The BeoLiving Intelligence uses the core of the BeoLink Gateway but it is designed for a wider audience. The scope of this guide is intended to show to BeoLink Gateway installers what they already know and what’s new regarding BeoLiving Intelligence.
ESSENTIAL and PRO mode
The biggest and most important difference of BeoLiving Intelligence is that it has two working modes: ESSENTIAL and PRO modes. BeoLiving Intelligence is shipped from factory in ESSENTIAL mode and is aimed at an end user being able to easily install it (an installer is not needed) and start using it.
This mode has the following features:
- Fully configurable from the BeoLiving App
- Automatic discovery and addition of all B&O Networklink products
- Control of B&O Networklink products
- Allows the creation of automation scenes
- Handles basic Bang & Olufsen product’s configuration
- Voice control
- Handles Deezer and TuneIn credential’s setting for all your B&O products
- Allows the creation of Bang & Olufsen Products Groups, allowing the control of multiple products as one
- User password-less creation through BeoLiving App.
Moreover, at any point, BeoLiving Intelligence could be upgraded to PRO mode to get a full professional home automation controller through a one-time payment. PRO mode has all the features of the ESSENTIAL, all the professional capabilities that were already present in the BeoLink Gateway, plus remote access from factory. Refer to our specific BeoLiving Intelligence PRO User guide for a deeper understanding.
New BeoLiving App
BeoLiving Intelligence comes with the new BeoLiving App (successor of the BeoLink 2 app) which provides an extensive, full, and easy control of your building controller’s configuration.
In ESSENTIAL mode, BeoLiving App is the most important tool for configuration. ESSENTIAL’s web interface only permits the management of Users, Network configuration and Project Info. Compared with BeoLink 2 app, BeoLiving App brings these new capabilities:
- Create ‘password-less’ user
- Create zones
- Assign/Change B&O products to/from zones
- Edit names of B&O products
- Set content provider’s credentials
- Create/Edit/Delete products groups
- Alexa and Google Assistant linking
Moreover, in PRO mode, remote access could be enabled through BeoLiving App. Refer to Khimo Cloud link section at BeoLiving Intelligence PRO User guide - Setup to see a video explaining how to enable remote access through BeoLiving App.
User creation through BeoLiving App
The most important flow in the BeoLiving Intelligence and BeoLiving App is the user creation. Interaction with BeoLiving Intelligence is required, something new compared with BeoLink Gateway. This flow permits the creation of a ‘password-less’ owner user on the respective BeoLiving App. The process is completely user friendly.
Refer to the Setting Up the BeoLiving Intelligence section of BeoLiving Intelligence Quick Setup guide to see an illustrative video.
Bang & Olufsen products groups
BeoLiving Intelligence and BeoLiving App introduce a new feature called Products’ groups. This feature allows the linking of Bang & Olufsen NetworkLink’s and ControlLink’s products so they behave as one. E.g.: In big rooms with multiple products, a product group could be created so all the products reproduce the same song or playlist at the same time. In a products’ group, exists a master product that will be the source and volume reference of the rest of the group, which will follow any source/volume change of the master automatically, and the BeoLiving App will only show the master.
Refer to BeoLiving Intelligence Quick Setup guide to see an illustrative video.
Credential’s setting
Previously, content providers (Deezer and TuneIn) credential’s setting was a tedious process. All devices of interest needed to be discovered over the LAN and then manually set the desired credential. As a solution to this issue, the user can set his content provider credential’s in the BeoLiving App. BeoLiving Intelligence will send those credentials to all present and new devices (discovered) without any credential set of that specific content provider. This means that BeoLiving Intelligence will not override credentials set on a device. In the future, content provider credential’s could be erased and set manually on each device through BeoLiving App.
Refer to BeoLiving Intelligence Quick Setup guide to see an illustrative video.
Voice control
Voice control is a new important feature of BeoLiving Intelligence. Most of the same control degree that BeoLiving App offers could be done through voice, depending of which voice control service you prefer to use.
Without any user or password to remember, link with third party cloud services is done by following some simple steps to pair your BeoLiving Intelligence with the service provider. Refer to BeoLiving Intelligence Link to Third Party Cloud Service Guide for a detailed description on how to link your voice control device with BeoLiving Intelligence.
Alexa and Google Assistant are officially supported for voice control. Check BeoLiving Intelligence Alexa’s skill Guide to know all you can do with Alexa and BeoLiving Intelligence. More voice control devices are on the way.
Other changes respect to BLGW
- MasterLink devices: BeoLiving Intelligence doesn’t have MasterLink interface. Integration with MasterLink devices could be done through BeoLink Converter, and it is now possible to control MasterLink devices from the BLI through a BLGW, MLGW mk1 & MLGW mk2.
Integration through BLGW & MLGW does not allow other systems on your installation to use legacy MasterLink devices as audio input to other systems. This can be achieved with a BeoLink Converter or connecting directly through a Line In.
- Beo4 and BeoRemote One commands: These commands are only supported through a BLGW or MLGW, due to the changes described above.
- B&O manual sources: Now all sources are synchronized automatically with NetworkLink devices.
- The default ‘admin’ password: From factory, admin password is unknown. Refer to our F.A.Q. to know how to set it to a desired value.
Migrate from BLGW to BLI
The configuration file of the BeoLink Gateway is compatible with the BeoLiving Intelligence, so the migration process is quite simple. The only condition is that the BeoLiving Intelligence must be in PRO mode. To do so, follow the next instructions:
- Download the BeoLink Gateway’s configuration file
- Upload the file to the BeoLiving Intelligence (in PRO mode)
- Take into account that MasterLink resources won’t be available in BeoLiving Intelligence, so all events and commands related to MasterLink devices on Macros will be orphans, meaning that must be deleted or modified for a correct integration through a BeoLink Converter or using the MLGW Protocol driver (integration through a BLGW or MLGW).