak the same ML language, but with a "different accent"

Having tested my software on one of my friend's setup, I could notice that ML messages are slightly different than those sent by my own setup. As I do not own (unfortunately) every B&O product, it makes it difficult to test every combination.

Again, if B&O could give me the ML protocol, that would make my life easy, but I know some have asked before... and you can guess what was the answer.

- I did not originally own a Beolink PC2, but bought one on eBay for this specific purpose.

- I do not own a N.MUSIC compatible Audiomaster (I have a BC 2500)

Beolink PC2 can still be used in that case, and you can still access main sources, or local sources, It can also work in Option 0,1,2 as an Audiomaster. I have to rely on a friend to test the N.MUSIC/N.RADIO distribution in option 4,5,6.

- Just like there are many different B&O setup, there are also many different Mac setup.

I am trying to produce a software that works with the lastest macs, OS and iTunes (as BMLink is broken on these) but I would also like not to forget older Macs. Therefore I am aiming to make it work on Intel and PPC macs, running Leopard or Snow Leopard, and the latest version of iTunes.

Anyway... despite all these obstacles, I have some good news as I have made some good progress lately.

What I have got is a programme that can control iTunes and iTunes radios, iTunes CD player and Frontrow (that includes the DVD player).

All can be controlled through a virtual remote, see screenshot earlier in this thread, or with the Beo4/5/beolink 1000 remote.

Sources of the audiomaster and Videomaster can also be called and played on speakers connected to the Powerlink socket of the Beolink PC2 or the headphone socket of the Beolink PC2.

When in Option 0,1,2 it can act as an Audiomaster, and these sources can be accessed from the main TV for example.

When in Option 4,5,6 it can distribute N.MUSIC and N.RADIO if you have a N.MUSIC compatible audio master.

Yesterday I finally solved a important bug that made it crash under Leopard (I am developing under Snow Leopard).

I am going to work on it this weekend and if it looks good, I am planning to start Beta testing from next week.

If some of you are interested to help me with Beta testing, please send me an email through the Contact button.

Philippe

Dear PhilLondon,

Thank you for the update. Looks very exciting and promising. :)

First of all I would like to thank you for having the guts to start a project like this and spending the time and effort and determination this project obviously will take to complete. 

I did sell my beoport (knocking myself silly now ....) when I switched from PC to Mac about 2 years ago now. The constant problems and lack of support by B&O didn't help. I now use a mac mini with Ridax's cable solution which works ok... for now, and I would love to see a more capable and more up-to-date and permanent solution. The beoport would be a great (and affordable) solution.

Also glad to read that you will add support for other media players later (May I suggest to add 'Plex" as several people I know use this).

I will also start looking on ebay to find a second hand beoport or beolink pc2 asap. Though it may take a while to find one in North America :(  

Regards,

O.