Dear all,

BM5500, Beolink 'ready' (sticker on the rear) with software version 2.3.
MCL cable
Xtra speakers kit (transceiver and relay box)

I've plugged the MCL cable into 'speakers 2' on the BM. I stripped back the coloured wires on the other end and connected them to the corresponding pins on the relay.

Question: is the black lead supposed to comprise white nylon instead of actual wire?
Question: is the white 'data' cable supposed to be stripped back? There's silver wire wrapped around the exterior of a white plastic casing, in which sits silver wire. Not sure how this is supposed to be prepared. I stripped the plastic coating to reveal the wire inside, then pulled some of the outer wire forward so both are in contact with the binding pin. Is this right?

I screwed down the MCL cable clamp and started on the tranceiver connections. Stripped back the wires and connected them to the corresponding pins in the relay box.

Question: there's a piece of 'string' running through the outer casing. What's this for? Should this be screwed into one of the binding pins along with a wire?

I left this unconnected and clamped down the transceiver cable.

I connected my Xtra speakers (Beovox 1702s).

Pointed the Beolink at the transceiver and pressed 'Link' '2' and then 'Store' as recommended in the Xtra Speakers kit instructions.

LED on the transceiver blinked.

What works: the 'Mute' button on the transceiver works. If I'm playing a tape in the main room the sound is reproduced through the link speakers in room 2.
When I press the 'Mute' button on the transceiver again the sound is muted on the room 2 speakers but not on the main system.

What doesn't work: commands from the Beolink to the BM via the transceiver. Volume, source, Mute. Non of those functions work. The transceiver blinks the LED each time the Beolink buttons are pressed but no commands are sent to the BM.

However - once I pressed the off (little red) button on the Beolink 1000 whilst pointing at the transceiver and the speakers in room 2 muted. This was not possible to replicate, it was a one off.

Have I missed a trick somewhere?

I'd be ever so grateful for any assistance on this.

Kind regards

I've got an MCL extra speaker kit connected to my BC9500.  In answer to your questions:

• The black lead is not used - in most cases I have seen the wire cut short (and yes mine does contain white nylon - possibly for strength)
• The white data cable should be treated like the other wires and connected to the correct data terminal.  It does have metal screening twisted around it (for screening purposes), and this should be unwrapped, twisted together and connected to the seperate 'shield' terminal - below the white data cable.
• The other piece of string is probably also for strength - needed if the cable is pulled through conduit, for example.

If wired correctly you should have full functionality with the BL1000.  I think that you have incorrectly fixed the white 'data' wire (and its shield) hence no data messages are being passed to the Beomaster.  The relay box has its own mute relay, hence that function works as you described.  And the transceiver is getting the messages from the remote, otherwise it would not blink.

Try re-wiring, and ask again if you have further questions.

(Edit - just managed to take a picture of my wiring - hope this helps!)

Amazing! What a dullard for not thinking of doing that myself  ;-p

Great job - I'll respond with the outcome as soon as I can get home and tinkering on this. It'll be so cool to have proper functionality

Just added a photo to my previous post - 'a picture paints a thousand words'!

Long delay in response - but many thanks Guy1680! All fixed and working like a dream!

Good to hear - I have found the MCL system very reliable to date.  And it's great to be able to use a two way remote in the MCL room - worth getting an MCP5500 if you haven't already.

Yeah I've thought of doing so; the convenience of two-way would be great for when I'm altering tone controls and the like. However the MCPs are rather bulky. I had a Beomaster 5000 and MCP to match before I took on the Beomaster 5500. It was a fantastic conversation piece but as a prime remote it was too bulky. Although delightful I find the Beolink 1000 far more suitable to my needs.

Saying that I wouldn't mind a Beo4 remote for the MCL room. This would provide two-way info wouldn't it?

Fleabay seems to shift them at a similar price to the MCP 5500.

Hi

Sorry to say but the Beo4 doesn't support two-way-info. Only MCP5500, MCP6500, Beolink 5000 and Beolink 7000 provide two-way-info.

We have a lot of different remotes at home (Beolink 1000, 5000, 7000, MCP6500 and Beo4). After several years of switching we got used to the following configuration:

- Beo4 for the main room

- Beolink 1000 in the workshop and for setting options the easy way

- Beolink 5000 for the secondary rooms

- Auxiliary Beolink 7000 in the sleeping room, serving as a nice clock when the system is in stand-By and everybody is sleeping...

Best Regards

David

A word of caution, I don't think that the BL5000 works with the BM5500 in two way mode.  See here:

http://forum.beoworld.org/forums/p/1049/6904.aspx#6904

I have a BL5000 but am unable to fix my broken BM5500 hence unable to test. 

With a bit of patience you should be able to find an MCP5500 for less than a Beo4 - it's a much more impressive remote!!