Colorlight's super controller with four 4K input slots, for large LED walls.
Colorlight · video controller / super controller
Colorlight Z6 Pro (Z6 Pro-G2) LED wall controller
The Z6 Pro (the current generation is called the Z6 Pro-G2) belongs to Colorlight's premium video controller series: it has four 4K input slots, each accepting a signal up to 4096×2160@60Hz. That allows a single unit to handle several high-resolution sources at once and then pass the picture on to the LED sending cards.
The official user manual and specification discuss commissioning together with Colorlight's iSet configuration software. The Z6 Pro typically appears on large professional LED wall projects where the Colorlight ecosystem is chosen over the NovaStar alternatives.
Where the Z6 Pro sits in an LED wall system
An important practical characteristic is that the Z6 Pro-G2 has no RJ45 output, only four 10G optical ports: two main and two backup, which take over the signal of the main fibres automatically. The wall therefore needs a fibre-to-network converter (the manufacturer's wiring diagram shows the H10FN), and the Cat cable runs from there to the Colorlight receiving cards (5A-75B, 5A-75E, i9). The built-in module is single-mode, 1310 nm, with a 2 km reach and Neutrik opticalCON DUO or LC-LC connectors; the recommended fibre is 9/125 μm.
WHEN IT IS THE RIGHT CHOICE
On large LED wall projects where several 4K video sources have to be handled simultaneously within a Colorlight-based system.
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
The documentation for the Z6 Pro and the Z6 Pro-G2 carries separate version numbers; before installation it is worth obtaining the manual matching the exact hardware variant.
The Z6 Pro in practice
Commissioning runs through the iSet software, and the `Detect devices` button reads back the number, type and temperature of the receiving cards per port — if the number does not match reality, there is a cable fault; this is the fastest on-site diagnostic. Each of the four input cards carries HDMI 2.0, DP 1.2 and 12G-SDI, but only one signal can be processed per card at a time: four cards means four simultaneous sources, not twelve, and the four windows are likewise one per card. The front-panel quick buttons (1–5) recall the preset modes, and `Lock To Input` ties the output to the time base of the selected input. A documented drawback is that Colorlight processors have nothing like the depth of live control integration that NovaStar products enjoy.
Alternatives to the Z6 Pro
If a copper output without a converter is required, the Colorlight X16 Pro (16 gigabit ports) is the right choice, not the Z6 Pro. If the wall is larger still, the Z8. This controller cannot be used with NovaStar-based cabinets — its counterpart there is the VX1000 or the MX40 Pro. For XR shoots and virtual studios, the Brompton Tessera SX40 and the Megapixel VR HELIOS are the main competitors.
Z6 Pro 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.
Z6 Pro: what users report
A concise summary of experiences published in public professional forums and communities. Not our opinion, and not a quotation — the source is always available.
Users specifically miss the fact that Colorlight processors (including the Z6) have nothing like the depth of live control integration that Novastar products enjoy; they mention this openly as a disadvantage against Novastar.
GitHub — bitfocus/companion-module-colorlight-processor (issue #6) — open the sourceRelated LED wall controllers
LED wall controller — but what does it go into?
On its own the Colorlight Z6 Pro (Z6 Pro-G2) is a component. With us it works inside these displays — design, manufacturing and installation included.
