Connect Beolab 3500 to BeoSystem 2500

[Simon Jackslin]

Hello everyone,

I recently bought a BeoSystem 2500 and in that package I also received a BeoLab 3500 and an amplifier MCL 2P. My question is, how do I connect the BeoLab soundbar to the BeoSystem 2500? I heard something about a MCL2AV.

I also heard that the settings on the BeoLab needs be on “option 1”. How do I change this setting without a controller (I only have a Beolink 1000 for the BeoSystem 2500). Do I need to buy a Beo4 controller?

Any help is useful. Thank you!

Best regards

[Madskp]

Simon Jackslin wrote:

t a BeoSystem 2500 and in that package I also received a BeoLab 3500 and an amplifier MCL 2P. My question is, how do I connect the BeoLab soundbar to the BeoSystem 2500? I heard something about a MCL2AV.

The MCL2P can be used to convert the Powerlink output on the Beosystem 2500 to a MCL network where the Beolab 3500 can be connected provided the BL3500 is a MK1 version (you can see that by checking if MCL is engraved in the metal under the 8 Pin DIN connector on the back of it). Do you have the cables for it?

There might also be other options to connect it depending on the SW version of the Beolab 3500, but then you will need another converter box in that case. Sometimes the software version is printed on the label on the back of it SW x.x, or else you should be able to see it by presssing Menu, 0, 0, Play on the Beolink 1000

MCL2AV can not be used for this.

Simon Jackslin wrote:

I also heard that the settings on the BeoLab needs be on “option 1”. How do I change this setting without a controller (I only have a Beolink 1000 for the BeoSystem 2500). Do I need to buy a Beo4 controller?

The option settings should be 2 when used with MCL . Option settings can be done with the Beolink 1000 by pressing Link, X (option number), Store

If you have further questions you are welcome to ask again

 

 

 

[Simon Jackslin]

Thank you for all the information. I have been trying to connect the BeoLab 3500 to the BeoSystem 2500 today with no success.

I tried connecting the BeoLab 3500 to the MCL 2P and from the MCL 2P to the BeoSystem 2500. They talk to each other but I don’t get any sound from the BeoLab 3500 (only from the BeoSystem 2500). I made a sketch of the setup (don’t judge my drawing :)). The red line show what cable I used when trying to connect the BeoLab 3500 to the BeoSystem 2500.

I also tried using the BeoLink 1000 and Beo4 controler with no success. Both controls work for the BeoSystem 2500 but I have no communication from the control to the BeoLab 3500. Only the buttons on the BeoLab 3500 works. Is there something I am doing wrong? Sometimes I can get the display on the BeoLab 3500 to flash brighter red when pressing buttons on the Beo4 or BeoLink 1000 control, but still no respons. Can the IR eye be broken? And do I need the control to start the BeoLab 3500 or can I do it with the buttons on the BeoLab?

The big question, am I missing any product or cable to make this work or do I need to repair something?

The BeoLab is type no: 1601 S.W 1.0

The MCL2P is type no: 1741

The BeoSystem is type: 2500

See pictures on used cables and components.

Best regards

Simon

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Madskp]

Hello again

Simon Jackslin wrote:

I tried connecting the BeoLab 3500 to the MCL 2P and from the MCL 2P to the BeoSystem 2500. They talk to each other but I don’t get any sound from the BeoLab 3500 (only from the BeoSystem 2500). I made a sketch of the setup (don’t judge my drawing :)). The red line show what cable I used when trying to connect the BeoLab 3500 to the BeoSystem 2500.

The cables looks to be the right ones. The Powerlink cable have to be a specific type to activate the MCL2P. You can confirm this if the MCL2P has a green light on the front? If it is red then it is not activated. If so try without the powerlink Y cable.

Simon Jackslin wrote:

I also tried using the BeoLink 1000 and Beo4 controler with no success. Both controls work for the BeoSystem 2500 but I have no communication from the control to the BeoLab 3500. Only the buttons on the BeoLab 3500 works. Is there something I am doing wrong? Sometimes I can get the display on the BeoLab 3500 to flash brighter red when pressing buttons on the Beo4 or BeoLink 1000 control, but still no respons. Can the IR eye be broken? And do I need the control to start the BeoLab 3500 or can I do it with the buttons on the BeoLab?

The mute button on the Beolab 3500 should make it join whatever is playing on the Beosystem 2500, or start the radio if the Beosystem 2500 is in standby.

Regarding the remote control have you tried to do option settings? Option 0 is no IR, so if that is set you can not use normal commands before it is changed to option 1 or 2

However it is not unheard of the the IR part of the Beolab 3500 is broken. There is a great repair guide for it in this thread if you are able to do it yourself https://forum.beoworld.org/forums/topic/beolab-3500-sometimes-responds-to-remote-control-sometimes-it-doesnt/#post-29738

Regarding my earlier comment about other connection options that will not be possible without a software upgrade as the SW ver. 1.0 does not support use of the Masterlink connection

[Simon Jackslin]

Hello again

The MCL2P turns green when I turn on the BeoSystem 2500, so the cable is working. When pressing the mute button on the BeoLab 3500, the display shows (for example: cd 1) what is playing on the BeoSystem 2500, but I never get any sound. All the buttons on the BeoLab 3500 works and the systems are talking to each other (I can turn on the BeoSystem 2500 by pressing mute button on the BeoLab 3500).

I can hear some sparking sound coming from the speakers of the BeoLab 3500 when I turn it on, using the “mute” button.

But how do I change this option setting if the BeoLab 3500 doesn’t respond to the remote control?

The cables I use and the components seem to be the correct ones, but still I can’t get any sound or use the remote control with the BeoLab 3500. Might this indicate that the BeoLab 3500 is broken? Or might it be that the volume on the BeoLab is on 0 and can only be changed using the remote control?

thanks for all the help!

Best regards

[Madskp]

Simon Jackslin wrote:

The MCL2P turns green when I turn on the BeoSystem 2500, so the cable is working. When pressing the mute button on the BeoLab 3500, the display shows (for example: cd 1) what is playing on the BeoSystem 2500, but I never get any sound. All the buttons on the BeoLab 3500 works and the systems are talking to each other (I can turn on the BeoSystem 2500 by pressing mute button on the BeoLab 3500).

This clearly indicates that your cables works (at least for the communications part).

Simon Jackslin wrote:

But how do I change this option setting if the BeoLab 3500 doesn’t respond to the remote control?

If it does not respond to the options commands: Link, 2, Store the I think the IR receiver might have a failure.

Simon Jackslin wrote:

Might this indicate that the BeoLab 3500 is broken? Or might it be that the volume on the BeoLab is on 0 and can only be changed using the remote control?

hard to tell if it’s one or the other. But since the remote is not working you can not even put it in a test mode to check the sound input. So first thing would probably be to get the IR reciever repaired and then take it from there

 

 

[Simon Jackslin]

Yes I will start by fixing the IR eye. Is there any obvious way to see if IR is broken?

In what mode does the BeoLab 3500 need to be in, in order to react to the remote control commands? Should I see the clock in the display before?

One last question, in what order do I press the buttons on the remote control. Do I press one button at the time, or at the same time?

thank you!

[Madskp]

Simon Jackslin wrote:

Is there any obvious way to see if IR is broken?

Not that I know of other than not reacting to option or service commands

Simon Jackslin wrote:

In what mode does the BeoLab 3500 need to be in, in order to react to the remote control commands? Should I see the clock in the display before?

It is not dependent on the clock showing. This is transfered from the Beosystem 2500, but I have a note saying that this was not working on SW 1.0. Anyway the BL3500 should just be turned on to be able to recieve commands

Simon Jackslin wrote:

One last question, in what order do I press the buttons on the remote control. Do I press one button at the time, or at the same time?

On at the time

 

[Simon Jackslin]

I will look into the problem regarding the IR eye on the BeoLab 3500.

What do you mean doesn’t work with the SW 1.0? Do you mean changing the options isn’t necessary when using BeoLab 3500 with a BeoSystem 2500?

thank you!

[Guy]

Does the BL3500 respond to any IR commands if the only connection to it is its mains/power cable?  Eg: LINK 2 STORE

Are you 100% sure that the Left/Right cables were connected to the correct speaker sockets on the MCL2P?  (I can see that one cable has ‘Left’ printed on it, but no harm in double checking!)

[Simon Jackslin]

Like I said earlier, when pressing different buttons on the remote control, the red text on the display of the BeoLab 3500 gets brighter for a short period of time, but no input is working (for example: I can’t change the volume on the BeoLab 3500 even though the display gets brighter red when pressing the volume button on the remote control).

The cable was cut into two pieces when I got it, so I had to solder the cables together. I’m not sure that left is left and right is right. But then I wonder, how can the two systems talk to each other if the cable is not connected in a correct way? Because when pressing buttons on the BeoLab 3500, the BeoSystem 2500 responds, but there is no sound coming from the BeoLab.

[Guy]

Simon Jackslin wrote:

Like I said earlier, when pressing different buttons on the remote control, the red text on the display of the BeoLab 3500 gets brighter for a short period of time, but no input is working (for example: I can’t change the volume on the BeoLab 3500 even though the display gets brighter red when pressing the volume button on the remote control).

So did you try disconnecting the MCL cable from the BL3500 and then pressing LINK 2 STORE on the remote?  I am wondering if an incorrectly wired MCL cable (see below) causes the BL3500 to suppress IR reception.

Simon Jackslin wrote:

The cable was cut into two pieces when I got it, so I had to solder the cables together. I’m not sure that left is left and right is right. But then I wonder, how can the two systems talk to each other if the cable is not connected in a correct way? Because when pressing buttons on the BeoLab 3500, the BeoSystem 2500 responds, but there is no sound coming from the BeoLab.

Whilst swapping L and R speaker channels would not be a problem, it’s important that the extra pins on the speaker connections are going to the correct L or R socket on the MCL2P – one carries power, the other data.  It is possible that getting these incorrect will cause the BC2500 to respond in some way but cause problems elsewhere.

EDIT:  Correct MCL2 cable wiring is shown here (second diagram) – colour coding may be different but you may wish to check yours with a multimeter: https://beoworld.org/wiring-diagrams/

[Simon Jackslin]

No I haven’t tried using the remote control with the MCL cable disconnected, will do that today!

What extra pins are we talking about? Is there any photo to see this or can I somehow test it?

Thank you

[Guy]

Simon Jackslin wrote:

What extra pins are we talking about?

Annotated on the attached photo:

Pink carries power for the MCL system – 7V dc

White carries data – allowing the BL3500 to control the BC2500.

You could use a multimeter to check continuity according to the wiring diagram that I linked earlier. (Eg pink should go to Pin 2 of the MCL plug, and White to pin 6).  You could also open up the plugs to check that the correct colours are soldered to the correct pins at both ends.

[Simon Jackslin]

Thank you, I will test that today!

Another thing I was thinking about, should the 15V outlet on the MCL2P be connected to something for everything to work?

Best regards

[Madskp]

Simon Jackslin wrote:

Another thing I was thinking about, should the 15V outlet on the MCL2P be connected to something for everything to work?

No thats for powering a MCL2AV if the MCL2P is used as an amplifier for that.

 

[Simon Jackslin]

Okay, thank you!

Will update when I tested everything, might be tomorrow…

best regards

[Simon Jackslin]

Hi again,

I tried switching the left and right cable when connecting it to the MCL2P, but still no sound…

I also tried using the remote control with only the 230V cable connected to the BeoLab 3500, but still no response when pressing the buttons.

Sorry for a lot of questions… but where is it possible to buy a new IR eye if it is broken?

I will have time to look at the problem during the weekend. I will let you know if I make any progress.

[Madskp]

Hi again. For easy replacement it would be the whole front panel with the displsy you need.

probably Ebay could be a source.

here in Denmark it is often cheaper to buy a complete Beolab 3500 than spare parts for it

[Author]

Posts