NovaStar multimedia players are designed for small and medium size LED full color displays. This kind of players can be widely used in LED commercial display fields, such as light pole screens, chain store screens, advertising machines, mirror screens, retail store screens, door head screens, on-board screens and the screens requiring no PCs. Nova LCT is the display configuration software running on Windows. In multimedia player applications, Nova LCT can work in conjunction with receiving cards, monitoring cards and multi-function cards to enable smart setting, brightness adjustment, power control, LED error detection and hardware monitoring of the LED screen. The user can easily control all the key information of the screen with a computer to get the optimal display at any time. We have created a quick reference guide for Nova LCT that should provide answers for most every question that comes up during an installation. We otherwise encourage you to download the manual for a comprehensive solution.

Download the current version of Nova LCT in a zip format and select to open the .exe file. Follow the prompts to install Nova LCT on your PC.

• 1. Open Nova LCT and choose User and the Media Player Login. The system automatically searches the multimedia players in the same network segment and then displays them in a specified sorting order.
• 2. Select the terminal name in the terminal list.
• 3. Select Connect System.
• 4. Enter user name and password for logging in the terminal, and select OK.
• 5. The Nova LCT interface will open.

The Nova LCT interface provides these functions:

• System
• 🗀Reconnect
• This is used to reconnecting the Nova LCT to the multimedia player.
• Settings
• 🗀Screen Configuration ⭢ 🗀Brightness ⭢ 🗀Multi-function Card ⭢ 🗀Hardware Information ⭢ 🗀Prestore Screen ⭢ 🗀Advanced Color
• 🗀Adjust Screen Effect ⭢ 🗀Receiving Card Relay ⭢ 🗀Configure Information Management ⭢ 🗀Main Window Starting Position
• Screen Configuration: This is used for configuration of the LED screens.
• Brightness: This is used for adjusting the LED display brightness. There are two ways for brightness adjustment, automatic brightness and manual brightness.
• Multi-function Card: This is used to open the page for Multi-function card configuration.
• Hardware Information: This is used to check the information about the current LED display control system.
• Prestore Screen: Enter the restore screen, booting screen and no signal (including the disconnected network cable and no DVI signal) screen settings can be conducted.
• Advanced Color Configuration: Factory setting (current gain, RGB brightness). Configuration color space (original color space, target color space). Color temperature table.
• Adjust Screen Effect: Enable/Disable 18-bit mode and ClearView mode
• Receiving Card Relay: Set parameters for the receiving card relay. Reset the time of the receiving card.
• Configure Information Management: Import/Export all the configuration files.
• The Main Window Starting Position: Set the initial coordinates.
• Tools
• 🗀Calibration ⭢ 🗀Screen Control ⭢ 🗀Monitoring ⭢ 🗀Led Error Detection ⭢ 🗀Multi-batch Adjustment ⭢ 🗀Module ID Setting
• Calibration: Calibrate the screen and manage the calibration coefficients.
• Screen Control: Perform the screen control functions which include "Black Out", "Freeze" and "Normal". Besides, self test options are also provided.
• Monitoring: Enter the monitoring page to view the monitoring results or set the monitoring parameters.
• Led Error Detection: Enter "Led Error Detection" page to perform LED error detection after the screen has been properly configured.
• Multi-batch Adjustment: Adjust the brightness of the display according to the batches of cabinet.
• Module ID Setting: Perform module ID configuration to make module management easier. Some modules do not support ID configuration, please contact NovaStar’s technicians for details
• Plugins
• 🗀Test Tool ⭢ 🗀Calculator ⭢ 🗀External Program
• Test Tool: To open the page which all test tools (test content) for LED displays testing are in.
• Calculator: Click on this item will open the Microsoft Windows calculator.
• External Program: Click on this item will add an external program.
• User
• 🗀Advanced User Login ⭢ 🗀Enter Demonstration Mode ⭢ 🗀Connect Asynchronous Terminal
• Advanced User Login:Log in the synchronous system with the password “admin”.
• Enter Demonstration Mode: Experience the related functions of the synchronous system. No hardware connection is required and the password is “admin”.
• Connect Asynchronous Terminal: Log in the multimedia player.
• Language
• 🗀Language
• Language: Switch system language.
• Help
• 🗀User Documents ⭢ 🗀Update log ⭢ 🗀About
• User Documents: View software-related user documents.
• Update log: View software update logs.
• About: View software version, company name and other information.

• 5.1 Screen Configuration

• The advantage of using system configuration files to configure LED displays is that the configuration procedure is very simple and easy, and no manual configuration operation is required.
• 1. Select the Screen Configuration icon to open the Screen Configuration window.
• 2. Select the Load Config File option and Browse to select the system configuration file to be loaded.
• 3. Select Next. The LED display system will have been configured when the load operation is finished.
• Start LED Display Manually
• 1. Select the Screen Configuration icon to open the Screen Configuration window.
• 2. Select Next.
• Quantity of Screens: This is the number of LED displays that are to be configured.
• Configure: This button is used to load the Screen Number to the Nova LCT application.
• Read from HW: This is used for the application to read the LED display information from the hardware.
• Detect Communication Status: Used to verify the communication within the current LED display.
• Read the Number of Receiving Cards: Get the number of receiving cards loaded by each of the Ethernet ports of the current multimedia player.
• Enable Mapping (select Armor cards): When this function is opened, current serial number of the cabinet and its Ethernet port No. will be shown on the cabinet.
• Load from File: Load screen information files save on control computer..
• Save to File: This is used to save screen information files as a *.scr screen information file .
• Send to HW: This is used to send the LED display configuration settings to the connected multimedia player.
• Save: This is used to save the settings to a FLASH chip. The saved data won’t be lost even the hardware is powered off.
• Save System Configuration File: Save system configuration parameters as a file.
• 3. Select Smart Settings under the Receiving Card tab.
• 4. Select Option 1 and click Next to activate smart setting wizard.
• Module Chip: Select the driver chip type from the list according to what is actually used for the cabinets.
• Data Type: Select the data type from the list.
• Module type: The option can be regular module or irregular module. If it is set to be irregular module, the counts of driver chips for one data set and one color should be given.
• Quantity of Pixels: This is the size of the real pixel array of a module.
• Row Decoding Type: This list provides multiple options. You can choose one based on the module.
• HUB Mode: Select the Hub mode of the receiving card, which could be normal, 20 groups, 24 groups and 28 groups.
• 5. Select Next to access Smart Settings Guide 2. Note: This step will be skipped if module polarity is known and already set in Step 1.
• 6. Select Next to access Smart Settings Guide 3.
• 7. Complete the settings in Smart Settings Guide 3 according to the actual situation, and click Next to access Smart Settings Guide 4.
• 8. Complete the settings in Smart Settings Guide 4 according to the actual situation, and click Next to access Smart Settings Guide 5.
• 9. Complete the settings in Smart Settings Guide 5 according to the actual situation, and click Next to access Smart Settings Guide 9.
• 10. When an alert indicates enough lights have been processed select OK.
• 11. Select Next and a message pops up indicating the settings are completed, then click OK. Saving the module settings to files will make it easier to perform module configuration for another LED displays constructed by modules which require the same settings as the one just set. Click Finish directly if you don't want to save the settings.
• LED Display Configuration
• 1. Select the Screen Configuration icon to open the Screen Configuration window.
• 2. Select Next.
• Select Screen Connection page in the Screen Configuration window.
• If no LED display has been configured, please enter the number of LED displays to be configured and select the Configure button. The default screen configuration page will open.
• The configuration information will be shown on the Screen Configuration page if a LED display has been configured. Modify the settings and send them to hardware if necessary.
• Standard Screen Configuration
• Set the cascade type of receiving cards manually. The load of each receiving cards can be different.
• Coordinate: This is the upper-left corner of a rectangular area of the computer display. The rectangle area of the computer display is called mapping area. Content inside the mapping area will be shown on the LED display. The default location is (0, 0), which is actually the upper-left corner of the computer display.
• Virtual Mode: Specify the pixel mode of the LED display. The option could be real pixel or virtual 3 lights or virtual 4 lights. Check Enable to enable virtual mode, click to enter into the setting interface of the virtual mode. Select the layout type of the lights on the top right corner of the window, and drag the mouse on the left side of the window to change the arrangement of the lights.
• Receiving Card Columns/Rows: These are the numbers of columns and rows of the scan board (receiving card) array of the LED display. A sketch map of the scan board array will be shown in this page after these two parameters are set.
• Reset All: This button is used to reset all cabinet settings and connection settings.
• Hidden Wiring: After selecting this function, the receiving card’s wiring in the following topology will be hidden.
• Icon: This is a mark for receiving card classification. Select one receiving card and click on the drop-down box to choose one color from red, green and blue, and then click on the given receiving card to add the mark.
• Sending Card Number: No settings are required.
• Ethernet Port No.: Select an Ethernet port of the multimedia player. Click Read the Number of Receiving Cards and hover over the port with your mouse. The number of receiving cards loaded by the port will be displayed.
• Back: This button is used to clear all settings related to the last set multimedia player.
• Clear Current Output Port: This button is used to clear all settings related to the current output port.
• Width/Height: These are the width and height of the pixel array of the current receiving card.
• Apply to Entire Column: Select a receiving card, and set the width the same as the loading width of the column the selected receiving card belonged to.
• Apply to Entire Row: Select a receiving card, and set the height the same as the loading height of the line the selected receiving card belonged to.
• Apply to the Current Port: Click this button to set the pixel array sizes of all receiving cards connected to the current Ethernet port the same as that of the current receiving card.
• Set Blank: Select this if the current position (pixel array of the current receiving card) needs to be left unset.
• Quick Connection: Quickly set cabinet connection. In Quick Connection, select a connection type. Drag the mouse to select the receiving cards corresponding to the output port. The connection is done automatically.
• Complex Screen Configuration
• Set the multimedia player, Ethernet port, start coordinates and pixels to be loaded of each of the corresponding receiving cards.
• Add: Click Add to access the window for receiving cards information setting, such as Ethernet output ports, pixel array sizes and so on.
• Edit: To edit the information that has been set for receiving cards.
• Delete: To delete the selected receiving card from the receiving cards list.
• Clear: To delete all receiving cards from the list.
• Set Cabinet Information
• Pixel array size and module cascade direction can be set in this panel. Select the Receiving Card page in the Screen Configuration window.
• Note that the Regular panel is for regular cabinets parameters setting and the Irregular panel is for irregular cabinet parameters setting.
• Cabinet rotation: Set image rotation angle to 0°, 90°, 180° or 270°.
• Width/Height: These two items specify the width and height of the cabinet pixel array.
• Maximum Width: Maximum width varies with parameters of refresh rate, gray scale levels, and shift clock frequency. Normally, the higher the refresh rate is and the finer the gray scale levels are, the smaller the maximum width will be; while the higher the shift clock frequency is, the larger the maximum width can be. But as the shift clock frequency is limited by driver chips and module design, the maximum width is also limited.
• Maximum Height: The Maximum Height depends on the module design.
• Adjust the Performance Parameters
• Download and reference the full PDF for these instructions.
• Save Settings to Flash
• Download and reference the full PDF for these instructions.
• Save/Load Configuration Files
• Save/Load Configuration Files.
• Module Configuration File: Saved in a module configuration file are the settings of modules. Module configuration files can be used for quick configuration of modules requiring the same kind of settings.
• Receiving Card Configuration File: Saved in a receiving card configuration file are the settings of receiving cards. Receiving card configuration files can be used for quick configuration of cabinets requiring the same kind of settings.
• LED Display Configuration File: Saved in a LED display configuration file are the information of how receiving cards are put together to construct a LED display. The LED display configuration files can be used for quick construction of a LED display.
• System Configuration File: Saved in a system configuration file are the settings of a LED display system. It can be used to quickly recover a LED display system from error, or to quickly start a LED display.
• Save Module Configuration File: There are two ways to save a module configuration file: The first is to save it at the last step of smart setting. The other way is to select the arrow button in the Module Information panel of the Receiving card page.
• Load Module Configuration File: In smart setting step 3, select Option 2: Load module from file on the Smart Setting dialog and follow the instructions.
• Save Receiving Card Configuration File: Click Save to file on the Receiving card page to save receiving card information as configuration file.
• Load Receiving Card Configuration File: To load a receiving card configuration file, click Load from File button to load receiving card information to the page.
• Save Screen Configuration File: Click the Save to File button at the bottom of the page to save screen information to configuration file.
• Load LED Display Configuration File: To load a LED display configuration file, click the Load from File button at the bottom of the page to load screen information to the page.
• Save System Configuration File: To save settings to a system configuration file, click the Save System Configuration File button at the bottom of the Screen Configuration window and follow the instructions.
• Load System Configuration File: Refer to 5.1 Screen Configuration.

• 5.2 Adjust Brightness

• Select the Light Bulb icon on the main interface, and the Brightness Adjustment window pops up on which brightness, contrast, color temperature and color space can all be set. The multimedia player only supports manual brightness adjustment, while the automatic adjustment is not supported.
• Brightness: Set the brightness mode and value.
• Contrast: Gamma coefficient can be any value between 1 and 4. And the default value is 2.8. Check Custom Gamma Adjustment, and click Configuration to manually define the Gamma table.
• Color Temperature: Roughly Adjustment: Pull the bar to adjust the color temperature (Enter Settings > Advanced Color Configuration > Configure Color Space interface, fill the value of original color space which must be obtain by light sensor, and send the values to hardware). Accurate Adjustment: Check this option, then choose color temperature segment. For color temperature segment configuration, reference Advanced Color Configuration and color temperature table.
• Color Space: Set to enable (PAL/NTSC) or disable color space. For color space configuration, reference Advanced Color Configuration.
• After the adjustments are completed, click Save to HW to save them to the hardware.

• 5.3 Multi-function Card Management

• Download and reference the full PDF for these instructions.

• 5.4 Prestore Screen

• Select the Prestore Screen of the Settings in the main menu to store a picture as the default display when the LED boots up without a DVI signal.
• Browse: Select the picture’s path of Prestore Screen.
• Screen Effect: The selected picture will be stretched, tiled or centered to the screen. Each cabinet will show part of this picture, and they matching to be the whole picture.
• Cabinet Effect: The selected picture will be stretched, tiled or centered to each cabinet of the screen. Each cabinet will show this picture in its own region.
• Test Effect: Show the selected picture on the screen. This operation will not save the picture to the hardware.
• Save To Hardware: User can click this button to save the picture as Prestore Screen to the hardware if he is satisfied with the test effect.
• Check Store Picture: In order to check the stored effect, click this button to show the Prestore Screen which was stored in the hardware on the screen.
• Function Settings
• Boot Screen: User can set whether enable boot screen or not and the boot screen time when power on. The Prestore Screen is used as the boot screen.
• Cable Disconnect: User can select the display frame when cable disconnect.
• No DVI Signal: User can select the display frame when there is no DVI signal.
• Send: Send the settings to the hardware. (If Save to Hardware is not clicked, the settings will lost after power off.)
• Save To Hardware: Save current settings to hardware, then the settings will not lost after power off.

• 5.5 Advanced Color Configuration

• Select Tools and then Test Tool to enter the display test tool page or receiving card test page.
• 🗀Window ⭢ 🗀Pure Color ⭢ 🗀Gradient ⭢ 🗀Grid ⭢ 🗀Orientation ⭢ 🗀Help ⭢ 🗀About
• Window: Set window position and size, or hide the window.
• Pure Color: Set window color (pure color), gray scale and refresh rate.
• Gradient: Set the gradient color and levels of the window.
• Grid: Set grid and color and other parameters of the window.
• Orientation: Set module size and the number of modules loaded by the scanning board. Detailed settings are shown in the figure below.
• Help: Keyboard shortcuts for quick operations.
• About: Details in the box.

• 5.6 Adjust Screen Effect

• Select Tools and then Test Tool to enter the display test tool page or receiving card test page.
• 🗀Window ⭢ 🗀Pure Color ⭢ 🗀Gradient ⭢ 🗀Grid ⭢ 🗀Orientation ⭢ 🗀Help ⭢ 🗀About
• Window: Set window position and size, or hide the window.
• Pure Color: Set window color (pure color), gray scale and refresh rate.
• Gradient: Set the gradient color and levels of the window.
• Grid: Set grid and color and other parameters of the window.
• Orientation: Set module size and the number of modules loaded by the scanning board. Detailed settings are shown in the figure below.
• Help: Keyboard shortcuts for quick operations.
• About: Details in the box.

• 5.7 Brightness and Color Calibration

• Select Tools and then Test Tool to enter the display test tool page or receiving card test page.
• 🗀Window ⭢ 🗀Pure Color ⭢ 🗀Gradient ⭢ 🗀Grid ⭢ 🗀Orientation ⭢ 🗀Help ⭢ 🗀About
• Window: Set window position and size, or hide the window.
• Pure Color: Set window color (pure color), gray scale and refresh rate.
• Gradient: Set the gradient color and levels of the window.
• Grid: Set grid and color and other parameters of the window.
• Orientation: Set module size and the number of modules loaded by the scanning board. Detailed settings are shown in the figure below.
• Help: Keyboard shortcuts for quick operations.
• About: Details in the box.

• 5.8 Screen Control

• Select Tools and then Test Tool to enter the display test tool page or receiving card test page.
• 🗀Window ⭢ 🗀Pure Color ⭢ 🗀Gradient ⭢ 🗀Grid ⭢ 🗀Orientation ⭢ 🗀Help ⭢ 🗀About
• Window: Set window position and size, or hide the window.
• Pure Color: Set window color (pure color), gray scale and refresh rate.
• Gradient: Set the gradient color and levels of the window.
• Grid: Set grid and color and other parameters of the window.
• Orientation: Set module size and the number of modules loaded by the scanning board. Detailed settings are shown in the figure below.
• Help: Keyboard shortcuts for quick operations.
• About: Details in the box.

• 5.9 Hardware Monitoring

• Select Tools and then Test Tool to enter the display test tool page or receiving card test page.
• 🗀Window ⭢ 🗀Pure Color ⭢ 🗀Gradient ⭢ 🗀Grid ⭢ 🗀Orientation ⭢ 🗀Help ⭢ 🗀About
• Window: Set window position and size, or hide the window.
• Pure Color: Set window color (pure color), gray scale and refresh rate.
• Gradient: Set the gradient color and levels of the window.
• Grid: Set grid and color and other parameters of the window.
• Orientation: Set module size and the number of modules loaded by the scanning board. Detailed settings are shown in the figure below.
• Help: Keyboard shortcuts for quick operations.
• About: Details in the box.

• 5.10 LED Error Detection

• Select Tools and then Test Tool to enter the display test tool page or receiving card test page.
• 🗀Window ⭢ 🗀Pure Color ⭢ 🗀Gradient ⭢ 🗀Grid ⭢ 🗀Orientation ⭢ 🗀Help ⭢ 🗀About
• Window: Set window position and size, or hide the window.
• Pure Color: Set window color (pure color), gray scale and refresh rate.
• Gradient: Set the gradient color and levels of the window.
• Grid: Set grid and color and other parameters of the window.
• Orientation: Set module size and the number of modules loaded by the scanning board. Detailed settings are shown in the figure below.
• Help: Keyboard shortcuts for quick operations.
• About: Details in the box.

For the receiving card supporting the relay module, the parameters of relay can be set here. The relay can be set to be disconnected, closed or automatic. When the relay is set to be automatic, the temperature of closing and the temperature of disconnecting shall be designated. Timing of receiving card is the accumulated using time of the receiving card; when Timing Resetting, the time will be recorded from 0. After finishing the setting, click Send to send the parameters to the receiving card..

Click Settings > Configure Information Management to conduct configuration file management.

• Configuration file management
• 🗀Import Configuration Files ⭢ 🗀Export Configuration Files ⭢ 🗀Cancel
• Import Configuration Files: Import previously saved configuration files.
• Export Configuration Files: Export all the configuration files in the configuration process, and save in the computer in .zip format.
• Cancel: Exit the configuration file management.

In order to make the large screen easier to manage, the system features a function to configure ID for each module.

• Check the module ID and module status
• 1. Select Tools > Module ID Setting to enter the module ID setting page.
• 2. Click on Refresh and the system will read the real-time module ID and module status which will be shown in a topology.
• Module ID Settings
• 1. Enter admin in the module setting page to activate the module ID generating rule and saving function.
• Scaling rate: Drag the slider to zoom in and out the topology of the left-side module.
• ID: Show the currently selected module ID.
• Set ID: Set IDs for the whole module.
• ⭢ Prefix: Set prefix for the serial number of each module.
• ⭢ Ordering: The regulated order for generating serial numbers in the process of generating module IDs in batches.
• ⭢ Z type: Generate module IDs from upper left to upper right horizontally of the first row.
• ⭢ N type: Generate module IDs from upper left to lower left vertically of the first column.
• ⭢ Serial number: Number all the cabinets from left to right, beginning with 0 for modules of each cabinets.
• ⭢ Generate a serial number for each module based on cabinets and number all cabinets from left to right.
• ⭢ Click Generate to make the system automatically set an ID for each module according to the prefix and ordering method.
• ⭢ Click on Save to make the system send the module ID to the hardware for saving.
• 2. Double-click a module to modify its ID.
• 3. Enter the module ID.
• 4. Click OK to modify the selected module ID.