That's true. Let just hope b&o has the software power to build something similar to itunes or even better!

Is "lossless" truly "lossless" if it erases 44% of the information?

I'm still loving my CD's. 

bayerische:

Is "lossless" truly "lossless" if it erases 44% of the information?

Let's repeat it another time. Lossless is lossless as it name says. A lossless format is a file format that can compress the size of a file without losing ANY information. When the file is expanded (when being played), the resulting file is stricly identical to the original.

When you Zip a MS Word file on your computer, the size is reduced, when you expand it, are words missing in your document? No. Zip is a lossless compression format. WMA Lossless and Apple Lossless are similar to Zip, but adapted to Audio.

p.

OK, thanks for clearing that up for me. 

True True. But why do we want that when hard disk memory is cheap nowadays? Naturally we will prefer to archive everything in it's original form so in the future we will have the option of doing anything to the file such as burning it to a disk and transfer it to a mac where the WMA format is poorly supported. Why restrict out options at this price? It's seems that B&O is all about restricting our freedom. We have to use their connections and be tied down to a sole B&O entertainment system? Hello.... just what is the % of repeat customers? If B&O makes good products then we will stick to it why manipulate the consumers which will then encourage disloyalty. Just how many of you are 100% happy with your full B&O system right now? 

In my opinion. B&O is getting kinda evil. Compatibility with outside systems is getting harder then ever, now with the din only connections to their loudspeakers and everything. Let's hope that the Beosound 5 supports uncompressed ripping and HD audio.  

Hi folks,

I followed the discussions about BS5 during the last months. For me the price isn't really astonishing. It's typical B&O, there will be a lot of people buying the system. It doesn't matter if it's 2000 or 8000 Euros (remember B&O asks for 100.000 Euros for their largest TV. How mad is this? You could build a whole home-cinema with first-class equipment for that amount...).

Anyway: for me the whole BS5-concept is ridiculous! As I understand it right, we speak about a music-only system. Right? No video? No 2-way-remote? No home-automation? Just simple digital music? Just something between iTunes, Windows-Media-Player and BeoPort? Just a small display with a hardware-controller to scroll thru some menues?

I mean, come on! Most of us are B&O enthusiasts with the tendency to be very complaisent to "our" company. But wake up! This product was outdated before they had their first working prototype!

A modern future-proof B&O-gadget has to be more than that. It needs to be better than the regular stuff you can buy today. Actually everbody can buy media PCs for Video and Music, for images and communication. That's technical standard. A serious BS5 has to cover this standard first. But they have to do it better.B&O has to add the Beo-surplus-value. But what is this? "Just" comfort, function, simplicity, design, style... We don't need a boring mp3-player with a plug for Beolabs.

What we need ist a management tool for audio and video and communication. We wanna browse thru our digital music library, we need to have the same simple access to movies and our private files like photos or videos from our camcorders. We wanna push one button, the light dims, the projectors switches on, videos starts. Oh: Don't forget HD video! If the phone rings, the video has to pause, the light has to go up, and w can speak. What about the door bell? If it rings, we wanna see the visitor's face at the display. Etc. etc. etc. 

That's not the future. it's all there. the only thing, B&O has to add are their (formerly) good ideas for usability (Volume remote with the phone? Best idea evert! Display 6 CDs at the wall? Brilliant! Awake the remote with a fingertip? Superb! Integrate CD-player in TV? Cool...)

Anyway, I fear, we will never see a really astonishing product from B&O anymore. 

Just my 2 disappointed cents...
JOV