BeoLink Converter 1611 Innovative Configurations

[Guy]

Steve at Sounds Heavenly wrote:

Hi Guy, Yes, thanks for correcting my poor description in the video! The IR codes for CD and Phono are different, but any Beogram with Datalink can respond to either the PHONO or CD codes. This means that on an MCL system such as Beosystem 3500, 4500, 6500 or 7000, you can connect two Beograms to the mains system (one in the PHONO socket and one in the CD socket), plus two more into the local CD and PHONO inputs on the MCL2AV box in a link room. The link room sources can only play in that room but this does mean that you could potentially have remote control access to up to four Beograms from your bathtub (as in the video) with two in the main room and two in the link room. If anyone is feeling pedantic, the MCL2AV and extra Beogram for my bathroom are actually located outside the bathroom, with only the passive speakers and the IR remote receiver in the bathroom. This ensures that UK electrical safety rules are complied with! Hope this helps… Kind regards, Steve.

Thanks Steve – all totally clear, and it would be a great setup as described!

Good to see your website back up and running this evening – I hope all is well!

[Madskp]

I did a little extra test with my now limited setup (I almost fell pressured to buy a BL3500 🙂 ).

I wanted to find out if unused Video functions on the BC6 would open pin 3 and 5 in the 1611, thus getting 2 audio inputs from the 1611 on a Beovision. No luck though, tried almost every video command , and unassigned those that were assigned to sources and power cycled inbetween.

On could also Argue that the BC6 has enough sound inputs, 4 if you count the scart connectors.

@Guy: if you are willing to try it, I would be very interested to hear what reaction the BL 2000 and BL3500 has if you apply some voltage to the powerlink connector on the 1611 as I did. Do they turn on, and maybe off when power is removed?

If so, with som extra electronics to sense if there is sound this could be a possibility for automatic turning on those speakers when Airplay/Cromecast/bluetooth on that is started.

 

 

[Steve at Sounds Heavenly]

Guy wrote:

Thanks Steve – all totally clear, and it would be a great setup as described!

Good to see your website back up and running this evening – I hope all is well!

Thanks Guy!

My wife is recovering at home after an unexpected hospital visit so life is slowly returning to normal.  Good to be back in the workshop again, I’ve ordered a Beolink Converter to do some testing on all the great ideas from this thread…

(I’m also hoping to use this converter to get my Beogram 3500 visible in the B&O app and maybe even get it working via Siri, but that will be a topic for a new thread once I get my Beolink Converter and my new NL/ML Converter working).

Kind regards, Steve.

[Guy]

So tonight I made an attempt at Test 12 – making use of the BL1611 AAL pin 6 datalink input.

I don’t have any pure datalink source devices other than my BG6500 turntable and that is packed away so carefully that I am not prepared to get it out for this project!

However, I do have a DVD1 for which I previously made a special SCART to 7-pin DIN cable for the project described here:  https://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/p/45162/327485.aspx#327485

Basically, the cable connects SCART data pin 8 to DIN pin 6, plus audio to DIN pins 3 and 5.   It previously worked well to connect an extra ‘CD’ player (the DVD1) directly to my BC9500’s AUX/TV socket, which also uses pin 6 for data.

Anyway, for this test I used the BL3500 as the controlling ML device and the DVD1 was connected to the BL1611’s AAL socket.  Audio (a CD) played fine with a video source connected, but no datalink control of the DVD1 was possible (I couldn’t start up the DVD1, play, stop, or change tracks with the remote, hence had to use the DVD1’s front panel).  However, when I tried a long-press of the Beo4’s ‘off’ button, the entire system did shut down including the DVD1.

Hence some data is being passed from BL3500 to the DVD1 via the BL1611, but just not the full spectrum of normal datalink commands.

I hope that Test 15 (Control of OneRemote radio) will be more successful, once I have made that (nameless) adaptor!

[matador]

Guy wrote:

I think yours may be SW2.1, whereas mine is 2.0.

One is labelled SW 3.1. The other (the one I use for tests) does not show SW version on the sticker, but I will check it next time I plug it

Guy wrote:

About the price of 60kWh of electricity.

God, with those price it almost worth moving to your region!

[matador]

Guy wrote:

I am now trying the BL3500 with BL1611 and it seems to behave exactly as Matador’s.

Guy, do you have a Beolink Active 1636 (or 163x)?

I was told 163x converter replaced 1611 😉 and I would like to know if it can drive the 3500 as standalone the same way the 1611 does.

[Guy]

Morning all!

Blimey, all these things to test! I need to text my wife (who’s at work) and let her know the vacuuming isn’t going to get done today!

Firstly great to have Steve on board, able to cast a professional eye over our attempts to push the boundaries of the B&O black boxes in our collections! Great to hear that your wife is back home recovering Steve.

Madskp wrote:

@Guy: if you are willing to try it, I would be very interested to hear what reaction the BL 2000 and BL3500 has if you apply some voltage to the powerlink connector on the 1611 as I did. Do they turn on, and maybe off when power is removed?

I’ll add that to the test list – sounds like I am being forced to get my soldering iron out ☹

matador wrote:

Guy, do you have a Beolink Active 1636 (or 163x)?

Yes!! And the good news is that I know what box it is in! According to my records it’s a 1636 at SW version 1.1.

matador wrote:

I was told 163x converter replaced 1611 and I would like to know if it can drive the 3500 as standalone the same way the 1611 does.

I have never heard of a BL Active being used without it’s IR sensor attached, but am willing to try!  I also suspect that the Active’s PC socket input will only respond to PC source selection.

Coffee required first, then into the boxes to find some bits …

[Keith Saunders]

This post is intended to provide additional information related to the Beolab 3500 mark 2 and the Beolink type 1611 converter rather than answer any particular question raised in this excellent thread.

Beolab 3500 Mark 2

Software version 2.1 provides display text update and new source names. No new features have been added to Software 2.1.
Older versions -> Software 2.1

• A.TAPE -> A.MEM
• A.TAPE2 -> N.MUSIC
• V.TAPE -> V.MEM
• V.TAPE2 -> DVD2
• CDV -> DVD
• PHONO -> N.RADIO
• SAT -> DTV

To get N.MUSIC (example):
Button / display                    BL3500 < sw2.1                BL3500 sw 2.1
Beolink 1000 / Beo4        A.TAPE2 / A.TAPE2        A.TAPE2 / N.MUSIC
New Beo4                          N.MUSIC / A.TAPE2        N.MUSIC / N.MUSIC

To update a Beolab 3500 mark 2 to version 2.1 you must replace PCB36 B&O part number 8006009

The Beolab 3500 has the following 4 digit type numbers based on region — 1601 to 1608

Beolink Passive and Active

The BeoLink Active and BeoLink Passive with software version 1.5 can now handle A.AUX command. This allows a 3rd party product connected to the A.AUX in the main room to be available to your Beolab 3500 in a link room when the converter is used.

The Beolink converter types 161x except 1616 were superseded by the 163x to allow it to work with the ML gateway

[Guy]

Keith Saunders wrote:

This post is intended to provide additional information related to the Beolab 3500 mark 2 and the Beolink type 1611 converter rather than answer any particular question raised in this excellent thread.

Many thanks Keith – that’s really useful to have in this thread for reference.

Quick question: Do you know if BL3500 SW 2.1 will also make it show PC in the display? (rather than V.AUX which is currently displayed on my SW 2.0 version when I press PC)

(EDIT: And my SW2.0 version does already show DVD rather than CDV. Other sources display the ‘older’ input names)

[Guy]

I decided to get a little better organised and prepare a list of setups tested, and those still to test. They are numbered so that we can refer to them easily. I have uploaded as a pdf but am happy to upload as a word doc if you want to amend for your own use.

[matador]

That’s a great idea. Between Keith among us and your test report I feel compelled to wear a white blouse to do next tests (aren’t they brownish at B&O?).

Guy two things:

Point 3: maybe you should mention that with SW > 2.1, PC is normally displayed on the Beolab.

Point 5: Beoport + 3500: do the 3500 receive the IR commands and pass them to the computer?

[Guy]

Point 3 – I’ll add to the document ready for Amdt 2.

Point 5 – answer is ‘yes*’ and I will add a note to the doc.

Too cold to wear just a blouse/shirt here! I have several layer on including army surplus long-johns! I need to power-up a few B&O black boxes to warm the room up!

* EDIT: Apart from volume, but that makes sense as the BL3500 is supposed to be in a link room. The volume will of course adjust on the BL3500.

[Madskp]

Guy wrote:

I decided to get a little better organised and prepare a list of setups tested, and those still to test. They are numbered so that we can refer to them easily. I have uploaded as a pdf but am happy to upload as a word doc if you want to amend for your own use.

Great idea.

regarding test 8: the powersource doesnt  has to be 5V. The specifications states >2.5V, so maybe a coincell battery or two AA will do for testing.

Regarding test 12: single components may not work because og the difference in Audio Link, And Audio Aux lin. Dont know which the DVD use though, so might be something working.

Regarding test 13: Take a look on the diagram of the BS1 in the servicemanual. Pin 7 is called dataOut, so might control a tape recorder. Pin 6 is called data in, so I guess its not two way communicationif it works at all. Actually pin 6 and 7 is stated as not connected in the specifications for the BS1. Therefore its only on the diagram its shown

[Guy]

Madskp wrote:

regarding test 8: the powersource doesnt  has to be 5V. The specifications states >2.5V, so maybe a coincell battery or two AA will do for testing.

Regarding test 12: single components may not work because og the difference in Audio Link, And Audio Aux lin. Dont know which the DVD use though, so might be something working.

Regarding test 13: Take a look on the diagram of the BS1 in the servicemanual. Pin 7 is called dataOut, so might control a tape recorder. Pin 6 is called data in, so I guess its not two way communicationif it works at all. Actually pin 6 and 7 is stated as not connected in the specifications for the BS1. Therefore its only on the diagram its shown

Thanks for all this Mads – very useful.

I don’t hold out much hope for the BS1, but who knows with B&O!

[Madskp]

Guy wrote:

Thanks for all this Mads – very useful. I don’t hold out much hope for the BS1, but who knows with B&O!

Regarding the BS1, I will try to test it with a Beocord 3500 next time I visit my parents.

[Keith Saunders]

Guy wrote:

Quick question: Do you know if BL3500 SW 2.1 will also make it show PC in the display? (rather than V.AUX which is currently displayed on my SW 2.0 version when I press PC)

Not a far as I am aware. The final software version of the Beolab 3500 mark 2 was version 3.3, but currently I cannot find details of the changes between 2.1 and 3.3

I need to clarify my earlier statement about the latest version of software being 3.3. The upgrade to version 3.3 was to allow wireless link

[Guy]

Keith Saunders wrote:

Guy wrote:
Quick question: Do you know if BL3500 SW 2.1 will also make it show PC in the display? (rather than V.AUX which is currently displayed on my SW 2.0 version when I press PC)

Not a far as I am aware. The final software version of the Beolab 3500 mark 2 was version 3.3, but currently I cannot find details of the changes between 2.1 and 3.3

Thanks Keith. I will wait for Matador to confirm the SW version of his ‘test’ BL3500.

[Keith Saunders]

I need to clarify my earlier statement about the latest version of software being 3.3. The upgrade to version 3.3 was to allow wireless link, so unless a Beolab 3500 mark 2 has been used with a wireless link most will either be version 2.0 or 2.1

[Guy]

Keith Saunders wrote:

I need to clarify my earlier statement about the latest version of software being 3.3. The upgrade to version 3.3 was to allow wireless link, so unless a Beolab 3500 mark 2 has been used with a wireless link most will either be version 2.0 or 2.1

Thanks Keith – I have no intention of going anywhere near a Wireless 1! ?

[matador]

Guy wrote:

I have no intention of going anywhere near a Wireless 1

Unless SW 3.3 make the powerlink socket behave like we are used to…

[Author]

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