Meridian Unplugged - Powered by MrTechGuy.co.uk Forums Discussion Meridian - Systems 861v6 won't connect to Mconfig - at wit's end. Help?

Hi all,

I have just taken receipt of an 861v6 with the v8 firmware earlier today. Excited to hook it up.

But I am having no luck getting MConfig to recognise my 861v6 is "connected".

I have just come from an 861v4 (with v8 firmware), and did not experience any of the problems I am experiencing below.

Can anyone please help me? I am at my wit's end

I have 2 computers and neither of them recognise the 861v6 as connected (to the MConfig software).

MConfig just says "no product detected" - no matter what I do.

I'm at a heartbreaking loss

I have used two different USB to RS232 cables (a 'Comsol' with FDTI chipset, and the other a generic cable with Prolific chipset ; I have read all historical posts here saying the latter can be "pedantic") - I have connected each to either:

- A Windows XP PC or:
- My newer Dell Windows 10 PC.

No matter what I do, with either cable, MConfig will not detect my 861v6 on either computer. When I select "identify" in MConfig every time it just says "No product connected to COMx can be identified".

I even tried to connect to the Meridian Keyboard (software) ie, bypass MConfig and, although it says "connected", this seems to be a red herring as the 861v6 does not respond to any commands at all through this (volume up, down, nothing) - therefore, I believe my V6 is not connected at all. (Perhaps it IS connected to the COM port but, not the 861 - how can this be ..?)

My cabling has not changed from when I owned my 861v4 - this connected perfectly on Windows XP using the Prolific-chipset USB TO RS232 cable.

Not this 861v6, though.

I have also mapped the COM port in MConfig to the converter's COM port as displayed on my PC.

The ONLY thing I can think I haven't done, vs. what others on here have done, is buy the Startech or
Keyspan adaptor (FDTI?). But, I've tried the Comsol one above and although not the same brand this appears to be confirmed as FDTI in my driver software.

If the Startech/Keyspans are the only ones guaranteed to work then I'll track them down but, I just have a feeling given no matter what I do, the 861v6 is sending "no" signal to Mconfig, I wonder if cabling is in fact not my problem.

I don't know what else to do..

Can anyone help a fellow out ?

Thankyou so much !

Andrew

Did you screw the RS232 plug?

With my G68, no need to screw, but with the 861v6, I need to do it.

You mean the two long screws on both sides of the RS232 connector (that screw the cable in)?

No, I didn't. Didn't think it would make a difference but I'll try.

Thanks.

Have you tried the obvious - switch the unit off then on again and then connect to it via the PC before you press any buttons on it?

Some units won't go into configuration mode unless they are reset...

Cheers,

Steve

Yes exactly

Thanks Steve and Domin !

I haven't yet had a chance to try your suggestions but, I will so today (now - Australian daylight time ) and report back.

Thankfully, the 861v6 itself must be ok; I just tried to hook up my 800v4 as well to MConfig via same cabling (as a means of diagnosis) and the exact same symptom - 800v4 would not connect/recognise either. (Ie, I was sweating bullets thinking maybe there was a problem with the RS232 on the 861v6).

I hope there's a simple fix for all this.

I've toyed with thoughts of just buying an old RS232 Windows XP laptop but, even on eBay these are still hundreds of dollars, and I remember I did this years ago and the thing didn't work on arrival! Bit of a slippery slope..

Andrew

All,

Turns out I had a bad RS232 cable. By process of elimination worked my way back through the extension cable (fine) then USB to RS232 cable (fine) then :

Replaced the RS232 cable in the back of the unit and, bingo! Unit detected.

Just had to install a new version of Mconfig exe, and I am now up and away.

Whew 🤣. Was feeling pretty worried there..

Andrew

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for update, glad you’re all sorted now

Regards,
Carl

Thanks Carl.

For the life of me though, I can't get DVD or 2ch CD sound out of my 800v4 (3xSPDIF) into 861v6 IE44 (MD2). Both sides up as 'Multichannel SmartLink. I've setup 800 as "Multichannel Out". 'DVD' input in MConfig has been selected.

Can't work out what I'm doing wrong.

HD621 also has 'DVD' input listed ('last valid'). Could this be confusing MConfig?

Any ideas how to resolve?

Thanks

Solved.

Thank goodness I've been on this site for years and have a memory like an elephant;

I seem to recall a post many years back (from Carl perhaps?) that confirmed for whatever reason, Meridian DVD players' SmartLink 3xSPDIF likes to be on MD1.

I had HD621 on MD1 and 800 on MD2.

Just swapped them over, and boom. Sound.

My goodness I wonder how many have scratched their head over that one for weeks. Is this in any of the Meridian literature?

Andrew

Actually, nope.

I STILL have no sound on MD2.

MD1 consistently works fine.

What am I doing wrong

I'm assuming you are seeing this in Mconfig under the HD621 setup.
LastValid means the HD621 will remain switched to whatever HDMI input it last used, typically this is not what you want (but can be useful under special circumstances).

The HD621 'DVD' input should be set to be the HDMI input that the source HDMI device is connected to.

I would recommend checking that each HD621 source is set to use the required HDMI input (1 to 6), and then once configured download the config into the HD621.

Regards,
Carl