Linear MCS-1A Owner's Manual

1. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

MCS-1A

Zone Controller

For Use with the
Model MDS-6A Music
Distribution System

Installation & Operation
Instructions

USA & Canada [phone] & [phone]

[phone] - Toll Free FAX [phone]

www.linearcorp.com

The MCS-1A Zone Controller is designed as an in-room control for the MDS-6A Music
Distribution System. The MDS-6A distributes amplified audio from up to six sources to up to six
speaker zones. In a typical installation, an MCS-1A Zone Controller (or MCS-2A Programmable
Zone Controller) would be installed in each listening room or location to control the speakers
in that zone. The MCS-1A mounts in a standard single-gang electrical box and is covered by a
standard Decora™ wall plate (neither item is included with the controller).

The MCS-1A Zone Controller’s source keys are used to select which audio source device (CD,
TUNER, TAPE, DVD, DBS, TV, etc.) will be played from its specific speaker zone. The speaker’s
volume can be adjusted, or muted, using the keys on the Zone Controller. Any infrared remote
control code sent to the MCS-1A from a handheld remote will be repeated to source devices
through the MDS-6A.

Two special features are available for each Zone Controller. The “whole-house-music” feature
will play a selected audio source from all of the system’s speaker zones. The “do-not-disturb”
feature prevents a speaker zone from responding to “whole-house-music” commands from
other Zone Controllers and mutes any system wide pages to that speaker zone.

The MCS-1A keys can light in three colors (green, red, & yellow) to show the status of the
speaker zone. The optional key backlighting (selectable with dipswitch #1) lights all of the keys
with a pleasant green glow. The audio source selection keys will light red to indicate the selected
audio source. When “whole-house-music” is selected the designated audio source key lights
yellow. The MUTE key normally lights green, then lights red when the speaker zone is muted. The
MUTE key blinks yellow when “do-not-disturb” feature is active for the speaker zone and lights
yellow when “do-not-disturb” is active and the speaker zone is muted.

2. COMPONENT LOCATIONS 3. ACCESSORIES

THE CONTROLLER'S BEZEL CAN BE CHANGED TO WHITE OR IVORY

INFRARED RECEIVER WINDOW

• Receives IR from handheld remotes
IR is passed through to MDS-6A

•

AUDIO SOURCE BUTTONS

Press to select audio source

•

Selected source button lights red

•

• Push for 5 seconds to select

"Whole-house-music" feature

CD1

CD2

DM1

DM2

AMFM

MUTE

VOL

VOL

MUTE BUTTON

• Press to mute the local speakers

• Lights red when source is muted

Lights yellow during "Do-not-disturb"

•

• Push for 5 seconds to switch

MDS-6A power off

• Push with VOL-DOWN to select
"Do-not-disturb" feature

AND SOURCE BUTTONS CAN BE CUSTOMIZED TO MATCH THE INSTALLATION

WHITE &

IVORY

BEZELS

CUT ANY NEW
BUTTONS TO USE
FROM THE HOLDERS

TAPE

VOLUME BUTTONS

• Press VOL-UP for louder local speakers
Press VOL-DOWN for quieter local speakers

•

4. CUSTOMIZE THE SOURCE BUTTONS 5. SET THE DIPSWITCH

SET THE DIPSWITCH TO ASSIGN THE CONTROLLER'S
SPEAKER ZONE NUMBER AND KEYPAD
BACKLIGHT OPTION

THE MCS-1A CONTROLLER'S SPEAKER ZONE
NUMBER MUST MATCH THE NUMBER OF THE MDS-6A
ZONE THAT THE CONTROLLER IS CONNECTED TO

WHEN THE CONTROLLER IS ASSIGNED TO A SPEAKER ZONE USING THE DIPSWITCHES AND
THE CONTROLLER IS PROPERLY WIRED AND PLUGGED INTO THE CORRESPONDING KEYPAD
ZONE, A GREEN LIGHT WILL APPEAR

SELECTED INDICATING THAT THE CONTROLLER HAS BEEN PROGRAMMED FOR THAT SPEAKER
ZONE. WHEN THERE ARE TWO CONTROLLERS PER SPEAKER ZONE, BOTH CONTROLLERS WILL
NEED TO HAVE THE SAME DIPSWITCH SETTINGS FOR THAT SPEAKER ZONE.
NOTE: DIPSWITCH #5 IS NOT USED

SQUEEZE BEZEL SIDES TO

1

REMOVE INNER BEZEL(S)

2

PLACE NEW BUTTONS
ON POSTS AND INSTALL
CHOSEN COLOR BEZEL

THE SOURCE BUTTONS AND BEZEL CAN
BE CHANGED TO SUIT THE INSTALLATION

ALTERNATE
SOURCE
BUTTONS

DIPSWITCH SETTINGS

1 2 3 4 5

ON ON ON OFF ZONE 1

OFF ON ON OFF ZONE 2

ON OFF ON OFF ZONE 3

OFF OFF ON OFF ZONE 4

OFF

ON

ON THE FRONT OF THE MDS-6A WHEN A SERVICE IS

ON ON OFF OFF ZONE 5

OFF ON OFF OFF ZONE 6

#1 ON TURNS KEYPAD BACKLIGHT OFF

#1 OFF TURNS KEYPAD BACKLIGHT ON

ZONE

6. BUILD AND CONNECT THE CABLE 7. INSTALL THE CONTROLLER INTO A SINGLE-GANG JUNCTION BOX

TO PRIMARY

MCS-1A OR MCS-2A

PLUG

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TO SECONDARY

CONTROLLER

CLIP

RJ-45

8

PLUG

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2

SLIDE THE CONTROLLER
INTO THE JUNCTION BOX

1

CONNECT THE KEYPAD
END OF CABLE

3

SECURE CONTROLLER
TO JUNCTION BOX
WITH THE TWO SCREWS

TO MDS-6A
AMPLIFIER

CLIP

RJ-45

8

NOTE: UP TO TWO MCS-1A OR MCS-2A CONTROLLERS CAN BE CONNECTED IN PARALLEL TO THE SAME
AMPLIFIER ZONE (WIRE ANOTHER CONTROLLER PLUG TO THE SAME CABLE). WHEN ADDING A SECOND
CONTROLLER PER SPEAKER ZONE, FOLLOW THE SAME COLOR CODED CONNECTION FOR THE SECOND
CONTROLLER.

USE CAT-5 CABLE AND TWO RJ-45
PLUGS TO BUILD A STRAIGHT
THROUGH DOUBLE-ENDED RJ-45
CABLE

BE SURE TO CONNECT THE SAME PIN
NUMBERS TOGETHER BETWEEN EACH
PLUG: 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6, 7-7, 8-8

AS LONG AS BOTH RJ-45 PLUGS ARE

PLUG

WIRED IN THE SAME WIRING STANDARD
(T568A, T568B OR AS SHOWN IN THE
EXAMPLE) THE CONTROLLER WILL

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OPERATE THE MDS-6A

MAXIMUM CABLE LENGTH RECOMMENDED
IS 500 FEET

BLUE

WHITE/BLUE

ORANGE

WHITE/ORANGE

GREEN

WHITE/GREEN

BROWN

WHITE/BROWN

MCS-1A OR MCS-2A

CONTROLLER

CLIP

RJ-45

8

8. INSTALL THE WALL PLATE 9. BASIC OPERATION

USING THE SOURCE BUTTONS

•

Press any source button to turn the MDS-6A power on if it's off

1

INSTALL A SINGLE-GANG DECORA™ WALL PLATE
(NOT INCLUDED) TO COVER THE CONTROLLER

•

Press a source button to select the desired audio source for this controller's

zone (the selected source button lights red)

CD1 CD2 DM1 DM2 AMFM TAPE

USING THE VOLUME BUTTONS

•

Press VOL-UP to increase the volume for this controller's speaker zone

•

Press VOL-DOWN to decrease the volume for this controller's speaker zone

USING THE MUTE BUTTON

•

Press MUTE to silence this controller's speaker zone (the MUTE button lights red)

Press MUTE again to return this zone's speakers to their previous volume

•

SECURE THE

2

WALL PLATE
WITH TWO SCREWS

• Push MUTE for 5 seconds to turn the MDS-6A power off

10. SPECIAL FEATURE OPERATION LIMITED WARRANTY

Linear LLC warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship for 2 years. The time period

USING THE WHOLE-HOUSE-MUSIC FEATURE

•

Push a source button for 5 seconds to turn whole-house-music on or off

•

The selected whole-house-music source button lights yellow

•

The selected source will play through all system zones

CD1

USING THE DO-NOT-DISTURB FEATURE

Push and hold the VOL-DOWN button, then press the MUTE button to turn the do-not-disturb

•

feature on or off (the MUTE button lights yellow when on)

•

When do-not-disturb is on, the zone will not play whole-house-music or paging tones

VOL

MUTE

will be measured using the date code labeled on the product. Linear LLC is not responsible for damage to the product
resulting from the buyer’s improper handling, stocking or warehousing of the product. Any implied warranty arising
from the sale of the product including implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for purpose are limited.
Linear LLC shall not be responsible for any losses, damages or expenses, whether direct, consequential, or incidental
arising from the use or the inability to use the product. Some states and countries do not allow limitations or how
long an implied warranty lasts or the exclusion or limitation or incidental or consequential damages, so the above
exclusions may not apply. The Linear LLC warranty gives specific legal rights in addition to other rights, which may
exist and vary from state to state and country to country.
The warranty is limited to repair or replacement of products returned, freight prepaid, to Linear LLC, there is NO
PROVISION FOR LABOR COST OR OTHER REIMBURSEMENTS OF ANY KIND.

1. Failures due to product abuse, such as negligence, improper use, and electrical surge including damage from
lightning, water damage or other damage due to natural disasters are not covered by the warranty. The most
common form of product abuse is surge damage caused by lightning.

2. The warranty shall also be voided by any tampering with the date code, labels or other markings on the
product.

3. Products that are damaged in transit to Linear LLC due to improper packaging or by the carrier (shipping
company) will not be covered under the warranty. If the product was damaged or lost by the carrier, it is the
sender’s responsibility to create a claim against the carrier.

4. The user is responsible for all labor costs associated with removing, reinstalling and returning the product to
Linear LLC.

Linear LLC, at its option, will repair or replace the defective product. Replacements will be made from B-Stock, if
an exact replacement is not available, Linear LLC, at its option, will select the nearest equivalent product. The user
is responsible for freight charges to Linear LLC. Linear LLC will return warranted repaired or replacements by UPS
Ground or an equivalent service. A customer may pay the additional costs for second-day or next-day service.
All products returned for warranty service require a Return Product Authorization Number (RPA#). Contact Linear
Technical Services at 1-800-999-5225 for an RPA# and other important details.

VOL

VOL

MUTE

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