Novastar - H2

The NovaStar H2 is designed for LED installations that require a dedicated video processing centre whilst maintaining a relatively compact footprint. Housed in a 2U chassis, it combines source switching and processing for LED screens to simplify the overall system architecture. It is therefore well suited to a control room, a technical rack or a fixed installation where multiple content streams need to be managed simultaneously.

The unit features a plug-in card architecture. Four slots are available for input cards, whilst two slots are provided for output cards. This design allows interfaces to be selected based on the sources actually present in the project, rather than starting with a fixed configuration. Up to 16 input channels and 8 output channels can thus be supported, depending on the cards installed.

Processing is not limited to the simple distribution of signals. The H2 can overlay up to 32 layers and features scaling and cropping functions to adjust the various sources to the format of the display areas. EDID management also allows control over the video specifications exchanged between devices, whilst Genlock ensures synchronisation with other elements in the system when required.

The video processing section supports 10-bit sources and processing, as well as HDR10 and HLG formats. For LED displays, capacity reaches 26 million pixels with an H_20xRJ45 output card. An H_16xRJ45+2xfibre card can handle up to 20.8 million pixels, whilst the H_4xfibre card increases this capacity to 41.6 million pixels and enables optical distribution suitable for long distances.

The H2 can be controlled via its local interface, via Ethernet or RS232, or via a web interface. This latter method allows access to settings from various operating systems and facilitates remote operation. With its 2U height, processing capabilities and modular design, it is a particularly attractive solution for those seeking to maintain a centralised architecture without taking up significant space in the rack.