Table Holder A/V – batteries?

[CharlieWednesday]

I managed to get my hands on a Beocom 1401 phone (or it might be a 1500, not sure what the difference is), which includes the ‘Table Holder A/V’, with the volume controls for video and audio. The phone works fine, but the volume buttons do not.  Got it for £13 on eBay and there’s not a mark on it, so it was a real bargain.

The table holder is not connected to the phone line in any way, so surely it must have batteries in order for the volume buttons to work, but I cannot find anywhere for checking/changing the batteries!  Under the little flap where the notepad goes? No.  Beneath the metal piece behind the handset, which comes off with some difficulty?  No.

The manual on the B&O site for this phone makes no mention of the A/V base either.  Anyone have any experience with it?

[Guy]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

Under the little flap where the notepad goes?

Yes – this is where it is.  A bit awkward but folds down from the top.

EDIT:  Folds from right to left – see photo attached to Beozips post here: https://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/p/42465/309140.aspx#309140

EDIT 2:  From Beocom 1401 manual:

[CharlieWednesday]

Ah yes, there they are.  Three AAAs now replaced, and it’s working!  It’s not obvious; you have to jimmy open the flap with a little screwdriver, but at least I know where it is now!

I don’t much need a landline (we still have one in our house but it rarely rings). I was more interested because it looks good, and now I have volume controls for both my Beocenter and Beovision right there on my desk – brilliant!  I also have a Beotalk 1200 which I don’t use as an answerphone, but just for the useful caller display.  It’s shouts “MUM!” in my voice when my mum rings.  Who wouldn’t want that!?

Thanks for your help (again) Guy.

[Guy]

Glad it worked!

I have often found them full of leaking batteries – clearly the owner never knew there were batteries fitted and probably thought that they were powered from the phone line.  There’s also an A/V volume control that will clip onto the side of the Beocom 1600/2400/2500 landline phones – just add a 4.5v battery box to make a useful under table remote!  (not the first time I have shown this photo! 😀)

 

[CharlieWednesday]

Yes, I’ve seen that before, cool idea!  I had actually looked for one of those before but they don’t come up for same very often, and they often list them on eBay at quite a high price due to rarity, I suppose.

I think mine is actually a 1500 not a 1401; I just assumed it was a 1401 but the eBay seller didn’t specify the model and it doesn’t have the model number on it.  The buttons are a bit different that a 1401.  This may explain why I was unable to find the location of the batteries in the 1401 user manual.  That’s my excuse anyway.

I love having volume controls to hand, right there on my desk.  Using them every day – so useful.

[Guy]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

I think it’s actually a 1500 not a 1401, I just assumed it was a 1401 but the eBay seller didn’t specify the model and it doesn’t have the model number on it.  The buttons are a bit different that a 1401.  This may explain why I was unable to find the location of the batteries in the 1401 user manual.  That’s my excuse anyway.

The BeoCom 1400 and 1500 look very similar (similar small keyboards), the difference being that the 1500 has a memory facility, and a volume control for the handset itself.  The BeoCom 1401 followed the Beocom 1400 and 1500, and has a much larger, easier to use keyboard with memory and handset volume also.  Of similar form factor is the BeoTalk 1400, with built in answerphone.

CharlieWednesday wrote:

I love having volume controls to hand, right there on my desk.  Using them every day – so useful.

Yes, I think that the AV volume controls are far better placed on the ‘base’ rather than the handset – with the latter you have to move them away from your ear to operate which defeats the object.  Nevertheless, they were moved to the handset for the BeoCom 5000 (analogue cordless), BC6000 and BC2.

[CharlieWednesday]

Yes, I have a Beocom 6000 but I’ve put that on eBay now as I have no use for it – I much prefer this 1500, and I didn’t need a cordless phone for my desk anyway.  The 1500 also better matches the aesthetic of my mostly 80s/90s B&O kit (although I admit, the 6000 is nice to look at).

[Author]

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