The NovaStar TU4K Pro (also written Novastar TU4K PRO) is an all-in-one LED playback control processor that combines an Android 13 media player, a sending card and video processing in one unit. It drives up to 13 million pixels when output scaling is enabled and 8.8 million pixels in pixel-to-pixel mode, and it can be operated from the front-panel LCD, the included Bluetooth voice remote, mobile apps or PC software. In this guide we walk through the complete setup sequence – mounting, signal and screen connections, screen configuration in VNNOX Care or from the LCD menu, first-run initialization, playback options, firmware V1.6.1, verified specifications, troubleshooting, price factors and the differences against the TU20 Pro and TU15 Pro.

The NovaStar TU4K Pro is a playback control processor designed by Xi’an NovaStar Tech Co., Ltd. for LED screen applications. It integrates three functions that used to require separate hardware – an Android 13 media player, a sending card and a video processor – so a single unit can run programmes, switch sources and drive the LED cabinets. Because the sending card is built in, you do not need to add a separate sending card or an external video processor for a standard installation.
Who it is for: system integrators, AV contractors, rental companies and in-house AV teams that need a fixed 4K-capable controller for corporate showrooms, conference rooms, auditoriums, retail spaces and outdoor standalone LED displays. The TU4K Pro is the higher-capacity member of the Taurus Ultra family, above the NovaStar TU20 Pro and the TU15 Pro, and it is often evaluated together with the TU40 Pro playback control processor when an indoor installation needs more than 4 million pixels.
Two load limits to keep in mind: the 13 million pixel figure applies when output image scaling is enabled. In pixel-to-pixel mode the maximum is 8.8 million pixels, and the same 8.8 million limit applies to the internal Android source. This distinction matters at the design stage, because a 12 million pixel project that streams from the HDMI inputs is not the same load case as a 12 million pixel project that plays files from the internal player.

The front panel gives you local access to everyday operations without a PC:

• USB ports: connect a keyboard, mouse, camera, storage device or USB drive. They are also used for USB playback, firmware updates and exporting logs.
• Status LED: solid red means the device is powered off, solid green means it is running normally or in standby, and off means there is no power supply.
• Power button: press to start or shut down the device, or hold it down to restart. A shutdown starts a 10 second countdown that can be cancelled with the power or BACK button.
• IR receiver: receives the infrared signal from the included remote control.
• LCD screen: a 2.0-inch panel with 320 x 240 resolution that shows device status, menus, submenus and parameter values.
• Knob and BACK button: press the knob on the home screen to open the main menu, rotate it to move between items or change a value, and press to confirm. Holding the knob and BACK together for 5 seconds locks or unlocks the buttons.

The chassis measures 445.0 x 381.8 x 50.1 mm and weighs 4.60 kg net, so it can sit on a surface, be fixed to a wall, be built into a cabinet or be mounted in a rack. NovaStar recommends at least four M5x12 screws for rack installation and a rack that can carry at least 19 kg. The enclosure is rated IP20, which means it must be kept dry and dust-protected indoors.

A quad-core A73 plus quad-core A53 ARM processor running at 2.2 GHz, 8 GB of onboard RAM and 128 GB of storage keep the Android interface responsive while programs play. A single device can decode 1 stream of 8K video, 2 streams of 4K, 5 streams of 1080p, 9 streams of 720p, 14 streams of 480p or 15 streams of 360p. Two limits are worth remembering: 8K playback only works with H.265/HEVC (7680×4320 at 24Hz) or VP9 (7680×4320 at 30Hz), and videos between 4K and 8K are not supported at all.

• HDR10: complies with SMPTE ST 2084 and SMPTE ST 2086, and requires firmware V1.6.1 or later.
• AI image enhancement: recognises the content being played and tunes colour, brightness, sharpness and motion compensation frame by frame. It works on the internal Android source and on HDMI 1, and it is applied during single-window video playback.
• Peak brightness: analyses each frame and adjusts output dynamically to raise contrast and detail while lowering power consumption. This feature needs an A10s Pro or A8s Pro receiving card.
• Display modes: Standard, Meeting, Vivid and Skin, with brightness, colour temperature, saturation and contrast adjustment.
• Eye comfort mode: adjusts brightness and colour temperature for long viewing sessions.

• Front-panel LCD: since firmware V1.6.1 the LCD menu can also configure the screen and select the signal source, so a screen can be set up without a laptop, tablet or phone.
• Remote control: the supplied Bluetooth voice remote handles playback control and simple program editing. Pair it by pointing it at the IR sensor and holding the Home and Menu buttons until the pairing window appears.
• Mobile apps: VNNOX Care covers screen configuration, topology, seam correction and automatic configuration backup. ViPlex Handy covers program editing, publishing, screen control and reverse control of the LED screen from the terminal.
• PC software: the control Ethernet port works with NovaStar control software such as ViPlex Express and NovaLCT V5.8.0 or later.

• Dual Wi-Fi modes: the device can join a Wi-Fi network and broadcast its own hotspot at the same time, which keeps remote publishing and local configuration available during commissioning.
• Bluetooth 5.1: up to 7 peripherals, including the voice remote, mouse, keyboard, sound system and infrared touch frame support.
• Free receiving card connection: blank spaces do not consume load capacity and there is no rectangular frame restriction with supported receiving cards, so Ethernet port bandwidth can be used in full.
• Output scaling: width from 64 to 16384 pixels and height from 64 to 8192 pixels, with a total device load of no more than 13 million pixels.
• Wireless mirroring: Windows, macOS, iOS and Android, with 9-split screen mirroring supported by default. Miracast mirroring is available from firmware V1.6.1.

A new TU4K Pro ships with the processor, a power cord, the Bluetooth voice remote, an Ethernet cable, an HDMI cable, 2 female 6-pin Phoenix connectors, 3 antennas, 2 hanging brackets, a QR code and a certificate of approval. Two items are optional and must be ordered separately:

• PTB1307 mirroring dongle (MEEXUS_Dongle_PTB1307) for wired screen mirroring from a laptop or phone. It has a Type-C port and includes a Type-C to USB adapter so it can also be used in a USB port. Note that the earlier PTB1304 dongle has been removed from the current specification – if a quotation still lists a PTB1304, ask the supplier to confirm the accessory against the latest specification.
• Whiteboard activation code to enable screen drawing and commenting.

The optical ports ship without optical modules, so add 10G modules and fibre if the installation runs long cable distances. A rack installation also needs a connecting piece, which is not part of the product package.

The sequence below follows the commissioning order in the official user manual: physical installation, connections, screen configuration, first-run initialization, then content publishing. Budget 10 minutes for a simple screen configuration once the cabinets are cabled, and more time where the screen is irregular or needs seam correction.

Choose a dry indoor position within the operating range of -20 °C to +50 °C and 5% to 85% relative humidity. Leave room for airflow and for the Wi-Fi antennas. For wall, surface or cabinet mounting use the supplied hanging brackets; for a rack use at least four M5x12 screws and a rack that can carry at least 19 kg. The unit is IP20, so keep it away from water, and keep the front panel and its knob accessible for local control.

Connect the main 4K sources to HDMI 1 and HDMI 2 (up to 4096×2160@60Hz) and reserve HDMI 3 for a legacy 2K source up to 2048×1152@60Hz. Interlaced signals are not accepted on any input. If the source runs a custom resolution, use HDMI 2, because HDMI 1 does not support custom resolutions. Use the HDMI 1.3 output for a local monitor when you need to check what the processor is receiving.

Run Cat cable from Ethernet ports 1-20 to the receiving cards, following the same port order as the data flow you plan to configure, because the quick configuration menu expects cabinets to be loaded in Ethernet port sequence starting from port 1. For long cable runs use the OPT 1 and OPT 2 fibre outputs instead: OPT 1 carries ports 1-10 and OPT 2 carries ports 11-20, and the optical outputs take priority over the Ethernet ports, so the two connection methods are not interchangeable. If you use 10G optical modules, remember that they are not included with the processor.
Keep per-port and total load inside the specification: a quick configuration assumes the same number of cabinets on every port and no more than 650,000 pixels on Ethernet port 1, while the device totals are 13 million pixels with scaling and 8.8 million pixels in pixel-to-pixel mode. The compact TU15 Pro is a better fit where a project only needs around 2.6 million pixels.

Connect the power cord (100-240V~) and switch the unit on. For commissioning, the quickest route is to connect your phone or laptop to the hotspot broadcast by the device; on first use the LCD guides you through selecting the hotspot, and you can also scan the QR code shown on screen to join it. If the site already has a network, connect the control Ethernet port or join the local Wi-Fi instead – the processor can stay on Wi-Fi and broadcast its hotspot at the same time.

There are two supported ways to configure the screen. Use whichever matches the tools you have on site.
Option A – VNNOX Care app:

• Open VNNOX Care and go to the Local Config tab.
• Tap Connect to Hotspot, select the hotspot of the processor and enter the password.
• Tap Quick Start and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the screen configuration.

Option B – Front-panel LCD menu:

• Press the knob on the home screen to enter the main menu.
• Enable Mapping under Screen Configuration if you need the cabinets to display the Ethernet port number and receiving card number while you cable and verify the topology.
• Open Screen Configuration and choose Quick Configuration. Confirm with Yes, then set Cabinet Row Qty, Cabinet Column Qty, Port 1 Cabinet Qty, Data Flow (Front View), H Offset and V Offset.
• When the image looks correct, open Screen Configuration and choose Save to Hardware so the parameters survive a restart.
• If the source resolution does not match the screen, enable Scale under Screen Configuration to scale the playback window.

Quick Configuration assumes a regular screen built from identical cabinets, with data starting at the first cabinet of Ethernet port 1 and the same number of cabinets loaded by every port, and no more than 650,000 pixels on port 1. For irregular screens, mixed cabinet sizes or complex topologies, configure the screen with VNNOX Care or NovaLCT instead – VNNOX Care also covers seam correction and automatic backup of the screen configuration.

On first use, finish the initialization steps on the Android interface, otherwise publishing programmes that combine internal and external sources can behave unexpectedly:

• Select the system language – English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian are available.
• Pair the Bluetooth remote by pointing it at the IR sensor and holding Home and Menu until the pairing window appears.
• Read and accept the service agreement.
• Select the time zone so scheduled playback and logs use the correct local time.
• Join the Wi-Fi network (or keep using the wired connection), then finish the setup wizard.

• Internal source: build and publish programmes with ViPlex Handy, then play them from the device. HDMI 1 can also be used as programme content so internal and external sources appear at the same time.
• External source: switch the signal source from the remote, the LCD menu or the app.
• USB playback: plug in a drive formatted as FAT32 or NTFS for standalone, plug-and-play playback. Images: JPG, JPEG, BMP, PNG, GIF, WEBP. Video: MP4, MKV, MOV, AVI, M4V, FLV, WEBM. Since firmware V1.6.1, ultra-long-screen programmes can play from a USB drive.
• Wireless mirroring: mirror Windows, macOS, iOS or Android devices over Wi-Fi, or connect the optional PTB1307 dongle for wired mirroring.

The table below summarises the manufacturer specification (TU4K Pro Specifications V1.2.3). Use it for design checks and for comparison against other processors in the range.

The current TU4K Pro firmware is V1.6.1, released on 28 February 2026. It added HDR support, screen configuration and signal source selection from the front-panel LCD, 30Hz and 50Hz frame rates for the HDMI inputs, eye comfort control from the LCD, ultra-long-screen USB playback, Miracast mirroring, mouse-based reverse control of the return function, version downgrade support, and device monitoring in VNNOX Care for web that reports the bit error rate and the number of Ethernet cable disconnections of supported receiving cards.
The matching software versions for this firmware are NovaLCT V5.8.0 or later, VNNOX Care V2.4.1.0401 or later, ViPlex Handy V5.3.6 or later, ViPlex Express V3.0.5.1501 or later, and Visual Intelligent Control Platform V10.2.0 or later. Firmware is installed from a USB drive connected to the processor, using the same USB ports that handle USB playback and log export. Download links for the latest NovaStar control software are collected on our software page, and the TB30 media player guide explains the equivalent update routine for the Taurus media players.

Most TU4K Pro commissioning problems come down to three things: the screen configuration was never saved, the source is outside the supported signal range, or the requested pixel load is higher than the processor can drive. Work through the table below before assuming a hardware fault.

The TU4K Pro price varies by region, distributor and order volume, so treat any figure you see from a reseller as an indicative retail price rather than a project price. What actually drives the quotation is the load capacity you need, the accessories you add, the certifications and support terms for your market, and whether the shipment includes optical modules and fibre.
Because the sending card, the Android media player and the video processing are integrated, a TU4K Pro installation avoids the cost and rack space of a separate processor plus sending card combination. Two accessories are usually quoted alongside the unit: the PTB1307 mirroring dongle for wired mirroring and the whiteboard activation code. Both are optional and neither is included in the standard package. For a firm price against a specific pixel load and screen layout, request a quotation from the manufacturer or an authorised distributor rather than comparing retail listings.

The TU4K Pro suits installations where a single box must handle playback, source switching and screen control:

• Corporate showrooms and lobbies: scheduled programmes from the internal Android player, with HDMI content switched in for live presentations.
• Conference rooms and meeting spaces: wireless mirroring and the Meeting display mode, with HDMI 1 used as programme content so internal and external sources can be shown together.
• Auditoriums and event venues: large pixel loads with output scaling, and long-distance fibre runs through the OPT ports.
• Outdoor advertising and standalone screens: IP20 electronics installed in a protected enclosure, driving up to 13 million pixels of commercial LED display screen.
• Rental and staging: wireless mirroring, USB playback and fast reconfiguration between shows, paired with a rental LED display stock where quick setup time matters.

For installations that also need a dedicated video processor in front of the wall, the VX1000 Pro LED controller and the H15 in 8K splicing applications are the usual comparisons, while the CX40 Pro covers smaller creative screens.

All three processors now run the same V1.6.1 firmware generation, so the choice usually comes down to pixel load, port count and physical size rather than features.

Read the full reviews of the TU20 Pro, the TU15 Pro and the TU40 Pro for the smaller members of the family, or compare the wider range through the MCTRL4K controller and the HDR Master 4K video processor where a dedicated processor is preferred.

The NovaStar TU4K Pro combines an Android 13 player, a sending card and video processing in one unit that drives up to 13 million pixels with scaling and 8.8 million pixels in pixel-to-pixel mode. Setup follows a predictable path: mount and connect the unit, cable the cabinets in Ethernet port order, configure the screen through VNNOX Care or the front-panel LCD, save the parameters to hardware, complete the first-run initialization and then publish content from ViPlex Handy, USB or a mirrored device.
If you are planning a screen around the TU4K Pro, check two numbers before ordering – the pixel load with and without scaling, and the number of Ethernet or optical outputs the layout needs – then size the rest of the system around them. For pixel loads below 4 million, the smaller TU20 Pro is usually the more economical choice; above that, the TU4K Pro gives you the headroom.
Specifications in this guide were checked against the NovaStar TU4K Pro Specifications V1.2.3 (10 May 2026), the TU4K Pro User Manual V1.2.1 (31 August 2026) and the TU4K Pro V1.6.1 release notes (28 February 2026). Where earlier versions of this page quoted different figures, the values above follow the current manufacturer documentation.