Control4 EA-5 Controller Installation Guide

Supported Models

• C4-EA5: Entertainment and Automation Controller, 5 Zone
• C4-EA5-V2: Entertainment and Automation Controller, 5 Zone, V2

Box Contents

• EA-5 controller
• AC power cord
• IR emitters (8)
• Rack ears (2, pre-installed on the EA-5 V2)
• Rubber feet (2, pre-installed on the EA-5 V1)
• External antennas (3 with EA-5 V1, 1 with EA-5 V2)
• Terminal blocks for contacts and relays

Accessories Sold Separately

• Control4 3.5 mm-to-DB9 Serial Cable (C4-CBL3.5-DB9B)
• Dual-Band WiFi USB Adapter for EA-5 V2 (C4-USBWIFI or C4-USBWIFI-1)

Warnings

Caution: To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.

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.

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.

Note: The EA-5 V2 requires OS 2.10.2 or higher. The EA-5 V1 requires OS 2.8.1 or higher.

Composer Pro is required to configure this device. See the Composer Pro User Guide (ctrl4.co/cpro-ug) for details.

Specifications

Additional Resources

• Control4 Knowledgebase: kb.control4.com and Dealer Forums: forums.control4.com
• Control4 Technical Support
• Control4 website: www.control4.com
• Composer Pro documentation: Available in online help or PDF format on the Dealer Portal under Support: ctrl4.co/docs

Front View

The front panel features several indicators and an IR window:

• A Data LED: Indicates that the controller is streaming audio.
• B IR window: IR blaster and IR receiver for learning IR codes.
• C Caution LED: Shows solid red, then blinks blue during the boot process. Flashes orange during factory restore.
• D Link LED: Indicates the controller has been identified in a Control4 Composer project and is communicating with Director.
• E Power LED: Indicates that AC power is connected. The controller turns on immediately after power is applied.

Back View

The back panel provides all input/output connections:

• A Power plug port: AC power receptacle for an IEC 60320-C13 power cord.
• B WIFI 1: Antenna 1 for the WiFi radio (EA-5 V1 only).
• 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 10/100/1000BaseT Ethernet connection.
• F USB: One port for an external USB drive or, on an EA-5 V2, the optional Dual-Band WiFi USB Adapter.
• G E-SATA: One port for an external eSATA drive.
• H WIFI 2: Antenna 2 for the WiFi radio (EA-5 V1 only).
• I SERIAL: Two serial ports for RS-232 control. Ports 1 and 2 use DB9 connectors.
• J ID and FACTORY RESET: ID button to identify the device in Composer Pro. The ID button on the EA-5 V2 also functions as an LED for factory restore feedback. FACTORY RESET button restores the controller to factory defaults or reboots it.
• K HDMI OUT: An HDMI port for displaying system menus and audio output over HDMI.
• L IR / SERIAL: Eight 3.5 mm jacks for IR emitters or serial devices. Ports 1 and 2 can be configured for serial control or IR control.
• M DIGITAL AUDIO: Two digital coax audio input and two output ports for sharing audio over the network or from digital sources.
• N ANALOG AUDIO: Two stereo audio input and two output ports for sharing audio over the network or from digital sources.
• O ZIGBEE: Antenna for the ZigBee radio.

Installing the Controller

1. Ensure the home network is in place before starting system setup. The controller requires a network connection (Ethernet recommended or WiFi) for full functionality, including accessing web-based media databases, communicating with IP devices, and receiving system updates.
2. Mount the controller in a rack or on a shelf, ensuring adequate ventilation. Refer to "Mounting the controller in a rack" for details.
3. Connect the controller to the network:
   • Ethernet: Connect a data cable from the home network to the controller's RJ-45 port (labeled "ETHERNET IN") and the network port on the wall or switch.
   • WiFi: First connect the controller via Ethernet, then use Composer Pro System Manager to reconfigure for WiFi.
   Important: Do not install your EA controller on a 172.18.xxx.xxx subnet.
4. Connect system devices, such as 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."
6. Power up the controller by plugging the power cord into the controller's power plug port and then into an electrical outlet.

Mounting the Controller in a Rack

The EA-5 can be mounted in a rack using the pre-installed rack-mount ears, which can also be reversed for rear mounting. To attach rubber feet instead of rack ears:

1. Remove the two screws from each rack ear on the bottom of the controller. Remove the rack ears.
2. Remove two additional screws from the controller case.
3. Place the rubber feet on the controller and secure each with three screws.

Pluggable Terminal Block Connectors

The EA-5 uses pluggable terminal block connectors for contact and relay ports. These are removable plastic parts for securing individual wires.

To connect a device:

1. Insert a wire into the appropriate opening in the terminal block.
2. Use a small flat-blade screwdriver to tighten the screw and secure the wire.

Example for a motion sensor:

• Power input connects to +12V.
• Output signal connects to SIG.
• Ground connector connects to GND.

Note: For dry contact closure devices (e.g., doorbells), connect the switch between +12V (power) and SIG (signal).

Connecting the Contact Ports

The EA-5 provides four contact ports. Examples for connecting devices:

• Sensor needing power (e.g., Motion Sensor): Connect the sensor's power input to the controller's +12V terminal, its signal output to the SIG terminal, and its ground to the GND terminal.
• Dry Contact Sensor (e.g., Door Contact Sensor): Connect the two terminals of the dry contact switch between the controller's +12V and SIG terminals.
• Externally Powered Sensor (e.g., Driveway Sensor): Connect the sensor's signal output to the controller's SIG terminal and its ground to the GND terminal. The sensor receives power from its external power supply.

Connecting the Relay Ports

The EA-5 provides four relay ports. Examples for connecting devices:

• Single-relay device, normally open (e.g., Fireplace): Connect the device's input to the controller's NO (Normally Open) terminal and the device's common connection to the controller's COM terminal.
• Dual-relay device (e.g., Blinds): Connect the device's UP control to Relay 1's NO and COM terminals. Connect the device's DOWN control to Relay 2's NO and COM terminals.
• Relay with power from contact, normally closed (e.g., Amplifier trigger): Connect the device's trigger input to the controller's NC (Normally Closed) terminal and the device's common connection to the controller's COM terminal.

Connecting the Serial Ports

The EA-5 has four serial ports. SERIAL 1 and SERIAL 2 use standard DB9 connectors. IR ports 1 and 2 (acting as serial 3 and 4) can be reconfigured for serial communication or IR control.

• Connect serial devices using the Control4 3.5 mm-to-DB9 Serial Cable (C4-CBL3.5-DB9B, sold separately).
• Serial ports support baud rates from 1200 to 115200 with odd or even parity. Serial ports 3 and 4 do not support hardware flow control.
• Refer to Knowledgebase article #268 (dealer.control4.com/dealer/knowledgebase/article/268) for pinout diagrams.
• Configure serial port settings in Composer Pro by connecting the port to the appropriate driver.
• Note: Serial ports 3 and 4 can be configured as straight-through or null-modem in Composer Pro. They default to straight-through.

Setting up IR Emitters

The EA-5 has 8 IR ports for controlling IR-based devices.

1. Connect an IR emitter to an IR OUT port on the controller.
2. Remove the adhesive backing from the emitter's end and affix it over the IR receiver on the device to be controlled.

Setting up External Storage Devices

You can connect USB or eSATA drives for media storage and access. NAS drives are also supported.

• Connect the drive to the appropriate USB or eSATA port.
• Configure or scan the media in Composer Pro.
• Note: Only externally powered USB drives or solid-state USB drives (thumb drives) are supported. USB hard drives without separate power supplies are not supported.
• Note: For USB or eSATA devices, a single primary partition formatted as FAT32 is recommended.

Refer to the Composer Pro User Guide (ctrl4.co/cpro-ug) for more details.

Composer Pro Driver Information

Use Auto Discovery and SDDP to add the driver to your Composer project. Refer to the Composer Pro User Guide (ctrl4.co/cpro-ug) for details.

Troubleshooting

Reset to Factory Settings

Caution: This process removes the Composer project. Back up your project first.

1. Insert a straightened paper clip into the FACTORY RESTORE hole on the back of the controller.
2. Press and hold the FACTORY RESTORE button. The controller resets, and the Caution LED turns solid red.
3. Continue holding the button until the Caution LED flashes double orange (approx. 5-7 seconds). The LED flashes orange during the restore. When complete, the Caution LED turns off, and the device power cycles.
4. Note: On EA-5 V2, the ID button also provides feedback similar to the Caution LED.

Power Cycle the Controller

Press and hold the ID button for five seconds to turn the controller off and then back on.

Reset the Network Settings

To reset network settings to default:

1. Disconnect power to the controller.
2. While pressing and holding the ID button (on the back), reconnect power.
3. Hold the ID button until the Caution LED (rear ID LED) is solid orange and the Link and Power LEDs are solid blue, then release the button.
4. Note: In OS versions 2.10.1 and lower, the Caution LED is solid blue during network reset check. In OS 2.10.2 and higher, it is orange.

LED Status Information

Information on the controller's status LEDs:

Regulatory/Safety Information

Review regulatory information for Control4 products on the Control4 website at ctrl4.co/reg.

Warranty

Visit ctrl4.co/warranty for details.

More Help

For the latest version of this document and additional materials, visit:

• Most Recent Version: ctrl4.co/ea5-ig
• More Info on EA Controllers: ctrl4.co/ea