An .scr file stores how a NovaStar-controlled LED screen is assembled: cabinet positions, output-port mapping and wiring order. It is the file that brings a wall back after a controller swap.
What an SCR file stores
An LED wall is built from dozens or hundreds of cabinets, and the controller has to know where each one sits and which output port feeds it. The .scr file is where NovaLCT keeps that map. It stores the screen geometry, every cabinet’s position and pixel size, the port each cabinet hangs off, and the daisy-chain order along each port.
It does not store what happens inside a cabinet — module layout and driver-IC parameters live in the RCFGX file. The two files together describe a complete working wall.
When the file matters
- Controller replacement. A new sending card or controller knows nothing about your wall. Loading the saved .scr restores the cabinet mapping in minutes instead of re-wiring the layout by hand.
- Moving a rental wall between controllers. The same screen build can be loaded onto whichever controller ships with the job.
- Recovering from a reset or misconfiguration. If the screen connection is lost or scrambled, the file is the known-good state to roll back to.
- Documenting a fixed install. The file is the as-built record of how the wall was wired on commissioning day.
How to save and load an SCR file
- Open NovaLCT and log in to the controller running the screen.
- Go to Screen Configuration > Screen Connection.
- To back up: save the current connection to a file and store it with your project records.
- To restore: load the file, send it to the hardware, and save so it persists after power-off.
Save a fresh copy whenever the layout or wiring changes. An out-of-date .scr that no longer matches the physical wiring is a common cause of scrambled images after maintenance.
SCR, RCFGX and NCP at a glance
| File | Answers the question | Created in |
|---|---|---|
| .scr | How are the cabinets arranged and wired into a screen? | NovaLCT |
| .rcfgx | How is one cabinet type built and driven internally? | NovaLCT — see the RCFGX guide |
| .ncp | Everything one cabinet type needs, packaged by NovaStar | NovaStar factory process — see the NCP guide |
A complete wall backup
Before any controller swap or firmware work, a complete backup is three things: the .scr screen connection, the .rcfgx for every cabinet type in the wall, and — on COEX-generation hardware — the NCP package from your cabinet manufacturer. All three are small files; keep them off the show computer.
Swapping the controller behind your wall? We stock MCTRL sending boxes, VX processors and COEX controllers with published pricing.
Related resources
SCR file FAQ
Short answers on NovaStar screen-connection files.
What is an SCR file?
An .scr file is a NovaStar screen-configuration file saved from NovaLCT. It stores how a full LED screen is assembled from cabinets: the overall screen size, each cabinet’s position, and how cabinets connect to the controller’s output ports and in what wiring order.
What is a .uscr file?
A .uscr file is a related NovaStar screen-configuration format that NovaStar software can save alongside .scr. Treat it the same way: it describes the screen assembly, and it belongs in the same backup as your .scr and RCFGX files.
How do I open an SCR file?
NovaLCT is the standard tool: load the file in Screen Configuration > Screen Connection. NovaLCT is a free download — we mirror the official installer on our NovaLCT download page.
When do I need the SCR file?
Whenever the controller changes or loses its configuration: replacing a failed sending card or controller, moving a wall to a different controller, or restoring a screen after a reset. Without it, the cabinet mapping has to be rebuilt by hand.
Is the SCR file the same as the RCFGX file?
No. The RCFGX configures one cabinet type internally; the SCR describes how all the cabinets are arranged and wired into a screen. A complete backup of a wall needs both. See our RCFGX file guide.
How do I back up my screen configuration?
In NovaLCT, open Screen Configuration, save the screen connection to an .scr file, and save the receiving-card configuration to .rcfgx files — one per cabinet type. Store them with your project records, off the show computer.