I am in the midst of planning for new cabling for my condo.  This is probably more of a request than a question.  I would urge Bang and Olufsen to release more if not all of the details of the new link cable scheme.  I saw the pdf for layout of the new cables.  It was not exactly as I had expected.

Since I have a Beomedia 5, I would also ask if B&O is going to support Apple lossless.

Yes Razlaw a very good question, even when Sky make changes on there STB Beo5 has to be reprogrammed - please B&O give customer software to make changes themselves.

CEOs should lead with visions ... so my suggestion would be:

"In 3 years time, what do you want B&O UK to be known as, and how will you know you have achieved that vision?"

I would like to know from the UK CEO as how he is planning to improve CRM with ownerbase of BS5/BM5 (as we are asked to register our devices). So far very poor, no communication whatsoever. 

Suggestions:

a) get feedback from owners regarding future update needs of BS5 (may help setting priorities)

b) better advanced information on significant updates and what they will achieve (don't just dump it into the service menu of BS5)

c) tipps and hints

If I understand it correctly, BS5/BM5 is a platform product for B&O. Become proactive and not reactive.

You could ask him for me.

What he is prepared to do to improve the poor customer service at B&O stores. Are the staff trained in customer care or just sales techniques?

I read on the forum someone complaining of B&O using lower grade materials on their products, is this true? if so do B&O not feel they are giving their customers a sub-standered product and service?, specially to those people who love their products and have to work really hard to purchase their products. Well to all who pay out a hell of a lot of money really. Personally i have been very happy with the products i own.

Clearly every company has their strengths. As mentioned by others, its clear that integration of digital media is more and more critical. I am a bit sceptical about B+O becoming great at software. Are B+O looking to partner with like minded companies to address these kind of issues?

I think the idea of B+O and Apple was suggested before. Its a good example. Can't see you competing well against  the iPod/iPhone, but I bet every B+O customer has 1 or 2. So why not see some products do more than allow a cable-in ? How about an iPod dock and playlist selectable via the Beo Controller ? and the source can be sent around the BeoLink system where other rooms can pick the music ?

I agree with the other comment. With the objective that everything is viewed on a B+O product and listened to on a B+O speaker, we need more than a cable-in going forward.

Personally I work in IT. I thought BS5 is a great piece of design but a disaster. I'd prefer than front-end device browsing the iTunes store likely 75%+ of B+O customers already have. So that one comes back to PC/Mac Integration, next version of BeoLink. Clearly distributing HD mutli-room is a must.

So coming back to my question, are B+O going to do everything alone or partner to get there quicker ?

I have a few questions, which, unfortunately is sort of requests:

Are there any plans - official or not, tentatively or hard and fast -  to make the Beosound 5 respond to the remote?

I mean, so that you from afar can use the screen to navigate your music? Using a telly for that makes the BS5 superfluous, imo.

Secondly, since the BS5 is hardwired, would it be possible to include a small headphone amp and plug (a 1/8th of an inch will do (minijack))?

If you don't think it would be feasible to get good enough sound in a very small package, the Cowon D2/D2+ proves that thesis wrong.

My third question which is also more of a request, is this: Do B&O have any plans, even tentatively, to make it possible to order the BS5 with antireflectory treatment?

You see, I have this thing with shining objects: I really don't like gloss, glistening and reflections.

My fourth and final request/question is whether or not B&O have any plans to make the BS5/BM5 able to control a FM and/or DAB tuner? Perhaps by controlling, say, the Beocenter 2 or some other tuner? It could even be a tuner connected to the BM5, as far as I'm concerned. It has to be a question of writing the firmware to support it.

Stephen Neale wrote:

I read on the forum someone complaining of B&O using lower grade materials on their products, is this true? if so do B&O not feel they are giving their customers a sub-standered product and service?,

I would like to know those things too. However, the question falls for the "negation test".

I cannot imagine someone answering anything negative to that question. No company would go "Well, yes, we DO use subpar hardware. We do this to rip you, the customer, off".

It's all in good fun, though,  so don't take my comment too seriously :)

How about a simple plug-in mains module that will respond to Beotime/Beo4/Beo5?

That way vintage equipment could have an element of remote control added as well as lighting etc. Unless I am mistaken this is all currently left to other specialists, often resulting in rather inelegant or difficult to implement solutions.

Graham

EDIT I am not looking for the 'Beoliving' approach!

When the interview is expected ?

Jean