MasterLink USB adapter

[B3OHACK3R]

Madskp wrote:

Another idea for a usecase for this adapter: As systems like BC2, BS3000/3200, BS4 and BS9000 does not have datalink control of the Aux connection the adapter could be used to have tape2 and phono available via Masterlink and control connected record and tape players. This would require the use of datalin80 on the datalink connection, but I gues that is not a limitation hardware vise

Yes, exactly. I had that in my mind as well but haven’t implemented it in the software examples yet.

It can easily control a DL80 turntable and record its audio output. Tested that already and it works well. Pretty straight forward to make that available as the N.Radio / Phono source on ML then.
Unlike the “Univeral Link Adapter” project the MDT does not have a built-in RIAA equalizer. So it either needs a BeoGram with normal line-out or an external RIAA.

[Madskp]

B3OHACK3R wrote:

Pretty straight forward to make that available as the N.Radio / Phono source on ML then.

Nice. I guess that it could also be served to NL devices as well?

B3OHACK3R wrote:

Unlike the “Univeral Link Adapter” project the MDT does not have a built-in RIAA equalizer. So it either needs a BeoGram with normal line-out or an external RIAA.

That I think is ok. Then people can choose which price/quality they want, and people who already has a RIAA or a turntable with a built in RIAA do not have to pay extra for that feature

[B3OHACK3R]

Madskp wrote:

Nice. I guess that it could also be served to NL devices as well?

There is an easy to use AirPlay sender application. Then you are not limited to NL-only devices. Had a test setup where you could press play on a BeoGram and then the sound would come through a BeoLit12. It even allows you to sync multiple AirPlay receivers.
Technically it would also be able to handle NL but one first need to reverse engineer that protocol. Replicating something like a NL/ML BLC shouldn’t be too complicated. Unfortunately I don’t have much time for going down that rabbit hole right now.

 

[djerik]

Wow – great work.

Let me know if you want to sell one or help programming?

[B3OHACK3R]

djerik wrote:

Wow – great work. Let me know if you want to sell one or help programming?

Thanks 🙂
Here you will find some extensive documentation about it and also how to buy one.
https://mdt.polyvection.com/

[BeoMedia]

This is super interesting and thank you for developing this.

So far I understand that it would enable me to play music to a BeoSound/BeoMaster (ML/Datalink) via Spotify Connect or AirPlay.

However, I don’t quite understand how I can utilise the sound sources from these B&O and send their source (e.g. CD or Radio) to my other Airplay or Spotify Connect devices. You refer to this here and here, but how would it work in practice please? How can I decide which AirPlay speakers I would like to play CD or Radio from my B&O stereo?

Can I activate and listen to the CD or Radio source from the B&O Stereo from say a BeoSound Theatre which has Spotify Connect and AirPlay capability?

Purchasing the setup:

1. Raspberry Pi: For the purpose of MasterDataTool, is there any different in use buying Raspberry Pi 1, 2, 3, 4 to 5?
2. Your kit comes with “housing” but from your picture it looks pretty open and not like a consumer product, is the “housing” the top plate with your brand “MasterDataTool” and as such one would need to buy a case for the entire ensemble and if the latter can you recommend a neat looking case please?

Best regards BeoMedia

[B3OHACK3R]

BeoMedia wrote:

This is super interesting and thank you for developing this.

Cool, thanks 🙂

BeoMedia wrote:

So far I understand that it would enable me to play music to a BeoSound/BeoMaster (ML/Datalink) via Spotify Connect or AirPlay.

Yes!

BeoMedia wrote:

Your kit comes with “housing” but from your picture it looks pretty open and not like a consumer product, is the “housing” the top plate with your brand “MasterDataTool” and as such one would need to buy a case for the entire ensemble and if the latter can you recommend a neat looking case please?

In general the MasterDataTool should more be considered an “interface hacking tool” rather than a regular consumer product. There are so many possible ML and DL application scenarios it is almost impossible for a 3rd party to make a polished product out of it. Hence the cost optimised DIY approach that will (hopefully) grow in usefulness over time by contributions from the community.
As you rightly see, the “housing” consists of three small plastic parts. Top & bottom side as well as a spacer in-between. Usually another housing is not required but that is up to you. Most of the time such Raspberry peripheral boards are not coming with any housing at all – so at least something.

BeoMedia wrote:

However, I don’t quite understand how I can utilise the sound sources from these B&O and send their source (e.g. CD or Radio) to my other Airplay or Spotify Connect devices.

It is part of the DIY experience I would say. 🙂
A while back I made a small progressive web app (PWA) where you could remote control the ML device and select AirPlay compatible endpoints from a drop-down list. Owntone (forked-daap) was used for that in the backend. Haven’t published that as an application example yet. Please bear with me. All work-in-progress currently, really.

What is tested well currently is using a BL3500/2000 in stand-alone mode. Also the “source center” application is working well (converts a ML music system to an automated AirPlay receiver).

Everything else is really DIY on the software side right now.

BeoMedia wrote:

Raspberry Pi: For the purpose of MasterDataTool, is there any different in use buying Raspberry Pi 1, 2, 3, 4 to 5?

Been testing here with Pi 3B+ and Pi 4. 1B, 2 and 5 will likely work as well.

BeoMedia wrote:

can you recommend a neat looking case please?

I don’t think it will fit anything existing ones. Either hide it away as-is or make something own. Happy to provide the 3D files if you want to use that as a starting point.

Thanks!

[BeoMedia]

Thank you for the reply.

I have a couple more thoughts and questions please:

1. I’ve seen your videos and it is impressive to see metadata displayed on the BC2. Will metadata also show in the display of a BeoSound 3000?
2. If your MasterDataTool is connected to a BeoSound 3000 via ML or a BeoMaster 7000 via datalink, will this prevent it from also be connected to a ML link system (BM7000 via converter of course)?
3. With reference to 2), if one would start the MasterDataTool up with e.g. Spotify so it would turn on the BS3000/BM7000, would all connect link speakers also start to play? Or, will only products (BS3000, BM7000 and link speakers) with “Timer on” enabled play?

Thanks again

[B3OHACK3R]

BeoMedia wrote:

I’ve seen your videos and it is impressive to see metadata displayed on the BC2. Will metadata also show in the display of a BeoSound 3000?

I don’t have a BS3000 here so I can’t say for sure. Nevertheless I think I read somewhere that it will show the metadata as well. Make sure that the SW of your BS3000 is recent enough to support N.Music/Radio. If not: a work-around through option 2 and the video sources is likely doable but wasn’t tested/implemented yet.

BeoMedia wrote:

If your MasterDataTool is connected to a BeoSound 3000 via ML or a BeoMaster 7000 via datalink, will this prevent it from also be connected to a ML link system (BM7000 via converter of course)?

For ML music systems this is no problem. You just connect the MDT somewhere on the ML system. It doesn’t have to be directly connected to the BS.
For DL that doesn’t work unfortunately. There it’s either MDT or the 1611 converter.

BeoMedia wrote:

With reference to 2), if one would start the MasterDataTool up with e.g. Spotify so it would turn on the BS3000/BM7000, would all connect link speakers also start to play? Or, will only products (BS3000, BM7000 and link speakers) with “Timer on” enabled play?

In a ML system it’s up to you. You can enable everything at the same time or only a few linkrooms or none at all. You can send “virtual” Beo4 remote key strokes to every device on the ML to activate and  control them (they all have their own address). So independent from any timer setting.

Not exactly sure how that works in a MCL system as I cannot test it here. With a stand-alone BC9500 you will activate the AUX source via DL/AAL and then send a special unmute command to enable local audio output. Similar to ML you can send virtual Beo4 key strokes to the music system for controlling functions. The AAL data pin is directly connected to the MCL connector but I don’t know if the endpoints are supporting remote control by MCL commands.

[BeoMedia]

Thank you again,

 

Okay so for BM7000, you write it is either 1611 converter or MDT. Is it also possible to connect the MDT via the 1611 converter (hence via ML) and thus allowing it to be part of a larger ML system like a BS3000 could form part of?

In terms of waking up link speakers or BS3000 with the MDT, you write that all ML products including link speakers have their own unique addresses. Does this mean than one would need to add the address of each ML device to the code that runs in the Raspberry Pi so that the MDT will be able to chose which ML link speaker or BS3000 to turn on and start to play e.g. Spotify Connect when streaming to the MDT? Or where do you “enable” the MDT to decide which ML products it will turn on when streaming to it?

If this is true and one would only chose BS3000 to turn on by the MDT, can the other link speakers still join and play the same source as and when you chose “N.MUSIC” from the Beo4 in a link room?

 

Lastly, these functions we are discussing, are they ready at this stage or is it also part of the work in progress?

Kind regards

[B3OHACK3R]

BeoMedia wrote:

Is it also possible to connect the MDT via the 1611 converter (hence via ML) and thus allowing it to be part of a larger ML system like a BS3000 could form part of?

Yes, that should work but haven’t tested that in detail yet. I know that I could control a BC9500 + 1611 via ML. I guess audio then need to be injected via the video sources.

BeoMedia wrote:

Or where do you “enable” the MDT to decide which ML products it will turn on when streaming to it?

Currently two scenarios are implemented. N.Radio/N.Music provider “source center” and BL3500/BL2000 stand-alone.

The first sends a virtual N.Radio key to the audio master once a stream is playing. Only the audio master will be switched on then.

The second one simulates an audio master. Once you start a stream a virtual “radio” key is sent to the “broadcast” address all linkrooms are listening to. So if you connect more than once BL3500 in that setup most likely all will switch on – but only tested with one so far.

So in a link system you really want to use the source-center mode. It will behave similar as if you would hook up a BeoMedia 1, BeoPort or BeoSound 5 to your BS3000. By changing the address of the virtual N.Radio key you can change which device is being switched on automatically.

BeoMedia wrote:

If this is true and one would only chose BS3000 to turn on by the MDT, can the other link speakers still join and play the same source as and when you chose “N.MUSIC” from the Beo4 in a link room?

Sure, the join command always works. In theory one could also run multiple instances of the AirPlay emulator each tied to a different ML address. While only once source can play at the same time you could use that for automatic switch-on of different ML devices.

BeoMedia wrote:

Lastly, these functions we are discussing, are they ready at this stage or is it also part of the work in progress?

The source-center mode in combination with AirPlay is tested and working well. On BC2 also metadata is shown nicely.
Also the BL3500/BL2000 stand-alone mode is working nice.
I’m currently in the progress of adding pre-programmable net radio stations that you can activate locally without AirPlay.

 

[djerik]

I tried to order one, but I don’t receive any reply’s.

Did anyone else buy and receive one?

[PhilLondon]

Listening to the podcast episode right now. Sounds very exciting.

I think I understood that they had issues displaying text on the BS9000. I was able to do it when I was developing LinkPlayer.

The last 2 commands allowed displaying text on 8 char and 12 char devices. It won’t scroll, unless you simulate it by sending a succession of strings like “ABCDEF”, then “BCDEFG”, etc…

tx is the text in ASCII, cs is a checksum

The COMMAND_TRACK_TEXT_LONG is the one they must already be using. COMMAND_TRACK_TEXT_8 and COMMAND_TRACK_TEXT_12 are used for the older devices that can’t display COMMAND_TRACK_TEXT_LONG commands.

<key>COMMAND_TRACK_INFO</key>
<string>60 15 E0 de op 01 14 00 00 00 44 08 05 02 ss tt st 01 00 00 pl FF 00 61</string>
<key>COMMAND_TRACK_INFO_OPTION_2</key>
<string>60 15 E0 aa op 01 14 00 00 00 44 08 05 02 ss tt st 01 00 00 pl FF 00 61</string>
<key>COMMAND_TRACK_INFO_2</key>
<string>60 17 E0 de op 01 14 00 00 00 82 0A 01 06 ss tt st 00 00 00 pl 00 01 cs 00 61</string>
<key>COMMAND_TRACK_TEXT_LONG_</key>
<string>60 l1 E0 83 or 01 2C 00 ss 00 0B l2 00 ii 00 01 01 ss 00 00 00 00 01 00 01 00 01 tx 61</string>
<key>COMMAND_TRACK_TEXT_LONG</key>
<string>60 l1 E0 83 op 01 2C 00 ss 00 0B l2 00 ii 00 01 01 ss 02 00 00 00 02 00 01 00 01 tx 61</string>
<key>COMMAND_TRACK_TEXT_8</key>
<string>60 1E E0 83 or 01 2C 00 ss 00 06 11 00 03 01 01 00 00 tx cs 00 61</string>
<key>COMMAND_TRACK_TEXT_12</key>
<string>60 1E E0 83 or 01 2C 00 ss 00 06 11 00 03 02 01 00 00 tx cs 00 61</string>

[XavierItzmann]

Phil’s remarkable software displayed beautiful scrolling metadata N.MUSIC:song name/artist/album and N.RADIO radio station/song name on BS3000, but not on BL3500.

I think Phil said at the time that the BL3500 just didn’t have the functionality.

[Guy]

XavierItzmann wrote:

Phil’s remarkable software displayed beautiful scrolling metadata N.MUSIC:song name/artist/album and N.RADIO radio station/song name on BS3000, but not on BL3500. I think Phil said at the time that the BL3500 just didn’t have the functionality.

When I saw this it made me wonder if my BL3500 shows FM radio RDS data (station name etc).  I just checked with my BC2300 (RDS module fitted), BL1611 and BL3500, and it doesn’t! 🙁

[Madskp]

Guy wrote:

XavierItzmann wrote: Phil’s remarkable software displayed beautiful scrolling metadata N.MUSIC:song name/artist/album and N.RADIO radio station/song name on BS3000, but not on BL3500. I think Phil said at the time that the BL3500 just didn’t have the functionality. When I saw this it made me wonder if my BL3500 shows FM radio RDS data (station name etc).  I just checked with my BC2300 (RDS module fitted), BL1611 and BL3500, and it doesn’t!

For good measure I also tried this with a Beocenter 2 and a Beolab 3500MK2 SW 3.1 (I belive Guy have a MK1 BL3500 with SW 2.x??)

This setup also does not show anything but Radio 1, 2, 3, etc. in the display of the BL3500

[Author]

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