Guidance on Masterlink system with 10 link rooms

DR

drmichi

Bronze

24 posts

Posted January 23, 2023 at 10:29 GMT ? Edited January 23, 2023 at 10:34 GMT

Hi Beoworld I was very lucky to buy a house with a very well equipped Bang & Olufsen Masterlink system. A plan tells more than many words: Every room is equipped with a Beo4 remote, but there are two different kind of buttons on them (some have A.TAPE, some have A.MEM). Why I adore B&O: Because I was impressed since a child about the design of those HiFi systems! I rather use it to listen to background music all day, I really enjoy walking through the house and adding /removing each link room to the currently played source with a single button press. What I did successfully so far:

Bought a BeoSound 4 DAB+ and configured as audio master (Option 2)
Configured BeoSound 3200 in the office to link room (Option 5)
Airport Express connected to BeoSound 4 A.AUX
Installed an additional BeoSound 3000 in the bedroom and upgraded the BeoLab 8000 covers
Bought a Beolink NL/ML Converter, intention is to maybe get rid of BeoSound 4 and replace it with B&O Radio / Deezer.

So far so good, I can enjoy DAB+ radio and MP3 files from the SD-Card in every room. Problems, what somehow does not always work:

List -> A.AUX: Does not work in all link rooms, is the problem the remote or something else?
When I work in the office and press "A.MEM", then the BS3200 display shows the hard disk content and it starts spinning but I hear sound from SD-Card in the room.
When I work in the office and press "Radio", then BS3200 display shows its FM radio channel but I hear sound from DAB+ in the room
Sporadically: Listening to A.AUX in the living room, going to the kitchen and press "Play" on the IR-Eye results sometimes in radio in the kitchen but A.AUX in the living room. Sometimes it also works. Any idea where the problem is?

Questions, maybe you can guide me:

How can I check if my BeoSound 3000 can be attached to the Masterlink as link room (Option 6?). I did read that older devices do not support that mode.
Beolink NL/ML Converter: Is it possible to configure the system that Radio will always play B&O Radio, and A.MEM will play Deezer?
Upgrade BeoVision 5: To bring it into HDMI Full-HD, can you confirm that an upgrade to a BeoVision 10 Full-HD is a smart choice (no need for 4K res)?

Millemis

Bronze

1330 posts

Posted January 23, 2023 at 23:29 GMT ? Edited January 23, 2023 at 23:33 GMT

#698253

The BS3000 should support Option 6. Read about that here on page 9: https://bangolufsenassistentgohe.blob.core.windows.net/manuals/SOUND_SYSTEMS/BEOSOUND_3000/BS3000_RB_EN.pdf N.B. Reading your plan, the 3000 does not seem to be masterlinked! Some of the linkroom devices might not support (and respond to) the A.Aux command - this depends on the SW version. Why would you want to get rid of the audiomaster/the BS4? Adding a NL/ML Converter brings the additional sources from a NL device (which you would also need). These can be played via the BS4. How are your BV’s option programmed - the BV5? You can not upgrade the BV5 - best buy a BV10 (be sure to have this updated with the PUC’s for the devices, you want to add, before you install it). You might also get the BV11, if you are serious about installing the NL/ML Converter. N.B. You are very lucky to have a plan of the setup! Many B&O setups in old houses are not or not well documented…….which makes it very difficult to give advice. P.S. If you want to know more about, how a NL/ML Converter works/the different setups etc, have a look here: https://cdn.webshopapp.com/shops/98396/files/334286248/beolink-converter-nlml-ver-14-beomac.pdf MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

Guy

GoldModerator

4508 posts

Posted January 24, 2023 at 11:04 GMT

#698263

As MM stated above your inability to select A.AUX in some link rooms is probably related to SW versions: The minimum SW levels required for A.AUX on following devices is as follows. (The SW version may be written on the label, but some may have been updated without being amended.) Beolink Active: SW 1.5 Beolink Passive: SW 1.5 BeoLab 2000: SW 1.5 (TBC – it certainly needs greater than 1.1, which doesn’t work) BeoLab 3500: SW2.0 On the BL3500 you can check the SW level of the BL3500 by pressing MENU MENU 0 0 GO (or MENU 0 0 GO for early versions). Note that SW 2.1 and above will enable you to display PC (instead of V.AUX), N.RADIO (instad of PHONO) and N.MUSIC (instead of A.TAPE 2). You can sometimes select A.AUX from non-compatible link-rooms by selecting a 'spare' audio source (eg A.MEM /A.TAPE), but only if that source is not used elsewhere in your system. You would have to reconfigure your system to do that. The other workaround is simply to activate (unmute) a link room when A.AUX is already playing elsewhere. Regarding the Beo4 differences, the newer buttons usually give out the same IR commands as the earlier versions, so A.MEM is the same IR command as A.TAPE. A full list is here:

Location: Warwickshire, UK

My B&O Icons:

MA

Madskp

Gold

1759 posts

Posted January 24, 2023 at 11:58 GMT ? Edited January 24, 2023 at 11:58 GMT

#698266

When I work in the office and press “A.MEM”, then the BS3200 display shows the hard disk content and it starts spinning but I hear sound from SD-Card in the room.
When I work in the office and press “Radio”, then BS3200 display shows its FM radio channel but I hear sound from DAB+ in the room
It sounds like the BS3200 is reacting right and start up with the local source which it should when you are not using link commands. But do the Beovision have the right option programming? I can't tell from the drawing which TV is the Video master? It could be this TV, and therefore it might be programmed with option 1, and therefor starts playing the music from the Audiomaster (the Beosound 4) because of this option programming, while the BS3200 thinking it's a local source starts it's own sources. According to the Masterlink handbook in this combination both the Beosound and the TV should be programmed with option 5 Login to view image I am not sure if you the have to change the option programming one of the other TV's to make it the video master, but maybe someone can chime in on that?
Location: Denmark

DR

drmichi

Bronze

24 posts

Posted January 24, 2023 at 19:08 GMT ? Edited January 24, 2023 at 19:49 GMT

#698294

Wow this forum is awesome, you already helped me so much! I did draw the plan by myself based on what I found in the house in the last 2 years ;-) ..and yes, BeoSound 3000 in the bedroom is not yet connected to Masterlink (connector is on the other side of the room, need to do wiring first) Now I think I finally understood the link concept:

If I press CD on BL3200 in link room (office), it *should* play CD locally in this room
If I press LINK->CD on BL3200 in link room (office), it *should* play CD from BL4 (living room)

The Beovision 6 in the sports and wellness room have honestly no real function, right now they are just able to play Radio. The Beovision 5 in the office has as well DVD, and through a HDMI->SCART adapter even an AppleTV attached. One confession I have to make: The TV in the living space is no longer B&O, I replaced the BeoVision 7 (no HDMI) with a Samsung TV and used cables from Steve. Again thanks to the Forum, I found the Neo 7 (I am really tempted to order it so the TV stand can work again): https://neomesteren.dk/en/produkter/bm-7-adapter I will try to readout the option settings from the BeoVision TV's and will report back.

trackbeo

Bronze

897 posts

Posted January 24, 2023 at 21:01 GMT ? Edited January 24, 2023 at 21:17 GMT

#698307

DR

drmichi

Bronze

24 posts

Posted January 24, 2023 at 22:12 GMT ? Edited January 24, 2023 at 22:12 GMT

#698309

You are right.. I honestly do not need a BeoVision 10. ..but I am not really motivated to carry a 123kg Beovision 9 many floors up to replace the Beovision 5 "just" for HDMI ;-) So if the BeoVision 5 will stop working, I will rewire the loudspeakers to the BeoLab 3200 and convert the office to "music link room" only. The "Home Cinema" label was maybe valid 20 years ago when the system has been installed, but I just bought the house recently and now it's my office. The BeoLab 4 speakers are quite good for computer and video conference. FYI: Beovision V.Opt 5 did not help (BS3200 A.Opt 5), I assume since there are no speakers connected to BeoLab 3200 this configuration is never foreseen from B&O? V.Opt 2 and V.Opt 6 bring the result that I can get DAB+ in the office, but BS3200 still does it's own thing in parallel on the display (of course no audio output because no speakers are connected to it)

Millemis

Bronze

1330 posts

Posted January 25, 2023 at 00:15 GMT ? Edited January 25, 2023 at 00:19 GMT

#698313

I’d put the BV5 in Option 2 and the 3200 in Option 0 - all speakers connected to the tv…..means an integrated setup. (Move the Airport Express to the 3200). The BS4 should then be in Option 6 (= act as a link product) - you can only have one Audiomaster respectively one Videomaster in a setup. Even if you would want to make changes in that room, it should be worth it to try that out before. MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

DR

drmichi

Bronze

24 posts

Posted January 25, 2023 at 17:28 GMT

#698336

The FM radio will be shut down soon, so I would like to enjoy radio in the link rooms. That was actually the reason to buy the BS4 DAB+, from design point of view I would have preferred a BeoSound 9000 :-)

Millemis

Bronze

1330 posts

Posted January 25, 2023 at 18:09 GMT

#698337

Ok - since your 3200 seems to be locked in to the cabinet, take that out of the mix (disconnect that from the mains - you don’t really neeed that and it has no speakers of its own). Make the BS4 the Audiomaster - Option 2 and the BV5 (with all the speakers) the Videomaster - Option 2 This way you can access the DAB+ and the connected APE from everywhere (apart from the bedroom, of course) including from the BV5. MM

Location: Flensborg————Danmark

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