[Madskp]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

Such a shame that B&O abandoned Beogram compatibility on their later products though. I saw a video where Hall Audio suggested they had considered developing a phono stage that uses Datalink and connects via ML, for use with later Beosound devices such as my BS4. I sincerely hope they do!

Someone brought it up on the Discord B&O channel, and Hall audio answered that the ML streamer is their first priority for now

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Madskp wrote:

The BM4500 with the 1.6 SW has a double option setting x.x where the first is option 1, 2, 3 or 4, and the .x is either 5 for working a master and 6 for working as a link room. I am A little in doubt if option0 is possible, but will check up on that.

Just tested, and the BM4500 can be setup in option 0.6 making it a link room device with no remote control.

One thing I am however not sure of is how it will work with a 1611 converter as that works a Audio Master, but maybe with a 1614 or a 1615 with a special cable as shown in usecase 8 this post https://forum.beoworld.org/forums/topic/beolab-3500-and-1611-converter-settings/page/21/#post-42602

 

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Before buying extra stuff for this you might want to check if the ML gateway can control a link rom music system by putting your BS4 in option 5 or 6

CharlieWednesday wrote:

Instead of connecting an output from the Beomaster to the Aux input of the Beosound, I was wondering if I could connect my Beolab speakers to the BV8 instead, and set it up with the BV8 in Opt 2 and the BS4 in Opt 0 (which is what the Beolink handbook seems to suggest if you want your speakers connected from the TV).

You might be able to do this, but not sure how that affects playing the source on link room speakers

CharlieWednesday wrote:

But: if I did then also connect a Beomaster via my 1611, that would also need to be in Opt 0, so I’m guessing that wouldn’t work, as the two audio masters would both be in Opt 0.  The Beolink handbook (v2.1) gives lots of examples of setups with more than one video master, but none with more than one audio master.

The BM4500 with the 1.6 SW has a double option setting x.x where the first is option 1, 2, 3 or 4, and the .x is either 5 for working a master and 6 for working as a link room. I am A little in doubt if option0 is possible, but will check up on that.

CharlieWednesday wrote:

SW version 1.6 specifically, or SW version 1.6 or later?  How do you find out the software version on these?

I think that in another post someone suggested that it was SW below 2.0. On mine the SW version is shown on the label on the back

 

 

 

 

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

This may interest you. I have recently been experimenting with an ML Gateway I got hold of a while ago, and I read on the old support site that it will work with a Beolink Converter 1611, with this caveat given: BeoLink Converter can be used with compatible video master and old audio master in Option 2-0 So I set my BV8 to Opt 2, then connected my 1611 converter into the same ML network (which also has the ML Gateway), disconnected my BS4 and connected my BC8500 and BG8500. Then I set my BC8500 to Opt 0. I was then able to add the 1611 to the ML Gateway’s devices – it was recognised. I then created a macro in the ML Gateway, asking it to send the Phono/N.Radio command to my BV8 if I hit the LIGHT button on my Beo4. It worked! The BC8500 comes on in Phono, the BG8500 starts playing. The sound comes from the BV8 speakers, but at least it works. I could only get it to start the turntable with that command – I have so far been unable to find a way of getting a macro command that will move forward or back on the BG8500, but it’s a start. I’m wondering if I might be able to find a way of making this work with my current obsession of getting my Beo4 to control my BG3000, which is connected to my BS4. I’m wondering if I could get a cheap BM5500 (in place of the BC8500 which needs to go back to the room it belongs in!), and somehow, with some clever wiring and link settings, use the LIGHT commands on my Beo4 to trigger macros in the ML Gateway that will start my BG3500, playing through the speakers connected to my BS4. That’s the dream.

Not sure that it will help in this particular case, but none of the less interesting that commands can be made into macros.

For your particular scenario maybe if you can make a macro that sends a command to a BM5500 to start phono and at the same time send a command to the BS4 to active A.AUX. I do not know if it is possible to send commands to more units at the same time, and you will off course still have the issue that you can not have 2 audio masters in the system so one of them might have to be setup as a link room. As most Beomasters can not be setup as link rooms this makes it difficult, but there is a possibility if you can find a Beomaster 4500 with SW version 1.6 as this can be setup as a link room. Just some random thought without knowing the possibilities and limitations of the ML gateway

Edit 1: And you will have to route the sound from the BM4500 output directly to the BS4 AUX input for this to work sound wise

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

I have been trying a few things over the last days and I am being more and more sure that the option settings does not affect how this function works.

I have tried the following with both my MCL2AV type 2020 and 2026:

• Working stand alone with only IR eye and Beocord 3500 and a set of powerlink speakers connected. regardless of option 0, 1 or 2 the powerlink speakers always turn on when I activate via the play button on the Beocord 3500. So the 5V on pin 4 of powerlink does not seem to be related to option settings.
• If I connect via 1611 to the BC6-23 the MCL2AV’s IR eye will not react when the MCL2AV is in option 2 but it will in option 1 (I tested this by covering the TV IR eye). So the IR eye is deactivated when in option 2 and connected to a TV.
• Regardless if I use the MCL2AV type 2020 or 2026 the ability to turn on the TV with a press on the Beocord play button is inconsistent and might at best first work after several tries and/or if the remote has been used to activate the Beocord a couple of time

As I can’t really conclude much from this I decided to try with the Beocenter 9300 again. Conncted it with powerlink and AUX cable to the 1611 still connected to the BC6-23 with Masterlink:

• Pressing CD or tape instantly turn on the TV in first try every time.
• Changing the option of the BC9300 to 0, 1 or 2 does not make any difference. The TV will allways turn on. The options only seem to affect how the passive speakers conncted to the BC9300 reacts (muted or unmuted

So I tried again to connect the BC9300 -1611 – BLC NL/ML – Beoplay V1.

• Again. seems to start the TV playing the music every time I press CD or Tape.
• As before changing the option of the BC9300 to 0, 1 or 2 does not make any difference. The TV will allways turn on. The options only seem to affect how the passive speakers conncted to the BC9300 reacts (muted or unmuted)

So to me it seems that this functionality is much more stable in the BC9300 than it is in the MCL2AV. Maybe a flaw in the MCL2AV software the was newer fixed or discovered for that matter. I am wondering how many people back in the day would have a link room with the MCL2AV and a TV and a local CD/Tape/Phono connected to the MCL2AV and activated via the buttons on the device.

 

I have one more option I can check. I have a little analyser tool I can connect to the datalink pin in the AUX cable to see if a datalink command is sent along with the 5V in the powerlink cable. Also I can check if the datasignal looks different then the one sent from the BC9300.

I know it is a rabbit hole as we will probably not be able to fix anything if the datasignal is missing or different, but it could maybe give some closure about why this functionality is flaky

 

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

in my opinion the “new” layout might give more scrooling at least on mobile deviced where each product takes up a lot of screen space.
But it seems more intuitive than the other layoyt where the view button seems kinda redundant unless there is a feature I have not discovered.

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Madskp wrote:

I will repport back with my experience

I have not noticed this issue again since you made the change

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Fantastic 🙂 such a nice looking TV

If the VCR is problematic I would not have to high hopes for it based on some of the VCR repair threads here on the site. It sounds like they are a nightmare to work on

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

First, great that you got it somewhat working on your system 🙂

ebnrob wrote:

So it would appear that the PL trigger ‘breaks’ when the standby command’s sent from the video master/NL.

When you say that the standby command is sent from the Video master/NL is that because you have a IR eye connected to the NL/ML converter?

And what happens if you press standby on the Beogram?

ebnrob wrote:

Some further findings.. when the MCL2AV isn’t responding to CD on the beo4 if I then send the L.OPT1 command from the beo4 the powerlink out comes back to life and the CD command works again! So does the NL when pressing play on the beogram. It seems the MCL2AV’s option programming gets reset back to option 2 each time the video master puts it in standby 🙁

I am being more and more confused about these option settings on the MCL2AV as it seems that sometimes the 5V trigger is there and sometimes not regardless of option 1 or 2. The idea of it being reset to option 2 i not far of as the MCL system manual 89 90 states that the MCL2AV is reset to option 2 if no IR eye is present, so there could be happening something when the video master communicates with the MCL2AV. Also the newer MCL documentation only mentions option 2 as far a I know, so there could be flaws in how option 1 works/is incorperated in the MCL2AV.

I am trying to think about a way to figure out for sure if the MCL2AV is in option 1 or 2. I might have some ideas for that , but might take a little time before I get to that.

 

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

ebnrob wrote:

What I don’t understand is how I managed to get it to trigger the NL

Based on my latest test I must say that it in many ways seems inconsistenly how this works, so also not sure if all my previous observations can be trusted. Also my system is not setup permanently except for the Beoplay V1, so can’t say how stable things would work over a longer period of time.

ebnrob wrote:

Were you testing with an ML TV yesterday, or the v1 via the NL converter?

My test yesterday was with my ML VT (BC6-23) as it is in the same room as most of my equipment. The Beoplay V1 is two floors down and is being daily used by my family, and therefore I can not always do testing with that

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Just one more note. When it is working it seems to be consistent to the point where I can set the system in standby and wake up the TV again by pressing play on the Beocord several times in a row. But after a power cut i might need to re initialize.

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Madskp wrote:

ebnrob wrote: Do you have a beo4 remote Madskp? If you do, would you mind seeing if your MCL reacts to the Option > L.OPT command from it? It could also be the remote’s not setting the option. I will try this as well when I have some time. Might not be today.

I did try it, but now I can start the Beocenter 6-23 from the Beocord when the MCL2AV is set top option 2.

To verify if it was actually set top option 2 i tried setting options again with a Beolink 1000, and now the setup seems to work both in option 1 and 2, so I am getting very inconsistent results now.

Furthermore when I cut the power and start up again normally the BC6-23 will not regocnise audio commands before the TV has been turn on to a video source 1 or 2 times. But the activation from the Beocord will not work before I have started the A.mem source a couple of times from the remote. So also a factor here wheeteer it is latency in communication or time for things to make a connection or whatever.

I might also at one point have cut the power to the 1611 only to get the connection going.

At this point I am confused about what is up and down in this and what makes the difference in it working or not working. The options settings on the MCL2AV might not have relevance after all.

Fact. is that it can work, but things might need to be initilized in a certain sequence to work.

 

 

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Just a follow up on some missing point from earlier:

ebnrob wrote:

I only connected 3 wires from the IR eye/puck as I think I read somewhere else on here the buttons didn’t work. I used an off-cut of a network cable to connect the two directly with the din cable still attached 🙂

Yeah could also do that, but I have already plans for making a plug permanently attached to the MCL2AV so I can easily swicth between IR eye’s when doing stuff like this 🙂 This is a good ocasion to actually doing it. And you are right that the buttons will not work. Me and Guy did some testing of that in another thread about IR eyes

ebnrob wrote:

Do you have a beo4 remote Madskp? If you do, would you mind seeing if your MCL reacts to the Option > L.OPT command from it? It could also be the remote’s not setting the option.

I will try this as well when I have some time. Might not be today.

 

 

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

ebnrob wrote:

the J1 connection’s broken – do you know if this is this a jumper – or perhaps is it a fuse? It looks like its supposed to be disconnected like that.

It should be like that. From what I have found out it is for enabeling programming of the software chip.

Good to have verified the SW version. Apperently the configuration with the antenna snd speaker plugs was also used with the newer SW and type numbers. Probably a way to use allready made stock of the older type

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Hmm the PCB looks like the older type 2020, but the bottom plate says otherwise. Could you try to lift the blank metal cover. One of the chips in there will probably have a label with the Sw version. This just to check that it really has SW 2.3

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Madskp wrote:

OK positive that the voltage is there on pin 4 as it should be, but it should not be there in option 2. I will try to double check that on my MCL2AV if I get the 5V signals in both option 1 and 2. Maybe something to do with the IR eye.

Ok my I might have had issues with bad contact in my earlier measurements because now I get 5V on pin 4 in both option 1 an 2, but not in option 0. So this parts should not be affected by the IR eye.

 

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

ebnrob wrote:

Ive plugged on of my BL8000 speakers into the MCL (using the same fully wired PL cable) and it turns on okay with music playing out when the BG starts. Changing to both L.OPT1 and 2 makes no difference to the behaviour of the unit – the speaker works with both settings. Tested the voltages on pins 1 and 4 with the multi-meter and both are 5v.

OK positive that the voltage is there on pin 4 as it should be, but it should not be there in option 2. I will try to double check that on my MCL2AV if I get the 5V signals in both option 1 and 2. Maybe something to do with the IR eye.

ebnrob wrote:

Perhaps the PL interface on the 1611 is intermittent.

Maybe, but again I am wondering if the IR eye could have something to say. I can try to test that, but I will have to wire up a plug for that (all my round IR eyes have the 7 pin DIN connector)

 

Guy wrote:

However, I have noticed that one of the problems is the PL output (trigger) of MCL2AV.  I did notice the following paragraphs in the ‘extra active speaker kit’ (MCL2AV) setup manual – I just wondered if the last little bit about holding the sensor timer button and pressing AV has any effect on what you are trying to achieve?  Possibly not, but worth a try?

I am not sure I quite understand how it is phrased in the manual, but I remebered something similar from the MCL system manual 89 90 where something similar is used to preprogram the MCL2AV to function with active speakers and local sources or just a MCL2A with passive speakers

However that does only make sense for the older type MCL2AV type 2020 with passive speaker connectors, so unsure if it would have any effect. But might be worth a try.

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Just had a look this morning and pin 1 and 4 is connected internally on the connector PCB on the MCL2AV.

The reason I saw some differences on the 2 pins is that I have an external connector board where I can easier measure voltages, but I dit not use fully wired powerlink cables, so pin 1 did not have connection.

So to sum up. If wakeup voltage is comming out of the MCL2AV it will be both on pin 1 and 4. And since you got the Beolink passive to start up you should also be able to get the signal to the 1611.

Have you tested if the Beolink passive only can start up if the MCL2AV is in option 1? That could proove that you have the correct option setting

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

Have you tried to remove the Masterlink cable and see if the TV will power on by itself? Just to rule out where the problem lies

Location: Denmark

[Madskp]

CharlieWednesday wrote:

There is also a short SCART cable connecting the control center to the TV – the control center only has 1 SCART, the TV has two (and I’ve tried both).

I don’t think the scart cable has anything to say in wheeter it will turn on or not. I think the TV part is based on a MX TV and the VCR is a separate unit enclosed in the control Center, and therefor the scart cable need to be there to conenct those two if the VCR is going to be used.

Hope you might get some other input for getting it going

 

Location: Denmark

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