NovaStar LED Processor Calculator — How to Size an LED Video Wall Processor
Sizing an LED video processor isn’t guesswork — it comes down to two numbers: the screen’s pixel count and the processor’s per-port capacity. This guide walks through the maths the way our engineers do it when we spec a video wall, then points you at the configurator that does the same calculation in three minutes.
Skip the maths — use the configurator.
It walks you through pitch, screen size, viewing distance and signal source, then returns a complete sized spec — including the right NovaStar processor model — with a downloadable PDF in three minutes.
Why the processor matters more than people think
An LED video wall is just a grid of pixels — but the processor is the brain that turns an incoming HDMI, DVI or SDI signal into the precise on/off pattern each LED needs. Under-spec the processor and you get banding, dropped frames, or a black quadrant when you try to scale beyond what its output cards can carry. Over-spec it and you’ve paid for headroom you’ll never use.
The industry-standard control system most installers default to is NovaStar (MCTRL / VX / MX series). It’s the system we use on the majority of our installs because it’s broadly compatible with receiving cards from every reputable LED panel manufacturer, it’s well-supported in the UK, and the licensing is clean. Brompton (Tessera) is the other major broadcast-grade option, used routinely on virtual production stages and high-end broadcast environments.
NovaStar MCTRL / VX / MX series — high-level overview
NovaStar’s professional processor range spans a wide capacity envelope. Specific model availability and exact rated capacities vary over time as NovaStar refreshes the product line — these figures are directional, not stock-locked.
- MCTRL300 / VX400: entry-tier sender. ~650,000 pixels per output (1× gigabit Ethernet port). Single-cabinet to small wall builds.
- MCTRL600 / VX600: workhorse mid-tier. ~1.3 million pixels per output (2× GbE). The sweet spot for most commercial walls.
- MCTRL660 Pro / VX1000: larger commercial and fine-pitch. ~2.6 million pixels per output (4× GbE). Adds genlock and seamless cross-fade between sources.
- MCTRL4K / MX-series: true 4K wall builds, broadcast, XR / virtual production. ~8.8–10 million+ pixels per port, native UHD pipelines.
Brompton’s Tessera processors (SX40, S8, S4) sit alongside the NovaStar MX-series on broadcast and virtual production stages — superior frame-accurate control, broadcast colour pipelines, and on-the-fly calibration. For corporate-AV and commercial signage, NovaStar covers the spec range; for broadcast and VP, Brompton is often the brief.
The maths: input cards, output cards, pixel counts
Every processor publishes a per-output-port pixel capacity. To work out which one you need, do this in order:
- Total your pixel count. Width × height in pixels. A 4 m × 2.25 m wall at 2.5 mm pitch is 1600 × 900 = 1,440,000 pixels.
- Add a 10–15% headroom margin. Real-world wiring loss, refresh-rate uplift, and 16-bit colour processing all eat capacity. Plan to use about 85% of a port’s rated capacity, not 100%.
- Match to the processor. 1,440,000 pixels comfortably fits inside a VX600’s two-port budget (2.6M total). Push it to a 4 × 3 m at the same pitch (2.13M pixels) and you’re closer to the VX600 ceiling — at that point step up to the VX1000.
- Check input bit depth. 10-bit and 12-bit signals carry more data per pixel than 8-bit. If the source is broadcast-grade or HDR, drop the rated pixel capacity by roughly 20% before doing your sum.
- Check refresh rate target. If you need 3,840 Hz refresh (broadcast, camera capture), available pixel headroom per port drops vs the standard 1,920 Hz rating.
- Confirm the source-to-processor interface. HDMI 2.0 caps at 4K60. SDI 12G caps at 4K60. For native 4K wall builds, plan the source-end signal chain alongside the processor — under-spec on input bandwidth is just as common a fault as under-spec on output capacity.
Common processor sizing scenarios
Sized for the wall sizes Dynamo quotes most often. Pixel counts assume an 85% port-utilisation margin baked in.
| Wall size | Pitch | Total pixels | Recommended processor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.92 × 1.08 m | P2.5 | 331,776 | MCTRL300 / VX400 |
| 2.88 × 1.62 m | P2.5 | 746,496 | VX600 |
| 3.84 × 2.16 m | P2.5 (Full HD) | 1,990,656 | VX600 (close to ceiling — VX1000 if HDR/refresh uplift) |
| 4.8 × 2.7 m | P2.5 (Full HD) | 2,073,600 | VX1000 |
| 6 × 3.375 m | P1.5 (4K-class) | 8,294,400 | MX-series / MCTRL4K |
| 3 × 1.69 m | P1.5 (Full HD) | 2,073,600 | VX1000 |
| 9.6 × 5.4 m | P2.5 (4K) | 8,294,400 | MX-series / MCTRL4K |
| 5 × 3 m | P3 | 1,666,667 | VX600 (or VX1000 for headroom) |
| 8 × 4.5 m | P3 | 4,000,000 | VX1000 (split across two output cards) or MX-series |
| 24 m² mesh | P4.8 | 1,042,000 | VX600 |
The configurator runs this calculation against your project dimensions and signal-source choices and returns the right model — no need to do the maths by hand for routine spec work.
When to use which processor
VX400 / MCTRL300: small indoor walls, single-port builds, < 650k pixels. Boardroom 2 × 1 P2.5 walls, single-cabinet lobby displays, modest retail signage.
VX600 / MCTRL600: the sweet spot for most commercial walls. Anything from a 3 × 2 m P2.5 up to a 5 × 3 m P4. If you only ever buy one processor, this is usually the one.
VX1000 / MCTRL660 Pro: larger fine-pitch builds (P1.5, P1.8) where the pixel count climbs fast, or P2.5 walls bigger than 5 × 3 m. Also the right choice when you need genlock and seamless cross-fade between sources.
MX-series / MCTRL4K: true 4K wall builds (3840 × 2160 native), broadcast environments, XR / virtual production stages, anything north of 8M pixels. Overkill for most retail and corporate installs.
Brompton Tessera (SX40 / S8 / S4): reach for these when the brief is broadcast, virtual production, frame-accurate camera capture, or high-end HDR colour pipelines. For corporate-AV, signage, lobby and retail, NovaStar is the right family.
MCTRL vs VX vs MX — what’s the difference?
NovaStar’s product naming has changed over time. Roughly: MCTRL was the historical generation, VX is the current core sender range, and MX is the high-end controller line with broadcast features. For a given capacity envelope, the modern VX equivalent of an MCTRL model is usually the right specification — they share the same physical port architecture and pixel-count ratings.
If you’re inheriting an installed MCTRL processor and adding cabinets, the safe move is to size against the original MCTRL’s per-port capacity, not the modern equivalent’s marketing numbers. If you’re spec’ing from scratch, the VX or MX line is what NovaStar currently ships.
Build your spec — interactive sizing
Build your spec in 3 minutes
The configurator returns a complete sized spec — wall, pitch, processor recommendation — with a downloadable PDF you can share with your AV integrator.
NovaStar processor sizing — FAQ
Which NovaStar processor do I need for a 3 × 2 m P2.5 wall?
A 3 × 2 m P2.5 wall is 1200 × 800 = 960,000 pixels — well inside a VX600’s 1.3M per-output budget. If the source is HDR or you need 3,840 Hz refresh for camera capture, step up to a VX1000 for headroom.
Can a single VX600 drive a 4K wall?
Not natively. 4K is 3840 × 2160 = 8.3M pixels — well over a VX600’s combined two-port capacity. For 4K-native walls, step up to the MX-series or MCTRL4K. You can build 4K-equivalent canvases out of multiple VX1000 senders fed a quadrant-split source, but that’s an integration project, not a single-box solution.
What’s the difference between MCTRL and VX?
MCTRL is NovaStar’s historical naming for the same product family that’s now branded VX. Capacity envelopes broadly map: MCTRL300 ↔ VX400, MCTRL600 ↔ VX600, MCTRL660 ↔ VX1000. New installs ship as VX; legacy installs are MCTRL.
When should I choose Brompton instead of NovaStar?
Broadcast and virtual production. Brompton Tessera’s frame-accurate camera capture, broadcast colour calibration and Hydra source-management features are the industry default for XR stages and high-end broadcast. For corporate, retail, lobby and signage, NovaStar matches the spec at materially lower cost.
Do I need a separate sender card per cabinet?
No. A sender processor’s output ports drive multiple receiving cards on the wall — one receiving card per cabinet (or sometimes per module group). Cabling runs from the sender’s output port to the first receiving card, then daisy-chains through subsequent cabinets up to the per-port capacity budget.
Can I upgrade a processor without changing the cabinets?
Usually yes — the receiving cards inside the cabinets stay; you swap the sender and update firmware. This is a common upgrade path when an installed wall needs to scale beyond the original processor’s pixel budget or move from HD to 4K source. Allow half a day for the swap and recommissioning.
Does the configurator pick the processor automatically?
Yes. The LED Screen Configurator takes the wall dimensions, pitch, signal source and refresh-rate target you input and returns a sized spec including the processor model. The PDF output includes the full processor line so you can share the spec with your AV integrator.
Need a human to check the spec?
If your project sits in awkward territory — non-rectangular wall, multi-source switching, broadcast-grade colour, or you just want a second pair of eyes — call our engineers on 0203 489 9878 or browse the LED video walls range for indoor builds and LED screen hire for short-term events. We’ll review the room, the source signal, and the budget and confirm the processor sizing on the call.
Related reading: NovaStar LED processor guide (in-depth product walkthrough), P2.5 dvLED specification, P1.5 fine-pitch dvLED.