[Guy]

kirin wrote:

the PC2 could be used with a Beolab 2000 or -3500?

If you connected BL3500 or 2000 to the PC2 by masterlink then ‘yes’, with limitations – it would be set up as if the Beolab was in a Link Room. You wouldn’t need an IR sensor for the PC2 because you’d put it in option 0 and control it from the BL2000/3500 – Beo4 would be fine for full control.

However you wouldn’t be able to ‘activate’ the BL2000/3500 from the computer (i.e turn it on/off). You should be able to control playback once it is running however – eg advance tracks or change N.RADIO stations.

(EDIT: In effect you would be using the Beolink PC2 as an audiomaster – hence it should be set up as such in the options menu.)

[Guy]

I may be wrong but is it possible to control it with the Bang and Olufsen app (which replaced the Beoremote app)? The TV would have to be connected to be connected to the same network as the phone, so this will only work if the TV is able to connect based on its previous settings. It could be worth connecting the TV directly to your router with a network cable, and then see if the B&O app can find and control it.

It’s just a thought – I don’t have such a modern B&O TV ?

[Guy]

Guy wrote:

Have you set the PC2 to the correct Option? CONFIG then Advanced Tab according to the manual (P6 of Installation Guide), and I think you should be in Option 2. (And Welcome to the Forum! )

I have just realised of course that the OP is using BMLinkMLServer and not Beoplayer – obviously for a Mac. Anyway, the problem may be similar because the Advanced tab has an Option ‘IR eye only responds to link commands’ as shown in this post: https://archivedforum.beoworld.org/forums/p/40071/332701.aspx#332701

[Guy]

I didn’t answer your question about using without an IR eye.  Once Beoplayer is running, if you move the mouse to the right hand edge of the PC screen a vertical control bar appears with a Beo4 like layout – obviously the sources at the top are only those available when in stand-alone mode – more would be available if Beoport was connected and masterlinked.  Here’s a screenshot, also showing the clunky N.RADIO station list (if I actually connected the Beoport and logged in I think more stations would be downloaded).

 

[Guy]

Hi Matador!

Hopefully the OP will come back with  an answer but circa 2012 I used a Beoport/PC2 with my Windows PC, so here’s some comments.

Firstly I used it in a standalone setup, basically to connect my PC audio output to CX50 speakers via an MCL2P amp.  It had the advantage of allowing the PC to ‘wake up’ the MCL2P automatically as it booted up.  I used it with a VX sensor as you can see in the photo below:

The sensor allowed me to control Beoplayer with the Beo4 remote – even controlling the PC’s CD drive as if it was a normal CD player.  I could also play radio stations using N.RADIO and my stored music collection via N.MUSIC.  My PC didn’t have a TV tuner card fitted so I couldn’t use that function.

However the Beoplayer software was very clunky and not at all user friendly.  (I re-installed it last night to remind myself!)  It was very difficult to arrange music libraries and playlists; it worked well with mp3s but wouldn’t play FLAC .  There were some workarounds to force the software to clear the libraries so that they could be re-installed.  Beoplayer also has a Photo Viewer but it would only scan the Windows ‘My Documents’ folder to look for photo content – I couldn’t force it to look elsewhere (my NAS drive).

I couldn’t link it to the rest of my system because my BC9500 was not N.RADIO/N.MUSIC compatible.   However I doubt nowadays that it would be a user-friendly way to distribute digital content over masterlink – perhaps those with a connected BM5 have different views?

In the future I could imagine wanting my PC in the study to ‘share’ masterlinked Beolab speakers in the same room.  If so I suppose I could use the PC input on Beolink active, but the disadvantage is that the speakers would play either PC audio or masterlinked audio from the rest of the system.  I think an advantage of Beoport/PC2 is that you can mix the PC and masterlinked audio, so you can listen to your main B&O system whilst still hearing PC notifications etc.

Anyway, I have hijacked the thread but hopefully this is useful for the OP and others! ?

 

 

 

[Guy]

Have you set the PC2 to the correct Option?  CONFIG then Advanced Tab according to the manual (P6 of Installation Guide), and I think you should be in Option 2.

(And Welcome to the Forum! ?)

[Guy]

Hi Pilatomic,

In my experience Beo4 screens do fail, but replacement is actually quite straightforward because connection to the PCB is via a little rubber ‘contact strip’ – a replacement strip is provided with the new screen.  There’s no soldering or anything complicated.  There’s a replacement thread on the old forum but the photos have yet to re-appear: https://archivedforum2.beoworld.org/forums/p/21827/180453.aspx#180453

I did read a post that B&O were going to stop making/supplying new Beo4 screens, but I didn’t have any problems getting hold of some recently. (EDIT:  It was David656’s post just above that I’d read! ?)

[Guy]

It could probably be fixed but it would be a bit of a bodge; it would be difficult to provide enough strength to a repaired circuit board such that the Line In/Out socket could still be used without it breaking again.

If it were mine I would look for a replacement PCB from a ‘donor’ unit and replace – or get someone qualified to do so.

I think Beoparts may have the whole connecter panel for sale so you may wish to contact them: https://beoparts.com/2016/05/27/connector-socket-bay/

[Guy]

Looking forward to seeing photos of the finished setup!

In my opinion the use of MCL2Ps (or Beolink Passives) with passive speakers (either Beovox or non-B&O alternatives) is often overlooked in B&O setups.  It can bring some great advantages, not least the ability to site a speaker without worrying about mains power, and only having to hide a relatively thin two-core speaker cable.  It’s also an ideal solution for safety reasons in bathrooms or outdoor setups.  Beolink Passives can also be purchased relatively cheaply, usually from systems that have been stripped out.

[Guy]

I have not used this supplier but here’s a cable: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/134055567663

Add one of these for RCA: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123024786244

Otherwise I am pretty sure that B&O supply a mini 9-pin to SCART plug/socket – see the following details (with part numbers) from the Beolink Handbook (click image for larger picture):

Then if needed your could stick one of these on the end of the SCART: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/333261656955

[Guy]

Great point trackbeo – I would definitely try a cable change first as a possible (probable?) solution. Also don’t use your stand alone pre-amp – it’s not needed.

Here’s the type of cable to which trackbeo referred: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284178585525

(That’s not a specific supplier recommendation – I just did a quick search on eBay!)

[Guy]

Have you tried connecting your turntable directly to the BC9500’s phono socket (without adding your pre-amp)? What happens then?

[Guy]

The Beocenter 9500 shouldn’t need a pre-amp as it has one built in for the phono input. But I would expect an overloaded/distorted output with 2 RIAA pre amps, not low sound.

Also, this doesn’t explain why it doesn’t work when connected to AUX. Does the Beocenter work in all other respects, and have you tried another source into Aux?

[Guy]

Mine does exactly that but only for some CDs, so I put up with it! I found it works best with older CDs from my collection, for some reason. Have you tried a variety of CDs? Was a CD inserted when you ran test mode (I think it should be).

An un-educated guess would be problems with capacitors on the servo board – this it what causes similar disc-reading problems in other B&O CD players. Hopefully someone with Beosound 1 experience will be able to help further.

The service manual isn’t much help as it just recommends board replacement!

[Guy]

Yes that should work. The MCL2P would take both L and R rear signals from the TV and send to the respective speakers. I think you’ll need a Powerlink Mk2 cable between TV and MCL2P in order to get power on/off and muting.

I don’t think you’ll find BeoVox3000 in the BV7’s speaker menu, so you’ll have to experiment with other speaker choices to get the best sound, at an appropriate level.

[Guy]

I wouldn’t discount a Playmaker. You can pick these up quite cheaply second-hand and they of course have built in trigger for Powerlink speakers via an RJ45 to PL cable.

[Guy]

^ Thanks to trackbeo for bringing in details from the other two (now closed) Balenciaga threads. Next time we have duplicate threads I’ll instead try ‘merging’ them to bring content together. Apologies to MM and Mr10Percent for not doing so in this case – I’m new to this moderation business! ?

[Guy]

I’ll close this thread so that future comments can be placed in a single thread (with the product name in the title) here: https://forum.beoworld.org/forums/topic/new-product-balenciaga-x-level/

I do realise that this thread is placed in ‘General Discussion and Questions’, and the other in ‘Beoworld People and Lifestyle’, but this niche product would seem more suited to the latter! PM me if you disagree!

Thanks for your understanding ?

[Guy]

I just formatted the above post just so that the quote was separated from the post!

I assume that the post above was tongue in cheek, but the fact that we have three threads on the same subject does reduce the forum’s usefulness somewhat!

TBH, I favour trackbeo’s initial post because he had the good sense to include the product name in the title. The two subsequent threads brought content and comment that should have been added to the first.

I’ll close this thread now.

[Guy]

Can you find a part number somewhere, search for another brand TV in which the panel is used and then find a YouTube video to explain dismantling the panel itself?

I have just dismantled the panel in a edge-lit Samsung 32″ TV to try to fix a backlighting problem. In my case it’s actually unrepairable as the light diffuser sheet is cracked giving internal reflections. If it had simply been an LED problem it would have been an easy fix, hence well worth attempting.

In the Samsung I had to disconnect a couple of ribbon connectors from the timing controller to the LCD screen, unclip all around the screen and then the LCD panel simply pulled away to expose the LED edge strip (and diffuser sheet behind).

I couldn’t find my exact model, but here’s an example of one of the many videos that I referred to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0h433tokO1U

EDIT: This video was also quite useful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77tymvTJDxo

[Author]

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