When vintage B&O goes wrong (part 2)

I have an issue with my main B&O system in another thread. Now I also have an issue with my second, separate BS3 / BS7000 system. This system is in my home theater and has me very confused. I had a BS3 MkI connected through a 1612 converter to a BS7000 and everything seemed fine for a little while, but then the system would lock up - not respond to any remote functions. At times, the source name would even lock on the screen. I'm using a Panasonic projector as the main monitor - no other display device. I verified the audio and video option settings, power cycled the system - BS3 first, then the BS7000, and last the 1612 converter. Again, after a brief time, the system would stop responding to remote commands. I'm using the simple round IR receiver using only three wires in the corresponding IR input of the BS3. When it locked up again, I tried to unplug and plug the IR receiver to no effect. I unplugged the Masterlink connector, no change. If I power cycled the BS3, it would work for several minutes, then lock up again.

I assumed the BS3 was bad, so my dealer replaced it with a BS3 MkIII under warranty. I went through the menu options and settings - I know them by heart now - and everything seemed fine for a day or so of occasional use, then - you guessed it - the BS3 would lock up just as the MkI system had done previously. There is no plasma screen in the room, so nothing should be interfering with the IR receiver.  As before, a power cycle of the BS3 and nothing else, would temporarily restore the BS3 to normal operation.

So now I was going to change the remote receiver to a 5 wire configuration with the DB9 connector input to see if there is any improvement. Other than that, I'm stumped. Does anyone know why two different vintage BS3 units would exhibit the same locking up behavior? Should I just break down the BS3 to basic operation and only add the Masterlink connection if I get normal behavior for an extended period of time? Does anyone have experience with this and/or some suggestions for me to get this wonderful system working normally again? 

DMacri:

I have an issue with my main B&O system in another thread. Now I also have an issue with my second, separate BS3 / BS7000 system. This system is in my home theater and has me very confused. I had a BS3 MkI connected through a 1612 converter to a BS7000 and everything seemed fine for a little while, but then the system would lock up - not respond to any remote functions. At times, the source name would even lock on the screen. I'm using a Panasonic projector as the main monitor - no other display device. I verified the audio and video option settings, power cycled the system - BS3 first, then the BS7000, and last the 1612 converter. Again, after a brief time, the system would stop responding to remote commands. I'm using the simple round IR receiver using only three wires in the corresponding IR input of the BS3. When it locked up again, I tried to unplug and plug the IR receiver to no effect. I unplugged the Masterlink connector, no change. If I power cycled the BS3, it would work for several minutes, then lock up again.

I assumed the BS3 was bad, so my dealer replaced it with a BS3 MkIII under warranty. I went through the menu options and settings - I know them by heart now - and everything seemed fine for a day or so of occasional use, then - you guessed it - the BS3 would lock up just as the MkI system had done previously. There is no plasma screen in the room, so nothing should be interfering with the IR receiver.  As before, a power cycle of the BS3 and nothing else, would temporarily restore the BS3 to normal operation.

So now I was going to change the remote receiver to a 5 wire configuration with the DB9 connector input to see if there is any improvement. Other than that, I'm stumped. Does anyone know why two different vintage BS3 units would exhibit the same locking up behavior? Should I just break down the BS3 to basic operation and only add the Masterlink connection if I get normal behavior for an extended period of time? Does anyone have experience with this and/or some suggestions for me to get this wonderful system working normally again? 

I have no idea, but my first thought is that maybe all of the BS3's are one the same processor type as the Beovision 7 and Beosound 3000, which are all in the process of dying of processor failure.

/Weebyx

Weebyx:

Should I just break down the BS3 to basic operation and only add the Masterlink connection if I get normal behavior for an extended period of time?

YES! That would be the very first thing I would try.

Ok, I disconnected the Masterlink cable with no real improvement. I noticed I’m more likely to lock up when trying to adjust the picture settings. During my last try I was able to navigate through settings and then through normal use using the PUC control of my Fios box. I made some changes that improved the picture quality and finally found how to delay the electronic curtains for the main monitor which in my case is a projector.

I still have some time on my warranty, so I’m just going to ride it out for now.

A few days of normal light use without issue. I tried to change the control of my Fios box by plug instead of IR, but it would work. I tried both with and without modulation, but no luck. IR control works just fine, so I’ll just stick with that for now. Just waiting for the next lockup.

So, it still locks up from time to time, but now my Mk1 BeoSystem 3 has locked up once too. So this looks like it may be a more common problem that I originally thought. So I've had three different units of various vintages that all exhibited the same issue, in two different rooms, separated from each other, with different equipment connected. That is, the BS3 would on occasion fail to respond to Beo4 commands unless I power cycle. So, am I alone in having this problem, or have others even experienced this?

I had a similar problem with a Mk I that I also got used from a dealer. The dealer gave me a used MKII which  has given me no trouble. I have it connected via ML to a BS9000. I suspect you have another bad BS3. One would hope the interface electronics are robust enough to deal with any issues coming from the 1612. Do you have it in a location where it gets adequate ventilation?

BTW I have a BS4500 in the home theater room. However I connected it to RCA inputs on the BS3 since it would fight with the BS9000 to be Audio Master. Is the BS7000 the only audio unit connected via ML to the BS3?

-Gregg

Yes the only other B&O audio device connected are the Beomaster 6500 or Beomaster 7000. They are placed where they get good ventilation.