Blog :: HDMI :: The Bose® Lifestyle VS-2 Video Enhancer® is A Must for All Lifestyle Owners
The Bose® Lifestyle VS-2 Video Enhancer® is A Must for All Lifestyle Owners
Bose® Lifestyle® Home Entertainment Systems are world renowned for their superior technology, top-quality sound and simplicity. With the introduction of the Bose Lifestyle® VS-2 Video Enhancer , Bose Lifestyle® Systems will also be known as some of the most versatile home theater systems on the market. The VS-2 gives Lifestyle® owners 2 HDMI connections, Automatic Video Upscaling capability and One-Button remote control simplicity.
The addition of the Bose Lifestyle® VS-2 Video Enhancer takes Lifestyle® Home Entertainment Systems into the next generation of High Definition Home Theater. When connected to the VS-2, the Lifestyle® has the ability to control both the Audio and Video inputs rather than just the audio. This feature makes the Lifestyle® act more like a traditional home theater receiver. The VS-2 Video Enhancer works seamlessly with all Lifestyle® DVD home entertainment systems except for Lifestyle® 18, 28 and 35 Series I systems.
HDMI Inputs
Two HDMI inputs have been added to the VS-2 Video Enhancer to give the user the option of connecting a High Definition Cable/Satellite Box, Blu-Ray Disc player or any other component that uses HDMI to your Lifestyle® Home Entertainment System. HDMI gives you high definition video and digital audio all in one cable. HDMI is the future of high definition and will give you the best possible viewing and listening experience.
*If your cable or satellite picture is there some days and gone others, you are probably experiencing DRM (Digital Rights Management) problems. In this case, use Component for the CBL/SAT Input, it will still be upscaled to HDMI through the output.
Automatic Video Upscaling
Another great feature the VS-2 provides is the ability to automatically upscale a video signal to the next highest format or resolution over HDMI. A composite video connection will be upscaled to S-Video format and S-Video is upscaled to component video format. This is also the case with high definition signals, for instance: a 1080i signal will be upgraded to 1080p format over HDMI. This feature allows you to get the full potential from all of your components.
One-Button Simplicity
Since the VS-2 allows your Lifestyle® to manage all video and audio sources together, it only takes the push of a button to get them to work together. If you press the CBL/SAT button on your Lifestyle® Remote you will get audio and video without having to change the input on your TV. This feature makes your home theater experience a lot less complicated.
The Bose VS-2 Video Enhancer allows you to upgrade your Lifestyle® Home Entertainment System for the ultimate high definition experience. Even if you don’t use high definition the one button simplicity and video upscaling are great tools by themselves and will still give you a better overall experience. The VS-2 Video Enhancer is also very easy to install. You simply run the update disc which takes about 5 minutes (don’t eject until the system says update complete), connect to the Lifestyle® Home Entertainment System and make your video connections from your components to the VS-2.
Bose is a company that makes their products last and the VS-2 is a testament to that. With the Lifestyle® VS-2 Video Enhancer connected to your Lifestyle® System, you will be ready for the high definition experience of your choice.
Posted in HDMI, Product Announcements, New Products
November 11th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
I have Bose lifestyle 38. Will the VS-2 video enhancer work with it? The camera I use has HDMI inputs but the bose unit does not. Will the VS-2 allow me to contol a HD or blue ray DVD player comnnected to it using the VHF bose remote? I have the compomnent video cables intalled behind the wall to the camera. No HDMI cable there unfortunately. Will I need to run an HDMI cable (possible but difficult) or will the component cables conduct the 1080p signal from the VS-2 to the camera?
November 12th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Lorne,
Yes the VS-2 will work with your Lifestyle 38. Bose remotes work with most external devices, most brands use universal remote codes with all of their devices so you would have to search the remote codes of that brand to try and find the right one.
In regards to your camera, component video cables are capable of displaying high definition video in either 720p or 1080i. So if you leave your setup the way it is, you will be able to see your camcorders footage in 1080i high definition but you won’t get digital sound unless you can connect an optical or coax cable to it for sound. You will still get a great high definition picture through your component video cable and the VS-2 will upscale the picture to give it an even sharper picture than normal.
November 19th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
How does this connect connect to a lifestyle 28 II system? What happens to all of my other Bose remotes? I have a whole house bose system with remotes in each room. Anything else I need to know about it before purchasing?
November 20th, 2007 at 8:19 am
Scott,
The Bose Lifestyle VS-2 is very simple to connect to your Lifestyle System. The VS-2 comes with an update disk that you need to run first so your Lifestyle Media Center can download the updates. After you have updated your system you connect the VS-2 to your Lifestyle Power Source, plug in the serial data cable, composite and S-Video connections. Thats all it takes connection wise, it is very easy to set up. Besides giving you HDMI connectivity and Automatic Video Upscaling, the VS-2 will also give you more menu options. It should only take you about 15 to 20 minutes to install. You will not need to change any Bose Link connections you have in the other room. The VS-2 is only for your Lifestyle 28 Series II media center.
One more thing you need to know about the VS-2. Although HDMI cables carry video and audio signals, the VS-2 does not repeat the audio signal so you need to keep your audio connection from the previous device or get a knew one. For example: If you have a Satellite Receiver and connect it with HDMI in the CBL/SAT input on the VS-2, you will also need to run an audio source to the CBL/SAT input on the back of your media center. Digital Coaxial and Fiber Optic both carry digital audio signal just like an HDMI cable but you need to make sure the source you are using has those connections available. Analog Audio will also work fine but digital will give you better sound.
November 24th, 2007 at 11:35 pm
So, if I have a Digital TV that takes component or HDMI inputs then I should only connect the HDMI output of the VS-2 system to the HDMI input of the TV for best possible upconversion right ?
The Lifestyle LS38 III has a composite and a S-video output. This means that the S-video output from the Lifestyle system will be upconverted using the VS-2 system. How would you compare the upconverted video signal to the stright HDMI or component ?
Thanks,
- Manhar
November 26th, 2007 at 10:17 am
Manhar,
You are correct, HDMI will give you the best possible upconversion. You will still get a very good picture with component but since HDMI sends a digital signal, your picture will be sharper. Just remember that even though HDMI sends both audio and video signals normally, the VS-2 does not repeat the audio signal from the HDMI cable so you will still need an audio source from the device using HDMI to the back panel of the Lifestyle 38.
November 28th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
I am going to connect my cable HDMI through the VS-2 to my HDTV. Will this allow me to watch cable with normal TV audio if I don’t turn on my Lifestyle 48 (no surround sound)? What if I connect another device to the 2nd HDMI connection on the VS-2 - will I still be able to bypass the surround sound for either device and how would this work if only one HDMI output going to TV?
Thanks,
Juan
November 29th, 2007 at 9:28 am
Juan,
1st Question: If you have a video source connected through the VS-2 you have to have the Lifestyle 48 turned on or you will get no sound or picture. A regular TV signal can pass through an HDMI cable, you will still be able to view a standard (non-high def) TV signal over HDMI it just won’t be high definition. But the VS-2 will upgrade a standard TV signal to the highest possible resolution so it will still look better than it would if you were watching standard cable.
2nd Question: Even though HDMI Cables carry Video and Audio signals, the VS-2 will not repeat the Audio signal from the HDMI cable. You still need an audio connection from your external devices to the Lifestyle System along with the HDMI connection. You only need one video output connection when using the vs-2, the reason you only need one is because you won’t be using two HDMI sources at the same time. So if your CBL/SAT connection is being used, the signal from the CBL/SAT input will be passed through the VS-2 to the HDMI output and to your TV. If you then want to stop watching cable and switch to a 2nd device using HDMI you would press the other source’s button on the Lifestyle remote which would shut off the CBL/SAT HDMI connection and turn on the second device’s HDMI connection so it would then pass through the HDMI output. This is the reason you only need one HDMI output.
December 11th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
can i hook a dvd player to composite video input and use only hdmi out put to tv
December 13th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Jon,
Yes, you can use this setup. The VS-2 will convert the Composite Analog signal to an HDMI digital signal to give you a better picture.
December 13th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Will the VS-2 work with a Bose Lifestyle 48 series 1?
December 13th, 2007 at 2:14 pm
Daniel,
Yes it will.
December 13th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
I have standard cable connection without a cable box. The cable connection is coaxial. Can I some how connect this to the cable section of the VS-2 using a coaxial to RCA converter or something. Is it possible to utilize the upconversion for cable without a cable set top box.
December 14th, 2007 at 10:28 am
Abhi,
I have never heard of anyone using this particular setup. I think it would work, but you probably wouldn’t notice much of a difference. Your best bet would be to get a cable box (preferably a high def box), you would then have more connection options and you would see a difference if you used the right connections.
December 14th, 2007 at 11:19 am
Now as I understand, the VS-2 passes along numerous HDMI video signals to the TV’s HDMI input, but not the audio. My Lifestyle 48 series III has one digital audio input which must be setup to be the audio for a specific input. Since I presently only have an HD satellite receiver hooked up, that arrangement works fine. I am presently looking to hook up an HD DVD. I understand how the VS-2 will handle the video switching but what about the digital audio? Am I limited to only one digital audio input?
December 14th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
Rick,
Lifestyle Systems actually have 2 kinds of digital audio inputs. There is only one fiber optic digital audio input(the one you are using), but there are four Digital Coaxial audio inputs located directly under the red and white analog audio inputs. The Digital Coaxial input is Grey in color and is available under the AUX, CBL/SAT, VCR and TV inputs. When you are looking for your HD-DVD player, find one that has a Digital Coaxial output on it and you will be able to enjoy digital surround sound with that connection. I have provided a link to our Digital Coaxial Cables for you.
December 16th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
I have Lifestyle 48. I connected all the cables according to the directions. I loaded the software update and now I’m getting a “Bose Lifestyle” message on the media center. I cannot turn it off or on. The buttons do not respond. The remote does not respond. The only way to turn off the system is to uplug the power, but the same message comes up when I plug it back in. Would the software update cause this kind of problem?
December 17th, 2007 at 9:56 am
Philip,
I suggest calling Bose technical support at 1-800-905-2138. We do not have anything to with the update disks they send out.
December 19th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Will the VS-2 work with the Lifestyle 35 series III? I have Satelite DVR 622 with HDMI output. Will I see any improvement with VS-2. If so what will be the improvements. I only use satelite and Bose 35 with our system.
December 19th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
Mark,
Yes the VS-2 will work with the Lifestyle 35 Series III and you will see improvement in your satellite viewing. First of all, HDMI produces the best possible video quality for high definition, your high definition channels will look even sharper. Second, the VS-2 will automatically upscale standard definition channels usually broadcast in 480i, to a higher resolution like 480p (DVD quality). This will give you a much better picture and a better overall viewing experience. The VS-2 will also allow you to upscale the video on other components (via HDMI) like a DVD player if you choose to get one in the future.
December 19th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
Follow up to answer 20. Currently playing my DVD’s through the Bose 35 Series III will VS-2 improve Bose’s DVD picture quality and sound?
Thanks again!
December 19th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Mark,
The VS-2 deals with Video only so no, it will not upgrade the sound. Even though HDMI carries Video and Audio, the VS-2 only uses the video signal so you will still need an audio source. If you are using HDMI the picture from your Lifestyle DVD player will be upscaled so yes, it will improve the video quality of your Lifestyle’s DVD player.
Just as a side note, if you are going to use HDMI you will need an HDMI cable from the VS-2 output to your TV and another one from your satellite receiver’s output to the VS-2.
December 21st, 2007 at 8:40 am
I have a Lifestyle 48 series IV and am now thinking of buying an HDTV. However I was wondering if the VS-2 will upscale the built in DVD player to a High Def signal if I connect an HDTV to the VS-2 with an HDMI cable.
Thanks
December 21st, 2007 at 9:14 am
Matthew,
The VS-2 upscales a high definition signal to the next resolution, for example 720p would be upgraded to 1080i. Standard DVD’s are considered Enhanced Definition, a typical TV broadcast (standard definition) has a 480i resolution and a DVD has a 480p resolution (Enhanced Definition). A Standard DVD is not capable of being played in high definition, however the VS-2 will upscale the DVD’s picture over HDMI which is digital and will give you a better picture. While it won’t be considered “High Definition” it will be as close as you can get to it.
Using HDMI on the VS-2’s output will improve your DVD Picture, High Definition signals and will also improve Standard Definition broadcasts to DVD quality. I would highly recommend getting a High Definition Television with the Lifestyle 48 Series IV, you will be amazed at what the system can do for your audio and video. Here is a link to our HDTV’s if you would like to browse through them.
December 25th, 2007 at 12:57 pm
I currently have a Lifestyle 28 Series III and am looking into getting a vs-2 or totally upgrading to a v20. Will there be any difference between these two options? And then my second question, Is Bose going to come out with a solution that will send both the audio and video view HDMI so you would just have hdmi hooked up and no other cords for the audio portion? And is the audio through HDMI better than audio through either digital coaxial or fiber optic? Thanks for all the help
December 26th, 2007 at 9:36 am
Dave,
There won’t be any difference in the quality of the audio or video between the V20 and the Lifestyle 28 with a VS-2.The V20 is basically a Lifestyle System with a VS-2 built into it, more fiber optic inputs and no DVD player.
The V20 will do audio and video through HDMI, but the VS-2 will not. You will still need to run an audio source to your Lifestyle to get sound even with HDMI.
The audio through HDMI will be the same quality as any other digital signal (fiber optic or coax). There is a slight difference between coax and optical because optical transmits its signal through light, which is supposedly less likely to get interfered with. You will not be able to tell the difference between the two.
I suggest that you get the VS-2. You will save yourself $1700 and will get the same audio and video quality. Yes you will still need an audio source but it will be HDMI quality if you get a coax or fiber optic cable.
December 26th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Just one more question. Does the vs-2 upconvert the dvd player that is in the LIfestyle system? And if so to what? Or do you need to buy a upconverting dvd player or an hd-dvd player?
December 26th, 2007 at 9:46 am
Dave,
If you are doing it over HDMI the VS-2 will upscale the Lifestyle’s DVD player because the video signal will have to pass through the VS-2. The VS-2 will upscale the picture over HDMI to make it look as good as possible, but it won’t upconvert it to high definition. You will get a better picture, just not a true High Definition one.
December 27th, 2007 at 8:41 am
hi
i currently have a lifestyle 28 series I, and a Pioneer screen with dvi-d (picture only)connection plus Component and S video. will i get the full benfits from the VS-2 if i use a hdmi/dvi-d cable?
December 27th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Glyn,
You will see great benefit from using the VS-2 with these connections. Before I tell you why, I wanted to make it clear that if you are using a DVI connection it has to be an HDMI to DVI cable because there is no DVI connection on the VS-2. The VS-2 will upscale your S-Video connection to Component Video and your Component Video connection to HDMI. This will give you an overall better experience.
Also note that HDMI cables act like DVI cables on the VS-2 because it only passes the Video signal. You will still need to connect an audio source from your (DVD Player, Cable box, etc.) to the Lifestyle system.
January 1st, 2008 at 7:33 pm
HI i JUST BOUGHT THE vs-2 . I have the lifestyle 35 and the phillips HDTV w ambient light. I bought a blue ray dvd player. the video signal will go to the vs-2 - the audio is still from the bose system???
what are the connections going to be to the tv …. componet or s video??
January 2nd, 2008 at 10:37 am
Steven,
When you incorporate the VS-2 Video Enhancer with your Lifestyle 35, the VS-2 becomes an extension of the Lifestyle 35. The Video and audio will both be controlled by the Lifestyle System. But you are partially correct, you will make the video connections with the VS-2 and the audio connections with the Lifestyle Media Center.
As for connections to your system, you should either go with Component or HDMI for the Video and Fiber Optic or Digital Coaxial for the audio. The reason for using Component or HDMI is that they can both carry a High Definition Signal which is what you want for your Blu-Ray. S-Video does NOT carry a high definition signal, if you connect with S-Video your Blu-Ray player will not produce a High Definition picture. I would suggest going with HDMI because that will give you your best picture. As for audio, going with either a Digital Coaxial or Fiber Optic connection will give you Digital Surround Sound which is the best sound you can get.
Side Note: When you make your video connection understand that you need to make 2 connections. One from your video component’s output to one of the VS-2 inputs and the other from the VS-2 output to your TV’s input. The VS-2 will also upscale the picture to the highest connection used on its output. If you have HDMI connected on the output all other signals S-Video, Composite Video and Component Video will all be converted to HDMI.
January 6th, 2008 at 7:47 am
How does this connect to a lifestyle 28 III system? Is important that my AC power Source is 110 VAC 60 Hz?
January 7th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Rafael,
The VS-2 is very simple to connect and usually only takes about 10-15 minutes if that to install. An update disc needs to be run first to prepare the Lifestyle system to connect to the VS-2. Four connections will be made to the Lifestyle Media Center and One to the Lifestyles Power Supply. The VS-2 makes connections to the Lifestyle Media Center’s Serial Data and DC Power inputs on the back left of the Media Centers rear panel and also connects to the Composite and S-Video inputs on the right of the rear panel. Then you plug into the lifestyles power supply and you are done.
I am not quite sure what you are asking in your second question. If you send a more specific question I will do my best to answer it.
January 9th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I have lifestyle 18 series ll system. Will VS-2 work with this? How about VS-1?
January 9th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Yeekar,
Both the VS-2 and the VS-1 will work with the Lifestyle 18 series II. I would suggest getting the VS-2 because of its HDMI and Video Upscaling capabilities.
January 12th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
What lifestyle systems work with the VS-2 and which ones do not?
January 14th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Leif,
The VS-2 Video Enhancer works seamlessly with all Lifestyle® DVD home entertainment systems except for the Lifestyle® 18, 28 and 35 Series I systems.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:58 am
I have a Pioneer Elite Pro 5050 (rear projection) TV that does not have HDMI inputs, and that will not accept a 720P signal (it will accept 1080i and other lower resolutions). It has its own upscaling features (line doubling, filtering) for standard broadcast and standard DVD. I use it with my Lifestyle 48 (with DVD and hard drive). I also have a high definition FIOS cable box from which I occasionally feed audio through the Lifestyle 48.
1. Can the video upscaling performed by the VS-2 be overridden? (The presence of component video inputs suggests that perhaps it can be, if the VS-2 does not upscale from component input). Your prior explanations would indicate that the VS-2 would upscale standard definition DVDs to 720P, a signal that my TV will not accept (the screen will blank). Alternatively, can I select upscaling to 1080i from a standard DVD?
2. The Blu-Ray players I plan to use (probably a Pioneer Elite BDP-95FD) also perform video upscaling over HDMI, and also have HDMI 1.3. What would the effect of the VS-2 be on a) high definition input from the Blu-Ray player at 1080i; and 2) upscaled standard definition input from the Blu-Ray player? I strongly prefer to use HDMI connections from the Blu-Ray player to the VS-2.
3. My HDTV does not have HDMI input, as I mentioned. It has four sets of component inputs. If I use HDMI-to-component cables from the VS-2 to the television, will I lose any upscaling through or from the VS-2 (from either the Blu-Ray player or the Lifestyle 48 itself)?
January 23rd, 2008 at 11:43 am
Warren,
1) The VS-2 only upscales over HDMI, it will pass a component signal just like normal and your TV would upscale it just like it does now.
2)Unfortunately you can’t use HDMI because it is not available on your TV. If you plugged an HDMI cable into the VS-2’s input but the VS-2’s output to your TV was component, it would not work at all. You have to use component video connections to acheive High Definition with any source you have since your TV is not capable of HDMI.
3)I am pretty sure that there is no such thing as a HDMI to Component cable. HDMI is a digital signal, component is an analog so they cannot co-exist in the same cable. Even if you were to find some product like this, it would just convert the signal back to analog so you might as well just use component.
The VS-2 would benefit you with its one button simplicity. For example: if you pressed the AUX for audio you would still have to toggle through the inputs to find the correct one for video. With the VS-2 pressing AUX will bring you to the right video and audio source with one touch of the button.
January 24th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Hi,
I just got a little problem with vs-2 that I purchased recently.
My tv has hdmi connection and it works with my existing lifestyle system. Now, I already install the disc, plugged the media center through vs-2 and from vs-2 to the tv but there’s no picture, only sound comes out.
It says no input signal on my tv and i’ve try every way to make it work but no hope.
Your advice is much appreciated.
January 25th, 2008 at 9:05 am
Phuong,
This could be a number of different things and I could go through everything I think it is and that still might not fix your problem. The best thing for you to do would be to call Bose technical support so someone can talk you through your problem. The number is 1-800-905-2138, they can then diagnose your problem.
February 14th, 2008 at 4:18 am
Hello!
I have a LifeStyle 28 II and I have recently bought the VS-2 extension. I however could not make it work through the hdmi cable, as it keeps telling me that HDCP is not supported by my tv. But my tv is a brand new one (Full hd, Philips 37PFL9732) and does support HDCP. Bose has sent me the last update disk of the VS-2, but it still doesn’t work.
What should I do next? Check with the tv support (Philips) or is there a configuration setting that I have to do?
Thanks for your help.
February 14th, 2008 at 10:42 am
Marc,
I have a solution that may work for you. Connect your TV with something other than HDMI just to be able to see the screen. Hit the settings button on your Lifestyle remote, there will be several options that come up. Go to the video tab, you will be provided with a list of resolutions. Go down a resolution and then reconnect with HDMI and see if it works. If it does work, you can go back to that settings tab and try to go back to the original setting if it knocks out the picture again hit the down arrow to go back, if not it should work just fine from then on. If this does not work, try plugging your HDMI device straight into the TV, if it works then you know it is a problem with the VS-2 and you need to contact Bose again. If it doesn’t work, then you need to contact Philips because there could be an issue with the TV settings or the TV itself. This could also be an issue with the device itself, some cable boxes and other devices have to be set to use HDMI and yours may not be. Hope this helped.
February 21st, 2008 at 10:27 pm
Hi,
Please tell me if I can use VS-2 bouht from the US with the LS48 in India as the power in India is 220V as compared to the 110V in US. Would I need a Voltage converter or does the VS-2 take its power from the media centre.
Please advise.
Thanks a lot.
February 22nd, 2008 at 9:11 am
Tan,
The two products will have different voltage and will not work together.
February 22nd, 2008 at 3:49 pm
I have a Lifestyle 48 and am not sure if to purchase the VS-2 Video Enhancer because of connection and cables. Will I be able to connect a Nintendo Wii to it, where would I connect it?
Will I need to purchse more than 2 HDMI cables? A composite?
I am not sure and would like to purchase everything together.
So far I see, HDMI from HD-DVR cable box to VS-2(input) and HDMI from VS-2(output) to TV.
Would I conncet the Wii to the S-Video and composite in the output of the VS-2?
February 22nd, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Brenda,
I would recommend the VS-2 to any Lifestyle owner for a few different reasons. First of all you get one button simplicity which will select the correct video and audio inputs with a touch of the Bose Remote instead of having to press the audio source you want, and then toggle through the video inputs until you find the right one.
Second your experience is completely customizable. You want to connect your Wii and an HD-DVR Cable Box, here’s how it would work. First, you would connect an HDMI cable from the VS-2 output to an input on your TV. That is the only video out connection you need to make, everything else you plug into the VS-2 will be upscaled through HDMI. So when you connect your Wii to lets say the AUX input on the VS-2 with composite video, it will upscale the video to the highest resolution possible and go to the TV through the HDMI cable. You would then connect your Cable Box to the CBL/SAT input with HDMI and you will be good to go.
You still need to make all of your audio connections to the back of the Lifestyle 48, even the Cable Box that is connected with HDMI. Most cable boxes have digital audio outs (fiber optic and/or digital coax) because most receivers (like the VS-2) don’t repeat HDMI’s audio signal. I suggest using either fiber optic or digital coax cables to connect from your Cable Box’s output to the CBL/SAT audio input on the back of the Lifestyle. That way you will still receive the Digital 5.1 Surround Sound that you would get with HDMI.
The VS-2 takes about 10 to 15 minutes to set up and will make your viewing experience much better by giving you HDMI inputs, upscaling your video to the highest your TV can accept and simplifying the operating process. I have one hooked up to my Lifestyle 48 and is the best investment I have ever made with my home theater system. Here are links to the VS-2, HDMI Cable, Fiber Optic Audio Cable and Digital Coaxial Audio Cable product pages if you are interested in purchasing from us. If you do buy from us, you will get free shipping and receive Reward Dollars to use towards a future purchase.
February 22nd, 2008 at 11:45 pm
HI!
I am thinking of buying Bose lifestyle 48.
Is there any difference between lifestyle 48 IV and III with VS-2?
Thank you for your help!
February 25th, 2008 at 8:20 am
Mark,
No there is not. These are the exact same systems when the VS-2 is added to the Series III. We are now selling the Lifestyle 48 series III for $3499 which is lower than it has ever been, the VS-2 is $299. If you buy both from us you will get a combined Reward Dollar total of $190 to use on accessories, cables or anything else you will need. Here are links to the Lifestyle 48 Series III and VS-2 product pages.
February 25th, 2008 at 8:56 am
Can VS2 unit be used with lifestyle 25 Series 2 system?
February 25th, 2008 at 10:01 am
Simon,
No it can not, sorry.
February 25th, 2008 at 10:02 am
How do I tell if I have a lifestyle 28-I or II? You say the VS-2 will not work on a Lifestyle 28-I.
Thanks,
Sam
February 25th, 2008 at 10:08 am
Sam,
You are going to need to get the serial number off the bottom of the Media Center and call Bose Technical Support at 1-800-905-2138. They will be able to tell you what series you have. If you do have a Series II or III and want to purchase the VS-2 here is a link to our VS-2 product page.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
If I purchase the VS-2 and connect it to the lifestyle 48 III and my Sony XBR4, will I able to watch video via the HD cable box but listen to a separate audio source such as CD or FM? In other words, have the ballgame on with no audio and instead listen to a CD or Radio. And, does connecting the HD cable box to the VS-2 instead of connecting the HD cable box directly to the XBR4 degrade the signal in anyway?
Thanks.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Dave,
To answer your first question, yes the VS-2 allows you to listen to a separate audio source while watching TV. Under the system menu in the video tab, there is a feature labeled persistent video that you have to enable. When enabled it will allow the screen to stay on when you select an audio source (FM, AM, or CD).
As for your second question, No there will be no signal degradation. The VS-2 actually upscales your picture (through HDMI) to the highest resolution your TV can accept. The VS-2 will make your picture better, not worse. If you are interested in buying the Bose VS-2 Video Enhancer from us, just follow this Link.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:46 pm
Thanks. I have a follow up question to your answer. You say the VS-2 will actually upscale the picture through HDMI and that I understand. However, If I connect from my HD cable box directly to the Sony XBR4 via HDMI I’m bypassing a secondary connection though the VS-2. I would think the XBR4 does a pretty good job upscaling on it’s own. My question is does passing though multiple connections or devices degrade the signal? Thank you.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Dave,
No, your signal will not be degraded. If the VS-2 upscales the picture to the highest it can possibly get and then sends it to your Sony XBR4, there is no more upscaling necessary for the XBR4 to do. It will simply display the already upscaled picture. The VS-2 was built to interact with HDTVs like the one you have and although it is a secondary source, it will pass the HDMI signal completely in-tact and will not degrade it at all.
March 10th, 2008 at 12:18 am
I now have 2 VS-2’s for my Lifestyle 48. The first worked for two months, then my samsung LCD/HDTV could not recognize the signal from the VS-2. So, I disconnected the VS-2 and reconnected all the components without the VS-2, and all worked. I spoke to Bose Technical and they could not come up with an answer, just that the VS-2 unit must be bad. And, as is the Bose tradition, they gave me a new one at the local Bose store. Hooked up the second unit and all has been going well until yesterday, again, the HDTV is not able to recognize the signal from the VS-2. Bose technical is asking me to bring in the old for an exchange, again. My question, has anyone else had this problem? Is it a problem with the VS-2? Do you have any suggestions about this repeating problem? Thanks.
March 10th, 2008 at 9:53 am
James,
I assume that you are using HDMI and it is your cable box that you can’t get the picture from. The reason I would think this, is because certain cable providers around the country have issues with HDMI because of certain digital reproduction laws. We have heard of other people having similar problems. What I suggest is that you connect with component or some other video connection just so you can see your screen. Go to the VS-2 settings on your Bose remote and change the resolution to 1080i or 720p. The VS-2 automatically outputs a 1080p signal and this can mess up some TV’s that can’t handle that high of resolution. After you have done this, reconnect with HDMI and see if it works. If it still doesn’t work, leave the HDMI cable connected from the VS-2 output to the TV and connect the cable box output to the VS-2 input with component video. This will still give you high definition and will convert the signal to HDMI over the output so you won’t be losing any signal quality. Hope this helps.
March 10th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
I went ahead and purchased the VS-2 with the cables for my Lifestyle 48 system.
Everything works well.
I then went ahead and ordered the Monster® GameLink™ Component Video and Audio Cable, when I connected it, I noticed the games I have downloaded onto my Wii, like the old Mario, etc, do nto work. I get a no video when I try to play wii downloaded games.
Can you help me figure out the problem?
They work fine with the original cable.
http://www.4electronicwarehouse.com/products/monster/gamelink-wii-cvideo-anaudio.html
March 11th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Brenda,
Try playing around with the different resolution outputs available on your Wii menu. See if any of the different resolutions work. If not, you should call the Nintendo customer support line to see if they can diagnose the problem.
March 17th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I don’t see the value to this unit if it does not use the HDMI connector for audio. If you connect your components (for me: satellite and Blu-ray DVD) directly to the plasma tv, the picture is as perfect as it can get. Then, you just use the Lifestyle for audio. Therefore, there is no need for this unit, except to upgrade the video the the Bose DVD. Am I am missing something? I was looking for something that would also upgrade the sound via an HDMI connector. Please comment.
March 17th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Paul,
I don’t think you have all the right facts about the VS-2, hopefully I can help you see why the VS-2 would be beneficial. First of all, if you plug the HDMI cable directly into the TV, the picture is not as perfect as it can get. You can set the VS-2 to upscale 720p content to 1080i, and 1080i content to 1080p over HDMI. It will also upscale 480i content to DVD quality 480p. So it can make the picture better.
The second main benefit of the VS-2 is that everything connected to it can be output over HDMI with one HDMI connection. For example: If you have an HDMI cable connected from the VS-2 output to an HDMI input on your TV, you could have composite, s-video or component on the other inputs and they will all be converted to HDMI which will make the picture digital and therefore better.
The third (and most overlooked) advantage of the VS-2 is one button simplicity. This eliminates the monotonous matching of video and audio inputs on two different devices. You only have to press the AUX, CBL/SAT, VCR or TV button to match the correct video and audio source. This makes the system much easier to operate.
Yes it is unfortunate that the VS-2 doesn’t repeat HDMI audio, but you have to understand that Bose made this product as an add-on to a pre-existing product. They did this so previous Lifestyle owners could utilize HDMI, Video Upscaling and One-Button Simplicity if they wanted to. Bose now makes the V20 and V30 Lifestyle systems that do repeat HDMI audio and gives a more customizable home theater experience to customers who would rather have that. I personally have the VS-2 connected to my Lifestyle 48 Series III and absolutely love it. It has both improved the quality of video on my HDTV, and made it much easier for me to manage my different components.
April 1st, 2008 at 12:09 pm
what is the difference between the lifestyle 48 III and lifestyle 48 IV ??? i am ready to buy 1 and need your help.
thanks!
April 1st, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Troy,
The only difference between the Bose Lifestyle 48 Series III and Series IV is the inclusion of the VS-2 Video Enhancer. You will definitely want the Series IV to take advantage of HDMI, Video Upscaling and One Button Simplicity. The Bose Lifestyle Series IV was made with consideration of current and future home theater technology. If you buy the Bose Lifestyle 48 Series IV from us you will receive $200 in Reward Dollars to spend towards a future purchase on our site. So you can use the Reward Dollars to buy brackets, cables, etc. Here is a link to the Lifestyle 48 Series IV product page, if you have any questions call our toll free number (1-866-224-6171) and talk to one of our Bose experts.
April 1st, 2008 at 1:12 pm
I have a Lifestyle 28/1 system connected to an HDTV. Can I use the VS-2 on the 28/1 to upscale regular DVD to HD-like quality?
April 1st, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Mark,
Unfortunately the Bose VS-2 Video Enhancer does not work with the Bose Lifestyle 28 Series 1 System. Sorry.
April 4th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I’ve read the questions and your replies regarding the VS-2; however, I still have questions. If the VS-2 does not repeat HDMI audio, does it have optical inputs and if so, how many are available? The LS III only has one optical input but four (4) digital coax inputs. How good is the quality of the audio if digital coax is used instead of optical?
Thanks.
April 4th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
Dave,
The VS-2 is used strictly for video, there are no audio inputs or outputs on the VS-2. You will continue to run the audio connection to the Lifestyle Media Center where you have 4 digital coax inputs and one digital optical. To answer your second question, digital coax like optical is a digital audio signal. You can still get Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound and other digital formats when you use them. You would have a hard time telling the difference between optical and coaxial. If you are interested in buying a VS-2 from us, just follow the link at the top of the page.
April 4th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
I have a Bose Lifestyle 48 series III system. If I get the VS-2 enhancer, will my system be the same as the Series IV? Will it have all the functionality of the series IV?
April 4th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Kumar,
Yes, it will have all the functionality of the Series IV. If you are interested in buying from us, follow the link at the top of the page to the VS-2 product page.
April 5th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
I have 28 series III bose system and I just bought VS-2 Video Enhancer. I did the exact connection and try to test by playing DVD in media center. I have HDMI output connection to TV . I was able to hear audio but no video. I tried connection second HDMI input for VCR but still no video.
Can you please help me what I need to do to get the video output.
Thanks!
Bhaskar
April 7th, 2008 at 8:24 am
Bhaskar,
Sometimes your video component requires you to manually switch to HDMI. Try connecting with something else (component, composite, s-video) go into the system menu and see if there is a place to set your output to HDMI. Also if you have anything else plugged into the VS-2 output, take it out. You only need to be connected with HDMI.
April 7th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Thanks for your reply (#70). My concern is that equipment I may purchase in the future such as Blu-Ray, will not have digital coax and only HDMI and/or optical to handle the audio. I don’t think the Playstation has digital coax and if i assign the optical to it, what do I do about the audio from the HD cable box? Looking back, the V-30 was probably the way to go.
April 7th, 2008 at 8:42 am
Dave,
Most Blu-Ray Disc Players and Digital Cable Boxes have Digital Coax inputs. Go ahead and assign your PS3 to the Optical and use digital coax for the rest. Digital Coax is not old technology it is just an another way of carrying a digital signal. I wouldn’t worry, you will be able to get most components with Digital Coaxial.
April 7th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Thanks for the reply for #73. For media center it is connected to VS-2 through composite and S-video so it should show out put. when I try to plug composite without VS-2 it works but when i connect media center with VS-2 with all shown connections for serial data/DC power/composite/s-video i don’t get any video output on TV.
Do I need a software upgrade CD for my media center(18 series II). where can i get that.
April 8th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Bhaskar,
I am sure you have done this already but just to be sure this is not your problem, have you run the setup disc for the VS-2? You have to do this in order for the VS-2 to function properly. If you have done this and nothing else is working, call Bose tech support at 1-800-905-2138 they will help talk you through your problem.
April 8th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Regarding #78, I don’t have setup disc for VS-2.I bought it from ebay and it seems like the box was for 38 series. So now where can I get setup disc for VS-2.
April 8th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Bhaskar,
The box you received the product in was probably not the VS-2 box because there isn’t a particular VS-2 that works with each series, there is only one VS-2 that is universal for all Lifestyle Systems able to use the VS-2.The only thing I can tell you to do is call Bose product information at 1-800-999-2673.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:16 am
Hi,
I just installed the Bose Lifestyle 38 with a VS-2 enhancer. I made all the connections and, initially, I didn’t get any image on my Samsung 46″ 1080p Full HD Screen, as the message I got on my TV says that the Media is not recognized or something like that. Anyhow, I removed the Output HDMI cable from the VS-2 plugged it in again and made sure all HDMI cables are inserted properly and it worked, however, I could not get a full screen image on my tv set. I tried adjusting the TV’s setting but with no use. When I tried adhusting the lifestyles setting, however, the screen went blank and it never came back with the same message that I got the first time…!!! Additonally, I connected the lifestyle to the TV because I had to change some audio settings via the normal cable and it worked fine. Right now, I have connected the video from my components to my TV directly, but I would certainly want to use the VS-2 instead.
Please Help..!!!
April 14th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Hamza,
There could be a number of problems occurring that do not necessarily have to do with the VS-2 itself. You should call Bose Technical Support at 1-800-905-2138, they can walk you through the install process and make your system work correctly together.
April 22nd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
I have a lifestyle system 48 with the vs-2 , everything connected properly. My issue is the xbox 360 elite. I connected it using its hdmi cable to the vs-2 cbl/sat input and get an ugly picture and no sound. The xbox 360 elite only has an hdmi output. Can you help me with this problem?
April 23rd, 2008 at 8:16 am
Jonny,
There could be two different reasons you are getting a bad picture. You could have a faulty X-Box, faulty HDMI cable, or you may not be in High Def. On the Xbox-360 menu there is a place to change the video resolution, you are probably in 480i or 480p which are not high def. Change the resolution to 720p or 1080i, this will greatly improve your picture. More than likely this is your problem. If this is not your problem, try testing another HDMI cable and if that doesn’t work, I would call microsoft.
I know exactly what your sound problem is. The VS-2 does not repeat HDMI audio, I looked at the cables that come with the Xbox-360 Elite and one of them is a dangle cord that allows for a separate audio source when the HDMI cable is plugged in. Use the optical (best option) or analog audio connection for your audio. If you use optical (which I recommend because it will give you Dolby Digital 5.1) you need to assign the optical port on your lifestyle to the CBL/SAT that you have your X-box plugged into. To do this, go into the system menu, find optical source, and switch to CBL/SAT. You can then plug an optical cable into the media center input and it will give you sound while your HDMI cable gives you video.
If you need an optical audio cable, here is a link to our optical cables page.
May 4th, 2008 at 9:24 am
I HAVE A LIFESTYLE 48 SYSTEM. CAN I PLAY BLUE RAY DVD WITH THE VS-2, OR DO I NEED TO BUY A BLUE RAY DVD PLAYER?
May 6th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Reyes,
The Lifestyle 48’s media center does not support the Blu-ray format discs. You will need a stand alone Blu-ray player for them. The VS-2 however will help you get the best picture quality through your Bose Lifestyle system with the added HDMI connection.
October 21st, 2008 at 5:38 pm
I have the Lifestyle 35 Series IV. Does my media center support Blu-ray format discs? If not, when playing a regular or hd format dvd disc, will the VS-2 provide Blu-ray quality? Can I achieve Blu-ray quality on my system? If so, exactly how do I achieve that quality?
October 25th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Hearty,
The Lifestyle 48’s media center does not support the Blu-ray format discs. You will need a stand alone Blu-ray player for them. The VS-2 however will help you get the best picture quality through your Bose Lifestyle system with the added HDMI connection.
October 27th, 2008 at 1:54 pm
Hi,
I have a rather new Lifestyle 28 IV and I have lost the color on my Samsung TV when playing the internal DVD through HDMI (It worked for the first 3 months). I got color from my component-loaded, Sattelite-box.
I tried to load the DVD picture through Component to the TV, but there is still only black and white, and I have tried to change the resolution. Thankful for any ideas.
October 27th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Par Sundberg,
It sounds like you may have a loose connection between the Media Center and the VS-2. You will want to check the connection on the back at the Media Center. First check the connections that plug into the video and S-video outputs. If that doesn’t fix it check the rest of the connections at the Media Center and then check the connections at the VS-2.
October 27th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
I have a Bose Lifestyle 38, Sony Bravia W series TV and Sony DVD. I cannot get a picture using the HDMI connection from the DVD player to the TV via the VS-2. The shop I purchased the Lifestyle from has contacted Bose and says that the signal is not being transmitted from the DVD player because it is recognising the VS-2 as a switch and is not transmitting the video signal to stop pirating of DVD’s. Is this correct?
October 28th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Graham,
It sounds like you are having a handshake issue with your HDMI connection coming from your Sony DVD. Unfortunately, there is no fix for this. Your best bet would be to use the Component Video connection instead of the HDMI from the Sony DVD.
November 12th, 2008 at 5:41 am
I have a Bose 321 series II GS system and a Bravia TV. Is there any adapter to have the HDMI output on it? Something similar to the VS2? Please let me know.
November 13th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Diego - The VS-2 is unique and is specifically designed to work with other Bose products. You can always run HDMI to your TV and run a fiber optic line to your 321 for sound.
November 16th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I have a Lifestyle 25, can I upgrade to today’s technology (like HDMI) with the Bose Lifestyle VS-2?
November 18th, 2008 at 12:17 pm
i have recently purchased a lifestyle 48 series 4 system which is great apart from i have just had sky hd installed and now every time i change channel the tv searches for picture format this did not happen with my sky + and if i connect straight to tv from hd box it does not happen,its only when i connect through the vs2 box that this occurs,any thoughts as this is driving me mad as its the only component i have connected to the vs2,many thanks.
November 18th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Lee,
Could you give me a little more information of how you have the VS-2 hooked up. Is it using HDMI cables between the components and TV?
November 18th, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Franklin - your best bet is to upgrade your system. But you can run new components to the TV and audio to the Lifestyle.
January 4th, 2009 at 1:40 am
I have a Bose Lifestyle 38 with a VS-2 connection. The connection of my Scientific Atlanta 8300 HDC Cable box to the VS-2 is HDMI (the audio setting on the Cablebox is set to “HDMI”). The VS-2 is connected to my Pioneer Plasma TV’s HDMI Input 4 (the HDMI Input 4 on the TV is set to “enabled”). The Cable box’s digital coax output is connected to the cab/sat coax input on the Bose Media center. Everything works well except for my PS3. The PS3’s connection to the TV’s is HDMI (via the TV’s HDMI Input 5). The TV’s HDMI Input 5 on the TV is set to “enabled”. I have video coming from the PS3 on Input 5 but no sound (audio). I tried changing the source on the Bose Media Center from “TV” to “Cab/Sat” but I am still not picking up any sound. Appreciate your assistance. Thanks.
January 4th, 2009 at 11:01 pm
I have a Lifestyle 38 and am considering the VS2 for the following setup: I recently added a Blu-ray disc player and have it connected to my TV via HDMI, and intentionally disabled the audio so there is no audio coming from the TV. I have run RCA cables to the Lifestyle 38 to the AUX input. The picture quality is great but the audio quality appears to be less than playing a DVD directly on the Bose system. Would the VS-2 correct this issue?
January 17th, 2009 at 8:13 am
I am interested in purchasing this upgrade. I have the lifestyle 48 series I, I heard that this VS-2 doesn’t work with series I like one of the poster mentioned who has a lifestyle 25 series I.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
I have a Lifestyle 28 (hopefully series II or greater and I’ll check on that later) and just got an HDTV - 1080i and component (no HDMI) inputs. I see the benefit of the VS-2 but have a few questions.
1) Why are the S video and Composite yellow connected to the Lifestyle unit?
2) are the component signals analog or digital?
3) Can I attach a RCA Composite video VCR “IN” on the VS-2 and have it fed to the TV via the component cables?
What will the output signal be up-converted to?
The TV I just bought (used) has very poor video with diagonal lines on all analog 480i signals. I’ve tried 4 input devices and all S-Video, Composite, and Antenna inputs to the device. However, when I connect my PS3 via Component at 1080i, the picture is crystal clear. I am assuming the 480i up-converter on the TV is bad. I’ll find out today when I connect my 720p AppleTV and my 480p Wii - both via component connections. If the 480p, 720p work as good as the 1080i does now, then if the VS-2 up-converts to 480p and above, then it sounds like just the ticket to keep the simplicity of one touch video and sound. I know this is a little off topic of the VS-2, but any comments and opinions about my concerns and situation would be appreciated, since it sounds like you have much more experience and knowledge than I do.
Thanks!
May 3rd, 2009 at 9:56 am
I have a Lifestyle 28 with VS-2 and I’m thinking about adding a Blu-ray player. Can I connect it to the VCR port on the VS-2 with a HDMI cable as the AUX port has no HDMI input?
May 21st, 2009 at 8:41 am
I recently purchased an Iomega Multimedia Screenplay HD media player that has HDMI and component outputs. When I tried connecting the HDMI output of the media player to the HDMI input of the VCR in the Video Enhancer, it says no video signal. But when I connect the HDMI input directly to my Sharp Aquos 65″ HDTV, I get both audio and video. What could be the problem?
June 30th, 2009 at 6:42 am
Can I connect a Blu-ray player directly to the TV with HDMI and get an audio connection from the Blu-ray to Lifestyle 38 using either VCR or AUX audio inputs?
July 20th, 2009 at 12:06 am
Hi, I have Bose Lifestyle Home Theater, been using it almost 5 months. Now the Bose box keeps indicating HDCP is not supported by your TV. Can you tell me why is this happening? Thanks.
August 28th, 2009 at 10:18 am
Hi, I have the Lifestyle 35 but have no idea if version I, II, or III. I would like the VS2 VIDEO ENHANCER. Can you help?
September 12th, 2009 at 3:30 am
I have a Lifestyle 28 and love it. I’m thinking of getting an HD Camcorder and want to burn the video to DVD. From looking at the posts, I know that the Lifestyle will not play HD formats, so I will have to get another player. What is your recommendation for a Blu-ray players, and will the VS-2 help with the hookup?
October 27th, 2009 at 10:16 am
I have a Lifestyle system and a VS-2 converter. When the VS-2 converter is installed, there is a loud buzzing noise as if something is not grounded. When I connect everything without the VS-2, the noise is gone. What can I do to fix this or is there just something wrong with the VS-2?