As to your and others’ question: Did I fix my problems with my LS535 Unit:
Yes, I "fixed" the issue: I upgraded to the new LS650.
After countless discussions with Bose, it was apparent that the 535 has been put out to pasture and no further updates or fixes will be forth coming.
Knowing that, the writing was on the wall that any new device I might purchase to connect to my 535 was going to fall in line my Sony Blu-ray UHP-H1, that is – that the Bose LS535 would not work with it. As I only owned the 535 for less than a year, even thought it was at great cost, I just didn't want to live with it any longer. I “buy Stuff†to be happy – I was NOT happy!
 I always buy high quality “leading edge†items but keep them a long time. It was apparent I couldn't keep the 535 as my wife just will not tolerate a basket full of remote controls to watch TV. So, I took my lumps and bought the LS650.
During my discussions with Bose and countless hours of on line research on the 535, I came to the same conclusions that Bose did on the 535 – that is - it was not fixable. Why:
- It's hardware (HDMI connectors and switching relays) were not capable of supporting the 4K signal band width. This was actually a "surprise" to Bose as they originally believed a software fix is all that was needed. But their supplier (they now moved their production and teck support “off shoreâ€) installed substandard HDMI components and Bose quality control team never caught it. They were “taken†as most produces are when their dream of lowering their costs by moving production off shore gets the better of them.) No matter what they did software wise – the 535 would never support 4K video signals. Other brands have been supporting 4K for over ten years yet Bose’s one year old 535 “top of the industry line†was incapable of it!Â
- The design of the entire system to control attached device’s remote controls was hopelessly flawed. It relied on a continues stream of software updates to add new remote-control IR codes for every new unit that any other brand happened to produce.  And again, not fixable via software - it needed a totally new design.
Ten years ago, the entire industry (other than Bose) had adopted the “CEC†via HDMI connection format to control attached devices which did not rely on IR (infrared) codes. The industry had long ago adopted device connection via the HDMI connector format. One line or channel of the HDMI connector design was dedicated to support the “CEC†control functions for all attached devices.Â
If you have had older Sony equipment you will be familiar with this feature. Sony had a single line (bravo link) that chain linked (connected) all its equipment to allow the master unit to control all the attached units to turn them on and off, switch inputs, and basically controlled everything needed without using separate remote controls. When connect vie the Sony Bavo Link: if you put a disk in a DVD player, it automatically turned on the TV, switched the inputs to the proper settings, turned on the amplifier, and the movie just started playing without any other action. This is now called “CEC†and is the now (ten years ago) new universal format. (After all, they were running out of remote control IR code groups. So, they HAD to do something!!)
“CEC stands for Consumer Electronics Control which allows HDMI devices to control each other. Furthermore, it allows user to operate multiple devices with just one remote control. It is possible to command and control up-to ten CEC-enabled devices, that are connected through HDMI.â€
See this link if you want to know more:
http://hdmicec.blogspot.com/2012/05/what-is-hdmi-cec-standard.html
So, Bose made the financial decision to just “walk away†from the 535 and start all over again - thus the LS650!
The LS650 no longer even cares what your remote controls IR codes are “IF†it is a CEC complaint device – which everything built in the last ten years (other than Bose) is!
Different that the 535 designs, the 650’s remote control sends to the Bose console via radio signal (not IR) what button I press and it then sends the instruction to the device connected via the HDMI port that I have selected to do whatever I directed it to do. It does NOT (as the 535 does) send out (broadcast) an IR coded signal to all in hopes the proper unit “sees†it and makes the proper function work.Â
This is NOT without glitches as the CEC convention of codes and functions has “Matured†over time and older units may not respond correctly if they have built in older formats. Not my issue as I always buy the latest and greatest!Â
My current problem is that my cable box is NOT CEC compliant. So, I am fighting a duel format system in that my 4k player, DVD blue ray player, TV, and the Bose console are all CEC compliant and work happily with each other.Â
By this I mean: If I walk up to my system (just like a 20 year old Sony Bravo control system), hit door open on one of my DVD players, put in a DVD, press the door close, I can walk back to my chair, and by that time, the DVD player turns on, the TV turns on, the Bose console turns on and switches to the proper HMDI input, and the movie starts playing!! All good stuff!! Â
The “BUT†comes in that my and most “rented†Cable TV box units are 20 years old in design and are Not CEC complaint. So, to get it to work, (it still doesn’t) the Bose console has to default to the old IR code system.Â
So, it sends out an IR blast hoping that the cable box “sees†it based again on a limited built in data base of IR codes (as the 535-unit had) trying to control the cable box and somehow trying to get the rest of the CEC controlled system (example the TV set) to turn on and switch to the cable box input.
One issue (like the 535), is that the IR code data base is incomplete, ancient, and will be impossible to keep up to date. So far, my cable box will not turn on or off via the Bose remote but amazingly, once I manually turn on my cable box (yes, stand up, walk to the unit, and press the on button) the Bose remote will change the channels and does do most other functions. I am learning to live with that. (But my wife is still not happy!)
Bose must have known of the conflict in CEC for older and newer equipment as they give you three options for the CEC function in the setup Unify program: CEC Default on, CEC Alternate ON, CEC Off. But no one at teck support can explain what the heck the differences are between them?? There answer is to just: “Try each setting and let us know??â€
The real issue is with running a spilt system “using CEC on some devices and IR code control on others†is that “IF†any IR code that the Bose console sends out is somehow received (and recognized) by any other CEC device then that device wakes up and sends its CEC signal to the Bose console and over rides the IR system and the Bose console switches to that CEC unit. So, you get a ping pong effect of units switching trying to turn on.  I “think†that the CEC Unify set up option of “CEC Alternate on†is supposed to help this out but not in my case.
What I need is a CEC compliant cable box and I may be at heaven’s gate – Happy wife!!
Another difference. The 650 is totally dependent on and revolves around the Soundtouch feature. It is no longer (like the 535) a separate component but a fully built in and integrated major function of the 650 unit.
Once you have sound touch up and running – another set up challenge – Bose teck support can remotely see what is going on with your system and they can be of greater help. It is the sound touch system that actually helps the console work with WIFI and blue tooth connected devices. I am not so sure of my knowledge on this as I am just now trying to work with it.
One thing I do know is that the Bose supplied group of Soundtouch Internet radio “channels†is a fixed set. I love the Whispering Springs Piano channel and they offer (almost every 12 minutes) that if you pay them $30 a year you will not have to listen to their begging for money (just like NPR) and will have seamless beautiful music! Ok, I logged on to their web site and paid. But I still get all commercials asking for $$. I called Whispering Springs Piano and they were amazed I was “listing†to them via my Bose Soundtouch system and said there was no way that I could change the “fixed†or packaged Soundtouch “streamâ€. $30 waisted!!    Â
As the Bose product production was moved “off shore†the component quality has taken a great nose dive. Most apparent is the Bose remote control itself. This is what you hold in your hand and what you “interface†with 99% of the time. Therefore, this is what you get the “feel†of the quality of the $4,000-dollar system you just paid for. It has cheap feel compared to the LS535 remote. My center upper circular control center button “squeaks†every time I press it. It is rubbing against the adjacent buttons. Teck support sent me a replacement but it has the same fault. SO. I just guess this is the way they all are??  Â
Another 535/650 difference: The “wireless†sub-woofer and rear speakers. Not sure who was drinking what when the Bose design team was locked away in a hotel room when their investors said: “You guys go away and come up with a replacement for the failed 535 unit and don’t come out until you do!!â€Â “Wireless†speakers sound like a GREAT marking advantage!!  Yes, you say??Â
But the Wireless sub-woofer and rear speakers are anything but “WIRELESSâ€! They require MORE wires as they now need a full 120Volt service line to work and they have a huge “brick†size adapter that is impossible to hid to work! And they depend on a very feeble radio frequency system prone to interference (as everything else in your home is competing on the same radio system: aka: your wireless phone, your baby monitor, your remote weather sensors, your garage door opener, etc) to work!!
Not to mention that 80%+ of the folks out there, me included, are actually upgrading from a “wired†system and the “wires’ are already in place and just sitting there just waiting to be “hook-upâ€. Ok, you say, having the ability to use the new “Wireless†system is great if the old “hard wired†wires are NOT already in place. But if they are, even though you just paid $4,000 for the 650 – they DO NOT provide in the box the two-dollar connector that would allow you to connect the wires directly to the console. WHAT WERE THEY THINGING???
There was no need to change the way the speakers were connected to the console as 50% of the online complaints are due to the “Wireless†speaker system. Please Bose, send me the $2 adapter so I can connect the sub-woofer and the remote speakers directly to my console and throw in the trash the so-called “Wireless†bricks that just don’t work!
One more issue with moving Bose “Off Shoreâ€. Teck support is now from the Philippines and I know more about the 650 then they do. Apparently, when you call teck support, you get a “level one†guy. That is the new guy that can help you with the basic set up issues. But, if you have any issue at all, you need to move up to the second level of support. Unfortunately, most “issues†with the 650 are third level support issues and you basically learn and work them out between you both! The standard answer is of course: Wait till the next software update and MAYBE they will address that issue??  WHO ARE THEY??? I want to talk to “THEY†– PLEASE!!!!
The old Axum still stands: “You pay peanuts - you get monkeys!† Â
What was "right" with the 535/650 as with all Bose systems - was the sound! It sounds great!
Bose is ALL ABOUT the SOUND!! If you want the most fantastic sound on the planet – then you have no other option than to go BOSE. I live and (could die) by Bose as I am a pilot, my Bose head phones cancels out all the cockpit noise and makes the slurred radio instructions from Air traffic control intelligible! Nothing on the planet sounds as clear and as good as Bose system – any Bose system. I have so many Bose products in my like that if it makes a noise – it has BOSE on the label!! Actually, my attic is full of past Bose “stuff.â€Â Anyone need a pair of 901s???Â
The new 650’s even smaller speakers really do sound as good as the 535’s larger versions. The 535 speakers were small enough for me and I would assume for anyone else but the new 650 speakers are half the size and STILL sound as good.
In my living room, when I am watching a 4K movie and listening to the crisp clear quality of the sound – I just smile!! Yes, it is well worth the software bugs and the frustration of trying to get someone on the phone that actually knows what his is talking abort!!Â
Bottom line: For the rest of the 535 owners out there: You only option is to change up the LS650. Yes, it will hurt, but it is worth it. (Sort of like child birth – you are pregnant with the 535 unit – the pain of child birth of the 650 unit is you only option for a contented life!) You can’t keep your legs crossed – it just doesn’t work like that!
