Help with Denon DN 500BD MKII control (RS232 or IP)

[Digitaltrader]

Hello everyone. You guys are great.

While looking for a deck that would play wav/flac etc. from an SD or USB, I ran across the DN 500BD MKII "for repair" on eBay for $42 all in. Low price because it wouldn't play discs, but I don't need that. Before it has even arrived, I realized you need the remote to even pick a source. The remote is an RC-2000, which has been hard to find.

So I'm looking for advice on how to control this thing, and I seem to have these options:

1. Wait until a remote shows up on eBay.
2. Find another compatible remote (anyone know what might work?)
3. Control via RS232. (anyone know of Windows software that would work?) Denon does provide a serial protocol guide. Guess I'd need a USB to RS232 converter.
4. Control via IP, there is a network connection on the unit. This seems like the most interesting/fun solution, but what a can of worms. Not much info about this in the manual, except for this:
LAN Port: This input lets you connect a host device (usually a computer) to DN-500BD MKII. You can use the host device to control DN-500BD MKII via commands sent from it. Alternatively, use this connection to access the internet. Use a standard Ethernet cable to make this connection. Note: Extron IP Link Compatible: Extron has developed and tested an IP Link driver for this product. Using IP Link technology, this device can be monitored, controlled and supported over a standard Ethernet network. In order to enable IP Link network connectivity and control. You must install and configure an IP Link-enabled device such as a MediaLink controller or IP Link Ethernet control interface. For more information, please visit www.extron.com/driverdownloads.
After a couple hours research, I still can't figure out if this IP control requires Extron hardware, or if you could control the Denon unit with software running on a PC. And if so, how?

I can make an Ethernet cable or straight through RS232 (if I dig through the boxes long enough) but need something more along the lines of step by step instructions for the serial or IP solutions.

5. Boat Anchor / Resell

Thanks in advance to anyone that can point me in the right direction.

 

[Digitaltrader]

Got this figured out. If anyone ever needs to know how, reply here and I’ll post instructions.

 

[Kimbrellaaron2]

Got this figured out. If anyone ever needs to know how, reply here and I’ll post instructions.

Noice! Can you share your resolution? Thank you

 

[Digitaltrader]

Noice! Can you share your resolution? Thank you

How to control Denon DN500BD MKII with RS232 or Ethernet/Network

First, if you are trying to do this because you don't have a remote, they are about $10 from Denon Pro:
[email protected]

The following solutions will allow you to control the unit, but only by typing commands, one at a time. It is not a GUI with play buttons, etc.

RS232:
Unless you have a DB9 on your PC, use a USB to RS232 converter to go from your computer to the Denon. It's possible that you may need drivers for it.

Download and install puTTY, a terminal emulation program. It will allow you to send serial commands to the unit.

Go to Windows Device Manager and click "Ports". Look for the USB to Serial adaptor, and make note of the port (like OM3 or COM4, etc).

puTTY configuration for RS232:
Under "Session", put in the following settings:
Connection type - Serial
Speed - 115200
Pulldown menu - Telnet
Under "Terminal", put in the following settings:
Uncheck Implicit CR in every LF
Uncheck Implicit LF in every CR
Change Local echo to Force on
Change Local line editing to Force on
Go back to "Session"
Click OPEN.

You will now be typing commands into the terminal window. Make sure the Denon is on. For now, just hit enter. If you are connected to the Denon, it will return "NACK". That's good. It means you are talking to the machine, but it did not acknowledge the command.

Now you are ready to type in commands. Open or download the Serial Command Protocol Guide.

Please note that the Protocol Guide says the following, but it is wrong -
.....the full control command code that the host would use to power on DN-500BD MKII would be @0PW00\r
The mistake is what they refer to as and end character, the \r. DO NOT add that to the end of a command.
Try a command like @02353 which is play, or @0PW01 which is power off.


Over a network, plugged in to the ethernet jack:
Download and install puTTY, a terminal emulation program. It will allow you to send serial commands to the unit.

PuTTY: a free SSH and Telnet client

www.chiark.greenend.org.uk

You will need to find the IP address that your router has assigned to the Denon. That can usually be done by connecting to your router and looking at the wired connections. You'll be putting that IP address into puTTY below, but be careful, your router might assign the Denon a different IP address the next time you turn it on.

puTTY configuration for IP connection:
Under "Session", put in the following settings:
Connection type - Other
Port - 9030
Pulldown menu - RAW
Host Name (or IP address) - IP of Denon, something like 192.168.0.120
Under "Terminal", put in the following settings:
Uncheck Implicit CR in every LF
Uncheck Implicit LF in every CR
Change Local echo to Force on
Change Local line editing to Force on
Go back to "Session"
Click OPEN.

You will now be typing commands into the terminal window. Make sure the Denon is on. For now, just hit enter. If you are connected to the Denon, it will return "NACK". That's good. It means you are talking to the machine, but it did not acknowledge the command.

Now you are ready to type in commands. Open or download the Serial Command Protocol Guide here:

https://09f3b4e35b829ef5e143-525d2f2124a3483dfbd3f17c87329990.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com//1841/documents/DN-500BD_MKII_Protocol_Guide_v1.1.pdf

Please note that the Protocol Guide says the following, but it is wrong -
.....the full control command code that the host would use to power on DN-500BD MKII would be @0PW00\r
The mistake is what they refer to as and end character, the \r. DO NOT add that to the end of a command.
Try a command like @02353 which is play, or @0PW01 which is power off.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

 

[Kimbrellaaron2]

How to control Denon DN500BD MKII with RS232 or Ethernet/Network

First, if you are trying to do this because you don't have a remote, they are about $10 from Denon Pro:
[email protected]

The following solutions will allow you to control the unit, but only by typing commands, one at a time. It is not a GUI with play buttons, etc.

RS232:
Unless you have a DB9 on your PC, use a USB to RS232 converter to go from your computer to the Denon. It's possible that you may need drivers for it.

Download and install puTTY, a terminal emulation program. It will allow you to send serial commands to the unit.

Go to Windows Device Manager and click "Ports". Look for the USB to Serial adaptor, and make note of the port (like OM3 or COM4, etc).

puTTY configuration for RS232:
Under "Session", put in the following settings:
Connection type - Serial
Speed - 115200
Pulldown menu - Telnet
Under "Terminal", put in the following settings:
Uncheck Implicit CR in every LF
Uncheck Implicit LF in every CR
Change Local echo to Force on
Change Local line editing to Force on
Go back to "Session"
Click OPEN.

You will now be typing commands into the terminal window. Make sure the Denon is on. For now, just hit enter. If you are connected to the Denon, it will return "NACK". That's good. It means you are talking to the machine, but it did not acknowledge the command.

Now you are ready to type in commands. Open or download the Serial Command Protocol Guide.

Please note that the Protocol Guide says the following, but it is wrong -
.....the full control command code that the host would use to power on DN-500BD MKII would be @0PW00\r
The mistake is what they refer to as and end character, the \r. DO NOT add that to the end of a command.
Try a command like @02353 which is play, or @0PW01 which is power off.


Over a network, plugged in to the ethernet jack:
Download and install puTTY, a terminal emulation program. It will allow you to send serial commands to the unit.

PuTTY: a free SSH and Telnet client

www.chiark.greenend.org.uk

You will need to find the IP address that your router has assigned to the Denon. That can usually be done by connecting to your router and looking at the wired connections. You'll be putting that IP address into puTTY below, but be careful, your router might assign the Denon a different IP address the next time you turn it on.

puTTY configuration for IP connection:
Under "Session", put in the following settings:
Connection type - Other
Port - 9030
Pulldown menu - RAW
Host Name (or IP address) - IP of Denon, something like 192.168.0.120
Under "Terminal", put in the following settings:
Uncheck Implicit CR in every LF
Uncheck Implicit LF in every CR
Change Local echo to Force on
Change Local line editing to Force on
Go back to "Session"
Click OPEN.

You will now be typing commands into the terminal window. Make sure the Denon is on. For now, just hit enter. If you are connected to the Denon, it will return "NACK". That's good. It means you are talking to the machine, but it did not acknowledge the command.

Now you are ready to type in commands. Open or download the Serial Command Protocol Guide here:

https://09f3b4e35b829ef5e143-525d2f2124a3483dfbd3f17c87329990.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com//1841/documents/DN-500BD_MKII_Protocol_Guide_v1.1.pdf

Please note that the Protocol Guide says the following, but it is wrong -
.....the full control command code that the host would use to power on DN-500BD MKII would be @0PW00\r
The mistake is what they refer to as and end character, the \r. DO NOT add that to the end of a command.
Try a command like @02353 which is play, or @0PW01 which is power off.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

This is perfect! I have not had time to sit down and do it yet, but I did read it and it's crystal clear on how to move forward. Thanks @Digitaltrader !

 

[Digitaltrader]

One more thing - you must type your commands in ALL CAPS.

 

[Kimbrellaaron2]

One more thing - you must type your commands in ALL CAPS.

Noted. Thanks

 

[Digitaltrader]

More progress. Here is a program that will allow you to not only send serial commands from an Android device over the network to the Denon, but build icons for buttons to control it. Learning curve is not too steep, I made these blue buttons in about an hour.