NovaStar MX40 Pro: deploying the COEX series flagship controller

The NovaStar MX40 Pro is the high-end all-in-one controller of the new COEX series. It packs video processing and display control into a single 2U chassis, with three input families — HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2 and 12G-SDI — and an output capacity of 20 Gigabit Ethernet ports backed by 4 optical 10G links. It is the model we recommend for large-surface LED walls, whether fixed installation or rental, as soon as the load exceeds what an entry-level COEX controller can handle.

Its defining feature compared with classic controllers is the output architecture: 20 copper Gigabit ports for close-range direct wiring, plus 4 optical 10G links each configurable in 20-port or 40-port mode depending on distance and density needs. This flexibility radically changes receiving card fleet sizing compared with a fixed-port controller.

This tutorial follows the order of a real deployment: checking the specifications, wiring inputs and outputs, choosing the optical mode, sizing the receiving card fleet, networking and redundancy, software control through VMP, then rack or flight-case constraints for touring. Every figure quoted comes from the official MX40 Pro specifications sheets, revisions V1.5.0 and V1.5.1.

1. What the MX40 Pro is for, and when to choose it

The MX40 Pro targets large-capacity LED walls that need both several simultaneous video sources and a high pixel load. Its Ethernet output capacity reaches 9 million pixels, matching screens of several dozen square meters at fine pitch or several hundred square meters at wide pitch.

The controller drives 4 independent 4K layers, with real-time multi-screen scaling: a single box can therefore manage a main 4K wall plus synchronized satellite screens with no additional video processor. This is the profile sought for broadcast events, production studios and reliability-critical fixed rack installations.

• Broadcast or studio LED wall: 4 4K layers, HDR, multi-screen synchronization.
• Large fixed installation: up to 9 million pixels across 20 Ethernet ports.
• Touring event: rackable 2U chassis, port redundancy for reliability.
• Long-distance wiring site: optical 10G links in 20 or 40-port mode.

Always check the wall's actual pixel load before choosing between the MX40 Pro and a more modest COEX model like the MX30: beyond a few million pixels or as soon as 4 4K layers are needed, the MX40 Pro is the right choice.

2. Official technical specifications

The table below reproduces the figures published in the MX40 Pro specifications sheet, revisions V1.5.0 and V1.5.1. Both revisions are identical on hardware; V1.5.0 added HDMI 2.0 support for YCbCr 4:2:0 color sampling, the central control protocol, MAC address reading and SPDIF audio output.

Synchronous output on optical + Ethernet ports and the choice of 20/40-port optical mode were added in revision V1.4.0: on an older controller before a firmware update, check the installed version before promising these features to a client.

3. Hardware check and deployment prep

Before the job, check for the controller, the mains power cord, the rack mounting accessories and the link cable to the admin machine. Record the MAC address shown by the controller, now readable directly from the embedded interface thanks to the MAC address reading function introduced in V1.5.0.

Prepare the full chain upstream: shielded Cat6 cables for the 20 Ethernet ports, optical cables matching the 4 10G links if the site needs long distance, cabinet configuration files, and a machine with VMP for the software commissioning.

• MX40 Pro controller, mains cord and 2U rack mounting kit checked.
• MAC address recorded via the embedded interface before network integration.
• Shielded Cat6 cables for the 20 Ethernet outputs, 100 m maximum per segment.
• Suitable optical cables if long-distance 10G links are planned.
• Machine with VMP installed for topology and color processing.

4. Wiring the video inputs

The MX40 Pro accepts three video input families: 3 HDMI 2.0 ports with loop through, 1 DisplayPort 1.2 port and 1 12G-SDI port also with loop through. Loop through sends the source signal back to a monitoring display or a second controller with no external splitter, simplifying the control room on a shoot or a live event.

Each input accepts a color depth of 8, 10 or 12 bits depending on the source; the depth choice directly affects HDR rendering fidelity and the color processing available in VMP. The 12G-SDI port carries uncompressed 4K streams over a single coaxial link, a clear advantage over controllers limited to 3G-SDI, which need a quad-link.

• Connect HDMI 2.0 sources using loop through for control-room monitoring.
• Reserve the DP 1.2 port for fixed playback machines when distance allows.
• Use the 12G-SDI for 4K broadcast streams over a single coaxial link.
• Check the declared bit depth (8/10/12) matches the actual source.

On a multi-camera event, always reserve the SDI input for critical broadcast feeds: its 12G capacity avoids a quad-link SDI setup, a classic source of frame desync.

5. Sizing the 20 copper Ethernet ports

The 20 Gigabit Ethernet ports form the close-range output to the receiving cards, for a total advertised load of up to 9 million pixels. In practice, the maximum load per port depends on the receiving card model and the configured refresh rate; always check the receiving card's own datasheet rather than mechanically dividing 9 million by 20.

On a conventional wiring site, these 20 copper ports cover most fixed rack setups where the receiving cards sit within 100 meters of the controller. Receiving card fleet sizing must anticipate this standard Ethernet distance limit before switching to the optical links.

• Spread the load across the 20 ports according to the wall's real topology, never evenly by default.
• Check the receiving card datasheet for the actual maximum load per port.
• Limit each copper Ethernet segment to 100 m between the controller and the first card.
• Document each port's assignment in the VMP project for easier maintenance.

6. The 4 optical 10G links and choosing the output mode

The 4 optical 10G links extend cable reach well beyond the 100 meters imposed by copper Ethernet, a decisive advantage on large sites or setups where the controller sits far from the LED wall, in a technical control room for instance. Each optical link can be configured in 20-port or 40-port mode, a setting available since revision V1.4.0 and accessible directly in VMP.

The 40-port mode doubles the number of equivalent Ethernet outputs available behind each optical link, at the cost of lower bandwidth per port; the 20-port mode favors higher bandwidth per port for very high pixel-density setups. The choice should follow the target refresh rate and panel density, not just the number of receiving cards to connect.

• 20-port mode: maximum bandwidth per port, suited to very high-density panels.
• 40-port mode: doubled equivalent outputs, suited to large receiving card fleets at moderate bit rate.
• Synchronous output on optical + Ethernet ports can be enabled to keep the image coherent on a mixed copper/optical wall.
• Optical cables and transceivers sized for the site's actual distance.

On a site still being designed, let the panel manufacturer decide the 20/40-port choice: they know the bit rate each receiving card needs for the chosen refresh rate.

7. Networking, redundancy and protocols

The MX40 Pro has 2 control Ethernet ports separate from the 20 LED output ports, plus an auxiliary port for peripheral devices. This separation keeps management traffic from saturating the image distribution network, a principle already applied on more modest COEX controllers but reinforced here by the sheer number of ports involved.

The controller supports SNMP and Art-Net protocols, along with a proprietary central control protocol and direct MAC address reading, two functions added in revision V1.5.0. On a fleet of several MX40 Pro units supervised from a single machine, these protocols allow integration into a building management system or a third-party network supervision tool, beyond VMP alone.

• Physically separate the control network (2 dedicated ports) from the image distribution network.
• Enable SNMP to integrate the controller into an existing network supervision system.
• Use Art-Net to synchronize the screen with a stage lighting system.
• Record the MAC address via the embedded interface for fleet inventory.

Never connect the auxiliary port or the control ports to the same unsegmented switch as the 20 LED outputs: image traffic can saturate the supervision link and hide an SNMP alert at a critical moment.

8. Genlock input, SPDIF audio and HDR functions

The Genlock input, also with loop through, synchronizes the MX40 Pro to an external video lock reference shared across an entire broadcast control room, essential to avoid image tearing artifacts when mixing several sources on the same wall. The SPDIF digital audio output, added in revision V1.5.0, delivers the audio track tied to the video signal with no intermediate analog conversion.

HDR support, available on the DP and SDI inputs, combined with 3D LUT files importable at 33x33x33 or 65x65x65 in VMP, delivers faithful color rendering on native HDR content, an advantage for sports broadcast venues or high-end advertising screens playing HDR content.

• Connect the Genlock input to the control room's sync reference before mixing any sources.
• Enable SPDIF output if the wall plays content with synchronized soundtrack.
• Import a validated 3D LUT file for faithful HDR rendering on the DP and SDI inputs.

9. Software control with VMP

The MX40 Pro is configured and controlled exclusively with VMP, the COEX-series software that replaced NovaLCT for these controllers. Screen topology, assignment of the 20 Ethernet ports and optical links, color processing and output settings are all set from the same VMP project, exportable to duplicate a configuration onto a second identical MX40 Pro.

On a rental fleet with several MX40 Pro units, VMP presets greatly speed up recommissioning between two tour dates: a profile validated once — color processing, optical output mode, HDR settings — can be recalled in a few clicks on every controller of the same model.

• Create a dedicated VMP project for each wall configuration using the MX40 Pro.
• Check the load per port and per optical link directly in VMP before commissioning.
• Save a preset after color validation to reuse across an identical fleet.

Refer to the dedicated VMP tutorial for the detail of the topology, seam correction and color processing menus applicable to the MX40 Pro.

10. Rack mounting and touring constraints

The MX40 Pro fits into a standard 2U chassis for a 19-inch rack, easing integration into a fixed technical rack shared with audio amplifiers, network switches or other video controllers. In a fixed installation, allow sufficient ventilation space above and below the chassis, accounting for the heat generated by 20 Ethernet ports running continuously.

On tour, the controller must travel in a flight case sized for a 2U form factor, with vibration-damping foam suited to the optical connectors, which are more fragile under shock than copper ports. Always document the chosen optical mode (20 or 40 ports) and port assignments in the tour sheet, since these settings cannot be guessed visually once the controller is remounted at a new site.

• Allow sufficient ventilation space around the 2U chassis in a fixed rack.
• Protect the optical connectors in a flight case with dedicated shock-absorbing foam.
• Document the optical output mode and port assignments in the tour sheet.
• Carry spare shielded Cat6 cables and optical patch cords on tour.

A generic flight case not foamed for the optical connectors is the leading cause of 10G link failure after transport: always cut custom foam for the MX40 Pro's rear panel.

Deployment procedure

1. Check the hardware and record the MAC address

   Verify the controller, mains cord and 2U rack kit, then record the MAC address shown by the embedded interface before network integration.

2. Wire the video inputs

   Connect the HDMI 2.0, DP 1.2 and 12G-SDI sources, using loop through where control-room monitoring is needed.

3. Spread the load across the 20 Ethernet ports

   Assign each output port following the wall's real topology, respecting the 100 m limit per copper segment.

4. Configure the optical 10G links

   Choose 20-port or 40-port mode based on panel density and required bit rate, then connect transceivers matched to the distance.

5. Separate the control network

   Wire the 2 control Ethernet ports on a dedicated switch, distinct from the 20 LED outputs, and enable SNMP if needed.

6. Configure the project in VMP

   Create the project, set the topology, import a 3D LUT file if needed, then check the load per port and per optical link.

7. Secure the rack or flight case mounting

   Mount the 2U chassis in a rack or a foamed flight case, and document the chosen optical mode and port assignments.

Frequently asked questions

Official documentation

• MX40 Pro LED Display Controller Specifications V1.5.0 (official PDF) — Specifications
• MX40 Pro LED Display Controller Specifications V1.5.1 (mirror) — Specifications
• NovaStar download center (VMP software) — Software

Related tutorials

• NovaStar VMP tutorial: COEX control software
• NovaStar CX40 Pro tutorial: compact COEX controller
• NovaStar MX30 tutorial: entry-level COEX controller
• NovaStar MX6000 Pro tutorial: high-end video processing

Need help sizing your LED wall?

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