CasaTunes allows an external trigger to initiate muting, paging or playing a custom doorbell chime. Typically, a doorbell is used as the external trigger device. To detect when the doorbell is pressed, the doorbell must be connected to additional hardware that is supported by CasaTunes.
CasaTunes music servers support either (and/or both) the CasaTunes Trigger Card and the Global Cache iTach Flex with the Link Relay & Sensor Cable option (other Global Cache products may also work, please check with CasaTunes support).
The CasaTunes trigger card provides one trigger input and four trigger outputs. The CasaTunes trigger card is optional and must be purchased separately. This option is available for the CT-3 and CT-5 music servers only.
The jack labeled Mute on the back panel of the trigger card is used for triggering the muting/paging/custom chime.The trigger signal applied to the Mute input must be 5-12 volt DC signal. The trigger signal can go either from low to high, or high to low.
Figure 1 shows how the input trigger 3.5 mm jack should be wired. The sleeve is the GND input, and the tip is the trigger signal. The trigger signal can be 5-12V.
The Global Cache Flex device when connected to the Link Relay and Sensor cable provides four sensor inputs (however, only one can be selected for use with CasaTunes) and four relays. This option is required if you want to add playing custom chimes/muting/paging to your CT-2 music server. However, you can also use this option with any of our other CasaTunes music servers.
The input trigger can be used to mute, page, or play a custom chime in all rooms that are configured for paging. Using CasaSetup, you can select the input trigger or sensor to use (if more than one is available), configure whether the input signal goes from low to high, or high to low, and if you are using the trigger or sensor for paging, specify an input source on the CasaTunes 6X6 matrix amplifier to use for the paging audio. You should connect the audio from your paging hardware to this source.
For simple doorbell integration, you use the Global Cache Flex device and Link Relay and Sensor cable with the CasaTunes custom chimes. Simply connect the doorbell to the Global Cache sensor input. Using CasaSetup, configure CasaTunes to select the sensor input to use and select which chime to play.
Since a chime is just another music file, you can add your own custom doorbell chimes. This allows you to customize the jingle that is played when the doorbell is pressed. Refer to the Playing custom chimes or audio files Tech Note.
For more advanced doorbell & door phone integration we recommend using the ELK 930, which supports 2 x doorbell and 1 x telephone line. The ELK 930 pulls the signal from high to low when the doorbell is pressed or the door phone is ringing. This option can be used with either the Global Cache or CasaTunes trigger/sensor input devices.
The output triggers and relays are not used for muting/paging and playing custom chimes.
Each of the four trigger outputs or relays can be assigned to one or more rooms, such that, whenever any of the rooms are powered, the trigger will be switched from low to high, or 0 to 12V, or if a relay is assigned to the room, the relay can be opened or closed. The resultant signal can be used to trigger external equipment when a room is powered on, for example, a trigger could be used to control a speaker A/B switch when sharing speakers between 2 different amplifiers, or it could be used to turn a secondary amplifier in and out of standby mode (refer to the tech note Adding an alternate power amplifier).
If you are using a CT-2, or you want simple door bell integration (with no special doorbell or door phone hardware), we recommend using the Global Cache Flex device plus the Link Relay and Sensor cable.
For output triggers, we recommend using the CasaTunes Trigger Card, as it readily supplies the correct 12V voltage level when enabled without any additional circuitry.
If you need to support a doorbell and trigger outputs, you can use both devices in your setup.
To enable the input trigger functionality, follow these steps:
If you selected mute rooms, then:
If you selected page rooms, then:
If you selected play doorbell chime, then:
Once you have enabled muting, paging or playing a custom doorbell chime, then the next step is to configure which rooms should be included (by default all rooms are), and configure the paging volume level for each configured room.
If you are using a CasaTunes Trigger Card, you might need additional hardware to generate the 12V DC signal to the CasaTunes trigger input. We recommend using the Elk 930. Most doorbells operate off of a doorbell transformer that supplies an AC voltage. The Elk 930 simply throws a relay when it detects the doorbell AC voltage.
