Novastar MCTRL600 | Contrôleur d'Envoi LED 4 Ports Gigabit

NovaStar MCTRL600 — 1080p sending controller, four ports

The MCTRL600 is a 1U rack LED sending controller built around a 1920 × 1200 at 60 Hz input and four Gigabit Ethernet ports, each delivering 650,000 pixels. It takes a source over single-link DVI or HDMI 1.3, accepts an audio input, and is configured in NovaLCT.

Its distinguishing feature against the MCTRL700: a light sensor connector for automatic brightness adjustment to ambient conditions. That is what makes it relevant for fixed outdoor or shop-window installations, where the screen has to calm down at dusk without anyone intervening.

Key specifications

Load: 1920 × 1200 @ 60 Hz (8-bit) — 1440 × 900 @ 60 Hz (10 and 12-bit)
Max width / height: 3840 px
Outputs: 4 × Gigabit RJ45, 650,000 px per port
Inputs: 1 × single-link DVI, 1 × HDMI 1.3 (HDCP 1.4), 1 × audio
Cascade: up to 20 units over UART IN / UART OUT
Chassis: 1U 19", 482 × 268.5 × 44.4 mm, 2.5 kg
Power: AC 100–240 V, 6.6 W

NovaStar MCTRL600 — technical analysis

The MCTRL600 is chosen on a simple equation: a 1080p source, a wall that fits within 2.3 million pixels, and a controller budget that must not weigh on the project. It is the workhorse of fixed installation and small events, still catalogued by NovaStar after more than a decade.

The pre-sales trap: never count 4 × 650,000 = 2.6 million pixels. The controller is capped by its video input at 1920 × 1200, that is 2,304,000 pixels. The 650,000 px per port is a per-link bandwidth limit, not a cumulative capacity. It is the most common error on reseller listings, and it leads to undersizing a controller on site.

What it does not do, and should not be credited with: no Genlock, no documented low-latency mode, no HDR, no 3D — none of these appear in its official datasheet. For broadcast, XR or HDR, step up to an MCTRL660 PRO, an MCTRL4K or an MCTRL R5.

On receiving cards it drives the NovaStar cards configured under NovaLCT — MRV and Armor series. It is not compatible with the COEX ecosystem: CA50E, CA50C and XA50 Pro belong to a separate 5G chain driven under VMP.

• Fixed indoor and outdoor installation — the light sensor handles day/night regulation.
• Signage and shop windows — 1080p source, moderate wall size, contained budget.
• Small events and venues — 1U chassis, fast setup under NovaLCT.
• Estate maintenance — replacement on installations already running an MCTRL600.
• Cascade up to 20 units — centralised control of several screens.

• Real capacity — 2,304,000 pixels, capped by the 1920 × 1200 input. Never add up the 650,000 px of the four ports.
• Light sensor — the 600's advantage over the 700: automatic day/night regulation on fixed installs.
• No Genlock, no HDR — for broadcast or XR, move to MCTRL660 PRO, MCTRL4K or MCTRL R5.
• Interlaced not supported — check the source before validating the chain.
• Not COEX-compatible — CA50E / XA50 Pro 5G cards require a CX controller and VMP.