NovaStar MCTRL4K: running 16 ports and 8.8 million pixels
NovaStar MCTRL4K guide: 8.8 Mpx, 16 Neutrik ports, 4× 10G optical, DP, HDMI 2.0 and DL-DVI inputs, HDR10 and HLG, 3D and cascading ten units.
Controllers — very high capacity
The MCTRL4K is NovaStar's very high capacity controller: 8.8 million pixels, sixteen Neutrik ports and HDR10 and HLG support.
The NovaStar MCTRL4K is designed for walls beyond the reach of any standalone player. It accepts an input up to 4096 × 2160 at 60 Hz and distributes up to 8,800,000 pixels across sixteen Gigabit Ethernet ports with Neutrik connectors, backed by four 10G optical ports.
Its distinguishing feature is HDR handling: HDR10 and HLG are supported on the HDMI input in 10-bit, with an important trade-off this tutorial spells out — enabling HDR halves the available load per port. It also handles 3D with the EMT200 emitter, Genlock and cascading ten units.
We cover the real capacities by input, the sixteen Neutrik ports and why they matter in rental, the optical architecture, load calculations under HDR and 3D, configuration and troubleshooting. Figures come from MCTRL4K specifications sheet V1.2.0.
1. When the MCTRL4K becomes necessary
Three signals show a project has outgrown mid-range controllers: a wall resolution above four million pixels, an HDR or 3D requirement, and a need for more than six Ethernet outputs. The MCTRL4K answers all three.
Conversely, a two-million-pixel wall with no particular colour requirement gains nothing from this controller: the MCTRL660 PRO will drive it just as well, in a more compact chassis and at a lower price. Over-specifying costs rack space and power.
- Capacity up to 8,800,000 pixels depending on the input used.
- Sixteen Gigabit Ethernet ports with locking Neutrik NE8FBH connectors.
- Four 10G optical ports, two of which duplicate for backup.
- HDR10 and HLG support on the HDMI input in 10-bit.
- 3D support with the EMT200 emitter.
2. Official technical specifications
The figures below come from the NovaStar MCTRL4K specifications sheet.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Capacity via DVI input | 8,300,000 pixels maximum |
| Capacity via DisplayPort or HDMI input | 8,800,000 pixels maximum |
| Load per Ethernet port (8-bit) | 650,000 pixels |
| Load per Ethernet port (10 and 12-bit) | 320,000 pixels |
| Copper outputs | 16 × Neutrik NE8FBH Gigabit Ethernet |
| Optical outputs | 4 × 10G (OPT1 ports 1–8, OPT2 ports 9–16, OPT3/OPT4 duplicates) |
| DisplayPort input | 1 × DP 1.2, HDCP 1.3, 4096 × 2160 at 60 Hz |
| HDMI input | 1 × HDMI 2.0, HDCP 1.4 and 2.2, 4096 × 2160 at 60 Hz |
| DVI inputs | 2 × dual-link DVI, 3840 × 1080 at 60 Hz each |
| Maximum resolution | 4096 × 2160 at 60 Hz per unit |
| Custom resolutions | Up to 7680 px in width or height |
| Colour depth | 8, 10 and 12-bit |
| HDR | HDR10 and HLG, HDMI input in 10-bit only |
| 3D | Supported with the EMT200 emitter |
| Decimal frame rates | 23.98 to 119.88 Hz |
| Cascade | Up to 10 units over USB |
| Genlock | Input and loop-through, Bi-Level, Tri-Level, Blackburst |
| Dimensions | 482.6 × 372.0 × 88.1 mm |
| Weight | 4.6 kg |
| Power | 100–240 V~, 50/60 Hz, 30 W rated |
3. Choosing the input for the capacity you need
The MCTRL4K does not deliver the same capacity from every input. DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 2.0 reach 8,800,000 pixels; the dual-link DVI inputs cap at 8,300,000. That is not a detail on a project sized to the maximum.
The two dual-link DVI inputs each accept 3840 × 1080 at 60 Hz, which makes them useful for a dual-output media server covering a very wide wall. The HDMI 2.0 input is the only one handling HDCP 2.2, hence recent protected sources, and the only one handling HDR.
| Input | Maximum resolution | Reachable capacity | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DisplayPort 1.2 | 4096 × 2160 at 60 Hz | 8,800,000 px | HDCP 1.3 |
| HDMI 2.0 | 4096 × 2160 at 60 Hz | 8,800,000 px | HDCP 1.4 and 2.2, only HDR input |
| Dual-link DVI ×2 | 3840 × 1080 at 60 Hz each | 8,300,000 px | Suits dual-output media servers |
4. Sixteen Neutrik ports: why it matters
The sixteen outputs use Neutrik NE8FBH connectors, which mechanically lock the Ethernet cable. On a fixed install the benefit is moderate; in rental it is decisive: a plain RJ45 cable pulls out under tension, a locked Neutrik does not.
The corollary is that the cable set must be Neutrik too. Using standard RJ45 cables in Neutrik sockets cancels the benefit and weakens the socket, whose locking mechanism then works against nothing.
- Locking Neutrik NE8FBH connectors on all sixteen outputs.
- Use matching Neutrik-connector cables, not standard RJ45.
- Number the sixteen cables at both ends: without labels, rebuilding is impractical.
- Carry spare cables on tour.
On a touring rack, prepare a front patch panel with the sixteen outputs brought out and labelled. The build becomes repeatable date to date and the controller is no longer handled.
5. Architecture of the four optical ports
The MCTRL4K's optical layout is structured rather than a simple duplicate: OPT1 carries Ethernet ports 1 to 8, OPT2 carries ports 9 to 16, and OPT3 and OPT4 duplicate those two streams respectively for redundancy.
That architecture allows a complete long-distance link over two active fibres, with two backup fibres. On a stadium or building installation, primary and backup fibres must run through different conduits, otherwise the redundancy protects nothing.
| Optical port | Carries | Role |
|---|---|---|
| OPT1 | Ethernet ports 1 to 8 | Primary path, first half |
| OPT2 | Ethernet ports 9 to 16 | Primary path, second half |
| OPT3 | Duplicate of OPT1 | Backup for the first half |
| OPT4 | Duplicate of OPT2 | Backup for the second half |
6. HDR10 and HLG: the real capacity cost
The MCTRL4K supports HDR10 and HLG, but only on the HDMI input in 10-bit. Moving to 10-bit already drops the per-port load from 650,000 to 320,000 pixels, and enabling HDR halves that figure again.
In practice an HDR project must be sized with a per-port load far below what the 8-bit sheet suggests. This is the main source of nasty surprises on this controller: a wall approved in 8-bit that refuses to work as soon as the operator enables HDR for cinema content.
| Configuration | Load per port | 16 ports |
|---|---|---|
| 8-bit, no HDR | 650,000 px | 8,800,000 px depending on input |
| 10 or 12-bit, no HDR | 320,000 px | 5,120,000 px |
| 10-bit with HDR or 3D | 160,000 px | 2,560,000 px |
Enabling HDR or 3D halves the available per-port load, on top of the reduction already caused by 10-bit. An HDR wall must be sized on that basis from the design stage, never on 8-bit capacity.
7. 3D configuration with the EMT200 emitter
3D requires the EMT200 emitter, which synchronises active glasses with the alternating display of left and right frames. As with HDR, the available per-port load is halved, which strongly limits usable surface.
3D remains a niche use: automotive showroom, museum, trade show. It requires validating the whole chain in advance — 3D-encoded content, emitter, glasses, viewing distance — because one missing link makes the installation unusable.
- EMT200 emitter required to synchronise active glasses.
- Per-port load halved, as with HDR.
- Content must be prepared in 3D specifically, not converted on the fly.
- Validate viewing distance and glasses count before installation.
8. Cascading ten units and decimal frame rates
Up to ten MCTRL4K units can be chained over USB, allowing surfaces beyond eighty million pixels on the heaviest projects. The cascade serves centralised administration from NovaLCT, each unit keeping its own source and zone.
The controller also accepts decimal refresh rates from 23.98 to 119.88 Hz. That is essential in US broadcast environments where 1/1.001 rates are the norm: a wall set to exactly 24 Hz instead of 23.98 Hz produces a beat visible on camera.
- Cascade up to ten units over a USB link.
- Decimal frame rates from 23.98 to 119.88 Hz supported.
- Set the exact rate requested by the vision desk, decimals included.
- Distribute a common Genlock to all cascaded units.
9. Configuration and advanced settings
Configuration happens in NovaLCT: input selection, lighting the screen, loading the cabinet configuration, declaring the wiring of the sixteen ports, entering the resolution then saving to the receiving cards.
The controller then offers the advanced settings expected at this level: independent gamma per channel, compatibility with pixel-level calibration, web-interface configuration and settings backup. On a multi-million-pixel wall, pixel-level calibration is what separates a uniform surface from a patchwork of cabinets.
- Select the input based on the capacity and HDR needed.
- Declare the sixteen-port wiring with matching physical labels.
- Enter the exact resolution and frame rate, decimal if requested.
- Enable pixel-level calibration if the cabinets are calibrated.
- Save to the receiving cards and back up from the web interface.
10. Troubleshooting a large installation
Across sixteen ports, method beats experience: isolate by half, then by quarter, until the faulty port is identified. The table lists the symptoms specific to this controller.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Black zones after enabling HDR | Per-port load halved | Recalculate the load under HDR, redistribute cabinets |
| Beat visible on camera | Integer frame rate instead of decimal | Set 23.98 or 59.94 Hz as the vision desk requests |
| Capacity lower than expected | DVI input instead of DP or HDMI | Switch to DisplayPort 1.2 or HDMI 2.0 |
| Protected source refused | HDCP 2.2 required | Use the HDMI 2.0 input exclusively |
| Half the wall dark on fibre | OPT1 or OPT2 cut | Switch to OPT3 or OPT4 for the affected half |
| Cable pulled out under tension | Standard RJ45 cable in a Neutrik socket | Replace with a Neutrik-connector cable |
Document the mapping between the sixteen ports, the fibres and the wall zones on a single diagram displayed in the rack. On these installations, the absence of a diagram costs more than any spare part.
Deployment procedure
Choose the video input
Use DisplayPort 1.2 or HDMI 2.0 to reach 8,800,000 pixels; dual-link DVI inputs cap at 8,300,000 pixels.
Settle depth and HDR
Fix 8-bit, 10-bit or 10-bit HDR at design stage, as per-port load falls from 650,000 to 320,000 then 160,000 pixels.
Distribute the sixteen ports
Split the wall into balanced zones and label the sixteen Neutrik cables at both ends.
Set up the optical architecture
Engage OPT1 for ports 1 to 8 and OPT2 for ports 9 to 16, then OPT3 and OPT4 as backups on separate routes.
Set the exact frame rate
Enter the rate requested by the vision desk, including decimals between 23.98 and 119.88 Hz, and distribute a common Genlock.
Configure in NovaLCT
Load the cabinet configuration, declare the sixteen-port wiring, enable pixel-level calibration then save to the cards.
Back up and document
Back up the settings from the web interface and display the ports / fibres / wall zones diagram in the rack.
Frequently asked questions
What is the maximum capacity of the NovaStar MCTRL4K?
8,800,000 pixels with a DisplayPort 1.2 or HDMI 2.0 input, and 8,300,000 pixels with a DVI input. Per-port load is 650,000 pixels in 8-bit.
How many ports does the MCTRL4K have?
Sixteen Gigabit Ethernet outputs with Neutrik NE8FBH connectors, plus four 10G optical ports, two of which act as backup duplicates.
How are the four optical ports organised?
OPT1 carries Ethernet ports 1 to 8, OPT2 carries ports 9 to 16, while OPT3 and OPT4 duplicate those two streams respectively for redundancy.
Does HDR reduce MCTRL4K capacity?
Yes. HDR10 and HLG only work on the HDMI input in 10-bit, and enabling them halves the available per-port load, already reduced to 320,000 pixels in 10-bit.
Does the MCTRL4K handle decimal frame rates?
Yes, from 23.98 to 119.88 Hz, which is essential in broadcast environments where 1/1.001 rates are the norm.
How many units can be cascaded?
Up to ten MCTRL4K units over a USB link, administered from a single NovaLCT station, each unit keeping its own video source and screen zone.
Official documentation
Related tutorials
A project above five million pixels?
We calculate the per-port load for your colour depth and HDR requirement before the cabinets are ordered.