Control4 EA-5 Controller Installation Guide

Supported Models

• C4-EA5
• C4-EA5-V2

Both models are Entertainment and Automation Controllers, 5 Zone.

Box Contents

• EA-5 controller
• AC power cord
• IR emitters (8)
• Rack ears (2, pre-installed on EA-5 V2)
• Rubber feet (2, pre-installed on 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.

Caution! If this product is used to open or close a garage door, gate, or similar device, use safety or other sensors to ensure safe function. Follow appropriate regulatory and safety standards governing project design and installation. Failure to do so may result in property damage or personal injury.

Requirements and Specifications

Note: Ethernet is recommended over WiFi for the best network connectivity.

Note: The Ethernet or WiFi network should be installed before installing 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. Refer to 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 online or as PDF on the Dealer Portal under Support: ctrl4.co/docs

Front View

The front panel features several indicators and the IR window:

• A Data LED: Indicates that the controller is streaming audio.
• B IR window: Houses the IR blaster and IR receiver for learning IR codes.
• C Caution LED: Shows status during boot (solid red, then blinking blue) and factory restore (flashes orange).
• D Link LED: A blue LED indicating the controller is identified in a Control4 Composer project and communicating with Director.
• E Power LED: A blue LED indicating AC power is connected. The controller powers on immediately.

Back View and Ports

The rear panel provides all physical 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: Terminal block connector for up to four relay devices and four contact sensor devices. 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.
• J ID and FACTORY RESET: ID button to identify the device in Composer Pro. On EA-5 V2, this button also functions as an LED for feedback. The FACTORY RESET button restores the controller to factory defaults or reboots it.
• K HDMI OUT: An HDMI port for displaying system menus and for audio output over HDMI.
• L IR / SERIAL: Eight 3.5 mm jacks for up to eight IR emitters or a combination of IR emitters and serial devices. Ports 1 and 2 can be configured independently for serial control or IR control.
• M DIGITAL AUDIO: Two digital coax audio input and two output ports. Allows audio sharing over the local network to other Control4 devices or from digital audio sources.
• N ANALOG AUDIO: Two stereo analog audio input and two output ports. Allows audio sharing over the local network to other Control4 devices or from digital audio 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 all features. It accesses web-based media databases, communicates with other IP devices, and receives Control4 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: Plug a 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 switch.
   • WiFi: First connect 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 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 uses pre-installed rack-mount ears for easy installation in a rack. These ears can be reversed for rear-facing mounting if needed.

To attach the rubber feet:

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 and attach the rubber feet.
3. Secure the rubber feet with three screws each.

Pluggable Terminal Block Connectors

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

To connect a device to a pluggable terminal block:

1. Insert one of the device's wires 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 (contact input):

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

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

Connecting the Contact Ports

The EA-5 provides four contact ports on pluggable terminal blocks. Examples of connections:

Wire the contact to a sensor that also needs power (e.g., Motion Sensor):

Connect the sensor's power input to the controller's +12V terminal, its signal output to the controller's SIG terminal, and its ground to the controller's GND terminal.

Wire the contact to a dry contact sensor (e.g., Door Contact Sensor):

Connect the sensor's COM terminal to the controller's +12V terminal, its NC (Normally Closed) terminal to the controller's SIG terminal, and its NO (Normally Open) terminal to the controller's GND terminal.

Wire the contact to an externally powered sensor (e.g., Driveway Sensor):

Connect the sensor's power input to the controller's +12V terminal, its signal output to the controller's SIG terminal, and its ground to the controller's GND terminal.

Connecting the Relay Ports

The EA-5 provides four relay ports on pluggable terminal blocks. Examples of connections:

Wire the relay to a single-relay device, normally open (e.g., Fireplace):

Connect the device's input to the controller's COM terminal and the device's trigger to the controller's NO (Normally Open) terminal.

Wire the relay to a dual-relay device (e.g., Blinds):

Use two relay ports. For Relay 1, connect to COM and NO (e.g., for UP). For Relay 2, connect to COM and NO (e.g., for DOWN).

Wire the relay with power from the contact, normally closed (e.g., Amplifier trigger):

Connect the device's input to the controller's COM terminal and the device's trigger to the controller's NC (Normally Closed) terminal.

Connecting the Serial Ports

The EA-5 controller has four serial ports. SERIAL 1 and SERIAL 2 connect via standard DB9 serial cables. IR ports 1 and 2 (acting as serial 3 and 4) can be reconfigured for serial communication or used for IR. A Control4 3.5 mm-to-DB9 Serial Cable (C4-CBL3.5-DB9B, sold separately) is used for these connections.

• 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 (ctrl4.co/contr-serial-pinout) for pinout diagrams.
• Serial settings are configured in Composer Pro by connecting the port to the driver.

Note: Serial ports 3 and 4 can be configured as straight-through or null-modem in Composer Pro. They are straight-through by default.

Setting up IR Emitters

The EA-5 has 8 IR OUT ports. Connect included IR emitters to these ports to send commands to IR-controlled devices. Affix the emitter end to the device's IR receiver.

Setting up External Storage Devices

Media can be stored and accessed from external USB or eSATA drives connected to the controller. Configure or scan media in Composer Pro. NAS drives are also supported; see the Composer Pro User Guide.

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 storage, a single primary partition formatted FAT32 is recommended.

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! Factory restore 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 until the Caution LED flashes double orange (approx. 5-7 seconds). The LED flashes orange during restore. It turns off upon completion, and the device power cycles.

Note: On EA-5 V2, the ID button provides the same feedback as the front 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 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 immediately.

Note: In OS versions prior to 2.10.2, the Caution LED was solid blue during network reset check. In OS 2.10.2 and later, it is orange.

LED Status Information

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 ctrl4.co/ea5-ig or ctrl4.co/ea.