Setting Up an LED Screen for Events: From Load-In to Showtime

Setting up an LED screen for an event follows a defined professional workflow. The sequence matters — skip steps or do them out of order and you create problems that are hard to diagnose under pressure. This guide gives you the full professional workflow from load-in to showtime, covering the physical build, power and data connections, NovaLCT configuration, and the pre-show checks that separate experienced crews from beginners.

Pre-Event Planning (Before Load-In)

Professional LED screen setup starts days before load-in. Arriving at a venue without this preparation is how crews end up working overnight to fix problems that should have been caught beforehand.

• Confirm screen dimensions and layout — how many cabinets wide and tall, which ground support or rigging system
• Calculate pixel count and verify your Novastar controller has sufficient output capacity
• Set PC output resolution in advance — configure your display settings before arriving so you're not doing it in a dark venue
• Load your saved .scfg file onto a USB stick as backup — don't rely solely on laptop storage at a live event
• Test the complete system end-to-end at your warehouse or base before transport
• Count and check all cables — data cables (Cat6), power leads (Powercon), signal cable (HDMI/DisplayPort from PC to sending device)

Physical Build: The Correct Sequence

Build order matters for both efficiency and safety. The professional sequence:

1. Set up and level the ground support structure (or confirm rigging points are rated for the load)
2. Unpack cabinets and lay them out in the build order you've planned — don't unpack randomly
3. Assemble the screen starting from the bottom row, left to right, locking each cabinet before moving to the next
4. As you build upward, keep the screen plumb (vertical) — a slight lean at row 1 becomes significant lean at row 6
5. Attach power connectors as you go — Powercon connectors are easier to connect before the screen goes to full height
6. Run data cables AFTER the physical build is complete — running cables during build leads to snagged or trapped cables
7. Attach the Novastar sending device to the structure or table in its final operating position before connecting cables

Power Connection Sequence

Power connections must be made in the correct order to protect the Novastar sending device and the LED cabinets.

1. Ensure all MCBs (circuit breakers) are in the OFF position before connecting any Powercon cables
2. Connect all Powercon cables to the cabinets — these are passive connectors and can be connected without risk
3. Connect the Novastar sending device to its power supply (this can be done at any time before switching on)
4. Turn on the Novastar sending device first — always power the sending device before the LED cabinets
5. Turn on the LED cabinets by switching the MCBs to ON — cabinets will briefly flash all LEDs at power-on (this is normal and confirms power is reaching them)
6. Confirm power indicator LEDs are lit on the back of each cabinet

Data Cabling

With power on and the physical build complete, run your data cables in the daisy chain sequence you planned before load-in.

1. Connect Cat6 from Novastar Output 1 to the first cabinet's IN port
2. Continue the chain — Cabinet 1 OUT → Cabinet 2 IN, and so on through each row
3. Use S-curve routing (right to left on even rows) or straight routing — whichever you configured in NovaLCT
4. Label any wrap cables (end-of-row to start-of-next-row connections) with tape so they're easy to identify
5. Leave the last cabinet's OUT port unconnected
6. For screens requiring a second output, start a new chain from Novastar Output 2

NovaLCT Configuration

1. Connect your PC to the Novastar sending device via USB (for MCTRL) or Ethernet/USB (for VX series)
2. Launch NovaLCT — confirm the sending device is detected in the Hardware Connection panel
3. Check the receiving card count on each output — should match your cabinet count per output
4. Load your pre-saved .scfg configuration: File → Open → select your file
5. Send the configuration to the hardware: Screen Configuration → Send to Hardware
6. Display a test pattern (white full-screen) and walk the screen to check for dark cabinets, seam issues, or colour problems
7. Adjust brightness to the appropriate level for the venue and ambient light
8. Play your first piece of content and confirm image position, scale, and colour are correct

Pre-Show Checks (30 Minutes Before Doors)

Common Show Day Problems and Fast Fixes

Pack-Down: How to Disassemble Without Damage

• Power down in reverse order: switch off MCBs first, then power down the Novastar sending device
• Remove data cables before power cables — less risk of accidental energisation
• Remove power cables and coil them carefully — damaged Powercon boots are a common and expensive problem
• Disassemble the screen from the top down — removing upper rows first
• Lay cabinets face-down on soft padding if available, or face-up if the LED surface is at risk
• Check each cabinet for damage (cracked modules, damaged ports) before packing into cases
• Pack data cables separately and count them — losing a single Cat6 between events is surprisingly common