Skip to content
Get a quote
English

NovaStar TB8

NovaStar TB8: HDMI modes, control connection, USB and backup

Checks for selecting the image source, connecting control and preparing USB playback. Review primary and backup outputs before changing the LED map.

Model and version

TB8 guidance based on NovaStar specifications V1.6.6. Confirm the model and firmware before changing settings; TB8 and TB40 do not share all connections or playback requirements. The catalog lists 8 units; confirm location and event-date availability.

Prepare the check

Keep the working program and configuration. Identify the source, control connection and output feeding each screen section. Prepare a recognizable test image and make changes outside the live program; restore the previous configuration if the result gets worse.

Operating questions

HDMI is connected, but the local program is still playing. How do I identify the mode?

Check the SWITCH indicator: on means synchronous mode with an HDMI source; off means asynchronous mode using internal content. Connect the source to HDMI IN. HDMI OUT is a loop output, not another input. Test source changes before the event because they can interrupt the displayed content.

If the mode is correct but there is no image, try a known cable and source before changing receiving-card settings. Do not infer HDMI input support from 4K file decoding. For automatic screen fitting, the specification limits source width to 64–2048 pixels and supports enlargement only; do not treat it as a universal scaler.

Why is there an image, but the computer cannot find the TB8?

Separate video, control and LED output. ETHERNET connects the TB8 to the network or control computer; LED OUT feeds the receiving cards. The USB ports described for this model import programs from a drive. Do not apply the TB40 USB type B control procedure to the TB8.

First try ETHERNET on a known local network or the unit’s Wi-Fi AP connection, and check that you are accessing the correct player. If local control works, investigate the network and remote access without changing the LED map. The 4G option requires a separately purchased module; confirm installation and service before relying on it.

Can I reuse a USB drive prepared for a TB40?

Check its format first. This TB8 specification lists FAT32 only, with a maximum of 4 GB per file. A drive working on another player does not confirm that the TB8 can read it. Back up its contents before formatting, which erases the data.

Prepare and import a short program using content already validated on the TB8. If it works and another program does not, compare codec, resolution, frame rate and file size against the manufacturer’s table. Renaming an extension does not convert video. Also check audio, looping and startup of the complete program before the event.

Do the four LED OUT ports provide four primary outputs plus backup?

No. All four are primary outputs by default; alternatively, two can be configured as primary and the other two as backup. That arrangement does not retain four independent primary paths. Published total capacity is up to 2,300,000 pixels, with width and height limits of 4096 and 1920 pixels; those two maximum dimensions do not define a canvas that can be loaded at once.

Review port assignments and cable routes before changing the output mode. Rehearse the controlled loss of one primary path outside the event and check which screen sections retain an image. If failover does not behave as expected, restore the previous state and check backup configuration and cabling. This does not replace a second player in case the unit itself fails.

Symptom and next check

NovaStar TB8
SymptomCheckNext step
Local program instead of HDMISWITCH indicator and HDMI INConfirm source and mode before changing receiving cards.
Image but no control accessETHERNET or Wi-Fi APCheck local access before remote access.
USB works on another deviceFAT32, size and imported programCompare with a program validated on the TB8.
Backup does not retain an imageAssignment of the four outputsTest one path at a time; restore configuration if it fails.

Manufacturer documentation

TB8 specifications V1.6.6: features, indicators, connectors and decoding tables. Check firmware, installed modules and output configuration on the unit being used.

Related guides

NovaStar VX16S

NovaStar H5: LED mapping, layers and configuration backup

Phone+1 (786) 488-3435
Instagram Facebook YouTube