NovaStar VX4 LED Display Video Controller User Manual

Statement

Dear users:

Welcome to use Nova's Products. We are pleased to offer this manual to help you understand and use the product. In the preparation of the manual, we try to make it accurate and reliable. Nova may revise and alter the contents of the manual at any time without notice. If you have any problems in the use, or you have any suggestions, please inform us in accordance with the contact provided in this manual.

For the problems you encounter in the use, we will do our best to provide support. For your suggestions, we would like to express our thanks and make assessment as soon as possible for adoption.

Copyright

Copyright of this manual is reserved to Xi'an NovaStar Tech Co., Ltd. Any individual or organization is not allowed to copy or extract all or any part of the contents in any form without written approval.

Trademark

NovaStar is the registered trademark of Nova.

1 Safety statement

To avoid potential hazards, please use this equipment according to the regulations. In case of damages, non-professionals should not open for maintenance without permission; please contact the after-sales department of the company.

• High risk: The operating voltage of this product is 100-240V AC.
• Grounding: This production is connected to ground via the ground wire of power supply; please ensure the good grounding of grounding conductor.
• Electromagnetic interference: The device should be far away from magnets, motors and transformers.
• Moisture proof: Keep the equipment in a dry and clean environment. In case of liquid immersion, please pull the plug immediately.
• Away from flammable and dangerous goods.
• Prevent liquids or metal fragments from being immersed in the machine to avoid safety accidents.

2 Accessories

The following accessories are included:

• One power wire
• Two BNC-AV connectors
• One VGA wire
• One USB wire
• One DVI wire
• One SDI wire (VX4S' s Accessorie)
• One DP wire
• One User's Manual
• One certificate

3 Model description

4 General

The VX4 is a professional LED display controller. It features powerful front-end processing, eliminating the need for an external scalar. With professional interfaces, excellent image quality, and flexible image control, the VX4 meets the needs of the broadcast industry. Its user-friendly interface makes operation easier and more enjoyable.

Product features:

• Inputs: CVBS×3, VGA×3, DVI×2, HDMI×1, DP×1. Supports input resolution up to 1920×1200@60Hz. Input images can be zoomed point-to-point according to screen resolution.
• Seamless high-speed switching and fade-in/fade-out effects for professional quality picture demonstration.
• Adjustable location and size of Picture-in-Picture (PIP), controllable at will.
• Nova G4 engine for stable, flicker-free images without scanning lines, providing a sense of depth.
• White balance calibration and color gamut mapping for accurate color reproduction on LED screens.
• HDMI/external audio input.
• 10bit/8bit HD video source support.
• Loading capacity: 2.3 million pixels.
• Supports multiple controller montage for large screens.
• Supports Nova's point-by-point correction technology for fast and efficient correction.
• Computer software is not necessary for system configuration; it can be done using the knob and buttons (Touch Track!).
• Innovative architecture for smart configuration, enabling screen debugging in under 30 seconds.
• Intuitive LCD display interface and clear button indicators simplify system control.

5 Appearance

5.1 Front panel

The front panel includes:

• 1: Power switch: Turns the device on or off.
• 2: Operation screen: Displays the main interface.
• 3: Knob: Press to enter menu or confirm selection; rotate to select or adjust parameters.
• 4: ESC: Exits the current menu or operation.
• 5: Four control keyboard shortcuts:
  • PIP: Toggles Picture-in-Picture on/off.
  • SCALE: Toggles zoom function on/off.
  • MODE: Accesses shortcut menu for loading or storing display models.
  • TEST: Toggles testing picture on/off.
• 6: Shortcut keys for input source switching: Short press to set as main screen input source; long press to set as PIP input source. Indicator lights up when the source has signal; flashes when no signal.
• 7: Function keys:
  • TAKE: Switches between MAIN and PIP displays.
  • Fn: Custom shortcut key.
• 8: USB interfaces: Type A (female) for U disk connection; Type B (female) for USB control and PC communication.

5.2 Rear panel

The rear panel includes various input, output, and controlling interfaces:

• Input Source: Audio, DP, HDMI, CVBS1-CVBS3, DVI-1-DVI-2, VGA1-VGA3.
• Output Interface: DVI LOOP, Monitor -VGA OUT, Monitor -DVI OUT, LED Out 1, 2, 3, 4.
• Controlling Interface: ETHERNET (Network Control), Type B, female USB (USB Control/Cascade IN), Type A, female USB (USB Cascade OUT).
• Power: AC 100-240V~50/60Hz AC Power Interface.

Tips: The layout of the interface may be adjusted for user experience. The picture is for reference only.

6 Signal connection

Connect the required hardware equipment referencing the interface descriptions from previous chapters.

Diagram of VX4 signal connection:

A diagram shows a typical connection setup with a TV BOX, PC, and Monitor connected to the VX4, and a Notebook, DVD Player, and TV Box connected to the VX4's inputs. The VX4 is connected to a monitor and a PC via USB and Ethernet.

Tips: It is crucial to turn off the power before signal connection.

For controlling more than one set of VX4, connect them in a multiple cascade setup as shown in the figure.

Diagram of multiple cascade connection:

A diagram illustrates a PC connected to multiple VX4 units via USB in a cascade configuration.

7 Operational motion instruction

Knob operations:

• Press the knob to enter the operation interface of the menu.
• Rotate the knob to select menu items or adjust parameters.
• Press the knob again to confirm adjustments.

ESC key:

• Returns to the previous menu or exits the current operation.

Key lock/unlock:

• Long press the knob and ESC key simultaneously to lock or unlock the keys.

8 Main Interface

After starting the controller, the main interface of the LCD display shows:

• First row: Company name, product type, and the IP address of the VX4.
• Second row: Main screen 1, signal source, and input source signal format.
• Third row: PIP 2, signal source, and input source signal format.
• Forth row: Status bar, displaying various icons and their meanings.

Status bar icons:

• 1234: Indicates LED Output Port 2 is in master mode, and backup status is displayed as '2'.
• PIP is turned off
• PIP is turned on
• The current effect is point-to-point display
• It is "scale down" mode
• It is "scale up" mode
• Montage is disabled
• Montage is enabled
• It is USB control currently
• It is network port control currently
• The current brightness is 25%
• Sign of press key lock: Appears when the key and knob functions are locked.

9 Operation instruction

Tips: The VX4 offers powerful functions with simple operation. Shortcut keys enhance efficiency.

The LED display can be used normally after conducting the following four steps: Input settings → Screen setting → Brightness → Output setting. Other menus like screen control and senior setting provide further control options.

9.1 Step1: Input Setting

Set the resolution of the input source signal. For digital inputs (DVI, HDMI, DP), resolution can be set directly. For other input methods, resolution can only be modified on the input devices.

Input resolution can be set in two ways:

• Method one: Default Resolution. Select from preset resolutions. If no suitable preset is found, use Method two for custom resolution.
• Method two: Custom Resolution. Set Horizontal Res, Vertical Res, and Custom refresh rate, then apply. Custom resolution is invalid if not confirmed.

Diagrams illustrate the selection of default and custom resolutions.

9.2 Step2: Screen setting

Precondition: The screen must be a regular rectangle, and all cabinets must have identical sizes.

• Step 1: If the cabinet displays normally after power-on, proceed to Step 2. If abnormal, load the cabinet file and save it to the receiving card (refer to 9.7 Advanced Setting for details).
• Step 2: Navigate to the “Screen Setting” submenu and adjust other options as needed.
• Step 3: Set Cabinet Row QTY and Cabinet Col QTY according to the screen configuration.
• Step 4: Set Cabinet Out1 QTY, noting device limitations.
• Step 5: Set the Data Flow (Front View), paying attention to the precautions.

Precautions for screen setting:

• a) For multiple ports with loads (n≤4), ensure the first n-1 ports have the same number of cabinets as the nth port, and it must be an integral multiple of cabinet rows or columns.
• b) For special-shaped cabinets or different cabinet sizes, NovaLCT-Mars software is required.
• c) During Data Flow setting, preview effects in real-time and save the setting. Press ESC to exit.
• d) Ensure data flow is downward in the same direction for each port.
• e) Ensure Port 1 is the start position of the whole data flow connection.
• f) VX4 supports a maximum of 2.3 million pixels (2048x1152@60Hz). Maximum width is 3840 pixels (3840x600@60Hz), and maximum longitudinal load is 1920 pixels (1920x1200@60Hz).

9.3 Setp3: Brightness

Return to the main menu, select Brightness, and use the knob to adjust the value.

9.4 Setp4: Output Setting

Output settings are divided into three cases:

• First case: Disable Scaling. Maintains original image size. If input resolution differs from display resolution, parts may be cut off or not displayed. Suitable for point-to-point display. Horizontal and vertical offsets can be adjusted.
• Second case: Auto Fit. Scaling is enabled, and Auto Fit is enabled. Input contents are zoomed to fit the LED display size. Suitable for full-screen playback.
• Third case: Custom Scaling. Scaling is enabled, Auto Fit is disabled.

Steps for custom scaling:

• Step 1: Set Input Capture (Horizontal Res, Vertical Res, horizontal X, vertical Y) to capture a desired portion of the input image.
• Step 2: Set Output Window (Window Width, Window Height, Window X, Window Y) to define the display area on the LED screen.

Diagrams illustrate the effects of disabling scaling, auto fit, and custom scaling.

9.5 Display Control

Display Control options include:

• Normal: Normal display.
• Blank Out: The display is blank.
• Freeze: Freezes the current playlist. A blank screen appears if the source signal is lost.
• Test Pattern: Displays eight types of test screens (colors and lines).

Image Settings

Adjust Red Brightness, Green Brightness, Blue Brightness, and Gamma values as required. Save settings to the receiving card after adjustment.

Channel Effect

Set screen switching effects like Quick switching, fading, and turning off. The effect takes place after pressing the knob.

Tips: Channel effects automatically disappear when PIP is enabled.

9.6 Vice Setting

Control audio settings: enable/disable audio, adjust volume, and set voice mode.

9.7 Advanced Setting

Advanced settings include:

• 9.7.1 PIP: Control turn-on/off of Dual Picture, set main screen and PIP input sources, size, and position. PIP Crop allows cropping the picture for the PIP display.
• 9.7.2 Montage: Cascade multiple VX4 units for large screens. Enable Montage, set total pixels, and load area size and position.
• 9.7.3 Load Cabinet Files: Import cabinet configuration files (.rcfg) using NovaLCT-Mars software. Save configuration files to the PC and import them into the VX4.
• 9.7.4 Save RV Card Parameters: Save current configurations to the receiving card, which are retained after power loss.
• 9.7.5 Master/Slave: Set the controller as master or backup mode.
• 9.7.6 Advanced Attribute: Includes VGA Auto ADJ (automatic adjustment for VGA input), ADC Calibration (for analog signal quality), and Back to Home(s) (automatic return to home screen after inactivity).
• 9.7.7 Factory Default: Resets the VX4 to factory default settings.
• 9.7.8 Default Templates: Save current configurations as preset templates (10 templates available).
• 9.7.9 Custom Button: Assign functions like Black Out and Freeze to the Fn key.
• 9.7.10 LCD Gray: Adjust the LCD display's grayscale (range 0-15).
• 9.7.11 Hardware Version: View the hardware version and upgrade the hardware program via PC using LCT-Mars.

9.8 Communication Setting

Set communication mode (USB priority or LAN priority) and network parameters (IP address, Netmask). Manual or automatic IP configuration is available.

9.9 Language Setting

Select the display language for the controller interface (e.g., Chinese, English).

10 Firmware Update

Connect VX4 to a computer and run NovaLCT-Mars. Log in as an advanced user (password: admin) to access the firmware update page. Update the hardware program for the sending card or receiving card FPGA.

Diagrams show the NovaLCT-Mars interface for program loading and updating.

11 Frequently asked questions and considerations

Note: High voltage is present inside the machine. Do not attempt self-maintenance.

12 Specification

Input Index

Output Index

Specification of complete machine

13 Dimension

Diagram showing the dimensions of the VX4 unit in millimeters.

The diagram displays the front, side, and top views of the VX4, with dimensions indicated: Width 482.6 mm, Height 45 mm, Depth 251.5 mm.