Megapixel VR's modular, AV-over-IP-native processor platform for large-format LED walls, studios and XR productions.
Megapixel · LED processor platform (broadcast / AV-over-IP)
Megapixel VR HELIOS LED wall processor
HELIOS is Megapixel VR's processor platform, redesigned from the ground up to serve large-format displays in professional AV, broadcast and installation use, in a chassis of only 1U with redundant power supplies. The system has an 8K video processing chain and can be scaled to as much as 32K in a panoramic configuration.
The input architecture is modular and expandable: one 100G QSFP fibre port natively supports the SMPTE ST 2110 and IPMX standards, two expansion slots are for HDMI/DisplayPort baseband inputs, and four SFP+ sockets are reserved for 12G-SDI or 10G ST 2110 connections; on the output side there are 8×10G fibre ports. The system provides dual-path redundancy for seamless switchover.
Because of its own image processing technologies (LightScience for grayscale rendering, NanoSync for camera-friendly LED capture on XR and virtual production shoots), HELIOS competes primarily with Brompton's and NovaStar's top-tier products on studio and live event LED walls that also appear in front of a camera.
Where the VR HELIOS sits in an LED wall system
HELIOS sits at the same point in the studio chain as the Brompton processors: between the media server (disguise vx/rx, PIXERA) and the panels, but natively on the IP side — ST 2110 / IPMX on a 100G QSFP port, alongside 12G-SDI or 10G ST 2110 in SFP+ sockets, plus HDMI/DisplayPort expansion cards. The sync comes from analogue tri-level VSync, and the output is eight 10G fibre ports. On the panel side, however, Megapixel's own receiving card or manufacturer firmware is required — a "Brompton compatible" panel is not HELIOS compatible in itself, and the two ecosystems are not interchangeable.
WHEN IT IS THE RIGHT CHOICE
Large broadcast or XR LED walls, where native integration into an AV-over-IP (SMPTE ST2110/IPMX) infrastructure is an important consideration and the system also appears in front of a camera (virtual production).
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
HELIOS is available in Jr., 4K and 8K editions with differing capacities – the right variant has to be chosen according to the particular project size; HELIOS also uses its own protocol, distinct from the Brompton/NovaStar ecosystems.
The VR HELIOS in practice
When setting up in front of a camera, NanoSync is the HELIOS equivalent of what Brompton solves with ShutterSync: it aligns the panel's PWM cycle with the camera shutter so that no banding runs across the recording. At low brightness, LightScience holds the grayscale together — in virtual production the wall typically runs well below maximum, and this is where the picture falls apart first. Configuration takes place in a built-in web interface rather than a separate Windows application, which is an advantage for remote access. The base 60 Hz refresh rate can be raised to 240 Hz at reduced resolution — for a high-speed camera, that resolution trade-off has to be worked out in advance. Dual-path redundancy only protects with a second leg physically routed separately.
Alternatives to the VR HELIOS
HELIOS is available in Jr., 4K and 8K editions — the project's pixel count decides which is needed. The competitors at the same level but in a different ecosystem are the Brompton Tessera SX40 (9 million px) and the SQ200 (36 million px, ST 2110). In practice the choice depends on the receiving card in the panel park rather than on the processor's capabilities. For a fixed installation — an advertising board, a shopfront, a conference wall — this category will not pay for itself: a NovaStar MX40 Pro or VX1000 belongs there.
VR HELIOS manual and datasheet
The documents live on the manufacturer's own site and open in a new window — so you always get the latest version. We do not copy or translate their contents.
VR HELIOS on video
The player is only embedded on click — until then not a single request goes to YouTube.
InfoComm 2022: Megapixel VR Showcases HELIOS LED Processing Platform with IPMX Source Capability
rAVe [PUBS] · YouTube · Demo
Related broadcast processors
LED wall processor — but what does it go into?
On its own the Megapixel VR HELIOS is a component. With us it works inside these displays — design, manufacturing and installation included.
