General Forum

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

tournedos — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:35:08 GMT

Limited success is still success!

Neither the MCL2A's nor the Beomaster really know how many of them are on the wire, so you might well get away with more than recommended number of MCL2A's as your cabling isn't that long after all. (No, I didn't bother really thinking what "500 ft" actually means either! It's more than across a bloody football field! )

Have fun!

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

Dragos — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:25:45 GMT

You know what, guys? This is weird but I'm not complaining and I only hope it goes on for some time.

I worked out that a reason for the one-way behaviour of some of my transceivers could be explained by faulty cabling. Fortunately it was only because the tremendously fiddly white data cable had come out of its place in my 3rd MCL2A. So that was a good start. However, even after rectifying that, the MCL2As connected after the MCL2E didn't want to play ball properly, so I gave up, got rid of the MCL2E and connected them directly. Now my beloved white BM5500 is driving 5 MCL2As on a 30m cable (about 98ft, not more than 500ft as I originally thought ... imperial and metric, hey? well, if Nasa got mixed up...) (I'll abandon the 6th room because I really don't want to push my luck).

If only I could find a white Beogram 5500 Christmas would come early...

Anyway, I digress :) Thanks a lot, everyone, for your invaluable help. Have a super duper day,
Dragos :)

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

burantek — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 10:02:03 GMT

Dragos:

ooooooohh, man!!!!!!

Is that good or bad?

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

Dragos — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:59:00 GMT

ooooooohh, man!!!!!!

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

burantek — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:54:37 GMT

P.S. Reviewing the thread for more insight -the expander took the brunt of the hit from your first post... it may have actually worked when you sourced it. Now, hard to say!

Dragos:
I thought I'd better test the system with one extra box and the MCL2E expander. The expander came without a DC adaptor, so I borrowed a 12V 2.3A one from an external hardrive. Disaster!

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

burantek — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:01:44 GMT

Before this gets too confusing (switch off = remove from mains?) and acknowledging that MCL can be "picky..."

I would turn everything off, remove from the mains, make all of your connections... then and only then -reapply power. First to the MCL components, then finally to the Master.

NOTES: I wouldn't classify my suggestion as "best practice" but more "logical practice." I have not used an extender in any MCL networks; I will be happy to review my manuals and re-post as needed.

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

Dragos — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 04:05:33 GMT

No. My understanding is that I need to switch off the whole system, connect the MCL2E, then swich back on and finally plug in the MCL2E. Does that sound about right?

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

burantek — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 20:00:21 GMT

One quick comment... Are you cycling power on EVERYTHING including the BeoMaster when making changes?

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

tournedos — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:02:09 GMT

We have the MCL2 installation and user guides on site (the "user" guide actually being the one that an installer would like to read), but they don't go inside the boxes at all - otherwise I would've told you a long time ago what the correct spec for the power supply is! Just wiring and configuration instructions.

One thing I note there is that they advice to locate the expander box as close to the audio master as possible, and it should then be able to drive three parallel chains of up to four MCL2A's (each up to 500 ft). Dunno how critical that is, but I'm sure it's not a hard limit.

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

Dragos — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 16:05:27 GMT

Not as such, Mika. I kind of trusted it worked and at first I connected the cables wrongly and nothing worked (I had them linked the wrong way round). I changed them and then at least I got some music out of the speakers connected to the MCL2As after the MCL2E. Nothing except Power On, though... :(

It's been on my mind for a while: given the help I have been getting, the least I can do is join the club properly... would I find an MCL2E guide on the site and some written help about what I'm looking for? Not a problem doing a bit of reading on my part...

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

tournedos — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:37:59 GMT

Well, there aren't that many people doing MCL at this scale on the forum I guess...

I don't remember all the twists, but have you been able to verify at some point that the MCL2E actually works?

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

Dragos — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 15:02:03 GMT

Looks like I may have stumped everyone with this latest development... that doesn't sound good... oh, well, never give up hope I guess...

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

Dragos — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 18:01:43 GMT

Hey, everyone

Thanks again for all your help - I really appreciate it! I've got a bit further but it's still not perfect... :(

I got the Maplin adaptor, changed the centre polarity to negative, connected the MCL2E box and have managed to to break any more MCL2A boxes so far. Which is great, thanks!

However, my circuit seems to be running fine until I get to the expander box. The 3 MCL2As operate as normal, but once I try and operate the 2 that follow the MCL2E, things are not as good. The transceivers would switch on the sound, but they would not do anything else (allow changing the volume, channels, cd/radio, etc...) The last one on the circuit would then switch off, too, but the one following the MCL2E wouldn't even do that... it's like they don't have enough power to do everything...

When I bought the MCL2As I tested them and they all worked fine (transceivers, too).

What's more weird is that, despite the cable length being 30m (so above 500ft), when I only had 3 MCL2As connected, they were all running perfectly. Now that I am trying to intercalate a few (2 for now but ideally 3) more rooms, it all seems to be going a bit wrong... I am really really confused... What could it be? 500mA not enough for the adaptor? Inside diameter of DC adaptor needs to be a particular one (I tried several and nothing, though... - I have 1.7mm, 0.7, 1.4, 2.5, 2.1, and 3.0). Does the Beomaster need a service in order to drive these additional 2 MCL2As (though I can't see whay that would be...)?

I would really appreciate your advice, guys. Many thanks,
Dragos

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

burantek — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 07:36:21 GMT

Dragos:
I've found this one at Maplin, unless I am reading this wrongly and someone is kind enough to say stop before I burn another MCL2A...

BUY THIS ONE! -not the one on eBay!

B&o always having to be different -reversed polarity on the plug from just about every adapter I have ever seen. You NEED to have the center polarity as NEGATIVE (-). The unit from Maplins allows you to do this, the other is fixed -and wrong!

My guess is that played a role in your previous "disaster."

Re: MCL system with MCL2E and MCL2A problems

Friedmett — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 01:23:44 GMT

Both should do the job just fine.