Control 4 C4-DSC-EN-BL, C4-DSC-EN-SN, C4-DSC-EN-VB Setup Manual

™

Specifications

Door Station - Exterior
Setup Guide

Supported Models

• C4-DSC-EN-BL Door Station - Exterior
AC, DC, POE & WiFi - Satin Black

• C4-DSC-EN-SN Door Station - Exterior
AC, DC, POE & WiFi - Satin Nickel

• C4-DSC-EN-VB Door Station - Exterior
AC, DC, POE & WiFi - Venetian Bronze

Dimensions (H x
W x D)

Weight 1.1 lbs. (.49 kg)

Shipping Weight 1.6 lbs. (.725 kg)

Network 10/100 BaseT Ethernet (preferred) or WiFi

Voltages AC - 100V - 240V

Contacts (2 sets) DC: 48V

Relays ( 1) AC: 36V, 2A

7.19” (183 mm) x 5.25” (133 mm) x 2.5”
(63 . 5 mm)

(802 .11 b/g/n)

DC - 12 - 24V, 15W

maximum operation (low voltage)

DC: 24V
maximum operation (low voltage)

Grounding Requirements

The following table indicates which power options
require an earth ground.

Power Type Earth Ground?

AC Yes, required for safety.

Power over Ethernet (PoE) No. Do not connect.

DC Recommended; not required.

Front Panel Description

Figure 1. Front Faceplate

Box Contents

Carefully unpack the Control4® Door Station from the
box and ensure that the following items are included
in the box. Contact your Control4 Dealer immediately
if any parts are missing or if any components are
damaged.

• Control4 Door Station - Exterior faceplate (model
C4-DSC-EN-xx)

• Two (2) mounting screws

• Security screw tool

• Warranty Card

Accessories

• Door Station Metal Back Box (C4-DSBB-M, sold
separately)

• Antenna Kit—WiFi/ZigBee 2.4 GHz, 26cm
(C4-AK-26cm, sold separately)

• Antenna Kit—WiFi/ZigBee 2.4 GHz, 3m
(C4-AK-3M, sold separately)

5

1

4

5

2

3

4

1 Camera. 640 x 480 wide angle. Used for Video

Intercom.

2 Call button. Used to call the person inside the

structure.

3 Speaker. Used for Audio and Video Intercom.
4 Screw holes (2). Used to screw the faceplate into

the exterior wall.

5 Microphones (2). Used for Audio and Video

Intercom.

1

™

Door Station - Exterior
Setup Guide

Inside Panel Description

Figure 2. Door Station, Inside Panel

1

3

Pre-Installation

1 Find the best exterior location for the Door

Station. See “Mounting Tips” below.

2 Install the Door Station Back Box. See the Door

Station Back Box Installation Guide for details.

3 Determine which network and power options

to use (see “Network Options” and “Power
Options”).

4 (WiFi only). Before the Door Station is fully

installed, Control4 recommends to test the
WiFi signal strength in Composer Pro’s System
Manager; a strong, robust signal is required. See
the Composer Pro User Guide for details.

This device uses an Ethernet or WiFi network
connection and can be powered using Power
over Ethernet (PoE), AC, or DC. A wired network
connection is recommended for the best Video
Intercom experience. If it is not possible to use
Ethernet, then please follow these guidelines for
wireless.

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2

444444444444

1 AC connection. Used to connect the wires for AC

power.

2 DC connection. Used to connect the wires for DC

power.

3 Contacts/Relays. Used to connect the wires for

Control4 and third-party devices.

NOTE: Use the contacts and relays for non-

secure devices only. For example, don’t attach
security gate wires to this terminal block.

4 Ethernet connection. Supports PoE.
5 Reset Button. Used to reset or factory restore the

Door Station.

NOTES: (1) Video Intercom usage. Although

this device supports b/g/n, 802.11 b is not
recommended or supported for Video
Intercom. (2) Wireless-N is recommended
for Video Intercom. See “Wireless Network
Limitations” below.

Wireless Network Limitations

Many WiFi Access Points handle Multicasts
(WiFi simultaneously sent to multiple devices,
for example, when the Door Station broadcasts
video to all stations) by slowing down
transmission speed to the 1 Mb basic rate. This
can cause overall WiFi congestion in the WiFi
network during the broadcast. Video Intercom
response times and images may degrade at
each device.

If a home requires a large number of WiFi
Video Intercom devices, ensure that you have
a robust WiFi network (possibly consisting of
multiple access points).

2

Mounting Tips

Follow these tips for the best results.
1 Install the Door Station in a place where it will be

protected from water (e.g., rain, sprinklers, etc.).

2 Do not expose the Door Station to direct

sunlight. If the sun hits the Door Station, Control4
recommends to purchase the Satin Nickel
model (C4-DCS-EN-SN) to reduce fading and
degradation of the Door Station.

3 Find the best exterior location for the Door

Station. See the Door Station Back Box
Installation Guide for back box installation.

a Mount the Door Station where the video

camera is aimed at an average person’s
height so the person inside the building gets
a good view of the person calling in.

b Mount the Door Station so that the caller

can comfortably speak into the microphone
(about two (2) feet away or 60 cm).

4 Control4 does not recommend using wireless

(WiFi) networking for an exterior installation.
If you must use WiFi, however, follow these
guidelines:

• The wireless access protocol (WAP) broadcast to
the exterior location must be strong.

• Use Composer Pro’s System Manager to test the
wireless signal after you’ve installed the Door
Station, and then verify that the signal works
correctly. See the Composer Pro User Guide for
details.

Network Options

The Door Station can be connected using one of
these network types:

• Standard Ethernet. For best results, this is the
preferred option. Connect the Door Station to
the RJ-45 LAN port on using the RJ-45 Ethernet
cable.

• WiFi. The WiFi antenna will communicate with
the LAN’s WAP. If the LAN has a WAP set up, no
additional wiring is needed except for power. See
“WiFi Antennas” for details.

IMPORTANT! (1) Control4 recommends to use

an Ethernet connection rather than WiFi for
the best communication with the Control4
system. (2) WiFi requires an antenna (sold
separately).

Please read the next sections, “Power Options”
> “Network and Power Installations” to choose an
installation option that works best with the system
before installing the Door Station.

Power Options

CAUTION! Do not attempt to use PoE, AC, and

DC power at the same time. Choose only one
power option.

ATTENTION! Ne pas tenter d’utiliser PoE,

AC et DC en même temps. Choisir une seule
option d’alimentation.

The Door Station can be powered using one of these
three (3) options:

• Power over Ethernet (PoE). The Ethernet
network connection for the Door Station is
provided through the PoE Injector. No additional
wiring is needed.

• AC or DC. Used to power the Door Station when
using an Ethernet (not PoE) or WiFi network
connection.

NOTE: Ethernet cable. Install the ferrite clamp

on the Ethernet cable inside the back box.

Backlit Button Indicator

The Door Station button’s light can be turned on or
o depending on what is required for the installation.

The backlit button may make it easier to see the
button when it is dark outside. Normally, the light on
the button remains on or o depending on how it is
configured in the system, however, it is also used to
convey device status during certain times.

When the device is first powered on, the button will
blink slowly until the device is ready to be used in
the system. If the button continues to blink slowly for
over 3 minutes, then the device may be experiencing
a problem and should be factory restored. During a
factory restore process the button will blink rapidly.

3

Power and Network Installations

Choose one of these six (6) options to connect the
Door Station’s wiring:

• Ethernet with PoE (preferred)

• Ethernet with AC

• Ethernet with DC

• WiFi with AC

• WiFi with DC

• WiFi with PoE

Option 1 (Preferred): Ethernet Connection with a
PoE Injector or a Third-Party Injector or Switch

This option sets up Ethernet with PoE.

PoE injects electrical current into the Ethernet cable
using a PoE Injector - model #AC-POE1-B, or a
third-party PoE solution to provide the Door Station
with power and a network connection.

To install the Door Station with a PoE and Ethernet
connection using a PoE Injector:
1 Plug the Ethernet cable into the Door Station

(see Figure 3).

2 See the section “Grounding Requirements” for

details about earth grounding.

To install the Door Station with Ethernet and AC
power:
1 Plug the Ethernet cable into the Door Station

(see Figure 4).

2 Connect a ground wire from the Door Station to

one of the back box lugs (see Figure 12).

3 Connect a second earth-ground or house-ground

wire from the second back box lug to the home.
See “Grounding Requirements” for details about
earth grounding.

4 Connect the neutral (N) (-) and hot (L) (+) wires

to the AC power source for the Door Station
according to the national and local electrical
codes.

TIP: The hot or ‘L’ (+) wire’s connector is

closest to the bottom of the Door Station’s
plate.

5 Your installation may require alternative wires and

the use of a terminal block. Strip the power wires
to 1/4” on the end if necessary.

Figure 4. Ethernet with AC Power

AC Connections
(Hot and Load)

Ethernet Cable

Figure 3. Ethernet with PoE Injector

Ethernet Connection

Ground Wire

Option 2: Ethernet Connection with AC Power

This option sets up Ethernet and AC power.

Ground Wire

Option 3: Ethernet Connection with DC Power

This option sets up Ethernet and DC power.

To install the Door Station with Ethernet and DC
power:

4