ARCHIVED FORUM -- March 2012 to February 2022READ ONLY FORUM
This is the second Archived Forum which was active between 1st March 2012 and 23rd February 2022
Hi all,
I have 2 x Beolink Passives 1657 and Ceiling Speakers in rooms with ML cabling across the house. I moved in to the house and do NOT have a BeoSound for Audio Master.
I would like to use Spotify in rooms and so have been looking to feed Spotify from an Amazon Echo to distribute to all rooms together.
I have a Beolink Converter 1611 to operate as an Audio Master via the MasterLink to all Beolink Passives 1657.
Any advice, diagrams or other would be most appreciated.
Many thanks
Bob
The AUX input to the 1611 is standard - any off-the-shelf connector will do although make sure that the AUX end is the output, rather than input. See here for details of audio aux link: https://www.beoworld.org/beotech/index.htm
If you want a good quality cable speak to Steve at Sounds Heavenly - the site sponsor at the foot of the page.
Does each room have an IR sensor? If so, you will need a B&O remote in order to activate the amp and to control the volume (independently in each room that has a 1657). B&O remotes are quite cheap on eBay nowadays, and either a BL1000 or Beo4 will be fine. I think that you have to select the 1611 'source' using one of the video buttons, such as TV, DVD etc.
Many thanks Guy,
I am trying to get it to work, but it’s not. However, I don’t have the Beo4 remote and am trying it with the Logitech Harmony Hub. This can simulate pretty much any remote.
if I remove the IR Eye, should it play sound anyway ? If so I could try that as part of the diagnosis as to what is not working.
UPDATE
I have got it working, but found my main problem was that in my test room, the IR Eye is not responding to Remote Commands from my Harmony Connect Remote. The IR Eye in another room is working perfectly with my Harmony Remote.
Perhaps I have a partially faulty IR Remote ? It responds to manual presses and adjusted vole , switches On/Off etc but does not respond to IR. When I press the remote buttons, the IT lower LED on the Eye does flash in the same way the other room does.
Any ideas what to do about the IR Eye for this partially working situation ?
Good news that you now have something working!
I was not aware that any of the Harmony remotes could control B&O equipment. You may not be aware that B&O use a different frequency (455kHz) for their IR transmissions, hence very few other products are able to control them.
However, given that one of the two B&O IR sensors is working, it would seem that the other is faulty. If it is getting power that is something, but perhaps there is a faulty data connection? Do the volume buttons on the IR eye work? Oops - I should read your post!
Let me research another thought and get back to you ...
OK, my further thoughts - there could be a problem with the Passive's 'Option Setting' in the 'faulty room'. It may be set in Option 0, but unfortunately you will need a B&O remote to re-program it!
From the Passive reference manual: (Apologies for the poor formatting)
Option 0: To be used if you
want to disable remote control
operation of the BeoLink
Passive (to re-enable remote
control, select one of the
other options).
Option 4: To be used if you install
the BeoLink Passive in
the same room as your main
system (e.g. in a large Lshaped
living room with two
separate listening positions).
Option 5: To be used if you install
a TV set in the same
room as you BeoLink Passive.
Option 6: To be used for a setup
with your main system in
one room and the BeoLink
Passive in another, as described
in this guide (this is the
factory setting).
When I lived in Milton Keynes there was a dealer there - now sadly closed. You could have nipped round and borrowed a remote!
Perhaps a fellow forum member lives locally and could lend you a remote for testing? I am pretty sure that there used to be a couple.
Hi Guy and bwel,
In order to work as an "ML driver" (ie. to act as an Audio Master to an ML network), the 1611 converter must be the later type that carries the full type number 1161166 on the sticker. The converter should not have an IR eye connected to it, but each link room box (ie. Beolink Passive/Active) that is connected to it via Masterlink will need to have a working IR eye connected.
the music source will connect to the Aux socket of the 1161166 converter as Guy suggested and each link room box can then "call through" the audio from the converter.
I would suggest trying to find a Beolink 1000 or Beo4 remote to get everything working, as 3rd party remotes can be quite troublesome in this type of setup. If you need any help with cables to get everything connected, please feel free to get in touch via my sponsor link at the foot of the page.
Kind regards, Steve.
Steve.
www.soundsheavenly.com
Founder of Sounds Heavenly Cables and Brand Ambassador for Bang & Olufsen
Sounds Heavenly are proud to sponsor BeoWorld!
Please check out my YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/soundsheavenlycables
Many thanks Guy and Steve,
Most of the setup is now working, but the issue remains with one of the Beolink IR Eyes. These are connected to their respective Beolink Passives.
I find that from one room, the remote will send the input code source (eg TV) back through the Passive, over ML and in to the 1611 Converter to open up the Aux In audio source. Manual presses of the Eye buttons control volume etc once the Source has been switched in.
When I press the Remote Control buttons, the Red led on the Eye Flashes
For the second room, the Volume and Mute work ok only with manual presses of the IR Eye, but do not work from the IR remote. It seems that the Remote IR is either not recognised by the Eye or that the link from the Eye via the Beolink Passive is not being transmitted back to the 1611 Converter
When I press the Remote Control buttons, the Red LED on the Eye Does Not Flash like in Room one
I’m wondering if it’s; a faulty IR Eye, a broken transmission wire to the Passive or perhaps as Guy mentions, a programming issue of the Eye
Based on my above summary detail of the symptoms., any further ideas ?
Concerning the second room:
The IR Receiver receives the IR signal and sends it to the Beolink passive /active ...
The device where the IR receiver is connected to, triggers the LED after receiving a valid IR code.
If the keys on the IR receiver create an action, the IR Receiver is probably not receieving a valid signal. This leads me to the dreaded SMD capacitor for the IR receiver chip ( C10, 22µF 10V ).
You could try to swap the IR receivers and see what happens: if the fault moves to the other room it's the IR receiver. If the fault stays in the second room then it could be one (or more problems) in ascending order:
- Cable in the IR receiver (partly) disconnected
- Cable betwwen Beolink passive and IR receiver damaged
- (IR) Cable not properly connected to Beolink passive or plugged into PowerLink connector.
- IR Connection in Beolink passive defect
Ralph-Marcus
Many thanks Ralph,
Given that the Second Room IR receiver works with manual button presses, but not IR Control, it must be definitely plugged in to the correct DIN on the Passive Amp,
I can try swapping the IR Receiver over tomorrow with another room. But do you think that it could be the Room Option Coding that was also suggested above ?
I have an Beo4 ordered that arrives in a few days, so can also test that later.
Hi Steve, quick question - you mentioned that a newer 1611 version is required: do you know what software versions of the 1611 support its use as an audio Master? I know the B&O part number of the 1611 was 16111611 but I've never seen one with hat printed on the label - only 1611. Perhaps the later version is quite rare?
Hi Luke,
i think the other version is not the 1611. I can confirm that the one labelled 1611 SW v1.3 works as Audio Master as I have just installed and got it working.
There is one on eBay now ending in 2hr.
Bang and Olufsen Beolink Converter Type 1611
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F323578917496
Regards
the version that did not support the AudioMaset Mode was the 1614 Beolink converter.
The 1611 Converter works fine.
Hi,
the Link Option programming is stored in the Beolink passive box. So you could also try to swap them between the two rooms if they are accessible..
The Beolink Passives are mounded in the ceiling voids, so not so easy to access. I do have a Beo4 remote arriving on Monday or Tuesday so will try the Option selection first. If that does not work I’ll start the diagnostics on swapping things around and/or continuity checking if the cables.
Thanks for all your advice.
Hi bwel,
It is my understanding that only the converters that carry the full type number 1161166 have the correct programming to act as an audio master in an ML system. This full type number should be printed on the sticker on the converter. Without this full type number shown, I don't think the converter will work (hopefully someone will correct me if there are other converter versions that can also act as an ML driver?)
If your converter carries this full type number, please let me know and I can confirm the cables required to get everything working.
Hi Guy,
Yes, this Options setting for the ‘non working’ Room was the cause of the problem.
I change the Option setting to 6 and the IR Receiver now responds to remote control commands.
Thanks everyone one for your help on this one
Regars
Great news - many thanks for letting us know. 😀
Does anybody know if you can use 2 Beolink 1611 Converters on ML at the same time configured to identify as separate inputs ?
if so, can each be nominated as a different source, such as Audio or TV ? And how is the programming of identity performed with the Beo4 Remote.
Hi Bob,
No, only one converter can be used on any one ML network.
does your converter have the same sticker as mine?
I'm just trying to hook my 1611 up to my ML with BV10 and BS/BM5