Control4 EA-5 Controller
Installation Guide
Supported model
• C4-EA5
Entertainment and Automation Controller, 5 Zone
Introduction
The EA-5 Controller in the Entertainment and Automation line
of controllers lets you control lights, home theaters, audio and
video, and other devices controlled by infrared (IR), IP, or serial
connections. The controller has a fast processor, dual-spectrum
built-in WiFi, HDMI output for Control4 On-Screen Navigator,
ZigBee radio, and expansion module. The EA-5 is perfect for
large homes and multi-room projects.
The controller also includes extensive media management for
audio and video content: CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs; digital
media stored on connected devices and streaming audio
services, such as Rhapsody, TuneIn, and others. Use an external
storage device, such as an external USB drive or NAS (network-
attached storage), to store music and photos.
After you install and configure the controller with other Control4
devices, your customers can control their system using popular
Control4 interfaces (sold separately).
Box contents
The following items are included in the box:
• Control4 EA-5 Controller (C4-EA5)
• AC power cord
• IR emitters (6)
• Warranty card
• Rack ears (2)
• Dual-band antenna (3)
• Four-position terminal block for contacts and relays
Accessories sold separately
• Rack Mount Kit (C4-XXXX)
• Control4 3.5 mm-to-DB9 Serial Cable (C4-CBL3.5-DB9B)
Warnings
Caution!
To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not expose
this apparatus to rain or moisture.
Avertissement !
Pour réduire le risque de choc électrique,
n’exposez pas cet appareil à la pluie ou à l’humidité.
Caution!
In an over-current condition on USB or contact
output the software disables the output. If the attached USB
device or contact sensor does not appear to power on, remove
the device from the controller.
Avertissement !
Dans une condition de surintensité sur USB
ou sortie de contact le logiciel désactive sortie.
(additional
translation needed)
For more information, visit the Products pages at
www.control4.com
.
Requirements and specifications
Note:
We recommend using Ethernet instead of WiFi for the
best network connectivity.
Note:
The Ethernet or WiFi network should be installed before
you install the EA-5 Controller.
Composer Pro is required to configure this device. See the
Composer
Pro User Guide
(
ctrl4.co/cpro-ug
) for details.
Specifications
Model number
C4-EA5
Inputs / Outputs
Video out
1 video out—1 HDMI
Video
HDMI 1.4 output; HD 720p/1080p, 50-60 Hz
Audio out
5 audio out—1 HDMI, 2 stereo analog, 2
digital coax
Audio in
4 audio in—2 stereo analog, 2 digital coax
Audio playback formats
MP3: 32 kbps to 320 kbps, iTunes Plus, WMA,
WMA lossless, Apple lossless, CBR, VBR,
AAC, FLAC, and uncompressed WAV and
AIFF.
Network
Ethernet
10/100/1000BaseT compatible (required for
controller setup).
Built-in Ethernet switch
1 Ethernet in + 4 gigabit Ethernet switch
ports
Wireless
Dual-Band Wireless-N (2.4GHz, 5GHz,
802.11n/g/b)
Wireless security
WEP, WPA, and WPA2
Wireless antenna
2 external reverse SMA connectors
ZigBee Pro
802.15.4
ZigBee antenna
External reverse SMA connector
eSATA port
1 eSATA port
USB port
1 USB 2.0 port, 500mA minimum, 600mA
maximum
Control
IR OUT
8 IR out, 5V 27mA max output
1 IR blaster, front
IR capture
1 IR receiver, front; 0-60 KHz
SERIAL OUT
4 Serial out (2 DB9 ports and 2 shared with
IR out 1-2)
Contact
4 contact sensors—36V DC maximum
operation. The available current for 12V
contact output is 1.25A maximum.
Relay
4 relays—AC: 36V, 2A; DC: 24V, 2A maximum
operation.
Power
Power requirements
100-240 VAC, 60/50Hz
Power consumption
Max: 40W, 136 BTUs/hour
Idle: XXW, XX BTUs/hour
Other
Operating temperature
32˚ - 104˚ F (0˚ - 40˚ C)
Storage temperature
4˚ - 158˚ F (-20˚ - 70˚ C)
Fan dB level
Max: 35 dB
Dimensions (H x W x D)
17.5" (444 mm) x 10.125" (258 mm) x 1.875"
(49 mm) w/feet
Weight
6.85 lbs (3.10 kg)
Shipping weight
9.30 lbs (4.20 kg)
Additional resources
The following resources are available for more support.
• Control4 Knowledgebase:
kb.control4.com
and Dealer Forums:
forums.control4.com
• Control4 Technical Support
• Control4 website:
www.control4.com
• Composer Pro documentation in online help or PDF format available
on the Dealer Portal under Support:
ctrl4.co/docs
Front view
A Data LED
—The LED indicates that the controller is streaming audio.
B IR window
—IR blaster and IR receiver for learning IR codes.
C Caution LED
—This LED shows solid red, then blinks blue during the
boot process.
Note:
The Caution LED flashes yellow during the factory
restore process. See “Factory Restore” in this document.
D Link LED
—The blue LED indicates that the controller has been
identified in a Control4 Composer project and is communicating with
Director.
E Power LED
—The blue LED indicates that AC power is connected. The
controller turns on immediately after power is applied to it.
Back view
A
Power plug port
—AC power receptacle for an IEC 60320-C13 power
cord.
B
WIFI 1—
Antenna 1 for the WiFi radio.
C
Contact/Relay port
—Connect up to four relay devices and four
contact sensor devices to the terminal block connector. Relay
connections are COM, NC (normally closed), and NO (normally
open). Contact sensor connections are +12, SIG (signal), and GND
(ground).
D
GIGABIT SWITCH—
Four port gigabit-ethernet switch to connect
other local devices to the network.
E
ETHERNET IN—
RJ-45 jack for a 10/100/1000 BaseT Ethernet
connection.
F USB
—One port for an external USB drive (e.g., FAT32-formatted
devices). See “Set up external storage devices” in this document.
G
E-SATA—
One port for an external eSATA drive. See “Set up external
storage devices” in this document.
H
WIFI 2—
Antenna 2 for the WiFi radio.
I
SERIAL—
Two serial ports for RS-232 control. See “Connecting the
serial ports” in this document.
J
ID and FACTORY RESET—
ID button to identify the device in
Composer Pro. FACTORY RESET button to restore the controller to
factory defaults. Can also reboot the controller.
K
HDMI OUT—
An HDMI port to display system menus. Also an audio
out over HDMI.
L
IR / SERIAL—
Eight 0.5 mm jacks for up to eight IR emitters or for a
combination of IR emitters and serial devices. Ports 1 and 2 can be
configured independently for serial control, or for IR control. See
“Setting up IR emitters” in this document for more information.
M
DIGITAL AUDIO
—Two digital coax audio input and two output ports.
Allows audio to be shared (IN 1 or 2) over the local network to other
Control4 devices. Outputs audio (OUT 1 or 2) shared from other
Control4 devices or from digital audio sources (local media or digital
streaming services such as TuneIn.)
N
ANALOG AUDIO—
Two stereo audio input and two output ports.
Allows audio to be shared (IN 1 or 2) over the local network to other
Control4 devices. Outputs audio (OUT 1 or 2) shared from other
Control4 devices or from digital audio sources (local media or digital
streaming services such as TuneIn.)
O
ZIGBEE—
Antenna for the ZigBee radio.
A
B
C D E
A B
C
D E F G H I J K
L
M
N
O
Installing the controller
To install the controller:
1
Ensure that the home network is in place before starting system
setup. The controller requires a network connection, Ethernet
(recommended) or WiFi, to use all of the features as designed.
When connected, the controller can access web-based media
databases, communicate with other IP devices in the home, and
access Control4 system updates.
2
Mount the controller in a rack or stacked on a shelf. Always allow
plenty of ventilation. See “Mounting the controller in a rack” in this
document.
3
Connect the controller to the network.
• Ethernet
—To connect using an Ethernet connection, plug
the data cable from the home network connection into the
controller’s RJ-45 port (labeled “ETHERNET IN”) and the
network port on the wall or at the network switch.
• WiFi
—To connect using WiFi, first connect the controller to
Ethernet, and then use Composer Pro System Manager to
reconfigure the controller for WiFi.
Important:
Do
not
install your EA controller on a
172.18.xxx.xxx subnet.
4
Connect system devices. Attach IR and serial devices as described
in “Connecting the IR ports/serial ports” and “Setting up IR
emitters.”
5
Set up any external storage devices as described in “Setting up
external storage devices” in this document.
6
Power up the controller. Plug the power cord into the controller’s
power plug port and then into an electrical outlet.
Mounting the controller in a rack
Using the included rack-mount ears, the EA-5 can easily be mounted in
a rack for convenient installation and flexible rack placement.
To attach the rack ears to the controller:
1
Remove the three screws in each of the rubber feet on the bottom
of the controller.
2
Remove the rubber feet and place the rack ears. The rack ears can
be positioned for front or rear rack mounting.
3
Use two of the screws from the rubber feet to secure the rack ears
to the controller.
Pluggable terminal block connectors
For the contact and relay ports, the EA-5 makes use of a pluggable
terminal block connector which is a removable plastic part that locks in
individual wires (included).
To connect a device to the pluggable terminal block:
1
Insert one of the wires required for your device into the appropriate
opening in the pluggable terminal block you reserved for that
device.
2
Insert the wire:
• If using solid-core wire, insert the wire into the hole below the
slotted retention tab, and ensure that the wire is tightly secured.
• If using stranded wire, press the slotted retention tab in using a
small, flat-blade screwdriver. Insert the wire into the hole below
the tab, and then release the tab to secure the wire.
Example:
To add a motion sensor (see Figure 3), connect its
wires to the following contact openings:
• Power input to
+12V
• Output signal to
SIG
• Ground connector to
GND
Note:
To connect dry contact closure devices, such as
doorbells, connect the switch b12V (Power) and SIG
(Signal).
