New product launch – beosound theatre?

[beojeff]

Razlaw wrote:

How do I enable B and O mode? App shows connected and I do not see an option to specifically enable it.

If you’re not seeing the message in the app prompting you to enable B&O mode, you most likely already enabled it during the initial setup. Unfortunately, this did not resolve the problem for me. After having the LG TV and Theatre in standby for an hour, starting the video source on the Beoremote One did not turn on the TV. I had to manually turn the TV on using the button under the screen. I’ve replaced both cables connecting the LG to the TV with better quality cables and this problem is still present. All other control of the LG TV using the Beoremote One works fine.

[Razlaw]

I received another email today from BeoCare indicating that they are aware of the problem and developers are working on a fix.

[geoffmartin]

etype76 wrote:

Typically, what volume are you all using through the LG TV (obviously depends) but I am fairly close with the volume at 43-46 and the dialogue is pretty weak. A character also knocked on a door with the scene on the inside and the knock was barely audible. Other elements are fine such as action, score etc. I checked the app and the position is correct and sound setting on movie.

The sensitivity (the relationship between the levels of the input and the output signals) of the Beosound Theatre is the same as all other Beovision televisions (until the internal protection algorithms kick in). So, if you’re playing the same mix of the same input signal, then Volume Step 42 will deliver the same output level as on an Eclipse / Harmony / Beovision 11.

Of course, this assumes that all other parameters are identical, which won’t make sense in most cases. (For example, I doubt that many persons will configure their Theatre to output only L / C / R as on an Eclipse.)

[NQVHNWI]

geoffmartin wrote: The sensitivity (the relationship between the levels of the input and the output signals) of the Beosound Theatre is the same as all other Beovision televisions (until the internal protection algorithms kick in). So, if you’re playing the same mix of the same input signal, then Volume Step 42 will deliver the same output level as on an Eclipse / Harmony / Beovision 11. Of course, this assumes that all other parameters are identical, which won’t make sense in most cases. (For example, I doubt that many persons will configure their Theatre to output only L / C / R as on an Eclipse.)

Interesting. My observation of replacing an Eclipse on a one-for-one swap with a Theatre – even keeping the same wiring loom connecting BL90, BL3 and an Oppo 105 is that my typical “action movie” volume setting of 47 (sufficient)  now runs 50-52.

Nothing wrong with that…..it may be like a potent sports car…. The more power, the more mundane it feels as you accelerate with ease, the more you crave more power??

[DHA]

etype76 wrote:

Typically, what volume are you all using through the LG TV (obviously depends) but I am fairly close with the volume at 43-46 and the dialogue is pretty weak. A character also knocked on a door with the scene on the inside and the knock was barely audible. Other elements are fine such as action, score etc. I checked the app and the position is correct and sound setting on movie.

I have found the source of audio on TV makes the listening experience vary significantly more than the Sony system this has replaced. BBC content is highly variable, even 2.0 output can sound hugely different between various programmes.

I start at 40, usually only up to 45 for normal listening but that can be a bit loud in certain scenes. But dialogue can be weak on occasion, but I don’t think this is a fault of theatre.

[beojeff]

I’ll chime in that I definitely must raise the audio level to be what I had used for listening to the same source on my Beosystem 4, Beosystem 3, and Beovision 10.

@Geoff,

Please do listen to what your real-world users are reporting. Also:

1. We are unable to use ALL front-firing speakers of the Theatre for the Center role.
2. Without allowing us to assign other Dolby speaker roles such as “Wide” we cannot take advantage of the TrueImage upmixing for speakers beyond 7.1.4. Why not just allow this as you did with the Beosystem 4?? This seems like a diminishment of the TrueImage concept.

[NQVHNWI]

I think the volume thing is not a hill of beans, just a muscle memory thing where the eyes tell you one thing but the ears say more. Once you get used to to 50-ish, it becomes second nature.

 

[beojeff]

Mr10Percent wrote:

I think the volume thing is not a hill of beans, just a muscle memory thing where the eyes tell you one thing but the ears say more. Once you get used to to 50-ish, it becomes second nature.

It’s nice to have consistency across B&O devices. B&O seems to think the volume level is the same, but it clearly is not. There are still a lot of bugs to work out in the Theatre. After investing as an early adopter in the most expensive soundbar on the market, I do want B&O to listen and improve.

[NQVHNWI]

Yeah….I know. I meant that to me, it wasn’t a deal breaker for me demanding my money back.

Rest assured, I’ve been keeping Beocare fully occupied since receiving my Theatre telling them of the same bugs I’ve observed.

[geoffmartin]

beojeff wrote:

@Geoff, Please do listen to what your real-world users are reporting.

I can absolutely assure you that I do – even when I don’t directly respond here. 🙂

 

With respect to the question of the volume setting, please remember that a 1:1 swap of a Beovision Something to a Beosound Theatre doesn’t mean that all other things are equal. For example, it’s quite possible that the switch from a 5.1 or 7.1 Dolby Digital-encoded stream to a Dolby Atmos-encoded stream, may not necessarily have the same levels or identical metadata.

It is also possible that Theatre’s automated setup resulted in different values for the Speaker Levels settings than was the case in the television it replaced.

And of course, there are other things that change, including the total number of loudspeakers and outputs.

I should have been more specific in my first response:
when fed identical input signals on a single input channel fed to a single output channel, with all other parameters being default or equal, then the Beosound Theatre will have the same output as a Beovision television or a Beolab loudspeaker. However, any changes in (for example) the Speaker Levels, adjustment parameters, numbers of outputs, or input signals will have a resultant effect on the total perceived output level.

Sometimes, this can be very tricky/deceiving. For example, if you connect an Apple TV to a Beovision Harmony and play BTS / Coldplay performing “My Universe” using the Tidal app, then the result will be about 12 dB louder than if you do exactly the same thing with a Beovision Theatre instead. The reason for this is that the Harmony (which does not support Atmos decoding) will play the 2.0 PCM mix. The Theatre will play the Atmos-encoded mix of the same track, which is mixed considerably quieter. The only VISIBLE way to see this difference is to look at the Sound Info on the two products.

Cheers

-geoff

 

[NQVHNWI]

Hi Geoff,

So one thing to “add-back” perhaps is the dB gain function in the eclipse which allowed to the User to try an match different source outputs to the same general level. I understand that watching Live TV, a volume setting of say 50 is required. On Netflix, 48-46. Amazon Prime I think has lots of people with hearing difficulty because I have to wind that down to 40-42. Again, as you indicate, it probably has something to do with the “quality” of the Title and its format.

This volume normalisation feature is employed it seems in Mybuttons but in a dark room, my muscle-memory of what is 1-2-3-4 Mybutton is not intuitive. Better just to press TV, curser down and select the most appealing blue writing on the screen. Sound levels pre-matched of course!

[geoffmartin]

I’ll certainly pass that one on!

However, remember that if you’re using a single source (e.g. an Apple TV) with multiple streams / apps, then a source-based gain offset will not help – however, this is already true on an Eclipse/Harmony for example, as you probably already know.

[NQVHNWI]

Oh – and another thing Geoff – while you are viewing this topic.

I know you cant say anything about future product pipeline but we could really do with you passing on a message to TPTB in Struer for some slinky-slim ceiling speakers for our 5.2.X or 7.1.X Theatres. Something where I don’t have to book the builders 6 months in advance to do major wall/ceiling cavity excavation to hide amplifiers and fat drivers etc… Something perhaps with minimal wiring as well for ease so when we relocate our living quarters, the new habitants will never believe there was a loudspeaker there in the first place.

Thanks so much!

10

[Razlaw]

Received a software update today to my Theatre.  Initial impressions are the previous problems have been solved.

[Severed_hand_of_skywalker]

I also got the update. I haven’t noticed anything different. What has been solved for you?

[Razlaw]

Multiple presses of a button on the BR1, such as skipping through channels, or fast forward or rewind of a dvr’d program would cause the Theatre to disconnect from the screen, screen would go blank other than a message saying it had disconnected, screen would then come back on, say it had reconnected, but might switch sources and change volume level.

[beojeff]

I still haven’t received the update on this side of the pond. The two big issues I’m hoping it might fix are (1)allowing us to use speakers connected via Wisa with Beoreceiver 1 and (2) fixing the issue of the Theatre not powering on the LG TV. I’ve been finding that I keep seeing the message in the app to integrate the LG TV even after I have done that.

Geoff’s explanation makes sense about how Dolby Atmos could be a reason for a change needed in the volume level. I had never been able to use Dolby Atmos with B&O before the Theatre. I just do REALLY hope that the True Image upmixing will be fixed to allow MORE Beolabs beyond the 7.1.4. The whole point of True Image upmixing seemed to be allowing more B&O speakers to fill out the soundstage. Yet, now we’ve actually LOST speaker roles that were previously allowed in the Beosystem 4.

Also, an explanation for why we can’t use the side front-firing speakers of the Theatre to add to the center channel role would be really welcome. Is it because the sound signals would interfere with the middle speaker?? It would just be nice to have an explanation so that we don’t see this as just an oversight or flaw in the software programming.

If the Theatre at least had support to forward LIGHT/CONTROL signals to the BLI I could program a macro to let me turn on the LG TV. I paid $3000 more for an LG C2 for the very purpose of having a seamless integration with the TV!

Also, I’ve found that not only does the Theatre not show up in the Moment to use its speakers, but also I can’t even JOIN what’s playing on the Moment with the Theatre.

[Razlaw]

I still have a problem with the LG not turning on if I select satellite and it has been off for a long time.  Other sources start immediately and then can start satellite.  Also, hoping for Receiver 1 support. I read elsewhere online that an update to the app is coming soon that resolve the Receiver 1 issue.

[Sandyb]

My installation is not for a few weeks yet – but interested in the not powering on issue.

Not sure what model / version of LG panel you have, but I havent heard of many having this issue. I would have thought that turning on the Theatre would at a very basic level definitely turn on an LG C/G 1 or 2 series no problem.

But again, I’m not in possession yet myself, so not entirely clear exactly what the issue is.

 

[DanteM]

Regarding Atmos speakers, can’t we use the Beosound Shape on the ceiling?

[Author]

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