Quick question.

Can I use control panel 6500 with Beo Center 9500 ?

Thanks :)

In a limited sense yes, but it will be totally annoying and drive you nuts. Two-way will not work and after each keypress, you will be stuck for a second or two waiting for "NO CONTACT".

Friends don't let friends buy an MCP for that purpose!

Mi obeisance to you Mika

I'm asking for my friend who recently bought 9500.

No problem

I can actually try it later tonight and report more accurately if it is bearable at all. I suspect the main culprit will be the volume which is very annoying to control when the MCP thinks that nobody is listening to it.

I suppose that this can be a problem, but you just determine my concern. And I believe you, so no need for check :)

Thanks Mika

Basically it's a no. Only some functions work, if you can call it that.

Much better to get a Beolink 1000 or if you must, a Beo4.

BL1000 is my favourite.

I'd be surprised if it's possible at all. While the Beocenter 9500 is capable of two-way communication, it is only intended to be controlled by the Beolink 5000 and Beolink 7000 (and all one-way remotes, of course). The MCP6500 uses a different data link address than the BL5000 and BL7000.

I've tried to use the MCP6500 with a Beosystem 2500 to no avail.

psand:

The MCP6500 uses a different data link address than the BL5000 and BL7000.

Well, yes and no. I just tried. The MCP sends the longer (two-way with its own address) commands, and the BC9500 executes them just fine, so you can turn it on, select sources and tracks, turn it off, etc. However it never sends back a response addressed to the MCP.

This means that the MCP won't allow another keypress until it is convinced that nobody heard it, and shows "NO CONTACT". Therefore you can't select any two-digit commands (like radio preset 18 or CD track 12), because the BC times out waiting for the other digit before you can send it.

And yes, the volume is hopeless - because of the same timeout issue, it runs like you had a mile long rubber band in between, and ends up all over the place.

Stuff that absolutely requires two-way (like programming) is obviously totally out of the question.

All in all, useless for anything else but emergencies.

***

If the software in your Beosystem 2500 was only prepared for 1-way communications, it probably ignores two-way commands completely.

Hmm, interesting. There must clearly be a difference in software versions here.

tournedos:

If the software in your Beosystem 2500 was only prepared for 1-way communications, it probably ignores two-way commands completely.

My Beosystem 2500 is a late two-way system (1994, S/W 1.8) and it works perfectly well with both the Beolink 5000 and the Beolink 7000. However, it doesn't react to anything the MCP6500 sends in its way.

The Master Control Panels (both 5500 and 6500) identify themselves with address 0x1E to the system, while the two-way Beolink terminals (both BL5000 and BL7000) share originating address 0x1A.

I guess the software in my Beosystem 2500 just filters out all two-way commands from address 0x1E. 

psand:

I guess the software in my Beosystem 2500 just filters out all two-way commands from address 0x1E. 

Yes, I wouldn't be surprised if there were different versions of the 9500 software as well.

Actually the simple commands from both BL7000 and MCP6500 look the same if you truncate the commands at a certain point, so this "support" might even be just accidental, byproduct of some feature reserved for the future, or who knows what...

Out of interest, does the 6500 respond to the BL1000 ok?

Step1:

Out of interest, does the 6500 respond to the BL1000 ok?

You can control the basic functions on the 6500 system with the BL1000. The BL1000 can be used with all B&O systems from the last 20 years or so...
There is, although, some programming-functions in the 2-way systems that requires a 2-way remote like BL5000 or BL7000. An example is the timer programming of the 4500 system.

Steffen:

You can control the basic functions on the 6500 system with the BL1000.

I'd rather say "all the important functions". You can't set the clock, the timers, or control the more esoteric Beocord functions, but everything else is just fine. You can even program the radio presets with a BL1000 (far more easily than with a Beo4!).

You're right Mika -but I would call it a basic function to set the radio stations on a receiver