Hi Rob,

From memory but I can test later, I believe that Masterlink products cannot send "status" commands back to the BLGW outside of the Light and Control commands. I have a similar issue with an old ML TV and the only way I solved it was using a Beo6 remote control and programming a macro when a source was selected, e.g. when pressing "TV" the Beo6 would turn on the source TV but also send a FUNCTION command which was forwarded to the BLGW. I am not sure the hard buttons on a Beo6 can be programmed in the same way and certainly the other remotes cannot. 

If you have a Beo6/5 you could program a soft key to do this. I have a Virgin Tivo box and the build in BeoVision PUC didn't have Record, Thumbs up and down options so I use a FUNCTION command to the BLGW and the BLGW connects to the Tivo box using TCP/IP and it works so can't see any reason if you can find a source of the FUNCTION command why Google wouldn't work.

The BLGW can control individual masterlink products. When I say the BLGW I mean the aluminium covered rectangular one and not the yet to be released BeoLiving gateway which looks like a rounded square - this is  definitely network link only. However, worth remembering that masterlink can only share one source at a time. This is a limitation of masterlink not the gateway. So while you can control all masterlink products individually they will all be playing the same CD / RADIO / NMUSIC etc... 

Steven

Hi Steven,

Thanks for the reply, I look forward to hearing back on whether it can react to a remote press events on masterlink outside of light mode - thanks for offering to check this for me. Incidentally today my Roku Express device updated and now has Spotify connect.. I have the Roku plugged into my BV11 and is accessible to my ML products via the NL/ML converter.. amazingly I am able to control the spotify playback from ML link rooms with the beo4 remote when on the source! The only downside is it's running the audio through the main tv but is a step closer to what I am after but being able to interface with the chromecast would allow me to control playback from any streamed source such as Plex locally too - all i really want to be able to do is skip tracks without having to use my phone! It could be that the Core can do this as it does have Chromecast built in. I like the idea of having a Beo5 or 6 - How long does the battery last from a full charge?

Rob.

Thanks for testing this Steven. Much appreciated. Rob.

Hi Rob,

I agree that this is a frustrating aspect of the BLGW/MLGW setup. I've got a work around using a intronic converter connected to the MLGW. My setup may not be of relevance to you as it is MLGW based and relies on the RS232 serial port on the MLGW (not sure if the BLGW has an RS232 port). If this is not helpful I apologise.

I'm basically using custom strings to trigger events. It enables me to trigger automation events from any remote press. In this way it allows me to use a Beoremote One with my Beovision 7-32 - for example, if I press the guide button on the Beoremote one the Intronic box instructs the MLGW to send "GO, 1" to the Beovision, which brings up the programme guide on my STB. 

Appreciate this would be a rather expensive work around if I did not already have the Lintronic converter lying around! Anyway if this is of interest see the documentation here:

http://www.lintronic.dk/AppNote_MasterLinkGateway.pdf

Note the solution also allows the MLGW to send commands to the Lintronic box, making use of its powerful IR emitter, so it can essentially become a very customisable STB controller as well. I can provide a CSV table of the custom strings and corresponding ML commands as well if that would be useful.

Hi Luke,

Thanks for the reply and help. That is certainly interesting, but as you say an expensive solution. I've looked at the Lintronic converter before but was disappointed to not see an ethernet or wifi connection for triggering http events. Am I right in thinking the Lintronic also needs the B&O IR eye connected as the IR receiver? A raspberry Pi with B&O IR eye may be the more cost effective solution for acting on remote presses but wouldn't be able to emit unlike the lintronic. Its a real shame though the gateway has this limitation of not capturing IR events! 

Do you have any lights set up with the MLGW? Do you know if the newer Network link TVs can see the older MLGW (via a NL/ML converter) thus activating the Home Control Menu on the TV?

Cheers

Rob.

Hi Rob, I've not got any experience using the raspberry Pi, but others on the forum have. I believe you could make a similar arrangement to the one I'm using via that route.

The Lintronic HW6 does indeed require an external B&O IR eye, but I have those in every room anyway - it's easy enough to take data and ground from one and input it to the Lintronic.

In terms of my setup, yes I do control lighting via the MLGW, although I'm just using it as a bridge between my B&O system and an Indigo server running on a Mac mini. All of my lighting is Z-Wave (I like the Fibaro and Aeotec products best) and can be operated using beoremote LIGHT commands. I also control my NEST thermostat using the CONTROL IR commands.

The BLGW is a very significant improvement over the MLGW and if I had the cash I'd upgrade. As far as I'm aware the MLGW would not give you the overlays on the modern TVs, although I could be wrong on that. I'm running old-Banger and Olufsen over here, no experience with the (very lovely) newer Beovisions!

Good luck with your setup

Hi

i actually found an undocumented feature of the gateway that allows to tap directly into the master link bus. The code is at GitHub

http://github.com/giachello/mlgw

let me know if it works 

G