Software for connecting Beolink PC2 to a Linux PC... 





=== Latest News === (please reload every time you visit)

=== xlink - the idea ===
The xlink is a Linux daemon that communicates with the Beolink PC2, over USB. This project will, at first, try to create the needed tools for distribution of N.MUSIC to your Beolink system. But, the more general idea is to create a set of applications / services for enhancing the in-home experience, with your Bang & Olufsen products. I haven't decided, yet, what exactly this would be, but I would like to combine the following ideas:
  • Providing a gateway for Beolink protocol to the IPv4/IPv6 world. Masterlink was an innovative protocol when created, but old by now. HAVi is also not good enough. It would be great if all the home devices would be based on IPv6. xlink could be the first step, acting as a gateway between the Materlink and IP. Adding a UPnP gateway on top, would allow you to control your Beolink devices over UPnP...
  • Create a "media box" device. That would be a Linux PC with all your music files (MP3s, OggVorbis etc.), movies, images and other media, running as a home device all-around-the-clock. Distribute all your content from there to your beolink devices, and your computer devices. 
  • Beoplayer is great for managing and playing your songs, while working in front of the PC. When you move to the living room, you don't remember the play lists, and the order of your songs. Imagine having a PDA in the living room, connected over wireless LAN to your PC, from where you can see and select the songs you want to play on your Beosound.
  • Or using your Symbian based mobile phone as a two-way remote control, over Bluetooth, for controlling your B&O devices, using the xlink gateway.
  • Even have your stereo system start automatically when you enter your home (when your Bluetooth phone is discovered by the xlink server). No need to press any button... 
xlink_ui screenshot 

=== xlink now ===
Well, all these ideas seem very futuristic now. The current implementation of xlink allows you to do only the following:

=== Downloads ===

=== Some details ===
xlink now consists for two parts. xlink daemon and xlink UI. The reason is that in the future the UI could move to another device (other than the one with the Beolink PC2).
Both applications are created in Java. The reason for this, is that I wanted to test/evaluate the functionality of javax.usb package, and xlink was a good test.
xlink is currently an open-source project, under CPL. Also, the javax-usb files contained into the xlink zip file are provided under Common Public License (CPL).

=== xlink in the near future ===
In the near future, I plan to do the following:

=== Links === === Trivial ===

Back in 1996, I had also created one of the first unofficial B&O websites with information and images about their products. Actually, I think at that time the official site didn't even exist yet. You can take a look back in time, through archive.org, at the following address: http://web.archive.org/web/19990224051311/beli.vet.auth.gr/beo/index.html. Nostalgic years..

Please drop me an e-mail with ideas, suggestions, bugs etc., at beli (at) beli.net

Br,
Petros

This page was created on 02. Nov. 2003

Disclaimer: The names 'Bang & Olufsen', 'B&O', 'Beolink' are the property and copyright of Bang & Olufsen of Denmark which is in no way associated or affiliated with this site. 

1