CRESTRON MC4-1 Control System Expands User Guide

: June 17, 2024
: CRESTRON

Table of Contents

CRESTRON MC4-1 Control System Expands
Product Information
Product Usage Instructions
FAQ
In the Box
Install the Device
Connect the Device
Mount the Antenna
Configure the Device
Create an Admin Account
Acquire Devices for the Control System
Additional Information
References
Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
Download This Manual (PDF format)

CRESTRON MC4-1 Control System Expands

Product Information

Specifications

Product Name: MC4/MC4-I
Type: 4-Series Media Room Controller
Functionality: Control system
Power: Powered over PoE (Power over Ethernet) via Crestron PoE injector (PWE-4803RU) or Crestron PoE switch (CEN-SW-POE-5 or CEN-SWPOE-16)
Included Items:
- 1 MC4 or MC4-I
- 1 Rack Ear, Left (2053897)
- 1 Rack Ear, Right (2053896)
- 4 Nut, 10-32 (2004889)
- 1 Antenna, Dual Band, 2.4/5.8 GHz (2052945)
- 1 Cable, CAT5e, 5 ft (1.52 m) (2022311)
- 2 Connector, 3-Pin (2003575)
- 4 Connector, 4-Pin (2003576)

Product Usage Instructions

Install the Device

Rack Mounting

The control system can be mounted into a rack using the provided rack ears. Follow these steps:

Attach the rack ears to the device:
Insert the two threaded posts on the left rack ear into the front opening in the left mounting flange of the control system. Repeat this step for the right rack ear.
Attach the four provided nuts to the threaded posts to secure the rack ears to the control system.
Secure the control system to the rack rails using four rack mounting screws (not provided).

Surface Mounting

If rack mounting is not desired, the control system can be mounted on a flat surface such as a wall or under a table. Follow these steps:

Use four mounting screws (not provided) to secure the control system to the flat surface.
If desired, the control system can also be mounted behind a flat panel display or similar equipment.

Connect the Device

Make all necessary connections to the control system as shown in the user manual.

Mount the Antenna

The included antenna should be placed in a location that maximizes signal strength and limits impedance. If installing the control system in a rack enclosure, mount the antenna outside of the enclosure using the Crestron ANT- EXT-10 (sold separately).

Configure the Device

The control system can be configured using the provided web configuration interface. The interface can be accessed using the control system IP address or the Crestron XiO CloudTM service.

Configuration via IP Address

To access the web configuration interface using the control system IP address:

NOTE: The control system ships with DHCP enabled. A DHCP server is required to access the web configuration interface via the device IP address.

FAQ

Q: How is the control system powered?
A: The control system is powered over PoE (Power over Ethernet) via a Crestron PoE injector (PWE-4803RU) or a Crestron PoE switch (CEN-SW-POE-5 or CEN-SWPOE-16). All PoE equipment is sold separately.
Q: Can the included cables be extended?
A: No, the included cables may not be extended.
Q: How should I mount the antenna?
A: The antenna should be placed in a location that maximizes signal strength and limits impedance. If installing the control system in a rack enclosure, mount the antenna outside of the enclosure using the Crestron ANT-EXT-10 (sold separately).

The Crestron® MC4 and MC4-I 4-Series media room controllers provide secure, high-performance, cost-effective control processors and interfaces. Their small form factor and versatile mounting options make them ideal for applications such as single-room systems, small to medium-sized homes and offices, and MDUs (multi-dwelling units). The control system includes a built- in infiNET EX® and ER wireless gateway for acquiring wireless devices as well as numerous control ports for controlling wired devices.
NOTE: The MC4 and MC4-I are functionally similar. For simplicity within this guide, the term “control system” is used to refer to both the MC4 and MC4-I unless otherwise noted.

In the Box

1 MC4 or MC4-I, 4-Series Media Room Controller

Additional Items

1 Rack Ear, Left (2053897)
1 Rack Ear, Right (2053896)
4 Nut, 10-32 (2004889)
1 Antenna, Dual Band, 2.4/5.8 GHz (2052945)
1 Cable, CAT5e, 5 ft (1.52 m) (2022311)
2 Connector, 3-Pin (2003575)
4 Connector, 4-Pin (2003576)

Install the Device

The control system may be mounted into a rack or onto a flat surface.

Rack Mounting
The control system occupies 1U of rack space when using the provided rack ears.

Attach the rack ears to the device:

Insert the two threaded posts on the left rack ear up and into the front opening in the left mounting flange of the control system.
Repeat this step for the right rack ear.
Attach the four provided nuts to the threaded posts to secure the rack ears to the control system.
Refer to the following image for rack ear placement.
Secure the control system to the rack rails using four rack mounting screws (not provided).

Surface Mounting
Use four mounting screws (not provided) to mount the control system to a flat surface such as a wall or under a table. The control system can also be mounted behind a flat panel display or similar equipment.

Connect the Device

Make all necessary connections to the control system as shown below.
Front Panel Connections

Rear Panel Connections

Observe the following when connecting the control system:

The control system is powered over PoE (Power over Ethernet) via a Crestron PoE injector (PWE-4803RU) or a Crestron PoE switch (CEN-SW-POE-5 or CEN-SWPOE-16). All PoE equipment is sold separately.
The included cables may not be extended.
Mount the included antenna per the guidelines described in Mount the Antenna.
Connect the chassis ground lug to a known earth-ground circuit (such as building steel) to ensure that the control system is grounded properly.
Apply power after all connections have been made.

Mount the Antenna

The included antenna should be placed in a location that maximizes signal strength and limits impedance. Refer to the Best Practices for Installation and Setup of Crestron RF Products (Doc. 6689) at www.crestron.com/manuals.
If installing the control system in a rack enclosure, the antenna should be mounted outside of the enclosure using the Crestron ANT-EXT-10 (sold separately). For more information, refer to the ANT-EXT-10 Installation Guide (Doc. 7047) at www.crestron.com/manuals.

Configure the Device

The control system may be configured using the provided web configuration interface. The interface can be accessed using the control system IP address or the Crestron XiO Cloud™ service.

Configuration via IP Address
To access the web configuration interface using the control system IP address:
NOTE: The control system ships with DHCP enabled. A DHCP server is required to access the web configuration interface via the device IP address.

Connect the control system to the network.
Use the Device Discovery tool in Crestron Toolbox™ software to discover the control system and its IP address on the network.
Enter the control system IP address into a web browser.

Configuration via Crestron XiO Cloud
The Crestron XiO Cloud service allows supported Crestron devices across an enterprise to be managed and configured from one central and secure location in the cloud. Supported devices are configured to connect to the service. Use of the service requires a registered Crestron XiO Cloud account.
NOTE: The device may be disconnected from the service by navigating to the Cloud Services tab in Crestron Toolbox software (Functions > Device Info > Cloud Services). For details, refer to the Crestron Toolbox help file.
To access the web configuration interface using the Crestron XiO Cloud service:

Connect the control system to the network.
Record the MAC address and serial number that is labelled on the top of the control system. The MAC address and serial number are required to add the device to the service.
Do either of the following
- For existing accounts, access the Crestron XiO Cloud service at https://portal.crestron.io.
- For new accounts, register for a Crestron XiO Cloud account at www.crestron.com/xio-cloud-registration.
Claim the device to the service as described in the Crestron XiO Cloud User Guide (Doc. 8214) at www.crestron.com/manuals.
Select the device from the cloud interface to view its settings.

Create an Admin Account

The first time the web configuration interface is accessed, a dialogue box is displayed asking the user to create an admin account. A similar message is displayed when connecting to the device in Crestron Toolbox software if an admin account has not already been created.
To create an admin account:

Enter a username and password for the admin account in the appropriate text fields.
CAUTION: Do not lose the username and password for the admin account, as the device must be reset to factory settings to regain access.
Click OK. A dialogue box is displayed stating that enabling authentication will restart the web session.
Click Yes to confirm and restart. The username and password created in Step 1 must be entered to regain access to the web configuration interface.

NOTE: The username and password must also be entered when connecting to Crestron Toolbox or XPanel.

Set the Time Zone

The time zone must be set on the control system to ensure that the correct time settings are pushed to controlled devices.
To set the time zone:

Access the web configuration interface using either the device IP address or the Crestron XiO Cloud service.
Navigate to Settings > System Setup.
Select the time zone where the control system is used from the Time Zone drop-down menu.
Click Save Changes on the top right of the screen.

Assign the RF Channel

Set the RF channel of the control system before operation. The control system can operate on channels 11 through 26. Crestron recommends using RF channel 15 or 20. The default RF channel is 15.
For optimum performance when installing the control system in a Wi-Fi® network environment, do not set the RF channel within a Wi-Fi channel band. Refer to the information below when choosing the RF channel in a Wi-Fi environment:

Gateway channels 11 through 14 are within the Wi-Fi channel 1 band.
Gateway channel 15 is adjacent to Wi-Fi channels 1 and 6.
Gateway channels 16 through 19 are within the Wi-Fi channel 6 band.
Gateway channel 20 is adjacent to Wi-Fi channels 6 and 11.
Gateway channels 21 through 24 are within the Wi-Fi channel 11 band.
Gateway channel 25 is adjacent to Wi-Fi channel 11.
Gateway channel 26 is neither within nor adjacent to any Wi-Fi band.

NOTE: Crestron RF devices are divided into two categories: infiNET EX network devices and Crestron Extended Range (ER) devices.
infiNET EX devices automatically set their RF channel assignment to match the gateway’s channel, whereas ER devices must have their RF channel manually assigned to match the gateway’s channel.
Use the Crestron Toolbox to set the control system RF channel. From the EasyConfig tool, navigate to Functions > infiNET EX Gateway. Refer to the Crestron Toolbox help file for more information.

Acquire Devices for the Control System

Crestron infiNET EX and ER devices can communicate with the control system after they have been acquired by the control system’s internal gateway. A device can be acquired to only one gateway. Acquire mode is activated from the Crestron Toolbox or by pressing the ACQUIRE button on the control system front panel.
For optimum performance when installing the control system in a Wi-Fi network environment, do not set the RF channel within a Wi-Fi channel band. Refer to the information below when choosing the RF channel in a Wi-Fi environment:

NOTES

Use the Crestron Toolbox to set the RF channel before starting the acquiring process. Refer to Assign the RF Channel.
Acquire mode can be activated approximately 15 seconds after power is applied to the control system.
The control system must be put in Acquire mode before an infiNET EX device is put into Acquire mode.

To acquire an infiNET EX or ER device for the control system:

Press ACQUIRE on the control system to enter Acquire mode. The Acquire LED lights to indicate that the unit is ready to acquire.
NOTE: Acquire mode deactivates after one hour by default. This timeout period can be modified in the Crestron Toolbox.
Place the infiNET EX or ER device within range of the gateway (50 ft), and put it into Acquire mode as described in its documentation. The device is acquired within two minutes of putting it into Acquire mode.
Repeat step 2 for each device that must be acquired.
Press ACQUIRE on the control system to leave Acquire mode.

Visit the Product Page

Scan the QR code to visit the product page.
MC4:
www.crestron.com/model/6510432.
MC4-I:
www.crestron.com/model/6511326.

Additional Information

Original Instructions
The U.S. English version of this document is the original instructions.
All other languages are a translation of the original instructions.
Crestron product development software is licensed to Crestron dealers and Crestron Service Providers (CSPs) under a limited nonexclusive, nontransferable Software Development Tools License Agreement. Crestron product operating system software is licensed to Crestron dealers, CSPs, and end-users under a separate End-User License Agreement. Both of these Agreements can be found on the Crestron website at www.crestron.com/legal/software_license_agreement. The product warranty can be found at www.crestron.com/warranty.
The specific patents that cover Crestron products are listed at www.crestron.com/legal/patents.
Certain Crestron products contain open-source software. For specific information, visit www.crestron.com/opensource. Crestron, the Crestron logo, Cresnet, Crestron Toolbox, Crestron XiO Cloud, and infiNET EX are either trademarks or registered trademarks of Crestron Electronics, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. The microSD logo is either a trademark or a registered trademark of SD-3C, LLC in the United States and/or other countries. Wi-Fi is either a trademark or a registered trademark of Wi- Fi Alliance in the United States and/or other countries. Other trademarks, registered trademarks, and trade names may be used in this document to refer to either the entities claiming the marks and names or their products. Crestron disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others. Crestron is not responsible for errors in typography or photography.©2020 Crestron Electronics, Inc.
Doc ID 8489A (2054144) 01/03/20