BeoLink PC2 and Beo4 Remote on MacBook Pro Early 2015

[MBE4645]

Hey all. Apologies in advance if this is the wrong Forum. Just point me in the right direction and I will repost.

Digging through some old gear and found a BeoLink PC2 box I must have bought about 20 years ago. Dusted it off, connected up to laptop, a couple of BeoLab 4000s and a BeoLab 2, downloaded BMLinkMLServer and, amazingly, beautiful rich sound out of the box even after all of these years. With just one slight issue…….

When connected to external monitor, I cannot change volume with laptop keys. But that’s ok. I have a Beo4 remote, but despite reading both the BeoLink and Beo4 manuals, I cannot see how to get the remote to control the volume on BeoLink… and, yes, I have plugged in the IR cable.

Any ideas on how to set up the remote? Any guidance greatly appreciated.

[Guy]

Have you set the PC2 to the correct Option?  CONFIG then Advanced Tab according to the manual (P6 of Installation Guide), and I think you should be in Option 2.

(And Welcome to the Forum! ?)

[matador]

Hi,

I hope Guy’s answer solved your problem.

Could you please elaborate on the use pf your PC2 box? What is the use comparing, say with an airplay box or a chrome cast audio? I think this is relevant for a full masterlink setup but could it also be use as some sort of “computer aux-in”.

How can it be used without IR eye (which are quite rare)?

In a nutshell, is there any non-obvious but absolutely useful use we can’t think of?

Thank you.

[Guy]

Hi Matador!

Hopefully the OP will come back with  an answer but circa 2012 I used a Beoport/PC2 with my Windows PC, so here’s some comments.

Firstly I used it in a standalone setup, basically to connect my PC audio output to CX50 speakers via an MCL2P amp.  It had the advantage of allowing the PC to ‘wake up’ the MCL2P automatically as it booted up.  I used it with a VX sensor as you can see in the photo below:

The sensor allowed me to control Beoplayer with the Beo4 remote – even controlling the PC’s CD drive as if it was a normal CD player.  I could also play radio stations using N.RADIO and my stored music collection via N.MUSIC.  My PC didn’t have a TV tuner card fitted so I couldn’t use that function.

However the Beoplayer software was very clunky and not at all user friendly.  (I re-installed it last night to remind myself!)  It was very difficult to arrange music libraries and playlists; it worked well with mp3s but wouldn’t play FLAC .  There were some workarounds to force the software to clear the libraries so that they could be re-installed.  Beoplayer also has a Photo Viewer but it would only scan the Windows ‘My Documents’ folder to look for photo content – I couldn’t force it to look elsewhere (my NAS drive).

I couldn’t link it to the rest of my system because my BC9500 was not N.RADIO/N.MUSIC compatible.   However I doubt nowadays that it would be a user-friendly way to distribute digital content over masterlink – perhaps those with a connected BM5 have different views?

In the future I could imagine wanting my PC in the study to ‘share’ masterlinked Beolab speakers in the same room.  If so I suppose I could use the PC input on Beolink active, but the disadvantage is that the speakers would play either PC audio or masterlinked audio from the rest of the system.  I think an advantage of Beoport/PC2 is that you can mix the PC and masterlinked audio, so you can listen to your main B&O system whilst still hearing PC notifications etc.

Anyway, I have hijacked the thread but hopefully this is useful for the OP and others! ?

 

 

 

[Guy]

I didn’t answer your question about using without an IR eye.  Once Beoplayer is running, if you move the mouse to the right hand edge of the PC screen a vertical control bar appears with a Beo4 like layout – obviously the sources at the top are only those available when in stand-alone mode – more would be available if Beoport was connected and masterlinked.  Here’s a screenshot, also showing the clunky N.RADIO station list (if I actually connected the Beoport and logged in I think more stations would be downloaded).

 

[Guy]

Guy wrote:

Have you set the PC2 to the correct Option? CONFIG then Advanced Tab according to the manual (P6 of Installation Guide), and I think you should be in Option 2. (And Welcome to the Forum! )

I have just realised of course that the OP is using BMLinkMLServer and not Beoplayer – obviously for a Mac. Anyway, the problem may be similar because the Advanced tab has an Option ‘IR eye only responds to link commands’ as shown in this post: https://archivedforum.beoworld.org/forums/p/40071/332701.aspx#332701

[matador]

Good evening Guy,

Thank you for your extensive answer.
What I understand is that the Beoport or Beolink PC2 is usefull if you have a masterlink network and want to add a computer source.

In nowadays scenarios (server music shared through wifi or computer out to speakers not using the now deprecated Beoplayer software) they are more convenient solutions.

Am I right?

Nevertheless, it made me think of a new topic idea, something like:
“Can I do something funky with all this old B&O boxes I’ve collected over the years?”
Collectors always end up having beolink boxes, lot of Masterlink devices, lot more of something-link wires and a drawers full of remotes (just in case).

What do you (Guy and Forum members) think?

[kirin]

Hello together,

the PC2 could be used with a Beolab 2000 or -3500?

These are quite cheap nowadays where I always found esp.  the 2000 not too bad, in fact, for voice/Radio or voice on TV I like it very much. It could be a sophisticated home office setup for dry meetings held remotely 😉

I am not sure whether a Beo4 could control this setup?

I agree on the software, which is at least better than beomedia 1 – which is also in my cellar 😉

Best regards

[Guy]

kirin wrote:

the PC2 could be used with a Beolab 2000 or -3500?

If you connected BL3500 or 2000 to the PC2 by masterlink then ‘yes’, with limitations – it would be set up as if the Beolab was in a Link Room. You wouldn’t need an IR sensor for the PC2 because you’d put it in option 0 and control it from the BL2000/3500 – Beo4 would be fine for full control.

However you wouldn’t be able to ‘activate’ the BL2000/3500 from the computer (i.e turn it on/off). You should be able to control playback once it is running however – eg advance tracks or change N.RADIO stations.

(EDIT: In effect you would be using the Beolink PC2 as an audiomaster – hence it should be set up as such in the options menu.)

[Guy]

matador wrote:

Nevertheless, it made me think of a new topic idea, something like:
“Can I do something funky with all this old B&O boxes I’ve collected over the years?”
Collectors always end up having beolink boxes, lot of Masterlink devices, lot more of something-link wires and a drawers full of remotes (just in case).

What do you (Guy and Forum members) think?

Great idea – start the thread and I’ll move this photo there!

[matador]

No, that one is forbidden until I find one of those little remote too. Unable to find one for 2 or three year when you gave me the idea and still controlling volume from the outside with a “No-com” 6000!

I’m jealous and will report to moderation this post 😉

[Guy]

matador wrote:

Good evening Guy, Thank you for your extensive answer. What I understand is that the Beoport or Beolink PC2 is usefull if you have a masterlink network and want to add a computer source. In nowadays scenarios (server music shared through wifi or computer out to speakers not using the now deprecated Beoplayer software) they are more convenient solutions. Am I right?

Yes indeed.  One of the biggest limitations of using a computer source is having to switch the computer on.  I added a NAS to my network once I starting moving to digital, and I am now happy using an iPhone to control what goes from the NAS to whatever B&O device (usually via Airport Express).  I suppose the original B&O  solution was the BM5, rendering Beoport/PC2 obselete.

[Guy]

matador wrote:

No, that one is forbidden until I find one of those little remote too. Unable to find one for 2 or three year when you gave me the idea and still controlling volume from the outside with a “No-com” 6000! I’m jealous and will report to moderation this post

???

[matador]

Guy wrote:

If you connected BL3500 or 2000 to the PC2 by masterlink then ‘yes’, with limitations – it would be set up as if the Beolab was in a Link Room. You wouldn’t need an IR sensor for the PC2 because you’d put it in option 0 and control it from the BL2000/3500 – Beo4 would be fine for full control.

This is interesting: The that old saying telling A Beolab 3500 can be used standalone with a 1611 converter only is wrong?

[Guy]

matador wrote:

The that old saying telling A Beolab 3500 can be used standalone with a 1611 converter only is wrong?

Although there was some debate about it in the past – the final outcome in this thread suggests that PC2 will work as audiomaster: https://archivedforum.beoworld.org/forums/p/26423/207666.aspx

(EDIT: But according to the linked thread, it will only work if the Beoport/PC2 is connected to a PC, not a Mac)

[matador]

Hi Guy,

I’ve read the link (I now have the 3500 and want it standalone more than ever!) and your post carefully. I still wonder if you think or know if the PC2 could act as an audiomaster for the beolab 3500 as it, disconnected from any computer and just using the line in, preferably without IR eye. Even if it would need to be connected to a computer for setup it deosnt matter, what I would like to know is if after that it could work by itself to drive the 3500.

The reason is that 1611 converter are not a lot around and even less in my prices but PC2 comes from time to time for cheap.

Thanks in advance and merry Christmas.

[Guy]

Hi Matador,

Sorry but I was mainly relying on that earlier thread, so I don’t have any further ideas.  I suspect that the Beoport must remain connected to a PC.  After Xmas I could test mine with PL (edit: I mean Masterlink) connection to a Passive etc, but that may well behave differently to a BL3500.

I didn’t realise that Beolink Converter 1611s seem to have increased in price – they used to be available on eBay for less than €20.  Perhaps someone on the forum has one that they can let go for a reasonable price.  I will keep a lookout on UK eBay.

And Merry Christmas to you too!   ???

[matador]

Yes… I’ve often told it but B&O market here is crazy: people often don’t even know what they sell but put hight prices just because some dark mysterious black box is labelled B&O ar sometimes because you have interest in it…

To be fair sometimes it’s the other way around and I’ve myself have had the chance of incredible bargains sometimes. But all in all it doesn’t seem to be a market as even or realistic as it seem to be in UK or the northern countries.

I’m not in a hurry, I’ll wait.

Ah, and about the PC2, I suspected that answer, so don’t bother spending time on experience but thank you anyway.

Enjoy your evening…

 

[XavierItzmann]

As a placeholder until a new system arrives, I have set up a BeoPort (BP) and a BeoLab 2000 to run headless —no PC.  The audio source is a Wiim connected to the BP where it normally expects to get sound from the PC.    No IR eye needed, as BL 2000 accepts Beo4 IR commands.

The setup is:
1. connect the BP’s USB to the PC running BP software.
2. press N.Music on Beo4. Any sound coming from the Wiim plays.
3. Disconnect the USB (this shuts down the BP program on the PC).
For as long as power is not cut off or any of the buttons on the BL 2000 depressed, the BL remains available to play any AirPlay stream from any device.  I’ve had this running for a week.  You can control volume with the BL 2000’s metal knob, or with the WiiM or with your iPhone.  On this room, do not leave any Beo4s laying around.

Alternative if Beo4 not available: Play any N.Radio or N.Music from PC; this opens the BP’s port that sends any available audio out to the ML net.  Press the “PLAY •” button on the BL 2000.

[matador]

Hi Xavier and thank you for your answer,

Thats exactly what I wanted to know and now I know!

Then it would not work for me because that’s exactly what I want to avoid: a system you have to set up each time your turn it off (that is the contrary of standalone for me).

[Author]

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