NovaStar's 4K-capable sending controller for larger, continuous LED walls.
NovaStar · LED display controller (sending controller)
NovaStar MCTRL4K LED wall controller
The MCTRL4K is one of NovaStar's most widely used LED controllers handling a 4K input. It was built for larger displays running to several million pixels, where the receiving cards have to be fed from a single control unit, typically configured with NovaLCT or SmartLCT software.
The official manual (V1.2.1) sets out the input and output ports, the hardware connections and the firmware update procedure. The device receives regular documentation updates from the manufacturer, which suggests it remains an actively maintained, widely deployed product in the installation market.
Where the MCTRL4K sits in an LED wall system
Sixteen Neutrik RJ45 and four 10G optical ports; the optical ports mirror the data of the copper ports, so they carry a redundant or remote leg rather than adding capacity. The signal path: player or media server → MCTRL4K → Cat6 or fibre → NovaStar receiving card → HUB card → module. HDR10/HLG is only live if the receiving card supports it as well (A8s Pro, A10s Pro); with an older card the function simply does not appear. Configuration from NovaLCT, over USB or over the network.
WHEN IT IS THE RIGHT CHOICE
For medium and large fixed-installation LED walls where a 4K source signal has to be distributed to the receiving cards from one controller.
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
The exact pixel capacity and port count can differ between firmware and hardware revisions, so it is worth reading the current manual before installation.
The MCTRL4K in practice
The cabinet parameter file has to be loaded from the NovaLCT `Tools > Controller Cabinet Configuration File Import` menu (`*.rcfgx` or `*.rcfg`) — this file has to be requested from the module supplier, and without it the wall shows noise or stays dark. For an irregularly shaped screen the front-panel quick configuration is not enough; NovaLCT is mandatory. It is a documented problem that the controller drops the TCP control connection by itself every 5–20 seconds (the same occurs with the VX4S), and in the absence of an official protocol description third-party control systems work from a reverse-engineered command set — something to allow for when integrating it into an AV control system. Up to 10 units can be cascaded with USB IN/OUT or Genlock IN/LOOP.
Alternatives to the MCTRL4K
If you do not need HDR and 3D, only the port count, the MX40 Pro is larger (20 ports, 12-bit) and brings the COEX software environment. If scaling, PIP and preset switching are also required — typically at an event — the VX1000 is the direction. If on-site handling without a PC is the point, the CX40 Pro has a touchscreen. For camera work, the Brompton Tessera SX40 or the Megapixel VR HELIOS.
MCTRL4K 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.
MCTRL4K on video
The player is only embedded on click — until then not a single request goes to YouTube.
NovaStar MCTRL4K & A8s - xR Project Review
NovaStar · YouTube · Demo
Introducción General de MCTRL4K NovaStar (Spanish)
NovaStar · YouTube · Demo
MCTRL4K: 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.
MCTRL 4K users reported recurring ECONNRESET network errors and a missing brightness control in the Companion control module; according to the developer, a later beta release of the module has since fixed this, so it was a version-dependent problem rather than a hardware one.
GitHub — bitfocus/companion-module-novastar-controller (issue #45) — open the sourceSeveral users (with MCTRL4K and VX4S controllers) complain that the Novastar unit drops the TCP connection by itself every 5-20 seconds, and that this has still not been fully resolved; in the absence of official protocol documentation, the community reverse-engineered the command set itself.
GitHub — bitfocus/companion-module-novastar-controller (issue #7) — open the sourceThe disappearance of the input switching function from the interface confused many MCTRL4K users; the solution was a non-obvious trick, restarting the Companion application completely after saving the model, which highlights how haphazard the software's user experience can be.
GitHub — bitfocus/companion-module-novastar-controller (issue #47) — open the sourceRelated LED wall controllers
LED wall controller — but what does it go into?
On its own the NovaStar MCTRL4K is a component. With us it works inside these displays — design, manufacturing and installation included.
