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Requirements and specifications
Note: We recommend using Ethernet instead of WiFi for the
best network connectivity.
Control4 EA-3 Controller
Installation Guide
Note: The Ethernet or WiFi network should be installed before
you install the EA-3 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-EA3
Additional resources
Installing the controller
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
1 video out—1 HDMI
Video
HDMI 1.4 output; HD 1080p, 50-60 Hz
Audio out
3 audio out—1 HDMI, 1 stereo analog (3.5
mm), 1 digital coax
Audio in
2 audio in—1 stereo analog (3.5 mm), 1 digital
coax
Audio playback formats
AAC, AIFF, ALAC, FLAC, M4A, MP2, MP3,
MP4/M4A, Ogg Vorbis, PCM, WAV, WMA
High-resolution audio playback
Up to 192 kHz / 24 bit
The versatile Control4 EA-3 Entertainment and Automation Controller is
the perfect fusion of multi-room, high-resolution audio and smart home
automation for small to mid-size homes.
Advanced audio subsystem
Dedicated audio signal processor
Audio system controls (analog only)
10-band graphic equalizer, input gain, output
gain, loudness, tone controls, balance
Powered by a next-generation multi-core processor, the EA-3 delivers
a new level of speed and performance for instantaneous, interactive
on-screen access to all the systems in the home. A built-in music server
with three audio outputs delivers high-resolution audio throughout
the home from your local music library, popular streaming music
services, and AirPlay-enabled devices using native Control4 ShairBridge
technology.
Signal-to-noise ratio
<-110 dBFS
Total harmonic distortion
0.0015 (-96.5 dB)
The EA-3 includes a variety of I/O to automate audio and video,
lighting, climate control, door locks, and other devices controlled by
IP, infrared (IR), serial, and ZigBee. With PoE+ for power, a port for
Ethernet out, and its included mounting bracket, the compact form
factor of the EA-3 makes it easy to install behind any TV or projector.
Supported model
• C4-EA3
Entertainment and Automation Controller, 3 Zone
Introduction
Box contents
The following items are included in the box:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Control4 EA-3 Controller (C4-EA3)
EA-3 Wall-Mount Bracket (C4-WMEA3)
AC power cord
IR emitters (6)
Dual-band antennas (2)
Single-position terminal block for contact/relay
Warranty card
Accessories sold separately
Network
D
E
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.
• 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.
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.
4 Connect system devices. Attach IR and serial devices as described
in “Connect the IR ports/serial ports” and “Set up IR emitters.”
Back view
6 Power up the controller. Plug the power cord into the controller’s
power plug port and then into an electrical outlet.
5 Set up any external storage devices as described in “Setting up
external storage devices” in this document.
Built-in Ethernet switch
1 Ethernet/PoE in + 1 Ethernet switch port
Mounting the controller behind a TV or on the wall
Wireless
Dual-Band Wireless-N (2.4GHz, 5GHz,
802.11n/g/b)
Wireless security
WEP, WPA, and WPA2
Wireless antenna
External reverse SMA connector
Using the included Wall-Mount Bracket (C4-WMEA3), the EA-3 can
easily be mounted behind a TV, on the wall using a 1- or 2-gang wall
box, or mounted directly on the wall. See the EA-3 Wall-Mount Bracket
Installation Guide for details.
ZigBee Pro
802.15.4
ZigBee antenna
External reverse SMA connector
USB port
1 USB 2.0 port—500mA minimum
Control
IR OUT
6 IR out—5V 27mA max output
1 IR blaster—front
IR capture
1 IR receiver—front; 20-60 KHz
SERIAL OUT
3 Serial out (shared with IR out 1-3)
Contact
1 contact sensor—30VDC, 125mA maximum
Relay
1 relay—AC: 36V, 2A; DC: 24V, 2A maximum
Power
Max: 18W, 61 BTUs/hour
Idle: 9W, 30 BTUs/hour
Warnings
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)
8.75" (221 mm) x 5.875" (149 mm) x 1.25"
(31 mm)
Weight
1.60 lbs (0.74 kg)
Shipping weight
2.75 lbs (1.26 kg)
For more information, visit the Products pages at www.control4.com.
C
802.3at-2009 (PoE+) / 25.5W
Power consumption
Avertissement ! Dans une condition de surintensité sur USB ou
sortie de contact le logiciel désactive sortie. Si le périphérique
USB ou le capteur de contact connecté ne semble pas
s’allumer, retirez le périphérique du contrôleur.
B
Power over Ethernet
100-240 VAC, 60/50Hz or PoE+
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.
A
• Ethernet—To connect using an Ethernet connection, plug the data
cable from the home network connection into the controller’s RJ45 port (labeled “ETHERNET/POE”) and the network port on the
wall or at the network switch.
Note: If using PoE+ to power the controller, make all
connections prior to plugging in the PoE injector or switch.
10/100/1000BaseT compatible (required for
controller setup). PoE+ supported.
Power requirements
Avertissement ! Pour réduire le risque de choc électrique,
n’exposez pas cet appareil à la pluie ou à l’humidité.
3 Connect the controller to the network.
Ethernet
• Control4 3.5 mm-to-DB9 Serial Cable (C4-CBL3.5-DB9B)
• Rack Mount Kit (C4-EA3RMK1-BL, C4-EA3RMK2-BL)
Caution! To reduce the risk of electrical shock, do not expose
this apparatus to rain or moisture.
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 behind a TV, on a wall, placed in a rack, or
stacked on a shelf. See “Wall mount options” below if mounting the
controller on a wall or behind a TV.
Front view
Inputs / Outputs
Video out
To install the controller:
Other
A
B
C
D
E
F G
H
I J K
L
M
N
A WIFI—Reverse SMA connector for WiFi antenna.
B Power plug port—AC power receptacle for an IEC 60320-C5 power
cord.
C Contact/Relay port—Connect one relay device and one contact
sensor device 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 Serial and IR OUT—3.5 mm jacks for up to six IR emitters or for a
combination of IR emitters and serial devices. Ports 1, 2, and 3 can
be configured independently for serial control or for IR control. See
“Connect IR/serial ports” in this document for more information.
E DIGITAL COAX IN—Allows audio to be shared over the local network
to other Control4 devices.
F AUDIO IN and OUT—Stereo audio input and output ports (3.5 mm
stereo audio jack). Allows audio to be shared (AUDIO IN) over the
local network to other Control4 devices. Outputs audio (AUDIO
OUT) shared from other Control4 devices or from digital audio
sources (local media or digital streaming services such as TuneIn).
G DIGITAL COAX OUT—Outputs audio (AUDIO OUT) shared from
other Control4 devices or from digital audio sources (local media or
digital streaming services such as TuneIn).
H HDMI OUT—An HDMI port to display navigation menus. Also an
audio out over HDMI.
I ID button—Button to identify the device in Composer Pro.
J FACTORY RESTORE—Restores the controller to its factory defaults.
K USB—One port for an external USB drive. See “Set up external
storage devices” in this document.
L Ethernet—Ethernet port that can be used as a network switch to
connect another local Ethernet device to the network.
M Ethernet/POE—RJ-45 jack for a 10/100/1000 BaseT Ethernet
connection. Use this port as the ‘uplink port’ to your local network. If
using PoE+ to power the controller, this port must be used.
N ZIGBEE—Reverse SMA connector for ZigBee antenna.
Pluggable terminal block connectors
For the contact and relay ports, the EA-3 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 (see Figure 3).
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: If you add a motion sensor (see Figure 5),
connect its wires to the following contact openings:
• Power input to +12V
• Output signal to SIG
• Ground connector to GND
Note: If you connect dry contact closure devices, such as
doorbells, connect the switch between +12V (Power) and
SIG (Signal).
Connecting the contact port
Connecting the IR ports/serial ports (optional)
Power cycle the controller
The EA-3 provides one contact port for the included pluggable terminal
block.
The controller provides six IR ports. Ports 1, 2, and 3 can be
reconfigured independently for serial communication. If not used for
serial, they can be used for IR. Connect a serial device to the controller
using the Control4 3.5 mm-to-DB9 Serial Cable (C4-CBL3.5-DB9B, sold
separately).
Press and hold the ID button for five seconds. The controller will reset.
See Figures 3 through 5 to learn how to connect the device to the
contact port.
Figure 3. Contact Port for Voltage Source (Motion Sensor)
1 The serial ports support many different baud rates (acceptable
range: 1200 to 115200 baud for odd and even parity). The serial
ports do not support hardware flow control.
2 See Knowledgebase article #268 (https://dealer.control4.com/
dealer/knowledgebase/article/268) for pinout diagrams.
3 To configure a port for serial or IR, make the appropriate
connections in your project using Composer Pro. See the Composer
Pro User Guide for details.
Figure 4. Contact for Dry Contact (Door Contact Sensor)
Note: The serial ports can be configured as straight-through or
null with Composer Pro. Serial ports by default are configured
straight-through and can be changed in Composer by
selecting the option Enable Null-Modem Serial Port (1/2/3).
Reset the network settings
To reset the controller network settings to the default:
1 Disconnect power to the controller.
2 While pressing and holding the ID button on the back of the
controller, reconnect power to the controller.
3 Hold the ID button until the data, link and power LEDs are solid
blue, then immediately release the button.
4 If the caution LED stays orange during the boot sequence, press
and hold the ID button until the caution LED blinks blue, and then
release it.
LED status information
—Flashing LED
Set up IR emitters
Your system may contain third-party products that are controlled
through IR commands. The included IR emitters can send commands
from the controller to any IR-controlled device.
Figure 5. Contact for Self-Powered Voltage Source Device
Just powered on
Bootloader loaded
1 Connect one of the included IR emitters into an IR OUT port on the
controller.
Kernel loaded
2 Remove the adhesive backing from the emitter (round) end of the
IR emitter and affix it to the device to be controlled over the IR
receiver on the device.
Network reset check
Factory restore underway
Factory restore fail
Connected to Director
Playing audio
Set up external storage devices
You can store and access media from an external storage device, for
example, a USB drive, by connecting the USB drive to the USB port and
configuring or scanning the media in Composer Pro. A NAS drive can
also be used as an external storage device, see the Composer Pro User
Guide (ctrl4.co/cpro-ug) for more details.
Connecting the relay port
The EA-3 provides one relay port for the included pluggable terminal
block. With most applications, attach one wire to the COM terminal and
the other to the NO terminal. The relay switch closes when the relay is
activated.
—Solid LED
Regulatory/Safety information
Note: We support only externally powered USB drives or solidstate USB drives (USB thumb drives). USB hard drives that do
not have a separate power supply are not supported.
To review regulatory information for your particular Control4 products,
see the information located on the Control4 website at ctrl4.co/reg.
Note: When using USB or eSATA storage devices on an EA-5
Controller, a single primary partition formatted FAT32 is
recommended.
Warranty
Visit ctrl4.co/warranty for details.
Composer Pro driver information
More help
Use Auto Discovery and SDDP to add the driver to the Composer
project. See the Composer Pro User Guide for details.
For the latest version of this document and to view additional materials,
open the URL below or scan the QR code on a device that can view
PDFs.
Figure 7. Relay Port, Normally Open
Troubleshooting
Reset to factory settings
MOST RECENT VERSION
MORE INFO ON EA CONTROLLERS
Caution! The factory restore process will remove the
Composer project. Back up the project with Composer Pro
before you start the factory restore process
To restore the controller to the factory default image:
Figure 8. Relay Port, Normally Closed
1 Insert a straightened paper clip into the small hole on the back of
the controller labeled FACTORY RESTORE.
ctrl4.co/ea3-ig
ctrl4.co/ea
2 Press and continue to hold the FACTORY RESTORE button, the
controller will reset and the caution LED will turn solid red.
3 Continue to hold the button for about five to seven seconds until
the caution LED blinks twice yellow. After the caution LED blinks
twice yellow, release the button and the factory restore process will
begin.
The caution LED will blink orange while the factory restore is
running. When complete, the caution LED turn offs and the device
will reset.
control4.com | 888.400.4070
Copyright ©2016, Control4 Corporation. All rights reserved. Control4, the Control4 logo,
the 4-ball logo, 4Store, 4Sight, Control4 My Home, Everyday Easy, and Mockupancy are
registered trademarks or trademarks of Control4 Corporation in the United States and/
or other countries. All other names and brands may be claimed as the property of their
respective owners. All specifications subject to change without notice.
A
200-00381-A
2015-07-06 DH

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