[Kristian Buckhøj]

Thanks for all the amazing feedback!

I think the first step is to fix the front panel and IR, because why not. Then it should work and I can install it. Might need you help @Madskp and yes I’m danish.

But I’m really intrigued by the idea of making a streamer which can communicated directly with the speaker over ML. I quickly ask Gemini if this could be possible with an ESP32, and the answer was yes. It suggest using the spotify connect API for the music streaming. I would prefer an home assistant integration so I could use music assistant, which I currently use with google chromecast audios. Thought the ML Interface the ESP should be able to select input and set volume. ESP would use the data pins to send so called “telegram” commends to the speaker. These commands are in a hex format. Although a voltage regulator is needed to take the ESPs 5v to 15v, which is the ML trigger voltage. The actual audio is sent analog. The ESP should be able to provide a high enough audio quality. For me this sound like the best option to “modernize” the speaker and others.

Also when searching using Gemini, I found out that the trigger volts with MCL should be 7v and not 5v. Don’t know if others have tried that.

I have seen these Almando device, but never tried them, maybe one day. But good to know that the TIMER function was what Almando used, if i go down the ESP32 route.

[Kristian Buckhøj]

Okay, so my engineer brain went down a rabbit hole….

There was at some point something called an ML Gateway, which allowed you to control ML device via the network. Sort of Beo intelligens but earlier. To add to this someone as made an Home Assistant (HASIO) integration, which allows you to control it via HASIO. This could be way cooler than my Chromecast audio streamer with some weird cable solution that might not work…..Also I do use HASIO so…  I Have attached the ML gateway Installation guide and here is the HASIO integration 

Also Someone has made a hat for a raspberry pi for controlling ML/MCL device. They also have some documentation for how the data signals look like. Check this link.

With this in mind, it could be possible to make a streamer which and wake and play music on the beolab 3500 using an ESP32. NICE!

I’m unfortunately not good at programming, so I might start with looking at the ML Gateway.

 

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[Kristian Buckhøj]

Hi,

Thank you for your feedback. I will definitely take a look at your thread in detail.

It sounds weird that you can trigger it though the ML or MCL ports, since that’s how other B&O products talk to it. Especially since it doesn’t have a build in source player.

I have read that many of these trigger+RCA to DIN doesn’t work with the BeoLab 5, but think that’s because of its internal dsp. Which the BeoLab 3500 doesn’t really have. So again, why wouldn’t it work??

Do you by any chance have the pin out documentation for the ports on the BeoLab 3500? Might try with an esp32 dev board.

I now wonder if my beocenter 9000 can talk to it, but it doesn’t have ML or MCL. It does have link capability via the Beolink (type 2046) box and datalink, which I have. Also the beolink does say MCL 2A on it. Since both devices was able around the same time period, one would think.

Otherwise I might need a new front panel on my BeoLab 3500. Or maybe the IR eye can be connected?

Again thanks for the feedback.

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