Master Control Link (abbreviated MCL or Link) was a unit which made it possible to control and enjoy a music system from any room in the house that had a Link unit installed. It was operated by infra-red remote control.
The two systems – MCL30 and MCL82 were introduced in 1982. The ’82’ of MCL82 signified the year of its introduction. Both Link systems were predecessors to MCL2 (introduced in 1987) and MasterLink from the early 1990s.
| MCL 82, Type 2041 (1982 – Dec 1997) | MCL 30, Type 2050 (1982 – May 1993) |
| BeoCenter 7000 type 1801/1803/1808 BeoCenter 7002 type 1801 BeoCenter 7007 type 1821 – 1829 BeoCenter 7700 type 1811 – 1819 BeoMaster 5000 type 2321 – 2329 BeoMaster 8000 type 1901 – 1909 (each Link unit had to be modified in order to function) * | BeoMaster 3000 type 2931 – 2939 |
| * Master Control Link could not be connected to BeoMaster 8000 and 6000 directly because there was no connection for Datalink and supply voltage to the system through extra pins in the speaker sockets. Consequently, it had to be supplemented with an extra box, Type 1006/1007 (MCL-BeoLab kit), which was supplied with special mounting instructions. | |
This chart indicates which remote control units – Master Control Panel or Terminal – may be used in the Link room together with the various music systems:
| Music system | Remote control with display | Type | Order no: |
| BeoCenter 7700 | Master Control Panel 7700 | 2042 | 8920420 |
| BeoCenter 7007 | Master Control Panel 7700 (display operated through Master Control Link) | 2042 | 8020420 |
| BeoMaster 5000 | Master Control Panel 5000 | 2038 | 8920380 |
| BeoCenter 7700 | BeoCenter Terminal | 2043 | 8920430 |
| BeoCenter 7007 | BeoCenter Terminal | 2043 | 8920430 |
| BeoMaster 5000 | Terminal 5000 | 2039 | 8920390 |
| BeoCenter 7000 – 7002 | BeoCenter Control Module | 8052115 | |
| BeoMaster 8000 | BeoLab Terminal | 1002 | 8052142 |
| BeoMaster 6000 | BeoMaster Terminal | 2035 | 8052139 |
| BeoMaster 6000 | BeoMaster Terminal | 2035 | 8052139 |
| BeoMaster 3000 | Terminal 3000 | 2044 | 8920440 |
The two Link systems consisted of two parts:
1. Transceiver (infra-red transmitter-receiver with some direct control buttons)
2. Relay box (containing control electronics and connections)
Dimensions 130 x 39 x 22mm
Dimensions: 160 x 110 x 35mm
The two parts were connected and, together with a set of speakers and a control cable, the parts constituted an extra “remote control terminal” for the music system. The control cable was an 8 mm cable run from the music system to the Link unit.
Extra rooms may be added on; all that was required was to install a Master Control Link and a set of speakers in each room and run a control cable from another Link or from a connection box.
The functions available on the music system remote control unit could be operated from Link rooms.
The advantage of the Master Control Link is that it was possible to both operate and listen to music in another room. It was possible to listen to radio programmes, records and tapes, adjust volume and to switch the whole music system on and off from any room that had an MCL-unit installed. Operation was effected by means of the Master Control Panel or Terminal available for the music system (such as BeoSystem 5000).
The technical function of the Master Control Link was to pass a control signal to and from a BeoMaster or BeoCenter and to control switching of the speaker set connected.
When a Master Control Panel button was actuated, an infra-red signal was transmitted to the Transceiver which received the signal and transformed it into a digital code. This digital code was passed on through the relay box to the music system where the desired function was executed and confirmation that the function had been executed was sent back through the same lead. The Transceiver then fed back information to the Master Control Panel which indicated the function achieved on the display.
If the whole system was on stand-by and P1 was actuated on the Master Control Panel, then the following would happen:
If the next order concerned change of programme or a sound adjustment of the Music System the microcomputer checked the digital code prior to accepting it and passing it on to the Music System, and this is all that will happen in the relay box
The MUTE function, however, applied only to the room from which the system was being operated:
Only the speakers in this room were switched and the order was not passed on to the music system. A stand-by order from the Music System or from another Transceiver in a different room caused all speakers to be switched off.
After installation of a Master Control Link system with which a Master Control Panel was, testing had to be executed with the latter. This was in order to ensure that transmission both to and from the Music System was unimpeded. (Confirmation from the Music System is indicated on the Control Panel display.)
When a switch on the Terminal is actuated an infra-red signal is transmitted to the Transceiver which receives the signal and transforms it into a digital code. This digital code is passed on through the relay box to the Music System where the desired function is executed.
Speaker control can only be carried out manually by pressing the speaker button on the Transceiver.
An exception to this is BeoCenter 7000/7002 where switching on is carried out automatically when operated with a Terminal, but switching off must be carried out by actuating the Transceiver speaker button.
Chart of the functions which could be controlled from other rooms through the Master Control Link system by using a Master Control Panel (MCP) or a Terminal:
| Operation with MCP or Terminal | Music system: | |||||
| BeoCenter 7700 – 7007 | BeoMaster 5000 | BeoCenter 7002 – 7000 | BeoMaster 8000 | BeoMaster 3000 | BeoMaster 6000 | |
| What may be operated? | All MCP or Terminal functions (only speakers in room selected were coupled, provided that a Link was mounted in Center room | All MCP or Terminal functions. Only speakers in room selected were coupled | All Terminal functions | All BeoLab Terminal functions. Speakers had to be connected to Transceiver box with
| All BeoMaster Terminal functions. Speakers had to be connected to Transceiver box with
| All BeoMaster Terminal functions. Speakers had to be connected to Transceiver box with
|
| MUTE/MUTING | Speakers in this room were coupled or uncoupled | Speakers in this room were coupled or uncoupled | No MUTE button | No MUTE button | MUTE button worked when music system was on and for all speakers | MUTE button worked when music system was on and for all speakers |
| RESET | All speakers were adjusted to the pre-set volume | RESET of sound each time BeoMaster was switched on. No RESET button | RESET of sound each time BeoCenter was switched on. No RESET button | RESET of sound each time BeoMaster was switched on. No RESET button | RESET of sound each time BeoMaster was switched on. No RESET button | All speakers were adjusted to the pre-set volume |
| STATUS (MCP only) | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Display function (MCP only) | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Stand-by | Music system went stand-by. Speakers were uncoupled in all rooms | Music system went stand-by. Speakers were uncoupled in all rooms | Music system went stand-by. Speakers remained coupled and were played the next time system was switched on | Music system went stand-by. Speakers remained coupled and were played the next time system was switched on | Music system went stand-by. Speakers remained coupled and were played the next time system was switched on | Music system went stand-by. Speakers remained coupled and were played the next time system was switched on |
| * If the Link units were connected to the SPEAKERS 1 outputs on BeoMaster 3000 and headphones were connected, the sound in the Link rooms would disappear | ||||||
If no Master Control Panel or Terminal was at hand in the Link room, operation may be executed, to a limited extent, from the Transceiver box itself. Below are the functions for speaker control and stand-by:
| Operation on Transceiver box | Music system: | |||
| BeoCenter 7700 – 7007 | BeoMaster 5000 | BeoCenter 7000 – 7002 | BeoMaster 8000 | |
| Speakers in this room | Coupled or uncoupled speakers. Al speakers were adjusted to RESET level. May switch BeoMaster on last program selected | Coupled or uncoupled speakers. May switch BeoMaster on last program selected | Coupled or uncoupled speakers and ‘remembered’ last setting. Did not switch on BeoCenter; this had to be done via Terminal and speakers were coupled automatically | Coupled or uncoupled speakers and ‘remembered’ last setting. Did not switch on BeoCenter; this had to be done via Terminal |
| TIMER Used when music system was switched on by means of time programming | Button in = speakers will be on Button out = speakers will be off | Button in = speakers will be on Button out = speakers will be off | Button not operational. Speakers were coupled or uncoupled by
| Button not operational. Speakers were coupled or uncoupled by
|
| Stand-by | Switched off whole music system except when recording | Switched off whole music system except when recording | Switched off whole music system except when recording | Button not operational |
The TIMER was an extension of the time programming feature of BeoCenter 7007, 7700 and BeoMaster 5000. This button was used to determine whether or not the speakers in this room should be coupled: e.g. when the music system had been programmed to switch on say, radio programme 2 at 17:30
This transceiver did not allow actual music system operation. By means of 
only the speakers were switched on (did not switch on the music system).
| Music system: | |||||
| BeoCenter 7700 – 7007 | BeoMaster 5000 | BeoCenter 7002 – 7007 | BeoMaster 6000/8000 | BeoMaster 3000 | |
| Coupling and uncoupling in same room as music system | SPEAKERS 1 button or automatic control through MCL in same room. TIMER button | MUTING button | SPEAKERS 1 button | SPEAKERS 1 button | SPEAKERS 2 button (only if Link units were connected to SPEAKERS 1 outputs) |
| Time programming for starting a program, speakers in same room were desired to be coupled | SPEAKERS 1 button or automatic control through MCL in same room. TIMER button | Connect phones or automatic control through MCL in same room, TIMER button | SPEAKERS 1 button | SPEAKERS 1 button | |
