Nexus C-816 User manual

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONSINSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
C-816 MULTI-ROOM CONTROLLER
C-816 MULTI-ROOM CONTROLLERC-816 MULTI-ROOM CONTROLLER
C-816 MULTI-ROOM CONTROLLER
Renaissance Series
Renaissance SeriesRenaissance Series
Renaissance Series
Phantom Series
Phantom SeriesPhantom Series
Phantom Series

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Read all of these instructions before operating and save instructions for later use.
1. Read Instructions – All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the appliance is operated.
2. Retain Instructions – The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future reference.
3. Heed Warnings – All warnings on the appliance and in the instructions should be adhered to.
4. Follow Instructions – All operating and use instructions should be followed.
5. Water and Moisture – The appliance should not be used near water – for example, near a bathtub, washbowl, kitchen sink, laundry
tub, in a wet basement or near a swimming pool.
6. Carts and Stands – The appliance should be used only with a cart or stand that is recommended by the manufacturer. An appliance
and cart combination should be moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force, and uneven surfaces may cause the appliance and
cart combination to overturn.
7. Wall or Ceiling Mounting – The appliance should be mounted to a wall or ceiling only as recommended by the manufacturer.
8. Ventilation – The appliance should be situated so that its location or position does not interfere with its proper ventilation. For
example, the appliance should not be situated on a bed, sofa, rug, or similar surface that may block the ventilation openings; or,
placed in a built-in installation, such as a bookcase or cabinet that may impede the flow of air through the ventilation openings.
9. Heat – The appliance should be situated away from heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other appliances
(including amplifiers) that produce heat.
10. Power Sources – The appliance should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as
marked on the appliance.
11. Grounding or Polarization – Precautions should be taken so that the grounding or polarization means of an appliance is not defeated.
12. Power-Cord Protection – Power-supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed
upon or against them, paying particular attention to cords at plugs, convenience receptacles, and at the point where they exit from the
appliance.
13. Cleaning – The appliance should be cleaned only as recommended by the manufacturer.
14. Power Lines – An outdoor antenna should be located away from the power lines.
15. Nonuse Periods – The power cord of the appliance should be unplugged from the outlet when left unused for a long period of time.
16. Object and Liquid Entry – Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through
openings.
17. Damage Requiring Service – The appliance should be serviced by qualified service personnel when:
◦The power-supply cord or the plug has been damage; or
◦The appliance has been exposed to rain; or
◦Objects have fallen, or liquid has spilled into the appliance; or
◦The appliance does not appear to operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance; or
◦The appliance has been dropped or the enclosure damaged.
18. Servicing – The user should not attempt to service the appliance beyond that described in the operating instructions. All other
servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel.
2

TABLE OF CONTENTS
SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS........................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................................5
C-816 Controller......................................................................................................................................6
Front Panel...........................................................................................................................................6
Rear Panel............................................................................................................................................7
Keypad.....................................................................................................................................................9
Front Panel...........................................................................................................................................9
Rear Panel..........................................................................................................................................10
R-3 Handheld Remote...........................................................................................................................11
DESIGNING AND INSTALLING A C-4.4 SYSTEM............................................................................15
System Design.......................................................................................................................................15
Head End Considerations......................................................................................................................15
Zone Considerations..............................................................................................................................15
INSTALLATION......................................................................................................................................15
Controller Location................................................................................................................................15
Ventilation.............................................................................................................................................15
Rack Mounting......................................................................................................................................16
Keypad Location & Mounting...............................................................................................................16
WIRING....................................................................................................................................................17
Keypads for Renaissance system...........................................................................................................17
Keypads for Phantom system................................................................................................................18
Speakers in a Renaissance system.........................................................................................................18
Speakers in a phantom system...............................................................................................................18
Video (Option).......................................................................................................................................18
Mute.......................................................................................................................................................19
RS-232...................................................................................................................................................19
Audio Page.............................................................................................................................................19
CONNECTIONS.......................................................................................................................................20
HEAD END CONNECTIONS..............................................................................................................20
Keypads.............................................................................................................................................20
Speakers.............................................................................................................................................20
Source Audio.....................................................................................................................................20
IR Emitters.........................................................................................................................................20
Mute...................................................................................................................................................20
RS-232...............................................................................................................................................20
Audio Page.........................................................................................................................................21
ZONE CONNECTIONS.......................................................................................................................21
Keypads.............................................................................................................................................21
Speakers.............................................................................................................................................21
Video (Option)...................................................................................................................................21
Nexlink Connection...........................................................................................................................23
Source Audio.....................................................................................................................................23
IR Emitters.........................................................................................................................................23
Speakers.............................................................................................................................................23
Mute...................................................................................................................................................23
Page Audio.........................................................................................................................................23
PROGRAMMING.....................................................................................................................................25
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Programming IR Commands.................................................................................................................25
Button Mapping.....................................................................................................................................25
Learn IR Codes......................................................................................................................................26
Erase IR Codes......................................................................................................................................27
Test IR Codes........................................................................................................................................28
IR Pass through Frequency....................................................................................................................28
Source Naming......................................................................................................................................29
Zone Naming.........................................................................................................................................30
Input Level Trim....................................................................................................................................30
Page/Mute Setup....................................................................................................................................31
Zone Sharing..........................................................................................................................................32
Macros...................................................................................................................................................33
Erasing Macros......................................................................................................................................34
USB........................................................................................................................................................34
Upgrading the C-816 Controller........................................................................................................34
Upgrading the C-816 Keypads..........................................................................................................34
Master/Slave..........................................................................................................................................35
Version...................................................................................................................................................35
RS-232 PROTOCOL.................................................................................................................................36
OPTION BAYS.........................................................................................................................................37
Module Installation................................................................................................................................37
Connecting an iPod dock.......................................................................................................................38
KEYPAD OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS..............................................................................................39
MAIN POWER......................................................................................................................................39
ON/OFF, Source Select, Volume..........................................................................................................39
CD, DVD, VCR, MP3 etc.....................................................................................................................39
Satellite, Cable, XM, Sirius, VCR Tuner Etc........................................................................................39
C-816 Internal Tuner.............................................................................................................................39
Operating the Tuner...........................................................................................................................39
Saving Tuner Presets.........................................................................................................................39
Erase Presets......................................................................................................................................40
Name Presets.....................................................................................................................................40
Tone Controls........................................................................................................................................41
Setup a group.........................................................................................................................................41
Keypad Display Contrast.......................................................................................................................41
iPod operation........................................................................................................................................42
TROUBLESHOOTING............................................................................................................................42
SPECIFICATIONS....................................................................................................................................43
WARRANTY............................................................................................................................................44
4

NEXUS AUDIO SYSTEMS
C-816 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Nexus Audio Systems and congratulations on your purchase of the C-816 Multi-Zone Controller.
The C-816 is available in two model series. The Renaissance series, which utilizes standard CAT-5 cabling for
keypad connections and standard speaker wire for the speaker connections. Also available is the Phantom
version which does not require any CAT-5 cabling, utilizing standard 4-conductor speaker wire in a daisy chained
keypad to speaker configuration. The Phantom series is especially well suited to retrofit situations, replacing older
amplifier/rotary volume control systems with no changes to the wiring.
The C-816 supports eight independently operated zones and infrared (IR) control of four external line level audio
source components. Two Audio Input Module Option Bays provide additional source input capability for devices
such as iPods and Line level sources. The C-816 also features a built-in AM/FM Tuner with twenty Channel
Presets.
Each zone 1-6 features a solid 50 Watts per channel stereo amplifier for clean, unfatigued listening. Zones 7-8
are line level output for use with Nexus zone amplifiers. Each of the routed source IR outputs can be set for 38
KHz or 56 KHz output for optimum source control. The unit includes a RS-232 Port that allows the C-816 to be
controlled with a touch-screen or easily integrated with other home automation control systems. The Nexus C-816
provides a mute function that can integrate with a doorbell or telephone system to ensure no important call or
visitor is ever missed, and audio paging for whole-house voice communication. The system is expandable to 16
zones using two C-816 Controllers.
Source power management is referenced to system status with all sources being automatically turned on when
the first zone is activated and turned off when the last zone turns off. Programming power management takes
only seconds and requires no additional connections or components.
The C-816 Keypads provide simple, intuitive control of zone power, source selection, source control, volume,
treble and bass and tuner functions. The blue backlit keypad LCD indicates zone status, source selection, volume
as well as tuner frequency and preset. Zone names, source names and tuner preset names are all configurable in
the C-816 Setup and are all displayed on the Keypad LCD. The C-816 features six programmable buttons that
can be used for basic device control such as chapter skip, stop or pause for transport devices and tuner up/down
or preset up/down for tuners. The keypad features a built-in infrared receiver that can be used with the included
R-3 Remote Control or any properly programmed IR remote for additional flexibility and armchair control. The R-3
includes an additional 23 buttons that are programmable by source to include vital source control commands.
The Zone Sharing feature allows up to three zones to be linked together for ease of use in common areas that
would typically have the same source selected and playing. Zone Sharing includes two modes. One links the
zones for power, source and volume, the other has the same source selected in all three zones, but each zone
retains independent power and volume control.
The Nexus C-816 is a flexible, full-featured multi-zone controller that is easy to install, program and operate. At
Nexus that’s our goal. To provide you with well thought-out system components that reduce the time spent on-site
allowing you more time for managing other important parts of your business…such as selling and installing more
Nexus Audio Systems!
Thank you for your support.
5

SYSTEM OVERVIEW
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••
•Eight Zones (expandable to sixteen using two C-816 controllers)
•
••
•50W/channel into 4 ohms, all zones driven
•
••
•Up to 6 stereo audio source inputs (4 standard)
•
••
•Fixed and variable line level outputs, linked to Zone 1
•
••
•Two module inputs for iPod, line level and other ‘future’ sources
•
••
•Doorbell mute input with dry contact trigger
•
••
•Audio page input with dry contact trigger
•
••
•Four routed source IR outputs, one common IR output
•
••
•RS232 serial control port
•
••
•USB connector for firmware updates
•
••
•Eight RJ45 Keypad Terminals (Renaissance version)
•
••
•Six Molex Speaker Connectors
•
••
•Built in AM/FM tuner with twenty presets
•
••
•20x4 LCD for tuner display and setup/programming
•
••
•Includes: Eight keypads and one handheld remote control
•
••
•Dimensions: 17”W x 3.75H x 14” D (including feet and connections)
•
••
•Designed and manufactured in Canada
•
••
•Comprehensive five year parts and labor warranty
WHAT’S INCLUDED
1 – C-816 controller
6 – K-2 keypads
1 – R-3 remote
4 – IR-1 infrared emitters
1 – AM loop antenna
1 – FM wire antenna
1 – FM antenna adapter
9 – Plug-in connectors for speaker and audio page connections
1 – Installation instructions
1 – Warranty card
FEATURES
Figure 1. C-816 Controller Front Panel
C-816 Controller
Front Panel
1. Front Panel Display – 20 x 4 LCD displays Tuner Frequency and Preset Number. All programming
and setup menus are also displayed on the LCD.
2. IR Learning Eye – IR sensor used for programming IR commands.
3. Zone Status LEDs – 8 LEDs illuminate blue to indicate powered zones.
6

FEATURES (contd.)
Figure 2a. C-816 Controller Renaissance version Rear Panel
Figure 2b. C-816 Controller Phantom version Rear Panel
Rear Panel
4. Zone Keypad Terminals – (Renaissance version only) Six, RJ45 jacks, connect to C-816 Keypads via CAT-5
Cable. Zone control for power, source selection, tuning, tone controls, etc are communicated on these
connections.
5. 12 volt trigger out – Provides a 12 volt DC signal when zone 1 is on, for optionally powering up an external
amplifier.
6. Audio Input Module Option Bays – Two accessory ports for connection of external devices such as iPod, line
in and other ‘future’ sources.
7. IR – Four, 3.5mm mini jacks output routed IR commands to their specific corresponding source components.
Polarity: Tip = signal; sleeve = ground.
8. ALL – One, 3.5mm mini jack outputs learned IR commands from all zone keypads and remotes. (not IR
passthru) Polarity: Tip = signal; sleeve = ground.
9. Audio Page – One, four-pin terminal adapts to one of the included Molex connectors to switch all zones
configured for Audio Page in the Controller Setup to the Audio Page source. Pins 1-2 are page audio in. Pins
3-4 are a dry contact input (shorting pins 3-4 activates page).
10. Mute – One 2.1mm coaxial jack mutes audio in selected zones as configured in the Controller Setup when
12VDC is present. Polarity: Pin = +12VDC; Sleeve = GND.
11. FM Antenna – One, female ‘F’ type terminal for connecting the included FM antenna.
12. AM Antenna – One, two wire spring clip allows connection of an AM Loop Antenna.
13. Zone 8 Out – Variable audio output for connection to an external zone amplifier.
14. Amplifier Control – 3.5mm jack provides control signals for zones 7-8 to Nexus 'A' series zone
amplifiers.
15. Zone 7 Out – Variable audio output for connection to an external zone amplifier.
16. Speakers – Six, four-pin terminals connect to the included Molex plug-in connectors for connecting zone
speakers. On the phantom version, the keypads also connect here, and are daisy chained with the speakers.
7

17. Zone 1 Line Level Out (variable) - One, stereo pair RCA jacks connect to the left & right line level audio
inputs on an external audio amplifier that does not have a volume control or when it is desirable to adjust
volume on an external amp or receiver from the C-816 Keypad or R-3 Remote Control in Zone 1.
18. Line Level Out (Fixed) – One, stereo pair RCA jacks connect to the left & right line level audio inputs on an
external audio amplifier or receiver when volume will be controlled with in-wall volume controls or the volume
control on the receiver. These jacks output line level audio for the source selected in Zone 1.
19. Audio Inputs – Four, stereo pair RCA jacks connect to the left & right line level audio outputs of up to four
external source components. Pinout: Tip=Sig; Sleeve=Gnd.
20. USB Flash Drive – One, USB 2.0 Port connects to a USB flash drive for installing firmware updates.
21. Nexlink – One, RJ11 jack connects to the Nexlink jack on a second C-816 for system expansion to sixteen
zones.
22. RS-232 – One, DB9 female connector provides two-way RS-232 communication with touch screen
controllers, and home automation systems. Pinout: Pin 2 = Tx; Pin 3 = Rx; Pin 5 = Ground.
23. AC Power – Standard IEC 3-conductor AC line cord receptacle.
24. AC Fuse – Replaceable T8A H250V fuse. Only use exact replacement to avoid damage to the unit or the
possibility of fire.
25. Main Power Switch – Turns AC power to the C-816 Controller ON/OFF.
8

Figure 3. C-816 Keypad Front Panel
Keypad
Front Panel
26. Keypad Trim Plate Tab Slots – Four slots, lock the Keypad trim plate Tabs in place to secure the trim
plate when the keypad is installed on a wall.
27. J-Box Screw Holes – Four slots, adapt to the mounting holes on a standard 2-gang J-Box when wall-
mounting the keypad.
28. IR Receiver – Two, infrared receivers (38 KHz, 56 KHz) allow remote control with most brands of IR
controlled source components from the included R-3 Remote Control, the original source remote or a full-
function programmable remote. On the Phantom version, only the 38KHz receiver is present for the
control of the keypad with the R-3 remote. The phantom version does not have IR pass through.
29. Keypad LCD – Turns ON when zone is ON. Displays zone status for: Source, Volume, Zone Name, Tuner
Frequency and Preset Number. Also displays Keypad Menu for: Tuner Preset programming, Tone Controls
and Keypad Display Contrast. OFF when zone is OFF.
30. Zone ON/OFF Button – Press to toggle zone ON/OFF. Press and Hold to turn all zones OFF. No
programming required.
31. Volume UP/DOWN Buttons – Press to adjust volume UP/DOWN by zone. No programming
required.
32. Cursor Buttons
Forward Button (►►) – In Normal Mode, with the internal Tuner selected, press this button to advance
to the next higher stored Preset. For external sources, (CD, iPod, etc) this button is IR programmable for
functions such as track skip forward or next disc. IR commands must be programmed by source. In the
Keypad Menu, in Save Preset, press to select Tuner Preset memory location up, in Erase Preset select
press for Yes/No, in Name Preset move the cursor to the right, in Tone Controls increase treble/bass and
in Contrast increase contrast.
Menu – Press this button to activate the Keypad Menu. With Tuner selected, Preset Save, Erase Current
Preset, Name Current Preset, Tone Controls, Setup Group, and LCD Contrast are accessible. For
external sources, only the Tone Controls, Setup Group, and LCD Contrast are accessible. The Menu
button is not programmable for IR commands.
9

Stop/Pause Button ( ■ /II) – In Normal Mode, with the Tuner selected, press to toggle between AM and
FM Bands. For external components, (CD, iPod, etc) this button is IR programmable for functions such as
stop and pause. IR commands must be programmed by source. In the Keypad Menu, in Save Preset,
press this button to cancel save, press to exit any Keypad Menu Mode and return to Normal Mode.
Select Button (*) – In Normal Mode, with Tuner selected and a Preset channel tuned, press and hold to
access Erase Preset. With Tuner selected and a non-Preset channel tuned, press and hold to access
Save Preset. For external sources, (CD, iPod, etc) this button is IR programmable for functions such as
play. IR commands must be programmed by source. In the Keypad Menu, press to select the highlighted
menu item. In Save Preset, press to save, in Erase Preset press for Yes/No, in Name Preset, press to
enter the name. No function for Tone Controls or Contrast.
Reverse Button (◄◄) – In Normal Mode with the internal Tuner selected, press this button to advance
to the next lower stored Preset. For external sources, (CD, iPod, etc) this button is IR programmable for
functions such as previous track or previous disc. IR commands must be programmed by source. In the
Keypad Menu, press to select Tuner Preset memory location down, in Erase Preset select Yes/No, in
Name Preset move the cursor to the left, in Tone Controls decrease treble/bass and in Contrast,
decrease Contrast.
33. Up/Down Buttons (▲▼) – In Normal Mode with the internal Tuner selected, press these buttons to
increase/decrease frequency by one increment. Press and hold for frequency scan. For external
sources, (CD, iPod, etc) these buttons are IR programmable for functions such as disc skip up/down.
IR commands must be programmed by source. In Keypad Menu Mode, with the Menu on-screen, press
to navigate up/down in the menu. In Tone Controls press to select Treble or Bass.
34. Source Button – In Normal Mode, repeatedly press to select a source for the local zone. No programming
required.
Figure 4a. C-816 Renaissance Keypad Rear Panel Figure 4b. C-816 Phantom Keypad Rear Panel
Rear Panel
35. Controller Port – One, RJ45 jack (Fig. 4a) connects to the appropriate Zone Input on the C-816
Controller Rear Panel via CAT-5 cable terminated with RJ45 connectors. The cable CAT-5 should be
configured in a pass-through (pin to pin) configuration, utilizing the TIA568A Standard pin-out. The
Phantom version (Fig. 4b) has two molex connectors which connects to the appropriate speaker output
on the C-816 phantom controller, and to the attached speakers for the zone.
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Figure 5. R-3 Handheld Remote
R-3 Handheld Remote
NOTE 1: The C-816 Controller will only respond to R-3 IR codes. ‘System’ functions such as ON/OFF, Volume,
and Source select are pre-programmed at the factory. ‘Source’ functions such as track, disc, play, scan, numeric
and navigation function commands must be programmed into the C-816 Controller. See section: Programming
IR Commands for additional information. The R-3 commands can be taught to other programmable controllers,
but the source function commands must still be programmed into the C-816 Controller.
NOTE 2: Any Source IR commands programmed into the C-816 Controller for the Keypads will respond to same
buttons when pressed on the R-3 and do not need to be programmed twice. See Section: Button Mapping for
additional information.
36. Input Select Buttons – In Normal Mode, press these buttons to select the inputs for external sources
connected to the C-816. Buttons 1-4 will select Rear Panel Inputs 1-4. Buttons 5-6 will select the Audio
Input Modules connected to Option Bays on the C-816 Rear Panel. In IR learning Mode, these buttons
will select the source being programmed.
37. Tuner Button – In Normal Mode, press this button to select the C-816 internal Tuner.
38. Scroll Buttons – Same functionality as the Up/Down Buttons (▲▼) on the keypad. In Normal Mode with the
internal Tuner selected, press these buttons to increase/decrease frequency by one increment. For
external sources, (CD, iPod, etc) these buttons are IR programmable for functions such as disc skip
up/down. IR commands must be programmed by source. In Keypad Menu Mode, with the Menu on- screen,
press to navigate up/down in the menu. In Tone Controls press to select Treble or Bass.
39. Bank A-B, Direct – These keys have no functionality at this time, but may be used for future product
releases.
40. IR Programmable Buttons – In Normal Mode, when programmed with IR commands, these buttons can be
used for remote control of the connected external sources. The Source IR commands are taught to the
C-816 Controller and associated with the button locations by source. See section: Programming IR
Commands for additional information.
11

41. PRG (Program) – With the R-3 approximately 3-4 inches from the C-816 IR Learning Eye, press and
hold this button until the Main Menu appears in the C-816 Front Panel Display.
42. Exit – In Program Mode, press this button to exit program modes to return to the Main Menu. In Main Menu,
press to return to Normal Mode.
43. Volume UP/DOWN Buttons – Press to adjust volume UP/DOWN by zone. Same functionality as keypad
Volume Up/Down buttons. No programming required.
44. Cursor Buttons (Identical to keypad Cursor Button functionality.)
Forward Button (►►) – In Normal Mode, with the internal Tuner selected, press this button to advance
to the next higher stored Preset. For external sources, (CD, iPod, etc) this button is IR programmable for
functions such as track skip forward or next disc. IR commands must be programmed by source. In the
Keypad Menu, in Save Preset, press to select Tuner Preset memory location up, in Erase Preset select
press for Yes/No, in Name Preset move the cursor to the right, in Tone Controls increase treble/bass and
in Contrast increase contrast.
Menu – Press this button to activate the Keypad Menu. With Tuner selected, Preset Save, Erase Current
Preset, Name Current Preset, Tone Controls, Setup Group and LCD Contrast are accessible. For
external sources, only the Tone Controls, Setup Group and LCD Contrast are accessible. The Menu
button is not programmable for IR commands.
Stop/Pause Button ( ■ /II) – In Normal Mode, with the Tuner selected, press and hold to toggle between
AM and FM Bands. For external components, (CD, iPod, etc) this button is IR programmable for functions
such as stop and pause. IR commands must be programmed by source. In the Keypad Menu, in Save
Preset, press this button to cancel save, press to exit any Keypad Menu Mode and return to Normal
Mode.
Select Button (*) – In Normal Mode, with Tuner selected and a Preset channel tuned, press and hold to
access Erase Preset. With Tuner selected and a non-Preset channel tuned, press and hold to access
Save Preset. For external sources, (CD, iPod, etc) this button is IR programmable for functions such as
play. IR commands must be programmed by source. In the Keypad Menu, press to select the highlighted
menu item. In Save Preset, press to save, in Erase Preset press for Yes/No, in Name Preset, press to
enter the name. No function for Tone Controls or Contrast.
Reverse Button (◄◄) – In Normal Mode with the internal Tuner selected, press this button to advance
to the next lower stored Preset. For external sources, (CD, iPod, etc) this button is IR programmable for
functions such as previous track or reverse scan. IR commands must be programmed by source. In the
Keypad Menu, press to select Tuner Preset memory location down, in Erase Preset select Yes/No, in
Name Preset move the cursor to the left, in Tone Controls decrease treble/bass and in Contrast,
decrease Contrast.
45. Zone ON/OFF Button – (Identical to keypad ON/OFF Button functionality.) Press to toggle zone
ON/OFF. Press and Hold to turn all zones OFF. No programming required.
46. Lens – Point this end of the R-3 toward the C-816 Controller or Keypad for programming or zone control.
IR LEDs behind the lens output infrared pulses (rapid flashes of invisible light) that must be direct line-of-
sight to the Controller or keypad for them to ‘see’ the R-3 IR commands.
12

Figure 6a. C-816 Renaissance Typical System
13

Figure 6b. C-816 Phantom Typical System
14

DESIGNING AND INSTALLING A C-816 SYSTEM
System Design
It is always good to get as much information from the client/user/homeowner as possible when designing a multi-
source, multi-zone system. What sources are they going to use? How many zones will be included in the system?
Some zones may only require speakers for background music, while other zones may include a TV or video
display for movies, sports and news. It’s all part of the same system and planning ahead will insure that the
system does what the user requires…or asks for later.
Head End Considerations
When planning a whole-house system, for either new or existing construction, always try to find the most
convenient location for the system components. Try to find a central location to pull the wire runs to with adequate
space for the components and room to work on them. Certainly not the least important consideration should be
convenience for the user. Remember: once the system is installed, the user is still going to need to load discs and
dock/undock the iPod…easy access is essential. For service or upgrading components, an equipment closet with
rear access to the components is ideal but not always possible. Consider a pull-out rack mount system if rear
access is not possible. Leave plenty of extra wire to be able to easily remove components should they need
service or replacing.
Zone Considerations
Think the system through in terms of how the system will be used. What is the layout of each room? Where will
the speakers go? Where will the keypads go? Are there going to be any other system components in the remote
zones such as TV’s or video displays? Be sure to pull all required cabling and observe all local building and
electrical codes.
INSTALLATION
Controller Location
The C-816 should be located at the main termination of all wire and cable runs. The source components (Tuner,
CD, DVD, SAT, Music Server, etc) should also be installed at this location.
The C-816 and source components can be placed on shelves in a wall unit in a media room, or rack mounted in a
standard 19” rack mount system. Always provide convenient access for loading CDs and DVDs. Easy access for
service should also be a consideration.
Ventilation
The C-816 must be placed in a location that allows adequate airflow. Leave at least two inches above and below
the unit to allow air to flow freely through the vent holes on the top, bottom and sides. Blocking the vent holes can
inhibit airflow and possibly damage the unit. Removing the feet a placing the unit on a shelf or another component
will inhibit airflow and is not recommended. Additionally, care should be taken to leave plenty of extra room for
wires and cables. Extra wire cramped in around the unit can block side vents and inhibit proper airflow.
15

Rack Mounting
Figure 7. C-816 Rack Ears
Rack Ears (Nexus Part #RK 3.5) are available as an accessory item that can be ordered from Nexus for rack
mounting the C-816. The Ears mount behind the C-816 Front Panel as shown in Figure 7. The Ears, when
secured to the rack, have the same height as other rack panels and allow use of Middle Atlantic Trim Strips for a
clean finish. To attach Rack Ears:
1. Align Rack Ears to the Chassis Screw Holes in the sides of the C-816. Secure with Rack Ears Chassis
Screws included with Rack Ears.
2. Secure to rack using appropriate rack mount hardware.
NOTE: When rack mounting the C-816 Controller and other system components, it is recommended that one, one
rack space vent panel be used above and below the C-816 Controller to provide adequate airflow for cooling.
Keypad Location & Mounting
The C-816 Keypads should never be mounted in the same J-box with AC house wiring or any other high voltage
device such as a light switch. Avoid mounting the keypads in areas with high moisture such as around sinks,
bathtubs, showers or outdoor locations that will be exposed to rain or high humidity. Care should also be taken to
avoid mounting the keypads in locations that will be exposed to direct sunlight. Sunlight can interfere with the IR
sensors on the keypads and interfere with system performance.
16

WIRING
One of the most important aspects of system design and installation is the wiring infrastructure. When planning
the wiring infrastructure, always pull extra wire. In new construction, wires can be damaged during construction,
so it is a good idea to use wire with additional conductors in case a nail or staple gets run through a wire.
Additionally, even though the system has been designed and contracted based on extensive interviews with the
homeowner, things change. The homeowner may decide to add music, video and control to additional rooms long
after the walls have been sealed up. In new construction, always pull wire to every room that could ever possibly
be added to the system, so when the homeowner decides to add a room, the wire is already in place. Pull
speaker and control wires for audio and control as well as coax or other appropriate cable (HDMI over CAT-5,
etc), for video distribution, even though the C-816 does not switch video and the system will only initially be used
for audio sources. Pull each wire or cable to an appropriate location for keypads, speakers and video displays.
Terminate with appropriate wall plates or keep a map detailing exactly where the wire runs are terminated in the
walls. Always label the wire runs by room and device to assist in installation and troubleshooting.
Figure 8a. Typical Renaissance Zone Configuration
Keypads for Renaissance system
Pull CAT-5 in home-runs directly from each keypad location to the C-816 Controller location. Terminate with RJ45
plugs in a pass-through (pin to pin) configuration using the TIA568A Standard pin-out.
CAT-5 RJ45 SIGNAL
White/Green PIN 1 +12V
Green PIN 2 GND
White/Orange PIN 3 Keypad Data +
Blue PIN 4 IR Data +
White/Blue PIN 5 IR Data -
Orange PIN 6 Keypad Data -
White/Brown PIN 7 N/C
Brown PIN 8 N/C
Figure 8b. RJ45 TIA568A Standard Pin-out
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Figure 9a. Typical Phantom Zone Configuration
Keypads for Phantom system
Pull 14 or 16 AWG 4 conductor speaker wire in home-runs directly from each keypad location to the C-816
Controller location. Terminate with molex plugs in a pass-through (pin to pin) configuration using the pin-out in fig
9b.
4 COND. MOLEX SIGNAL
Red PIN 1 Left+
White PIN 2 Control
Black PIN 3 Common
Green PIN 4 Right+
Figure 9b. 4 conductor Standard Pin-out
Speakers in a Renaissance system
Pull four conductor wire in home-runs directly from each speaker location to the C-816 Controller location. WIRE
GAUGE: 16AWG stranded up to 75’; 14AWG stranded up to 100’. Non-shielded preferred.
Speakers in a phantom system
Pull two conductor wire directly from each speaker location to the keypad location. WIRE GAUGE: 16AWG
stranded up to 75’ total; 14AWG stranded up to 100’ total. Non-shielded preferred.
NOTE: MAX LOAD: 4 ohms per zone. Do not load more than one pair of 4 ohm speakers per zone. This can
cause the unit to go into protection and may possibly blow fuses.
Video (Option)
Though the C-816 does not switch video signals, video cable should be pulled to allow whole-house video
distribution with audio signals routed through the C-816 rather than the TVs for improved audio performance. Pull
RG6 coaxial cable in home runs directly from each possible TV or video display location directly to the C-816
Controller location. RG6 quad shield preferred. Coaxial cable length will vary with system design. Terminate with
appropriate quality gold-plated connectors.
NOTE: Coaxial Cable is appropriate for distributing composite video. If distributing component video or HDMI,
there are varying schemes and wire specifications for multiroom high resolution video distribution. (Component
video over component cable, component video or HDMI over CAT-5/5e/6, etc.) If using a Component Video or
HDMI Extender, please refer to appropriate documentation for wire specification.
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Mute
Pull two conductor stranded wire from the 12VDC control output on the device that will trigger audio muting to the
C-816 Controller location. Terminate with a 2.1mm coaxial plug on the C-816 end. POLARITY: TIP = +12VDC,
SLEEVE = GND. WIRE GAUGE: 20AWG up to 500’; 18AWG up to 1000’. Non-shielded preferred. MAX
VOLTAGE IN: 32VDC.
NOTE: Audio mute function will mute all active zones when 12VDC is present on this input. The menu system
allows you to configure which zone(s) will respond to the mute signal.
RS-232
When controlling the C-816 from an external controller such as a whole-house control system or touch panel, use
a DB9M (male) cable for the C-816 RS232 Port and terminate the control system or touch screen end as
appropriate.
NOTE: RS-232 connections should not exceed 50’.
Figure 10. RS-232 Pin-Out
Audio Page
Audio – Pull quality audio cable from the telephone system line audio or paging output to the C-816 Controller
location.
Control - Pull two conductor stranded wire from the Contact Closure control output on the device that will
trigger Audio Page to the C-816 Controller location. The menu system allows you to configure which zones will
respond to the page signal, and at what audio level.
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CONNECTIONS
When connecting source components, or making any connections, be sure that the C-816 Controller and all
system devices are turned OFF and disconnected from AC power to prevent electrical shock and to avoid
possibly damaging components.
HEAD END CONNECTIONS
Keypads
Using CAT-5 cable properly terminated with a RJ45 plug (see section: Wiring/Keypads) connect the zone
CAT-5 cable to the appropriate zone terminal on the C-816 rear panel. On the Phantom version, speaker wire
and molex plugs are used instead of CAT-5 cable, and plug directly into the speaker output connectors.
Speakers
1. Using 14-16AWG two-conductor stranded wire, strip approximately ¼” of insulation from each conductor.
Twist the strands until tight.
2. Connect the bare wires to the appropriate L+,L-,R-,R+ terminals on one of the included four-position plug-in
connectors. Be sure to maintain proper polarity. Be sure there are no loose strands sticking out that could
cause a short. When screwing down the wire clamps, be sure that the wire insulation does not get caught in
the clamp.
3. Plug the connector into the appropriate zone speaker terminal. On the Phantom version, plug the connector
into the speaker output on the back of the keypad.
Source Audio
Using one quality stereo RCA audio cable with gold connectors for each audio source, connect the left & right
audio outputs of each source to the appropriate left & right audio inputs on the C-816 Controller for Sources
1-4.
IR Emitters
Sources 1-4 – Use one of the included IR emitters for each external source component.
1. Plug each emitter into the appropriate source IR output jack (1-4). (If the CD player is source 1, plug the
emitter for the CD player into emitter jack 1.)
2. Attach the emitter to the front panel of the device being controlled over the IR eye. If the eye is not
obvious, refer to the owner’s manual for that product or shine a small flashlight into the front panel to
locate the eye.
NOTE: IR commands initiated by a C-816 Keypad or R-3 Remote will be routed to the emitter for the selected
source. (Commands for Source 1 will only output from emitter 1.) IR pass-through, (IR Commands initiated by
the original equipment remote or a programmed remote) will output from all source emitters (but not the 'All"
emitter). Note: IR pass-through is not available on the phantom version.
All – Use one of the included emitters or any standard IR emitter with 3.5mm mini-phone plug to control a
single common device. (IR controlled lights, drapes, lifts, screens etc.) If there is more than one common
device, use a 3.5mm mini-phone plug with pig tail to connect to the IR and ground input terminals on an
amplified IR connecting block to drive additional emitters. POLARITY: TIP = SIG; SLEEVE = GND.
NOTE: The ‘All’ output will output IR from any keypad or remote in any zone, but not IR pass- through, (IR
Commands initiated by an original equipment hand held remote).
Mute
Using a properly configured 2.1mm coaxial plug, (see section: Wiring/Mute) connect the 2.1mm coaxial plug
to the Mute jack on the C-816 rear panel. Terminate the other end as appropriate and connect to the 12VDC
control output terminal on the device used to trigger audio mute. Be sure to maintain proper polarity from the
trigger device control out to the 2.1mm coaxial plug.
RS-232
Using a properly configured DB9 cable (see section: Wiring/RS-232), connect the DB9 male connector to the
RS-232 jack on the C-816 rear panel. Appropriately terminate and connect the other end to an appropriate
RS-232 port on the control device. See section: RS-232 Protocol for additional information.
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