NovaStar MX2000 Pro: deploying a modular 8K controller across a multi-screen fleet

Once a project outgrows a single all-in-one controller, the real question is no longer which model to pick but how to build an architecture that carries the load, survives a card failure and stays manageable from one console. The MX2000 Pro tackles this by dropping the fixed layout of classic COEX controllers in favour of a 2U chassis where every function — input, output, control — lives on a swappable, hot-pluggable card.

This architecture reshapes how a project gets planned: instead of sizing a sealed box, the integrator builds a configuration from a catalogue of 4K, 8K and VoIP input cards, then adds the fibre output cards needed for the screen's real surface. The maximum load stated in the V1.5.0 datasheet reaches 35.38 million pixels, a scale aimed squarely at stadium screens, event façades and multi-room production floors.

This tutorial follows a large-scale deployment angle: composing input and output cards, the hot-backup mechanisms between devices, cards and ports, then organising VMP supervision across a fleet of several MX2000 Pro units. Every technical value quoted comes from the official NovaStar specification sheet, revision V1.5.0 dated September 30, 2025.

1. A modular chassis built for scale

The MX2000 Pro belongs to the COEX series but breaks away from the fixed-input, fixed-output logic of a traditional controller. Its 2U format holds two input card slots and two output card slots, each accepting a different module depending on the sources available on site and the distance to the receiving racks.

This approach suits integrators delivering screens meant to grow over time: a stadium adding an extra LED ring, an event façade rented out and later expanded for a bigger tour, or a production floor multiplying walls season after season. Rather than swapping the whole controller, you change or add a card.

• Stadium or arena screens well beyond a single-unit controller's capacity.
• Event façades expected to grow across multiple tours.
• Multi-room production floors sharing an identical controller fleet.
• Fixed large-format installations that require guaranteed service continuity.

Before ordering an MX2000 Pro, list the exact cards required (input, output, possibly VoIP): the bare chassis controls nothing on its own — its versatility depends entirely on which cards are installed.

2. Official chassis specifications

The table below reproduces the values published in the MX2000 Pro V1.5.0 datasheet. They act as the reference for sizing the rack's power supply, planning mounting space and anticipating the total load once the chassis is fully populated with cards.

The stated weight and power consumption refer to the bare chassis. A full configuration with two input cards and two output cards weighs and draws more: request per-card figures before sizing a rack or a power line.

3. Choosing input cards for the job's sources

The MX2000 Pro input card catalogue spans three families: classic 4K cards (4×HDMI 2.0, 4×DP 1.2, 4×12G-SDI), newer 8K cards (1×DP 1.4 at 8K@60Hz, 2×HDMI 2.1, 2×DP 1.4, or a combined 1×DP 1.4 + 1×HDMI 2.1), and dedicated VoIP cards for network feeds (1×ST 2110 at 100G or 25G, or 2×ST 2110 at 25G).

On an actual job, this choice tracks the control room already in place. A broadcast room wired for SDI moves toward a 4×12G-SDI card; an xR studio fed by a DisplayPort 1.4 graphics workstation favours the dedicated 8K card to reach 8K@60Hz without an external scaler; a production network already standardised on ST 2110 justifies a VoIP card, which removes the traditional video cabling run between control room and controller.

• 4K cards: HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2 or 12G-SDI, four inputs per card.
• 8K cards: DisplayPort 1.4 up to 8K@60Hz, or HDMI 2.1 combined with DisplayPort 1.4.
• ST 2110 VoIP cards: single 100G feed or single/dual 25G feed with SMPTE 2022-7 redundancy.
• Two input slots per chassis, so a 4K card and an 8K card can coexist on the same MX2000 Pro.

For a control room already broadcasting in ST 2110, the dual-feed 25G VoIP card applies the SMPTE 2022-7 standard: two redundant networks carry the same stream, removing the single point of failure of classic video cabling.

4. Fiber output cards and load calculation

On the output side, the MX2000 Pro offers two fiber card families: a 4×10G card, paired with the CVT10 converter to reach 650,000 pixels per link in 1G mode, and a 1×40G card, paired with the CVT8-5G converter to reach 2,600,000 pixels on a single fiber in 5G mode.

This choice directly shapes how many receiving racks are needed and how long the fiber runs are. On a very large screen, favouring the 40G card cuts the number of links to run between control room and wall, at the cost of one CVT8-5G converter per link; on a more segmented deployment with several independent screen zones, the 4×10G card gives more flexibility to balance load zone by zone.

• 4×10G card + CVT10: up to 650,000 pixels per port in 1G bandwidth mode.
• 1×40G card + CVT8-5G: up to 2,600,000 pixels per link in 5G bandwidth mode.
• Two output slots per chassis, combinable to match the screen's topology.
• No rectangle restriction: inactive pixels on an irregular screen do not count toward the total port load.

The fiber converter (CVT10 or CVT8-5G) is not bundled with the output card: it must be ordered separately and installed at the receiving rack for the link to reach the stated load.

5. Redundancy and hot backup

The datasheet describes three levels of hot backup: between devices, between output cards, and between Ethernet or fiber ports. In practice, a second MX2000 Pro can automatically take over if the first one fails, a spare output card can pick up the feed of a failed card, and a port can switch to a backup port without a visible interruption on screen.

This triple redundancy is what justifies the MX2000 Pro on projects where an image dropout is unacceptable: live broadcast in front of an audience, a public safety display, or a sponsored event façade that cannot afford an unexpected blackout. The chassis also runs continuous hardware monitoring — fan speed, module temperature, voltage levels — with automatic alerts on any anomaly.

• Hot backup between two MX2000 Pro units in the same rack.
• Hot backup between output cards within the same chassis.
• Hot backup between Ethernet or fiber ports on the same card.
• Automatic monitoring of fans, temperature and voltage with immediate alerting.

On a mission-critical deployment, duplicate the output card feeding the most visible zone of the screen rather than spreading redundancy evenly: that is where a dropout would be most noticeable to the audience.

6. Building a scale-up plan

With a maximum capacity of 35.38 million pixels, the MX2000 Pro supports a progressive expansion plan rather than a fixed sizing locked in on the first job. A good practice is to equip the chassis with a single output card at launch, reserving the second slot for the screen's future expansion, without replacing the controller or reworking the entire network cabling.

This scale-up plan should be documented from the design stage: current pixel count, spare capacity on each installed output card, a reserved slot for an additional card, and whether the input card already supports a future 8K source if the project moves to a higher resolution.

• Size the first phase with spare capacity on at least one output card.
• Document actual load used against the 35.38 million pixel ceiling.
• Keep a free input slot if an additional 8K source is anticipated.
• Plan rack power and cooling for the final target configuration, not just the first batch of cards installed.

7. Managing an MX2000 Pro fleet with VMP

Across a fleet of several MX2000 Pro units spread over different rooms or sites, VMP centralises configuration, monitoring and the roll-out of shared presets. The software handles layers — up to four per output card, for a total of eight 4K layers on a fully equipped chassis — scenes, and the hardware status reported by each unit.

For an operator supervising several remote sites, VMP lets a validated configuration on one MX2000 Pro be duplicated across the rest of the fleet, reducing the risk of mismatched settings between two rooms meant to display identical content. The software also surfaces the redundancy alerts automatically raised by the chassis, avoiding a site visit for a simple link-status check.

• Create a VMP project grouping all MX2000 Pro units of a given fleet or event.
• Duplicate a validated layer and preset configuration across other units in the fleet.
• Remotely monitor card status, port status and hot-backup mechanisms.
• Save up to 128 presets per screen to switch instantly between operating scenarios.

8. Key steps for a control-room commissioning

Commissioning an MX2000 Pro follows a logical order dictated by its card architecture: checking the chassis and delivered cards, physically installing cards in the correct slots, cabling sources and fiber links, then configuring layers and redundancy before going live.

The chassis' front touchscreen allows a quick check of card and port status without opening VMP, which remains handy for a one-off control-room intervention. For any advanced setting affecting several screens in the fleet, VMP stays the reference tool.

• Check that every card received matches the order before installing it in the chassis.
• Respect slot markings: 'IN' slots only accept input cards, 'OUT' slots only accept output cards.
• Cable the fiber converters at the receiving rack before powering on the controller.
• Confirm hot-backup mechanisms are working before handing the installation over to the client.

9. MX2000 Pro versus all-in-one COEX controllers

The MX2000 Pro does not replace all-in-one COEX controllers such as the MX30 or MX40 Pro on mid-size projects: its card-based architecture specifically targets screens that far exceed their capacity, or fleets that need to stay expandable over several years. The table below summarises the selection criteria.

Point a client toward the MX2000 Pro as soon as they mention a screen likely to outgrow a single-unit controller within two or three years: the initial cost of a card-based chassis is usually offset by avoiding a full replacement later.

10. Troubleshooting a card-based architecture

Issues on an MX2000 Pro most commonly stem from a card mis-seated in a slot, fiber load poorly balanced across converters, or a mix-up between input and output slots during installation. The table below lists the priority checks.

Commissioning steps

1. Check the chassis and delivered cards

   Verify the MX2000 Pro chassis reference and each ordered input, output or VoIP card before any installation.

2. Install cards in the correct slots

   Insert input cards into slots marked 'IN' and output cards into slots marked 'OUT', following the rear panel markings.

3. Cable video and VoIP sources

   Connect HDMI, DisplayPort, SDI or ST 2110 sources according to the installed input cards and expected resolution.

4. Deploy fiber links to receiving racks

   Connect each 10G or 40G output card to its matching fiber converter, respecting the maximum stated load per link.

5. Enable hot backup

   Configure redundancy between devices, output cards and ports from VMP before going live.

6. Configure layers and presets

   Compose layers per output card, then save validated configurations as reusable presets.

7. Supervise the fleet through VMP

   Group all MX2000 Pro units of the site or fleet in a single VMP project and check card, port and redundancy status.

Frequently asked questions

Downloads

• MX2000 Pro Specifications V1.5.0 (PDF) — pdf
• VMP Vision Management Platform — user manual — manual
• Official NovaStar downloads page — page

Related tutorials

• NovaStar MX40 Pro tutorial
• NovaStar MX30 tutorial
• NovaLCT screen configuration
• NovaStar calibration

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