NovaStar Media Servers
Choosing a media server starts with the shape of your content, not the size of your screen. These nine NovaStar ET servers run from one 4K canvas to sixteen DisplayPort outputs.
Showing all 9 results
What is a NovaStar media server?
Simply put, a media server is the machine that holds your finished content and plays it out on cue.
It stores your video, arranges it into programs and layers, and puts one picture out over DisplayPort or HDMI. It does not drive LED cabinets: a sending card or video processor sits between it and the wall. You want one when a signage player cannot cover the layers, the live sources or the irregular screen shape you have.
NovaStar media server model comparison
Read the Canvas column against your screen's pixel map and the Layers column against your design. Those two decide more than the price does.
| Model | Catalog price | Availability | Canvas | Video outputs | Layers | Storage | Software |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ET1S-G | $1,099 | In stock | 4K×2K@60Hz | 1× DP 1.2, 1× HDMI 2.0, 4× HDMI 1.3 | 4 | 256 GB SSD | Kompass FX1 |
| ET1S-500G | $1,182 | In stock | 4K×2K@60Hz | 1× DP 1.2, 1× HDMI 2.0, 4× HDMI 1.3 | 4 | 500 GB SSD | Kompass FX1 |
| ET2S-G | $2,062 | In stock | Up to 8K×2K, whole machine under 8192×2160 | 1× DP 1.2, 2× HDMI 2.0 | 8 | 500 GB M.2 SSD | Kompass FX2 |
| ET4S-G (P2) | $6,903 | In stock | Up to 8K×4K, 8192-px mosaic | 4× DP 1.4 | 12 | 250 GB system + 1 TB media | Kompass FX3 |
| ET4S-G (A4) | $7,976 | In stock | Up to 8K×4K, 16,384-px mosaic | 4× DP 1.4 | 12 | 250 GB system + 1 TB media | Kompass FX3 |
| ET4S-G | RFQ | By quote | Up to 8K×4K, mosaic set by the card | 4× DP 1.4 once a card is fitted | 12 | 250 GB system + 1 TB media | Kompass FX3 |
| ET16S-G | $8,000 | In stock | 16,384-px mosaic per card fitted | 4× DP 1.4 per card, none fitted | 12 | 1 TB SSD | Kompass FX3 |
| ET16S-G (2A4) | $17,013 | In stock | 16,384-px mosaic on each of 2 cards | 8× DP 1.4 | 12 | 1 TB SSD | Kompass FX3 |
| ET16S-G (3A4) | $25,156 | In stock | 16,384-px mosaic on each of 3 cards | 12× DP 1.4 | 12 | 1 TB + 960 GB SSDs | Kompass FX3 |
How do you choose the right NovaStar media server?
Four questions settle it, and none of them is the model number.
Add up the pixels your screens need as one picture. That figure, not the diagonal, picks the tier: 4K x 2K on the ET1S models, up to 8K x 2K on the ET2S-G, 8K x 4K on the ET4S-G.
Count the physical feeds. The ET1S models give you one canvas over six connectors, the ET2S-G three, the ET4S-G four, and every ET16S-G graphics card adds four more.
Hardware decoding is per graphics card, so three simultaneous 8K films need three cards. Layers are cheap; simultaneous decodes are not.
Genlock and multi-server sync need a sync card, and NovaStar only pairs that with its HPGA graphics cards. It cannot be added to a P2000 build afterwards.
Complete your LED control system
Your media server sits at the start of the video path. What it hands out still has to reach the cabinets, so the sending card or processor after it is part of the same decision.
ControllersBrowse sending controllers that deliver the finished signal to the LED cabinets.
COEX SeriesExplore the integrated platform for coordinated processing, sending and receiving cards.
Manuals, datasheets and softwareOpen the documents and software resources needed for setup and review.NovaStar media server manuals, datasheets and software
Open these before you commit to a tier. The connector tables, the mosaic ceilings and the recommended bitrates are all in them.
NovaStar media server FAQs
The four questions buyers ask before they pick a tier.
Which ET media server should I choose?
Start with the canvas your screens need as one picture. The ET1S-G and ET1S-500G give you one 4K x 2K canvas and four layers; the ET2S-G goes to 8K x 2K with eight layers; the ET4S-G reaches 8K x 4K with twelve; the ET16S-G scales by graphics card, four DisplayPort outputs at a time.
Does a media server replace my LED controller?
No. Every ET server ends at DisplayPort or HDMI, and a sending card or video processor turns that into the runs your cabinets take. Budget for both.
What is Kompass FX, and does the version matter?
It is the playback software built into each server, and the version comes with the model: FX1 on the ET1S pair, FX2 on the ET2S-G, FX3 on the ET4S-G and ET16S-G. A project file does not move between versions, so pick the tier before anyone builds the show.
Do I need a sync card?
Only if two servers have to hold the same frame, or the wall has to lock to a camera or a house reference. NovaStar pairs the sync card with its HPGA graphics cards, so it cannot be added to an ET4S-G (P2) later.