Technical Paper: Control and Integration of NovaStar H Series LED Processors via API Abstract The NovaStar H Series (H2, H5, H9) are high-performance all-in-one LED display controllers widely used in live events, command centers, and fixed installations. This paper details the API capabilities of the H Series, covering TCP/IP-based command protocols, HTTP REST endpoints for third-party control, and integration with show control systems (Crestron, Extron, Q-SYS). Practical examples include input switching, layer management, preset recall, and device monitoring. 1. Introduction The H Series processors combine video scaling, multi-window processing, and sending card functionality. While NovaStar’s proprietary software (SmartLCT, V-Can) provides GUI control, system integrators require programmatic access. The H Series exposes a documented ASCII-based protocol over TCP port 5000 and an HTTP API on port 80. 2. Communication Overview | Interface | Protocol | Port | Use Case | |-----------|----------|------|-----------| | TCP Raw | ASCII commands | 5000 | Low-latency control, scripting | | HTTP | REST-like | 80 | Web UI integration, status polling | | Serial (RS-232) | Same ASCII set | - | Legacy or isolated systems | Connection:
Default IP: 192.168.0.10 (configurable) Authentication: None by default (enable password via settings)
3. ASCII Command Protocol (TCP Port 5000) 3.1 Command Format Each command is a string terminated with \r\n (CR+LF). <Command Name> <Parameter1> <Parameter2> ... \r\n Response format: (ACK|NAK) <ReturnCode> <Data>\r\n 3.2 Core Commands Table | Function | Command | Example | Response | |----------|---------|---------|----------| | Set input source | SIn | SIn 1 | ACK 0 | | Get active input | GIn | GIn | ACK 0 2 | | Set layer visibility | SLayerEn | SLayerEn 1 1 (layer 1 on) | ACK 0 | | Move layer (X,Y) | SLayerPos | SLayerPos 1 100 200 | ACK 0 | | Set layer size | SLayerSize | SLayerSize 1 1920 1080 | ACK 0 | | Recall preset | RPrst | RPrst 3 | ACK 0 | | Set brightness | SBrightness | SBrightness 70 (0–100) | ACK 0 | | Get device temperature | GTemp | GTemp | ACK 0 45 (Celsius) | 3.3 Example TCP Session (Python) import socket sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) sock.connect(("192.168.0.10", 5000)) sock.send(b"GIn\r\n") resp = sock.recv(1024).decode() print(f"Current input: {resp}") # ACK 0 2 sock.send(b"SIn 1\r\n") print(sock.recv(1024)) # ACK 0 sock.close()
4. HTTP API (Port 80) The H Series web server accepts GET/POST requests. Useful for high-level control and status dashboards. 4.1 Endpoints | Endpoint | Method | Description | |----------|--------|-------------| | /api/v1/device/info | GET | Model, firmware, uptime | | /api/v1/input/current | GET | Active input index | | /api/v1/input/set | POST | { "input": 3 } | | /api/v1/layer/{id}/bounds | GET | Layer position and size | | /api/v1/preset/recall | POST | { "presetId": 5 } | | /api/v1/system/reboot | POST | Reboot the processor | 4.2 Example cURL curl -X POST http://192.168.0.10/api/v1/input/set \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"input": 2}' novastar h series api
5. Practical Integration Examples 5.1 Crestron SIMPL+ Module SEND$ = "SIn 1\r\n"; TCP_CLIENT_SEND(ClientSocketID, SEND$);
5.2 Q-SYS Script (Lua) function setInput(inputNumber) local socket = require("socket") local client = socket.tcp() client:connect("192.168.0.10", 5000) client:send("SIn " .. inputNumber .. "\r\n") client:close() end
5.3 Node-RED Flow Use a TCP Request node, set port 5000, send string GIn\r\n , connect to a Function node to parse ACK 0 (\d+) . 6. Error Handling & Best Practices | Return Code | Meaning | Action | |-------------|---------|--------| | 0 | Success | Continue | | 1 | Invalid command | Check spelling | | 2 | Parameter out of range | Verify bounds (e.g., input 1–4) | | 3 | Command not allowed in current mode | Disable genlock or PGM preview | Technical Paper: Control and Integration of NovaStar H
Connection pooling: Keep TCP socket open for frequent commands (avoid reconnect overhead). Rate limiting: Do not exceed 20 commands/sec to prevent buffer overflow. Firmware note: API commands may vary slightly between H2, H5, H9 – always test with ? or Help command.
7. Limitations & Alternatives
No native video feedback via API (use external capture). Layer z-order not directly settable (use preset recall as workaround). Alternative: Use NovaStar’s V-Can automation via UI macro recording (not recommended for critical systems). The H Series exposes a documented ASCII-based protocol
8. Conclusion The NovaStar H Series API offers reliable, low-latency control for LED video processors. The ASCII TCP protocol is best for real-time show control, while the HTTP API suits status monitoring. Integrators can confidently script input switching, preset recall, and layer management, enabling seamless inclusion into larger AV systems. 9. References
NovaStar H Series User Manual v2.5 (API Appendix) NovaStar Protocol Development Guide (2023) Sample code repository: github.com/novastar/h-series-api-examples