Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
I will try to see what results I get if I make a similar setup with my Beoplay V1. And I can also see if it makes any difference with a Beomaster/Beocenter with datalink instead of the MCL2AV.
I had some time for testing today, and tried with Beocenter 9300 – 1611 – BLC ML/NL – Beoplay V1. Connection between BC9300 and 1611 with both datalink cable and powerlink cable. The BC9300 in option 0. The BLC ML/NL setup as V.master. I can get the Beoplay V1 to turn on and play the music if I press CD on the front panel of the BC9300, so the functionality is there through the converter chain. I also tried without the Powerlink cable, and that does not work.
I then tried with a MCL2AV (the newest version I have with SW 2.3 which is the newest version that I know of) instead of the BC9300. I connected a Beocord 3500 as local source to the MCL2AV to have something to do the activation from. Regardless of option settings on the MCL2AV and restarts of the equipment I could not get the Beocord 3500 to activate the Beoplay V1. I could activate the Beocord 3500 with the remote from the Beoplay V1 so connection and controls are there.
To simplify things I the tried to connect the Beocord 3500 – MCL2AV -1611 combo with masterlink to a Beocenter 6-23 as this is more like the intended setup with MCL2AV and a TV (and I do not have any datalink MX tv). In this case I could not get the Beocord 3500 to activate the TV either. Tried with the TV in both option 2 and 6, but made no difference. Again I could control the Beocord 3500 with the TV remote.
I a wondering if the MCL2AV has this feature at all. I can not see it mentioned anywhere in the MCL2 documentation that I have available. I have not been able to find the user manual for X-tra TV kit. That could maybe have some mentioning of it.
An alternative for your issue could be to get an Beomaster 3500 (or 4500/5500/6500/7000) to use instead of the MCL2AV. That will of course no be as easy to hide away as the MCL2AV, but you can the choose to use the PHONO command to remote control the Beogram if you do no use the N.music command for something else.
I had some time last weekend to play around with it again, and started by replacing the PSU with a 12v switch mode PSU. The MCL2AV worked, however the IR port still read 7V. It was at this point I spotted the multimeter low battery symbol was on – and I recall it giving erroneous readings when low, so changed the battery and the IR voltage read correctly at 5v!! I then switched back to the original PSU and this read 20v – same as Guy’s. With the original PSU connected, the IR pins were giving 5v so all good! Phew
Good to hear that the voltages are ok after all. I have also been fooled by a multimeter with low voltage before 🙂
I then put all the connections back on to the 1611 as before, however the NL converter (as video master) wouldn’t activate when the beogram played (as it did before). I rebooted them etc in different orders, powered all down for 3 mins etc, all to no avail. So i changed the powerlink from the MCL2AV -> 1611 over to the passive amp’s PL input – so MCL2AV PL -> passive amp, and the amp turned on when play was pressed on the beogram! So I don’t know what the issue was with the 1611 not connecting to the NL converter. I tried a few times to get it working again but couldn’t. It seems like the 1611 is activating into a video master mode when booting up now, not seeing the NL converter. I then tried changing the Option mode of the MCL2AV, but it didn’t seem to make any difference. Having only a Beo4 all I could do was go to the Option menu and tried both A.Opt and L.opt in option 0, option 1, and option 2 and option5. None of which made any difference, so at this point I gave up!
I will try to see what results I get if I make a similar setup with my Beoplay V1. And I can also see if it makes any difference with a Beomaster/Beocenter with datalink instead of the MCL2AV.
Maybe the MCL2AV needs the old beolink remote to change mode?
It should be fine with a Beo4 although I prefer using a Beolink 1000 for this task as it is faster to do it with a few button presses. Btw. the MCL2AV only reacts to L.opt, and only 0, 1 and 2 is relevant. Option 5 and 6 is something else on this than it is in masterlink terms and has to to with using a video recorder in the main room.
Thanks for the tips. I’ve just checked the voltage and it’s reading 7.4v instead of 5v! Also the same in the ir data to ground. Checking the power supply – it’s outputting 30v! It’s rated 15v Dc and is one of the old heavy transformers – I’m guessing it’s not regulated. Could this be the problem? Just looked at the solder joints on the underside and all look good. Thanks for your help!
30V does sound to high a voltage even if it’s unregulated. I think Guy at one point mentioned that his original power supply was outputting 20V. The 30V might be out of spec for the voltage regulator that on the older versions should output 5.5V and on the newer version 5.0V, so 7.5V also way to high. I have done some tests using a 12V regulated pover supply for the MCL2AV and that does seem to work. Just be aware that the MCL2AV use reversed polarity. The easiest will be to use one of these universal power supples where you can replace and rotate the tips. If you try this I will suggest that you measure the 5V again before you try to connect another IR eye ( and who knows maybe the white one will have survived). Hope this helps
@ebnrob just out of curiosity did you happen to try with another power supply?but I think that the update is only needed in order to have the BS4 pass LIGHT commands to the ML Gateway
Ok that also explains why the Beolab 3500 works with it. I have a note about a SW 3.35 that supports the ML gateway, but might also just be for the light commands.
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.
I saw you mentioned a too old software in the BS4 in another thread. Was the newer software not necessary after all, or is it just working with limitations?
BTW the Almando Multiplay Stereo looks to be able to switch between 4 audiosources, so if your need is only to use one set of speakers to alle three units that would also be a possibility.
I have an older version of the Almando powerlink switch that I am using to share a set of Beolabs between a Sonos Port and a Beoplay V1 TV. This has been working without issues for almost 10 years now. Only negative I see is the price compared to The alternative from Oneremote (which I have no experience with)
I will repport back with my experience
still say 14 minuttes ago
Is this in the home page where you notice the issue?
Yes it is, sorry for not mentioning that
difference between ‘Fresh Topics’ and ‘Latest Topics’
As far as I can tell Fresh Topics – Shows the most recently created reply to a topic (seems that it is also known as Latest topics which is shown on the homepage of forum.beoworld.org) Latest Topics – Shows the most recently created topics
My experience is that earlier fresh topics did both, but at some point recently some topics does not show up in fresh topics and can only bee seen in latest activity. That might very well be topics without replies.
One other odd thing I have noticed about latest activity is that sometimes it can show that topic was created for example 14 minuttes ago. If I check again later it will still say 14 minuttes ago regardless which browser and/or device I use
Thanks thats good to hear 😀
I would also have expected problems to have showed up by now if there were any
h, 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).
Great to hear that it indeed is working. It might only be some Beovisions that have limitations in showing display data.
Wauv sounds like a nice find 😀
The MK3 powerlink cable do not carry the data signal that is needed to get the display data, so you will need a fully wired MK2 powerlink cable for that.
I do not know if the BS4 has any limitations in what data it is sending, but if you want to test before you buy a new powerlink cable you can test it by using a 7 Pin Audio Aux cable
Thanks for the tips. I’ve just checked the voltage and it’s reading 7.4v instead of 5v! Also the same in the ir data to ground. Checking the power supply – it’s outputting 30v! It’s rated 15v Dc and is one of the old heavy transformers – I’m guessing it’s not regulated. Could this be the problem? Just looked at the solder joints on the underside and all look good. Thanks for your help!
30V does sound to high a voltage even if it’s unregulated. I think Guy at one point mentioned that his original power supply was outputting 20V.
The 30V might be out of spec for the voltage regulator that on the older versions should output 5.5V and on the newer version 5.0V, so 7.5V also way to high.
I have done some tests using a 12V regulated pover supply for the MCL2AV and that does seem to work. Just be aware that the MCL2AV use reversed polarity. The easiest will be to use one of these universal power supples where you can replace and rotate the tips.
If you try this I will suggest that you measure the 5V again before you try to connect another IR eye ( and who knows maybe the white one will have survived).
Hope this helps
I just remembered that at some point I did some testing of a MCL2A where the IR eye would not show no lights either.
It turned out the connection from the screw terminal to the print board was bad, maybe a cracked trace if I remember correctly. This can be caused by the screew terminal being handled too hard.Could be worth checking the connections on the back of the print board
The text on Beocentral i pretty clear that it will only work with a Beomaster 2400-2 https://beocentral.com/beogram4004
Furthermore looking at the diagram for the Beogram 4004 I can see that the data connection use both pin 6 and 7 where normally pin 6 is used for Beograms without Riaa built in and pin 7 for Beograms with RIAA built in
Unfortunately though the white IR transceiver it came with doesn’t appear to be working. I’ve connected it up to the relevant screw terminals but it doesnt light up, or respond to IR commands from my beo4. I have a feeling this issue is to do with the mode the MCL2AV is programmed to.
Ok that is unfortunate. In one of the older MCL manuals it is mentioned that if no IR eye i connected to the MCL2AV and it is connected to a TV it will default to option 2. So maybe try without the IR eye.
I have an IR puck for the beolink passive amp (the one with the timer button) – do you know if this would work on the MCL2AV?
That should work as long as you only connect the three wires for ground, +5V and IR data.
But the fact that the white IR eye does no show any light could also be an indication of some missing voltage. If you have a multimeter you could try to measure if you get 5V between the 5V and ground screw terminals.
There are mentioning of some limitations in the datalink implementation in the Beomaster 6000 here https://beocentral.com/beomaster6000-1980s
If I understand it correctly its about starting the Beomaster from the control panel on the Beocord, so should not interfere with remote control of a record player
As an extra info the Beolink handbook has some pages showing the different versions of the round IR eyes and how the wires are connected for the different connection types
One of my IR eyes does not have labels on the buttons,
I also have one without the lettering, but the buttons are there and working, so probably another front cover that is used when the IR eye is configured with the 3 pin minijack where it only has the IR functionality.
-
AuthorPosts
