[CharlieWednesday]

After a lot of frustration I’ve at least made a start on this.  I managed to update the software to the latest version, then, with the help of the PDF guide (intended for the B&O installer), I’ve spent a good few hours trying to build a web panel with virtual buttons, and also to write macros that I can trigger from my Beo4.

It took me a long time to figure out – once you’ve added your ML products, room, virtual buttons and macros, you have to click the Test button then the Save button to save it in the admin panel – it all appears to have saved, but isn’t really saved until you do that!

So far I’ve managed to build a web panel which carries out some test functions successfully (just basics for now, power off, play CD, and so on), and I have been able to create a macro that responds to the LIGHT button on my Beo4.  It is working – I can make it work with my Beosound 4, Beovision 8, Beolab 3500, Beolab 2000 and Beolink Passive, which I have in my ML Network.  Only my Beolink PC2 is left out, as that is not ML Gateway compatible.

It seems to be a genuinely useful price of kit for ML products – I’ll continue here as I discover more about how to make it work.

 

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Update – I removed the bases to see if the clear plastic cover could be removed from the base, with a view to repairing the mirrored surface beneath (which has some marks).  Alas, it’s not practical.  The mirrored surface is in fact stuck to the underside of the clear plastic cover, it is not separate, so not replaceable (or at least not without a lot of work).

On horrible moment – when I was putting the bases back on, one of the bolts sheared off – I had overtightened it.  They are long bolts that go right through the amp unit and connect to the speaker unit at one end, and fasten the base on the other end.  While I’m pretty confident that the other four bolts will hold it well enough, if anyone happens to have any spares of these bolts, please do let me know!

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Thanks – I had no idea it could be so useful.  I especially like the idea of being able to connect my B&O kit (most of it is in an ML network) with a web interface.

I’ll keep it and investigate this further, thank you!  If anyone else has any tips or links to other resources, please do let me know.

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

I have ordered some Mk2 Powerlink cables, but I am curious – if the Audio Aux link cable worked, what exactly is the difference between an Audio Aux Link cable and a Powerlink M22 cable?

Also, I have managed to fix a couple of loose bits of finish at the back of the cabinets quite easily, and I have started to polish the cabinets – they are coming up really well, and appear to be in great condition.  The only bit with any real marks is the pentagonal base.  I haven’t risked removing them yet but it looks like a kind of mirrored finish, beneath a clear plastic cover.  That clear plastic cover is undamaged, but the mirrored finish underneath has some marks.  Does anyone have any experience of that – if I remove the bases, could I remove that clear plastic cover and then replace the mirrored finish?

Madskp wrote:

It might only be some Beovisions that have limitations in showing display data.

As an experiment I will connect them to my BV8 TV later, and see what display data I get (just out of curiousity).

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Ah, great tip, thanks!  I happen to have an audio aux cable, so I’ve used that to test both, and the displays are working, and displaying all of the data from the BS4 (source, preset/track number, volume).

The display colour is green rather than orange, and the Product Page here on Beoworld tells me that the display is green only on Mk3, which is also great news as they were sold as Mk2.

I started polishing the metal cabinets last night and they are going to look really nice.  I will order those foams I need for the middle speakers, and they’ll be almost like new when I’ve finished!

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

I had always assumed the lettering had just rubbed off one of mine, so good to know that this is not the case, and it was actually made that way!  It was originally included with a Beolink Active which I bought used from eBay, so I guess the original owner may have replaced their original (labelled) IR eye with this one at some point.

I also hadn’t considered the fact that the buttons would not work if connected via minijack, but that does make sense.  I have a Beolink PC2 to which you can connect an IR Eye via minijack, but I’ve never felt the need.

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Ah, well that will make it easy then, I guess it doesn’t matter which version I get.  I know the later ones also had 2 HDMI out instead of 2 DVI out, but I don’t really mind if I get an earlier version with DVI and SCART; I can still use it.

I want one so I can add more inputs to my BV8 TV, and add my projector to the BS3 too, then control the whole lot with my Beo4.  Seems a worthwhile endeavour if I can get a BS3 cheap enough – I’ve seen them go on eBay for around £100.

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Thanks Guy – I’ve checked inside and all of mine have 5 connectors, so none have the auto-contrast then.

While I knew there were different versions of the BS3 I did not realise they might have different connection types for the IR eye, so I’ll keep that in mind while looking for one – thanks.

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

I don’t own one myself, but I saw this at Hall Audio.

You need a Beo4 or other B&O remote to set the BL3500 in Aux mode.  Note there are also different versions depending if you BL3500s are Mark 1 or Mark 2.

I have found this info elsewhere on the old forum:- if the serial number is 19343452 or below, it’s a Mark 1.  If the serial number is above 19343452, it’s a Mark 2.

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Now that is interesting.  I couldn’t even get my BL3500 to show the timer when connected to my BV8 TV, which of course has a clock.  It seems it can only get the time from an audio master?

This may also be of interest – I connected by BL3500 to my Beolink PC2 which I set to option 2, and I got the clock.  I then went back to the original setup which started this thread – I connected my Beocenter 8500 to the BL3500 via a 1611 converter, but also added the Beolink PC2, this time set to option 6.  I did not get any clock from that setup.

So, it does seem that the time can only be got from an audio master.  In your case though it doesn’t explain how it is getting an incorrect time from an audio master that doesn’t have a clock!

Now I’m imagining you resetting it at midnight, but twice a year due to UK daylight savings…

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Thanks – I was able to remove just the top platter and didn’t need to remove the belt or wheel- that did provide sufficient space to measure the stylus pressure.  Turns out it was spot-on, but I’m glad I was able to check it!

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Understood – thanks.  I guess I’d have to fly to Denmark for that second option though, so I’ll just consider the first option!

Location: Liverpool
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[CharlieWednesday]

Yes I’ve considered that, but I don’t trust myself with a soldering iron (I tried to fix the mute relay on an Beocenter 9000 recently and it did not go well for me!).  It’s actually my Beogram 3000 I would intend to use in this room, but I see they do a version suitable for that model too.

On that page, they give two prices for each, the second one being higher, but Google Translate is failing to translate that bit.  Don’t suppose you happen to know what the higher price is for?

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

I have considered that option in fact and they do come up at a decent price on eBay sometimes, and they are certainly very mice to look at.  I would probably go for a 3000 or 3200, without the tape deck.

I do listen to DAB a fair bit but that’s not a deal breaker as I could always stream those stations instead.

My understanding is that the various models in this range – none of them have a built-in phono stage, am I right?

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Yes, it’s odd that my MCL2AV will not use option 4, since as I had already assumed (because it has a TV plug) that it is a later one.

It’s a shame that the Beogram won’t respond when plugged into the Tape or TV plugs of the MCL2AV – it will only respond to CD commands when plugged into the CD socket of the MCL2AV (but of course, because my BS4 is in option 1, that responds too, and the CD player also starts playing!).

I’m guessing therefore that the signals for Beogram CD are the same as those for Beogram, but not the same as those used for TV or Tape – I also tried plugging my BG8500 into both the TV and Tape sockets on the MCL2AV, but then none of the Beo4 buttons (TV, DVD, V.Mem, DTV, or A.Mem) resulted in any response from the turntable.

I wouldn’t want to set my BS4 as a link room as I do use link room speakers with it, and they are an essential part of my setup.

This has all been very interesting, but it seems there is no solution without compromise.  I only hope boffins somewhere (such as those at Hall Audio) will build something!  Think of all the people with Beosound 4 and 5, and later NL products, who’d like to control their connected Beograms with remote control?  I know I won’t be the only one!

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

The label on the back of my MCL2AV is badly damaged but I think it says type 2032. The software version is unreadable, except I can see it ends in 3.

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Having re-read this, I have looked for those Spincare record cleaners and thy are not what I was thinkign of – I had seen some motorised ones that were several hundred pounds (my friend has one in his record store – it was expensive), but these Spincare ones are actually quite reasonably priced.

I had always been nervous however of using cleaning fluid on my records – I’ve always assumed it must leave some residue, but apparently these Skincare cleaners only use distilled water.  Might get myself one of those then.

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Madskp wrote:

I do not remember if the MCL2AV can be set in option 4 so it only responds to Link + commands.

I don’t believe it can use option 4 – I tried to set it to option 4 but it made no difference – it does not respond to Link commands.  I found an old MCL manual online and it seems to only have 1, 2, or 0 available.

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

Ah this has become very interesting.

Note that my MCL2AV does not have an Aux socket, it has a TV socket instead.

So anyway – I experimented.  I plugged my Beogram 8500 into the CD input of the MCL2AV.  I cannot remember which mode the MCL2AV is set to, but it does respond to CD commands on my Beo4 – CD causes it to play, the back and forward buttons work, the Stop button works as the Lift command (it doesn’t stop, just pauses, but that’s close enough).  Note the MCL2AV does have an IR eye connected (the old rectangular type).

So, I then tried the same but connecting the Beogram to the TV or Tape sockets on the MCL2AV.  As I expected that didn’t work – pressing TV or A.Mem on the Beo4 had no effect when the Beogram was plugged into those sockets.

I have a 5 PIN DIN to RCA adapter cable already (with 4 RCA plugs, intended for tape connection) so I plugged that into the Tape socket on the MCL2AV, then plugged the other end into a phono stage, which is in turn connected to the BS4’s Aux input.  I tried all 4 RCA plugs but got nothing but either silence, or hum.

Now I know this is a convoluted way of testing it as I am connecting a phono stage after the MCL2AV, but I thought I would have got something, even if very quiet?

 

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

[CharlieWednesday]

I forgot to add, I do also have a BV8 TV included in the Masterlink network in my office, I don’t know if that adds any extra complication.

Location: Liverpool
My B&O Icons:

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