If you're keen on using a TV display for the interface, there are a variety of options:

Escient - http://www.escient.com/products/index.html    They offer digital music servers and associated client boxes for multi-room audio solutions that can be controlled via an on-screen interface (can alternatively be controlled via a web UI, touchscreen, etc).  Separately, they also offer server systems that can do movies in addition to music (DVD ripping AND DVD multi-disc changer control)

Request - http://www.request.com/products/default.asp   Similar offerings to Escient but tend to be pricier.  Control options are even greater than Escient's.

AppleTV - http://www.apple.com/appletv/  On-screen interface, remotely controllable via iTunes or the iPhone/iPod Touch app.  Multi-zone capable using either your iTunes library or the content directly on the AppleTV (that last bit is a new feature as of software 2.3 released a few days ago). 

Kaleidescape -  http://www.kaleidescape.com/products/   Great product but the associated cost really only makes sense if you are going to use it for movies AND music.  They offer a multi-zone output music only client, but it has no video outputs (menat to be controlled via web, AMX/Crestron, etc).  The movie player clients do have an on-screen UI of course for both movies and music.  They are working on an iPhone app for music playback control that should be released early next year.

If you decide that having an on-screen display isn't critical, your options increase with solutions like:

Qsonix - http://www.qsonix.com/Public/Products_Overview.aspx   This one has a similar limitation to the BS5/BM5 in that it is one touchscreen control per server box.  However, it has multiple zones of output right on the server piece and can be controlled via other interfaces like the web (they also have an iPhone screen optimized web control).  For those who like MOTS, this system incorporates a similar technology called tapestry (http://www.macrovision.com/products/ce_manufacturers/metadata_media_recognition/tapestry.htm).  At ths time, they don't offer client boxes to add additional zones (the server piece is meant to attach to a multi-zone amp for audio distribution).

Sooloos - http://www.sooloos.com/www/the-system.php  This is one of my personal favorites.  Just named Stereophile's 2008 product of the year.  The design is configurable depending on your needs so thay have multiple options for storage, source playback and control.  Primary control is a 17" touchpanel with a built-in CD drive but it can also be controlled via AMX/Crestron, a web interface (including an iPhone optimized version), etc.  They will be releasing a 12" wireless touchpanel remote in Q1 of next year.  They will also be offering a video client starting next year, so that will ilkely include an on-screen UI capability for video and music like Kaleidescape has. 

Olive - http://www.olive.us/products/overview.html   Server and client pieces that offer control via front-panel touchscreen, IR remote or web UI (again including an iPhone optimized version).

These are just a few items that I have come across and doesn't even get into the streaming category that also features some really great solutions like the Logitech Duet, the Sonos system, etc.   There's a lot out there and the above is just a sample.

Jeff

There are plenty of other systems, Sonos being one example. I wouldn't say they're similar to the BeoSound 5 though. The BeoSound 5 isn't a media server/center, it's a hifi.

This is the way I have read it....

Sooloos           $13,000 and you don't get a remote!

Olive                 $  2,000 Probably the cheapest of the lot (excl. Apple) but tiny screen

Qsonix 110       $  5,500 for a box and touch-screen.

Kaledascope     $20,000 start and anywhere due north!

Escient             $  6,000 on the box plus touchscreen (add ~$1200)

Request S4.8    $13,000 plus touchscreen (add ~$1200)

Beosound 5      $ 2,700 most expensive interface of the lot

Beomaster 5     $ 2,900 can integrate with TV if you don't go the BS5 way!

Of the cheaper models, (exclude Sooloos, Request and Kaledascope), all use their own touch screens and CD drives to edit metadata - which I think is flawed.  All these have approx 250Gb to 1Tb storage but seem to average around the 500Gb mark for the price indicated. All apart from the BS5 have a really bad PC type computer interface. (Just add mouse and keyboard and you're back in the office!)

The touchscreens in all these models - and we all have to agree, really suck! And none have really addressed wireless battery operated touchscreen. I don't think technology is yet good enough for B&O to do this well. i.e. through glass and not leave fingerprints everywhere. Therefore the BS5 really does standout in terms of engineering quality, practicality and simplicity.

All have issues over video - or at least ripping DVD's and copyright infringement (and something from licensing history B&O will definitely stay well away from) so video is not a real issue right now with any of the models unless you download.

In conclusion, the cost of these products would seem initially exponential to the cost of the components. Then, the larger systems become more expensive probably because they do have bigger screens, bigger storage etc...

There would appear to be no one killer product. The BS5 is on the right end of the price/build quality scale and hopefully can have bigger harddrives (which appear to be 3.5" and not 2.5" as originally indicated). However it is limited in not being able to store/play vast DVD libraries. Perhaps that is for the Beomaster 5 AV once the lawyers have their cut?

10%

Alex:

There are plenty of other systems, Sonos being one example. I wouldn't say they're similar to the BeoSound 5 though. The BeoSound 5 isn't a media server/center, it's a hifi.

Just wondering how you differentiate the 2 categories?  It looks like a media server to me.

Jeff 

If B&O had wanted it to be a media server, they would give it full-on video capabilities, and wouldn't have given it the hardware interface and focus on sound they did. The BeoMaster 5 can act a little like a Media Center (it can still do the BeoMedia 1 software, although the prototypes you see in dealers can't), but the BeoSound 5 isn't anything like a BeoMedia.

Alex:

If B&O had wanted it to be a media server, they would give it full-on video capabilities

It's not what B&O want Alex, it's what we want as consumers. I think you find we drive market demand and if the manufacturer can't meet the functionality for this demand, we won't buy their products.

The Beosound 5 should be a media player. It ought to be able to connect to my BV7-40 and enable me to store a 'backup' of my DVDs and also digital audio.

It should also have a stackable hard drive or similar functionality that enabled users to add another 500GB networked drive if they ran out of space.

Then it wouldn't be a BeoSound - it'd be a BeoMedia of some sort, maybe even a BeoMaster! BeoSounds have always been about music and hifi, no matter what platform they're built on...