Technical Information
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Technical Resources (9 total)
Image | Resource Title | Category | Type | Required | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
B&O cartridge options in the 21st Century!<p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">As promised, here is an independent review of the two competitors for your attention when looking for a new cartridge.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The rivals are an SMMC20EN from Soundsmith against an MMC5000 which has new suspension and stylus with a Shibata diamond from Axel. The SMMC20EN costs $279.95 at time of writing (June 2009) and you will need to factor in shipping and customs if in Europe. Prices start at $149.95 and go up to $1599.95.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">A re-tipped 5000 with an original Shibata stylus as reviewed here will cost €265, which is the most expensive option offered. Prices start from €89 and work their way up. Remember that you need to factor in the price of a used MMC cartridge as well.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Pickup Review</strong></p></h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">A few years ago, when B&O discontinued the manufacture of their MMC series of pickups, Beogram owners faced a problem when replacements were required. Thankfully this problem is for now resolved as two independent organisations have made their services available to help keep these turntables working.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Soundsmith of the USA are well known for their range of replacement MMC-style pickups that have been available now for some years. A range of grades are offered and although they are considerably more expensive than the originals they have proved popular. The basic pickup is of the MMC 1 > 5 type but this can also be bought mounted in a plastic housing to fit into arms that were made for the MMC20 series.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Recently Axel Schurholz (www.schallplattennadeln.de) in Germany has added to the choices available by offering a reconditioning service for worn or broken B&O MMC pickups. Obviously this requires that the customer provides an exchange unit but once this condition has been met the pickup can be rebuilt to any one of a wide choice of specifications, regardless of the original grade of the worn unit.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">As a test I’ve auditioned the Soundsmith SMMC20EN along side a rebuilt MMC5000 from Axel Schurholz. The MMC20 style of pickup can be used in a wide range of B&O’s better turntables, highlights being the Beogram 1700, the Beocenter 1800 and the Beogram 8000 of the Beolab 8000 system. It is the latter setup that was used for these listening tests, the stable nature of the turntable mechanism and the clean, insightful nature of the phono stage in the amplifier make together a very useful analytical tool as well as a fine audio system.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Starting with the MMC5000, it was clear that the characteristic B&O sound, that is smooth, relaxed, pleasant and highly detailed, was there in full measure. Tracking force was determined by the use of a test record rather than relying on the maker’s basic figures; this is the most accurate method and is the only way to extract maximum performance. The optimum setting for the MMC5000 was found to be 1.4 grams, a figure close to that recommended for the original. What was particularly impressive was the wide and deep soundstage that the rebuilt MMC5000 was able to construct, instruments and voices could be instantly placed with unerring precision, this, combined with the alluring tonal balance made for a highly enjoyable listening experience that encouraged the detailed re-exploration of familiar recordings. If one had to be critical it could be said that the focus of the MMC5000 was a little soft, the detail was certainly there but to appreciate it fully it was necessary to settle into the performance and pay careful attention to the most delicate of sounds.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The pickup itself was well finished and apart from some small traces of glue visible around the clear plastic stylus guard showed no signs of having been dismantled.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Moving onto the Soundsmith it was immediately obvious that the two pickups were very different in character. The SMMC20EN appears to have been retuned for the digital age, gone is the smoothness and niceness and in it’s place is a sharper, more aggressively detailed sound that is more akin to that of a CD player than a classic turntable. The SMMC20EN required slightly less down force (1.3 grams) to track correctly but because of its brighter sound the limits of the LP system were more audible, it was never sibilant but it certainly verged on it at times. Some recordings were also overlaid with a steely glare that could very occasionally blur the imaging. For highly produced, high energy music the SMMC20EN cut through the characteristic B&O sound and toughened up the 8000 system in general, if you want to rock and prefer LP to CD then it represents a very worthwhile audition. It was not a pickup that I found relaxing however. The SMMC20EN did however make an excellent pickup for transcription to computer-based compressed audio formats, these tend to throw away the very parts of the sound that the pickup emphasises so overall a reasonably well balanced sound results.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Whilst the SMMC20EN is undoubtedly a competent piece of equipment its appearance leaves much to be desired. The original B&O pickups are styled to precisely match the arms that they fit into but the plastic over body of the SMMC20EN is too big and slightly the wrong shape so it never looks quite right. On the Beogram 8000 this wasn’t too much of a problem as the arm is concealed most of the time and the dust cover is heavily tinted but on more exposed models such as the 4000 range the appearance would offend the connoisseur’s eye. Soundsmith must be congratulated however on tooling up to produce their MMC range, it has saved many a Beogram from disuse.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">To summarise, the choice of pickup depends on what you want it for. If you have an immaculately restored system from which you want authentic appearance and the distinctive “B&O sound” then the reconditioning service offered by Axel is something that requires further investigation. If on the other hand your musical tastes require a harder edge than B&O typically caters for and you can live with the looks then the Soundsmith is an excellent product which will bring you a lot of pleasure.</p><div><br></div> | Technical Information | ||||
Beolink<p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beolink® stems from the fact that since 1985, Bang & Olufsen products have, almost entirely, been able to be controlled by way of remote control.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The idea started in the mid-1970s with <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beosystem 6000</span> - one of the most advanced hi-fi systems ever manufactured. The hi-fi could be controlled by ultrasonic beams - allowing the user to operate the major functions by the touch of a button on a paperback book-sized '<span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Commander'</span>. The culmination of the development of the range of Commanders came in 1985 when <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">David Lewis</span> designed a Beolink® terminal whereby a user, without using visual prompts, could control picture, sound and light sources by applying a slight pressure of the thumb. Incredibly, it could be used around the house, from room to room!</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">So, the idea behind Beolink® is really quite simple. It's all about getting the best out of the Bang & Olufsen products you already own and moving the experience rather than the equipment. You can play the same music throughout the house, increase or decrease the volume, change tracks, switch over to the radio or another music source or watch your favourite television programme wherever you have an extra television or a pair of loudspeakers. Beolink® can even be used to control the lights in your home. Beolink® is controlled either by touch or by the current Beo4 remote control.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what is Beolink®?</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beolink® is a language. One that allows you to get the most out of your entertainment sources, your time, and most importantly, your pleasure. In its abstract form, the language is about a simple form of operation that most of Bang & Olufsen's products share. In its physical form Beolink® is a range of products that you decide to connect together - and live with. Beolink® is a Bang & Olufsen expression that covers:</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>the ability to create and operate audio-video systems.</strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>the ability to distribute sound and picture from a Bang & Olufsen main room system to other rooms in the home, and to operate the main room system from the rooms connected by means of Beolink®.</strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beolink® is not a product - it is a number of features that are the result of the intelligent interaction between products: a synergy effect.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How the idea started: Beolink® Audio product history</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The idea stemmed as far back as 1974 when <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 6000</span>, as part of Beosystem 6000 was introduced. This was followed two years later by the highly successful <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 1900</span> and closely followed the year after when its remote-controlled brother made its début on the hi-fi arena: <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 2400</span>. Both of these units had a sensi-touch display which meant that you just touched the 'buttons' with a finger (or by using the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">ultrasonic remote control commander</span> in the case of <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 2400</span>) to choose your source or to alter the listening level. The idea of electronic sensi-touch controls did away with old-fashioned buttons and other mechanical ways of controlling your equipment and paved the way for the first true 'Datalink' product: <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beogram 4004</span>.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This record-player was the first of its kind in that it linked directly to a suitable Beomaster to start and stop play and to carry out other functions which otherwise had been controlled by a user effecting a control on the record deck itself. The idea was quite simple - a separate data channel was built into the DIN lead which connected the receiver to the record deck. In this way, digital information could be transferred between both units so that each could 'talk to each other' and literally tell each other what the other component was doing! Beogram 4004 went a stage further in that control could be made to the deck and receiver via its own one-way ultrasonic remote control.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In 1979 <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocenter 7000</span> was introduced, later upgraded to the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocenter 7700</span> in 1982. The Center included drivers for the very first Bang & Olufsen link system - MCL82. This was an audio-only Beolink® system using the newly-developed MCL system. Four years later came <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beosystem 5500</span> (developed from the two-way <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beosystem 5000</span>) which was the very first range of products to feature the current <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beo4</span> codes, operated via the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 1000</span> remote control. This same year MCL2 was introduced using the same 8mm passive cable but could incorporate video signals as well.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How the idea started: Beolink® Video product history</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">On the video side of things, Beolink® stemmed initially from the introduction of <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision 4402</span> in 1977 which was Bang & Olufsen's first remote-controlled TV set using an ultrasonic remote control commander. Three years later the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision 8800</span>-family of TV sets was introduced using <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Bang & Olufsen's Video Terminal</span> - the oft-named 'Mars bar' remote control commander which was able to control via now-familiar infra-red signals, the various functions of suitable televisions.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Up till that time only mono sources could be played back via Bang & Olufsen TV sets and video recorders. The UK in the early 1980s had been toying with the idea of transmitting stereo signals to the nation's TV sets but NICAM was not accepted until a few years' later. However, <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision 8902</span> was the company's first stereo set the be introduced which could be 'back-fitted' with the NICAM module to enable receiving of digital stereo broadcasts. Germany paved the way for NICAM broadcasts who 'got there' before the UK!</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In 1986 <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision L2802</span> was introduced which could control a video recorder via the TV's SCART lead. The signals were intercepted via the TV set's 'eye' and them transferred to the VCR through the SCART lead in order to control, video functions. This was achieved through pin 8 of the SCART lead (the status pin) and which generated a 12v electrical signal.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">That same year full integration was achieved between a TV set and a suitable hi-fi system via a 7-pin auxiliary lead.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Simplicity itself!</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beolink® may be obtained in different ways, depending upon the products that are used: basically either the Audio Aux Link/Master Control Link (MCL) system or the current <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Master Link</span> system. The latter is the most recent system with the long-term objective being that it will eventually replace the former system.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beolink® is as simple as 1 + 1 = 3. The idea behind Beolink® is a simple one - connect your products and extend the experience. Have your audio and video sources available all around the house, on any scale you wish. Add loudspeakers and TVs as you wish and when you wish. Technically Beolink® is intelligent software on the inside of most recent B&O products - just add a length of cable to join them together!</p><div><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Imagine a system that allows you to watch the rest of the video that you were half way through in the sitting room the previous night in the bedroom without having to get out of bed to organise it. Picture the system that allows you to move from the shower to the bedroom to the kitchen clearly hearing the same CD the entire time without having to move the sound system - imagine this pleasure and ease of use. That experience is the Bang & Olufsen Beolink® system.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">At the push of a button, Beolink® can give you sound and pictures anywhere in the house. Based on the concept of moving the experience and not the equipment from one central location, Beolink® brings technology into the home as well as a positive addition to our modern lifestyle.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This innovative creation comes from Bang & Olufsen, the company that produced the world's first mains run radio in 1925 and recently has discovered <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">ICEPower</span>, a unique amplifier technology that can reduce energy demands by over 90% whilst improving the sound quality.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Bang & Olufsen has over 11 of its products on permanent display in New York's Museum of Modern Art and in 1990 it was awarded the ID Classics Prize - the first time that the prize was given to a company and not a product. These tributes are not given away lightly and stand as a symbol of Bang & Olufsen's ability to integrate design and technology and its drive to consistently challenge the boundaries of the home entertainment experience. Beolink® is another unique product that does just that.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beolink® is based on the simple fact that all of Bang & Olufsen's products "speak the same language" and therefore can be controlled from one remote control, the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beo4</span>, from any room in the house. The control can operate all functions on Bang & Olufsen's linked product range.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In practical terms adding Beolink® to a house means pleasure and home entertainment at its best. Even the cable for Beolink® goes through Bang & Olufsen's torturous testing procedures - it will work equally well in the heat of a desert or in the sub-zero wastelands of Greenland. It will remain unaffected and shielded from noise from antennae, television sets, coin meters or whatever it may pass on the way to the speakers. This again demonstrates Bang & Olufsen's commitment to excellence and attention to detail.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">With the help of infra-red receivers Beolink® is sound and vision distributed around the modern household as naturally as electricity, water and gas.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Connections are crucial</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">A Beolink® cable must perform equally well inside a heating duct in Tunisia as under a timber roof in Lapland. It should withstand unfair treatment like twisting and curling around skirting boards and door frames. And it should transport CD signals over distances of up to 400 metres without losses of any kind.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Its stereo signals are balanced in twisted pairs: each channel runs differentially with a plus and a minus signal wrapped around one another, and shielded for protection against noise from antennae, TV sets, coin meters or whatever they pass on their way to the loudspeakers.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The data wire follows the same strict principle. On top of these three twisted pairs, and an earth wire for reference, there are three normal lines for power distribution. They are there to ensure the full performance in the Beolink® system, no matter how many unintentional dropouts may appear on the network.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In other words, if you happen to disconnect a loudspeaker while vacuum cleaning one room, the performance will not be affected in the rest of your home.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beolink® has a history of two parts - the earlier Master Control Link and the present <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Master Link</span> systems:</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Master Control Link: you have central heating.. so why not central high fidelity?</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Bang and Olufsen in the mid-1980s developed the totally unique Master Control Link system - the first and only one of its type in the world at that time - which made users of B&O equipment independent of the music system's placement. No matter which room you were in, you were able to control the music system and switch from radio to records to tapes, play, record, fast forward or rewind, and even program the system to awaken you in the morning, for example.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The secret behind the advanced but simple Link system was the discreet Master Control Link that conveyed the two-way communication between the music system and the remote control unit, be it a Master Control Panel (like <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beosystem 5000</span>'s <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">MCP5000</span>) with visual feedback, or a <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Terminal</span>. Every command which you gave the remote control unit was transformed into infra-red signals which were sent through the Link to the music system. A Link enabled you to take full advantage of your Bang & Olufsen music system. With the added advantage that you didn't have to give up space in the connected room to more than a pair of speakers and the Master Control Link, which wasn't much larger than an audio cassette. The small relay unit could be placed discreetly out of sight - under the bed, in a cupboard or by the skirting board, for example.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Compared with other 'obvious' installations in your home, central high fidelity was both simple and manageable. And it was so flexible that new rooms could become part of your system - to the extent and in the order you desired.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">And in the same way that you could vary furnishings from room to room, you could vary your round-the-house-music, with large powerful speakers in large rooms, smaller speakers elsewhere, and the most compact speakers in the most modest rooms.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Master Link</span></h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Master Link</span> perceived as an interconnection method, offers some convenient benefits not available with the MCL system.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">An example is that whereas the interconnection in the main room previously had to be carried out with one type of cable (Audio Aux Link) and the interconnection between the main room and the link rooms with another type of cable (Master Control Link), the new <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Master Link</span> connection offers a bus-type connection that caters for all interconnections between the main room audio and video systems as well as connections to the link rooms.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Another benefit is for completely individual volume control and tone adjustments in each link room, due to the distribution of audio signals at line level and the application of power amplifiers in each link room.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Contrary to the previous signal distribution system, <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Master Link</span> signals are distributed as balanced signals, permitting distribution of CD-quality sound, even when the cable distances are fairly long.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Finally, the distribution hardware has been improved, e.g. by the introduction of a reduced signal cable diameter and new cable termination methods. The benefit of this improvement is that installation has become simpler and more elegant. The simplification is most evident in smaller installations, e.g. the installation of an intelligent kitchen loudspeaker being intuitively and more quickly accomplished, whereas larger installations still require some planning and installation skills.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Through Beolink® you may extend your choices with a range of dedicated Beolink® products. They offer the maximum convenience when it comes to moving and controlling sound and pictures around your home:</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 2000 loudspeakers</span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500 loudspeakers</span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® PC2</span> - <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">PC Office</span></strong></li></ul></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beolink® distribution covers the ability to distribute both audio and video signals. In the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Master Link</span> system audio and control signals are distributed by means of one single cable, whereas the distribution of video signals requires a coaxial cable network. Only more recent Beolink®-compatible products can be fully integrated in a Beolink® system, but previous system products may be integrated to a limited extent. At the end of 2001, only the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoSound Century</span> and <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoSound 1</span> could not be linked via Beolink®. The rest of the product range could be linked up and operated around the house.</p></div><div><br></div><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></p> | Technical Information | ||||
Cartridge Tracking Weights<p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">B&O cartridges all seem to have different tracking weights so we have compiled a list of them for you. Remember that these are a guide only - on the whole, a little extra weight is better than too little. Too little weight will cause mistracking, distortion and record and stylus wear.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The SP range.</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li>SP6/7 2g</li><li>SP8/9 1.2g</li><li>SP10 1.2g</li><li>SP12 1.2g</li><li>SP14 2.0g</li><li>SP15 1.0g</li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The MMCX000/MMC20X ranges</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li>MMC3000 1.2g</li><li>MMC4000 1.0g</li><li>MMC5000 1.5g</li><li>MMC6000 1.0g</li><li>MMC10E 1.5g</li><li>MMC20S 1.5g</li><li>MMC20E 1.5g</li><li>MMC20EN 1.2g</li><li>MMC20CL 1.0g</li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The MMC1-5 range</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li>MMC5 1.5g</li><li>MMC4 1.2g</li><li>MMC3 1.2g</li><li>MMC2 1.0g</li><li>MMC1 1.0g</li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Soundsmith cartridges</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li>SMMC4 1.2g</li><li>SMMC3 1.2g</li><li>SMMC2 1.0g</li><li>SMMC1 1.0g</li><li>SMMC20E 1.2g</li><li>SMMC20EN 1.2g</li><li>SMMC20CL 1.0g</li><li>SMMC20CL+ 1.0g</li><li>The Voice 1.0g (except when specified as medium compliance, when 1.3g)</li></ul></p><div><br></div> | Technical Information | ||||
Datalink<p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Getting the message through</strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Datalink was the first digital language developed by Bang & Olufsen and allowed various components of a music system to work in conjunction with each other. It used the addition of two extra pins to a standard 5-pin DIN plug via which a digital code was sent. It was a way whereby products could 'talk to each other'. Datalink is the forerunner of Beolink®.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The DIN connector has two pins for control signals, one pin as an audio 'common', two pins for stereo 'in' and two more pins for stereo 'out'. The control pins are referred to as Datalink pins and these carry signals to do the following:</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong></strong></p><strong style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">* transfer program-location data to the primary component to show up on the primary unit's console, <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">two-way</span> remote controls, display-equipped BeoLab speakers or Beovision TVs that are installed in other rooms and part of their Beolink 'multi-room' audio-video infrastructure</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">* 'open up' the audio inputs on the Beomaster or Beocenter if the local 'PLAY' key is pressed on the unit</p></strong><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>* accept control signals to control the device from either the primary unit or a remote control</strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The original idea was seen in a prototype system called Beosystem 6000 which comprised a stereo receiver, stereo tangential tracking turntable and an advanced auto reverse reel to reel tape recorder. This system was never put into production but styling cues from the Beomaster led to the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 6000</span> quad receiver, the record player became the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beogram 4000</span> but the Beocord was dropped after only 6 examples were made. The idea of each component being able to talk to each other was postulated but no system was put into production based on this design.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The first production model with any type of link system was the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 2400</span> which, when connected to a <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beogram 4004</span>, allowed remote control of the Beogram via an <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">ultrasonic remote control</span>. Unlike previous systems, all the major controls on the Beogram and the Beomaster were electronic and hence suitable for remote operation. The system was later to include a radial Beogram as well, the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beogram 2402</span>. This system however was a one off and was incompatible with later versions of Datalink. The Beogram and receiver were connected via a captive 7-pin lead on the Beogram.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Datalink first was seen in its full glory in the BeoLab 8000 system in 1981. Unlike the earlier system, full remote control of all the different sources was now possible, with play, record, cueing, programme selection and volume control all possible at the press of a single button on an infra red remote control. The system also allowed one to press a start button on any of the sources which would switch on the Beomaster or vice versa. All the sources were attached to the Beomaster by 7-pin DIN leads. An important point was that the Beomaster remained the hub of the system with all commands from the remote control travelling via the infra red receiver on the Beomaster and Datalink being the messenger to the source.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The system was refined over the years and eventually allowed all functions to be controlled remotely as seen in the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beosystem 7000</span>. These days, the system has fallen into disuse but the language continues in a different guise as MasterLink. No longer speaking between components in a single audio system, MasterLink connects systems together. Older systems can still communicate with the aid of the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1611 converter</span> which translates Datalink to the newer codes.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other audio products with Datalink:</h2><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beomaster</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2000</span>**</strong></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">7000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2400 / 2400-2</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3300</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3500</span></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6500</span></strong></li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beocord</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2000</span></strong></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6500</span>***</li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8004</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3300</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5500</span> ***</li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">7000</span> ***</li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">9000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6002</span></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8002</span></strong></li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beocord VCR</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">VHS 91</span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">VHS 91.2</span></strong></li></ul></p><strong style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></strong><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beogram</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1900</span>/<span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1902</span></strong></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6002</span>*</li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">9000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6006</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">9500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5005</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3300</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">7000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6000</span>*</li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4002</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6000</span></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8002</span></strong></li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beogram CD</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3300</span></strong></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">7000</span></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">CD50</span></strong></li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beocenter</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2300</span></strong></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">9000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">9300</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">9500</span></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8500</span></strong></li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BeoSound</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4000/Ouverture</span></strong></li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br></h2> | Technical Information | ||||
ICEPower<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ICEPower®</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>'Intelligence, Compactness & Efficiency'</strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">ICEPower® is a switching power conversion technology used for audio reproduction. ICEPower® units are characterised by being Intelligent, Compact and Efficient. The ICEPower® series require hardly any cooling; have superb sound quality and competitive total cost efficiency.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>I</strong>ntelligent, <strong>C</strong>ompact and <strong>E</strong>fficient - and it's a revolution in amplifier technology from Bang & Olufsen. It offers more power for less energy and produces a minimum of unwanted excess heat. With a size that's only slightly bigger than a matchbox, it offers incredible freedom to continue to challenge conventional loudspeaker design.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">History</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">As the result of several years of fundamental research within the field of audio power conversion, Bang & Olufsen PowerHouse A/S was founded in 1999. The hard work finally paid off and the exploration of the wide range of ICEPower® applications could begin.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">For the first time in the 75-year history of Bang & Olufsen A/S a private person was granted joint ownership. The joint venture between Bang & Olufsen A/S and inventor of ICEPower® Ph.D. Karsten Nielsen was the perfect combination. The established organisation with its experience and well-known quality brand made the ideas of the young entrepreneurial scientist come true.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Turning ICEPower® technology into products requires a flexible organisation, which allows for creating thinking and experimenting, followed by systematic and structured verification of ideas. Only the best ideas turn into exciting and innovative products.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ICEPower® vision</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Bang & Olufsen has a remarkably simple technical vision - a quest for point zero, or as stated by Karsten Nielsen:</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>"We pursue ideal power conversion from any point of view. This means 100% efficiency, zero distortion, zero noise, zero output impedance, zero volume/weight as ultimate research goals - basically a multiplier symbol. Ideal power conversion is indeed quite a challenging journey..."</strong></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ICEPower® products</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 1</span> - as well as <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 2</span> - makes use of Bang & Olufsen's innovative ICEPower® technology. With practically no electric power loss and a greatly reduced cooling space, the new, compact digital power amplifier allows the bass unit in <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 1</span> to produce a sound far beyond the dimensions of the cabinet.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">As the very first product using ICEPower® technology from Bang & Olufsen PowerHouse a/s, <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 1</span> was released for sale in Autumn 1999. 300 watts of ICEPower® technology are employed for bass reproduction, providing a phenomenal listening experience.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 1</span> takes everything Bang & Olufsen knows about great sound and combines it with the innovative ICEPower® technology. With practically no electrical power loss and a greatly reduced cooling space, the compact ICEPower® digital power amplifier allows a bass reproduction in <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 1</span> that is far beyond what one would expect from the physical dimensions of the cabinet. <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 1</span> takes the Bang & Olufsen pursuit of natural sound reproduction to a new level.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Launched in the Spring of 2001, the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 2</span> subwoofer adds a new dimension to Bang & Olufsen sound experiences. <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 2</span>, completely based on ICEPower® amplification technology, is constructed as a double-balanced passive radiator system with an 850W ICEPower® amplifier supplying the fuel for one 21cm woofer and two 21cm passive radiators.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Second-generation ICEPower® technology allows Bang & Olufsen to put even more powerful amplifiers in smaller spaces. Furthermore, producing the optimal sound performance in all aspects of both video and audio material has remained a central issue in the creation of all mechanical, electronic and acoustic details.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 2</span> features three custom designed long stroke loudspeaker units. Among other details the active driver has magnetic shielding to allow placement close to a TV set and it utilises a double spider-system for exact control of the linear movement.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Intelligence, compactness and efficiency are what ICE in ICEPower® technology represents. The module uses less electricity, reduces heat and uses 99 per cent of power input to make sound, compared to only 1 per cent in traditional sound systems. This technology can be found in B&O's top-of-the-line speaker, the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolab 5</span>. It packs lots of wattage in a small package only 8 cm by 8 cm square and 2 cm thick.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Co-founder and chief technological officer of B&O's new ICEPower® unit Karsten Nielsen explained: 'In traditional sound systems, only 1 per cent of the energy the amplifiers receive is used to make sound. The rest is lost as heat. This has been the technology for the last 40, 50 years'</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>His dissertation for his PhD led to ICEPower®, which switches the electrical supply on and off 400,000 times a second to reduce heat.</strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Less heat means no clumsy paraphernalia like big heat sinks or fans found on conventional speakers. 'Because we switch the supply very quickly, we can still maintain high-quality output to the loudspeakers', said Dr Nielsen.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">(Source: The Straits Times, Tech & Science section, 27 June 2001)[/I]</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The Latest ICEPower information can be found at the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">ICEPower Official Website</span></p><div><br></div> | Technical Information | ||||
Master Control Link - A Glossary of Terms<p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>AUX link</strong> is the term for the connection which takes place between a Bang & Olufsen audio system and video system</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>AV link</strong> is the term for the connection which takes place between a Bang & Olufsen television and video recorder</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Beocenter</strong> is a Bang & Olufsen audio component with receiver, tape recorder, CD player or turntable in one cabinet</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Beocord</strong> is a Bang & Olufsen audio or video tape recorder</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Beogram</strong> is a Bang & Olufsen turntable or CD player</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Beolink</strong> is the term which describes the ability of Bang & Olufsen audio and video products to be operated in an integrated fashion by the Beo4 or Beolink 1000 remote terminal</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Beomaster </strong>is a Bang & Olufsen audio receiver, which contained the micro-computer circuitry for operating the audio system</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Beovision</strong> is a Bang & Olufsen television set</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Central Room</strong> - also called "main room" - is the room in which the main Bang & Olufsen audio system or audio/video system is located. Sound and pictures are always distributed from the central room to the local rooms</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Device</strong> is any peripheral video component (computer, decoder, game etc.) which is connected to a Bang & Olufsen video system via RF (Radio Frequency or aerial) or AV inputs</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Datalink</strong> is the term which describes the two-way digital communication system between Bang & Olufsen products (connected via a 7-pin DIN plug)</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>DIN plug</strong> is a European plug which has been designed according to the <i>"Deutsche Industrie Norm". </i>DIN plugs and sockets are used in all Bang & Olufsen products</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Infra-red Sensor</strong> is an accessory, such as for the Beomaster 5500, which allowed the Beomaster to be concealed while retaining full remote control capability</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Local Room</strong> - also called "link room" - is any room in which a Master Control Link system has been installed</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Local Source</strong> is a Bang & Olufsen audio or video component which is placed in a local room and connected to an MCL 2AV</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Master Control Link (MCL)</strong> is the term which describes the ability to distribute and control sound and pictures from multiple locations in the home</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Master Control Link Cable</strong> is a special 7-lead conductor cable which runs from the Central room audio system to the Master Control Link relay box, or from relay box to relay box. Available unterminated or in pre-made lengths with plugs attached</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Master Control Panel (MCP)</strong> is a type of remote control which featured two way data communication for readout of system status at the user location (as in the MCP5000, MCP5500 and MCP6500)</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Option Programming</strong> is the programming of any Bang & Olufsen product which contains an infra-red pickup (Beomaster, Beovision or MCL transceiver) to process certain remote commands and block other commands. Option programming, accomplished via the Beo4 or Beolink 1000 remote terminals, is necessary due to the multiple connection and placement capabilities of Bang & Olufsen products in the home.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Power Link</strong> is the connection between a BeoSound, Beomaster, Beovision or MCL 2AV and powered loudspeakers or MCL 2P amplifier. Power Link carries left/right preamp signals along with display data, turn-on and protection signals. The signal is a volume-adjusted line level signal and both left and right signals are carried in one cable, with data signals for a BeoLab status display. This means that it is no longer the socket on the Beomaster that decides whether it is the left or right channel. Instead a switch on the BeoLab loudspeaker has to be set to the correct position. Power Link is very flexible with regard to connections. A pair of loudspeakers can be connected the usual way, with one cable to each loudspeaker, a BUS system can be applied where the signal is looped through one of the loudspeakers and then on to the next, or both methods may be combined if more than one pair of speakers needs to be connected. No matter which method is used, the correct setting of the L - R switch on the loudspeaker is essential. Up to 10 pairs and 100 metres of Power Link cable is recommended</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Power Link cable</strong> is a special 8-lead conductor cable which runs from a BeoSound, Beomaster, Beovision or MCL 2AV with Power Link sockets to BeoLab loudspeakers or the MCL 2P amplifier. Available unterminated or in pre-made lengths with plugs attached (5m, 10, 20m)</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Relay Box</strong> is a part of the Master Control Link 2ABLI. The relay box is the connection point for the local room loudspeakers, transceiver and MCL cable. It contained the speaker muting relay, protection circuit and power supply for the MCL 2ABLI.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Speaker Link</strong> is the connection between the Speaker 1 output of a Beomaster or Beocenter and BeoLab series loudspeakers</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Speakers 1</strong> is the speaker output on a Beomaster or Beocenter which was used for driving the main room (passive) speakers</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Speakers 2</strong> is the speaker output on a Beomaster or Beocenter which was used for driving the Master Control Link system as well as driving a second pair of passive loudspeakers</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Transceiver</strong> is a part of a Master Control Link 2ABL1 or 2AV. The transceiver sent and received infrared signals to and from a Bang & Olufsen remote terminal or Master Control Panel</p><div><br></div> | Technical Information | ||||
Masterlink<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Master Link</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>1992 -</strong></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below are descriptions of individual elements of the Master Link system together with application uses:</h2><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500</span></h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500</span> is an integrated link room speaker consisting of an <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">active speaker</span> with Master Link (ML) connection, an IR receiver and a display. <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500</span> also has Master Control Link (MCL) connection. Furthermore, <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500</span> has a built-in clock. <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500</span> is supplied with a mains lead, a Master Link cable and a bracket for wall mounting.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Application: <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500</span> is used in link rooms where you wish to have an integrated active speaker. From <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500</span> it's possible to listen to all sources from the main room, both audio and video sources. <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500</span> has built-in sound control, meaning that tone and volume can be adjusted independently of the main room. With the tone control it is possible to adjust balance, bass, treble and loudness individually.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500</span> offers the following local operation features:</strong></p><strong style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Timer on/off</p></strong><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>PLAY / ST.BY</strong></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Active</span></h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Active</span> consists of a control box, an IR receiver, a receiver cable and a mains lead. Application <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Active</span> speakers are used in link rooms where <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">active speaker</span> are required. All Bang & Olufsen <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">active speaker</span> may be connected. <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Active</span> has built-in sound control, meaning that tone and volume can be adjusted independently of the main room.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">With the tone control it is possible to adjust balance, bass, treble and loudness individually. With a <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Active</span> it is possible to distribute the sound from all main room products - both the video and audio sources.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong></strong></p><strong style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Active</span> offers the following local operation features:</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Timer on/off</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">PLAY / ST.BY</p></strong><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Volume up and down</strong></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Video</span></h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Video</span> consists of a control box, a mains lead and a <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Datalink</span> cable. Apart from this you need an coaxial cable from the HF outlet of the video tape recorder in the main room. This cable is connected to the aerial input of the link room TV.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Application: <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Video</span> is used in link rooms where both sound and picture are required via a Bang & Olufsen TV set. <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Video</span> is connected to the link room TV set by means of the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Datalink</span> cable.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">With <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Video</span> it is possible to use all the sources in the main room. In particular it is possible to operate SAT and V.TAPE but it is further possible to watch a decoded programme from the TV set in the main room. In addition, it is possible to operate all audio sources, thereby using the speakers in Bang & Olufsen's TV sets for obtaining audio sound. If you want even greater sound in the room you can connect Bang & Olufsen's <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">active speaker</span> to the TV set.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Video</span> is connected to the TV set by means of the 7-pin <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Datalink</span> cable and to the main room with a Master Link cable.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Converter</span></h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Converter</span> consisted of a control box and a mains lead.</strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Application: <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Converter</span> was used when audio and video products with Master Link and Audio Aux Link (<span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Datalink</span>) had to be interconnected. <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Converter</span> could be used in conjunction with both a video and an audio master. <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Converter</span> featured auto configuration, meaning that it was able to detect automatically whether it was installed in a Master Link audio or in a Master Link video system. Configuration took place when it was connected to the mains.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink® Converter</span> was used in compatibility setups.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AV9000 Audio Kit</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>The Beosystem AV 9000 Audio Kit consisted of a control box and a mains lead</strong>.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Application: the AV 9000 Audio Kit is used to obtain compatibility between <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beosystem AV 9000</span> and products without Master Link connection. AV 9000 Audio Kit was updated with a built-in power supply when it then featured auto configuration. The AV 9000 Audio Kit can be used in conjunction with <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision AV 9000</span> only.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i>Note that the AV 9000 Audio Kit with switch cannot be used with the new 9-pin Master Link cable</i></p><i style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></i><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i></i></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">ML/MCL Converter</span></h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">ML/MCL Converter</span> consisted of a control box and an amplifier.</strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Application: <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">ML/MCL Converter</span> was used where a conversion from Master Link (ML) to Master Control Link (MCL) was wanted. Such a conversion was required if you wanted to maintain the existing Master Control Link system although the audio system in the main room was replaced with a Master Link driver; for example a <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoSound Ouverture</span>. <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">ML/MCL Converter</span> could also be used in conjunction with a <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beosystem AV 9000</span> with an AV 9000 Master Panel.</p><div><br></div> | Technical Information | ||||
RIAA Pre-Amplifiers<p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Equalising the phono signal</strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i>Vinyl records have three basic problems: it is physically impossible to press them with ridges that end up allowing low frequencies to come out at the same reproduction level as mid and high frequencies.</i></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Bass compensation is therefore needed during playback. Secondly, records produce a certain amount of hiss which is covered up in post-production by boosting the gain of the high frequencies before pressing. Counter-EQing during playback compensates for this. Finally, magnetic cartridges produce a weak signal which must be boosted to match the rest of the amplification and this too is done during playback. In the mid-1950s, compensation standards were established by the Recording Industry Association of America.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The resulting RIAA preamp has been built into every hi-fi and stereo amplifier with phono or turntable inputs since then. A separate RIAA preamp is necessary when you are connecting a turntable to a mixer which does not have one built in.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The phono preamplifier is the key component needed to match the output of the turntable to the line input of the amplifier or audio mixer. If you've tried connecting a turntable to a modern amp or hi-fi unit and you're not happy with the results, it's probably because you don't have a suitable turntable input.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Manufacturers tend not to include a turntable input anymore because the vast majority of customers don't play vinyl. However, you can still obtain turntables and magnetic pick-up cartridges. The signal from these pick-ups is much smaller than from a CD, tape deck, radio tuner or auxiliary source - so if you connect to any of those inputs you'll not have much volume. Also the tone will be totally wrong - all treble and no bass. What you need then is a phono preamplifier, it connects between turntable and amplifier or hi-fi unit. It lifts the signal to the required level and restores the tonal balance.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Phono preamplifiers explained</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Retrieving the signal from a record groove takes carefully balanced engineering to restore the sound back to the original so it can be applied to the input of an amplifier or audio mixer.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">All gramophone records are cut with falling bass (LF) and rising treble (HF) below and above some mid-range frequency (MF). It's this trick that makes it possible to keep the groove a constant width.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">It is a phono preamplifier's job (otherwise known as gramophone amplifiers, turntable pre-amps or vinyl disc equalisers) to precisely perform the opposite effect to that of the record cutting machine. This is called equalisation (EQ for short) which boosts the bass and cuts the treble by just the right amount. It also has to amplify the tiny signal from the pick-up cartridge, with minimal noise and distortion, so it's big enough to drive an amplifier.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Tip: The <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">MMC 4</span> combined stylus/cartridge - in common with all B&O cartridges - is a form of moving magnet cartridge. It is slightly different and actually has a slightly lower output than average, but when combined with a pre-amplifier you should use the MM input. It is designed to use a load of 47 K Ohm/220pF so the 235pF is probably the one to try. The lower output will only mean that you will need a little more gain than normal on the amplifier. Remember to ground the deck if this is not already the case!</strong></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Note about Beograms:</h2><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beogram 3000 (Type 59xx)</span><span style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> does not have a built in RIAA amplifier and relies on this being in the receiver used with it. </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beomaster 3000</span><span style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> - which this deck was designed to work with - has the RIAA built in as do almost every receiver before this time, including the </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beomaster 8000</span><span style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">. Later equipment such as the </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beomaster 7000</span><span style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> and </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beomaster 3500</span><span style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> and </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Beomaster 4500</span><span style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> transferred the RIAA to the record player as this allowed a longer cable to be fitted to the record player and gave better siting options.</span><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The following list of B&O Beogram turntables shows those with built-in RIAA pre-amplifiers and those without:</h2><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">RIAA amplifier built-in to the turntables:</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1000VF</span></strong></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1200</span> +GF3</li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3000</span> +GF4</li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3400 quad</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6000 (tangential)</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6500</span></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">7000</span></strong></li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In addition the following Beograms could be fitted with a CD4 demodulator as an option, in order to raise the output to line level. There is a switch on the right hand side of the deck to identify them:</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4002</span></strong></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4004</span></strong></li></ul></p><strong style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></strong><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Without</strong> an RIAA amplifier built-in:</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1000V</span></strong></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1001</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1100</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1102</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1200</span></li><li>1201</li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1202</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1203</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1700</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1800</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1900</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">1902</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2200</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2202</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2400</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2402</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">2404</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3000 Type 5228</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3000 Type 59xx</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">3404</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4002</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">4004</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5005</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6000 radial</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6002</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6006</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8002</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">8500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">9000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">9500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">RX</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">RX2</span></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">TX</span></strong></li></ul></p><div><br></div> | Technical Information | ||||
Two Way Communication<h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two-way remote controls</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>From slide-rule to electronic sophistication</strong></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i>The slide rule function, which symbolised a precision never seen before, allowed Bang & Olufsen music systems of the late 1960s and early 1970s to convey their settings in a way that no other product had done so previously.</i></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Jacob Jensen's designs of such classics as <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 1200</span> and <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocord 1100</span> allowed users to see volume levels and tuning functions from some distance away. This clear, concise method became the first example of two-way communication – a feature which B&O refined still further through their sophisticated remote controls throughout the 1980s and 1990s. At first it was the large LEDs of such products as <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocenter 5000</span> and <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 6000</span> which allowed the user the view the state of play from across a room, as the numbers sloped towards you, followed later by electronic visualisation through hand-held remote-control terminals.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Imagine a remote-control which spoke back to you. Imagine a remote-control which confirmed that your commands had been carried out. Imagine a remote-control that gave you visual feedback of your instructions and reconfirmed these every time you pressed a button on your Bang & Olufsen <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 5000</span> or <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 7000</span>.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This interactive remote-control system was around from 1985 to the mid-1990s when two-way communication was in use in the majority of Bang & Olufsen's audio and video products.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The first product to use two-way communication was in the innovative <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beosystem 5000</span>, designed by Jacob Jensen. Its remote control terminal - <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Master Control Panel 5000</span> (MCP5000) - was used for instructing <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 5000</span> to follow out your commands, and in turn, <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 5000</span> confirmed your instructions by instantly sending signals back to your <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">MCP5000</span> so that you could see that they had been carried out. Further, by using Bang & Olufsen's Master Control Link (MCL) around the house in a Beolink® system, the Panel could enact your instructions and confirm that they had been initiated through the Beolink® two-way MCL wall sensor.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Two-way communication progressed throughout the 1980s with Beosystems <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">5500</span>, <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">6500</span> and <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">7000</span> when the one-way remote control - <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 1000</span> - was introduced to complement the other terminals in the family. However, it was necessary to use either <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 5000</span> or the more sophisticated <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 7000</span>, to receive visual feedback of your commands, for products not equipped with their own MCPs.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what was Two-way Communication?</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Two-way operation and exchange of data: a command was issued from the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 5000</span> or <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">7000</span> when you activated a key. The command was received by the two-way audio/video product and the processed command was relayed to the source via <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Datalink</span>. A confirmation was then sent all the way back to the remote-control to update the panel.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What were its benefits?</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Instant feedback of the source being played was the obvious benefit. However, programming a video recorder (such as the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">VX7000</span> with either the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">MX6000</span> or <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">MX7000</span>) was made so much easier if the VCR was communicating with you real-time. It was just then a simple matter of answering the timer questions and having them confirmed with you at each stage. Linked with this, if a hi-fi or video was situated a long way from you and you found it difficult to read the tracks numbers, <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 5000</span> and <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 7000</span> made it so much easier. At night, <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 5000</span> and <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">7000</span> made the task of using your remote control a lot easier. Beolink 7000 of course, illuminated the information in red LEDs; with Beolink 5000 it was just a case of hold up the transparent readout to a light source (say, a TV screen) so that you could easily make out the readout. With <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beo4</span> of course, this is not so easy, as each time you need to use it, you either have to remember which button to press (with 'List' this is almost an impossibility) or else turn on a lamp each time you wish to use it.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Not only audio and video products could be used via two-way communication. Light sources - through the <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">LC2</span> light control unit - could be controlled with such products as <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocenter 9500</span>, which could be programmed to turn on or off the LC2 unit at any given time, and at any given light setting. With one-way products this is impossible as it was the products themselves which sent out the infra-red digital instructions, rather than the remote control terminals.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What products could use two-way communication?</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">In addition to the Beosystems which used two-way communication, many other video and audio products utilised the same system, including:</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Audio Products</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocenter 2300</span></strong></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocenter 2500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocenter 7700</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocenter 9500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 4500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 5000 (with MCP5000)</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 5500 (with MCP5500)</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 6500 (with MCP6500)</span></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beomaster 7000</span></strong></li></ul></p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Video Products</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><strong>Televisions:</strong></p><strong style="color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><ul><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision L4500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision L5500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision LS4500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision LS5500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision LX4500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision LX5500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision LX5000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision LX6000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision MX3500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision MX5500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision MX6000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beovision MX7000</span></li><li><strong><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beosystem AV9000</span></strong></li></ul></p></strong><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">VCRs (used in conjunction with relevant Beovision)</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><ul><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocord VX5000</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocord VX5500</span></li><li><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beocord VX7000</span></li></ul></p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Many of these products however, used two-way communication for just a portion of their lifetime. When purchasing any of the above second-hand, it is always advisable to check on the 'type' number of the product concerned. Those manufactured in the early 1990s may well have been manufactured with the 'two-way chip'; since the demise of two-way remote controls, products may well have been manufactured to function just as one-way units.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Which remote controls could be used?</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 5000</span> and <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">Beolink 7000</span> were the two main remote control terminals (used on many of the above audio and video systems); however Master Control Panels 5000, 5500 and 6500 also offered two-way visual feedback for their respective Beosystems.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why did Bang & Olufsen abandon the use of two-way communication?</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">The company says that it ended as a consequence of the two-way feedback slowing down use of the remote controls. However, in practice, any time delay was minimal. The benefits far outweighed its disadvantages (if there were any). The system officially ended with the introduction of the Beo4 remote control terminal in 1994. No other manufacturer of hi-fi and video products has ever come near the products created by Bang & Olufsen with two-way capabilities. Perhaps one day the technology will be looked at again.</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What are the legacies of two-way communication?</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">None, really, After the demise of two-way remote control terminals and active speakers with displays, the only product left was <span style="color: rgb(51, 153, 204); outline: none;">BeoLab 3500</span>. No other two-way products are currently manufactured (2004).</p><h2 style="font-size: 18px; line-height: 1.375em; margin: 0px 0px 15px; color: rgb(51, 133, 173); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Two-way operation:</h2><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">When you touch a button on the Beolink 5000 terminal, an IR command is issued and a cue is read out in the display to confirm that you have activated the button. The Beovision receives the command, the microprocessor processes it and relays it to the proper source where the command is carried out. The source confirms that the operation is carried out - or, if the command cannot be carried out, sends a message back telling why. The confirmation is then processed in the TV before being fed back to the Beolink 5000 where the display reads out the correct cue. This invisible procedure means that all you have to do is to press the source button - the system does the rest.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">This automatic rerouting and processing of operation commands inside the system is a result of your operation. Apart from this operation level there is also an automated function level in the system: automatic transfer of vital data from one component to the others, in order to minimise the tedious work in setting up the video system.</p><p style="line-height: 1.5em; margin: 0px 0px 20px; color: rgb(83, 101, 124); font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><i>Video System 5500 - Product Information 1991/92</i></p><div><i><br></i></div> | Technical Information |