How Many Receiving Cards and Sending Cards Does Your LED Display Need? Complete Calculation Guide (2026)
If you’re building an LED display, getting the card count wrong means either dead pixels on your wall or wasted budget on unused hardware. This guide covers the complete calculation — for NovaStar, Linsn, and Colorlight systems — with real examples at every pixel pitch from P1.5 to P10.
At LEGIDATECH, we pre-configure every controller to your exact cabinet specifications before shipping. This guide is the same method our engineers use to calculate your project’s card requirements.
Quick Reference: Controller Loading Capacities
Before you start calculating, you need to know what each controller can handle. Here are the maximum loads for the most common systems:
NovaStar Sending Controllers (MCTRL Series)
| Controller | Max Pixels | Ethernet Ports | Per-Port Capacity (8-bit) | Typical Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCTRL300 | 1,300,000 | 2 | 650,000 | $120–$300 |
| MCTRL600 | 2,600,000 | 4 | 650,000 | $200–$400 |
| MCTRL660 | 2,300,000 | 4 | 650,000 | $350–$550 |
| MCTRL660 Pro | 2,300,000 | 6 (+2× Fiber) | 650,000 (325,000 @ 10/12-bit) | $650–$850 |
| MCTRL4K | 8,800,000 | 16 (+4× Fiber) | 650,000 (320,000 @ 10/12-bit) | $2,000+ |
NovaStar All-in-One Controllers (VX Series)
| Controller | Max Pixels | Ethernet Ports | Per-Port Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| VX4S-N | 2,300,000 | 4 | 575,000 |
| VX600 | 3,900,000 | 6 | 650,000 |
| VX1000 | 6,500,000 | 10 (+2× Fiber) | 650,000 |
| VX16S | 10,400,000 | 16 | 650,000 |
Receiving Card Capacities (Per Card)
| Receiving Card | Max Pixels | Typical Cabinet Config |
|---|---|---|
| NovaStar A5s | 512×384 = 196,608 | 1–2 cabinets per card |
| NovaStar A8s | 512×512 = 262,144 | 1 cabinet per card (HDR-ready) |
| NovaStar A10s Plus | 512×512 = 262,144 | 1 cabinet per card (HDR + 3D) |
| Linsn RV901 | 256×128 = 32,768 (indoor) | 1–2 cabinets per card |
| Colorlight 5A-75B | 512×256 = 131,072 | 1–2 cabinets per card |
The Universal Calculation Formula
Every LED display card calculation follows the same three steps. Once you learn this, you can calculate any system:
The Master Formula
Step 1: Total Pixels = Display Width (px) × Display Height (px)
Step 2: Receiving Cards = Ceil(Total Pixels ÷ Receiving Card Capacity) + 1 (spare)
Step 3: Sending Cards = Ceil(Total Pixels ÷ Sending Controller Capacity)
Always add at least 1 spare card per type for redundancy.
Example 1: Indoor P3.91 Rental Display with NovaStar MCTRL600
Project: P3.91 indoor rental, 4m wide × 3m high, using 500×500mm cabinets (128×128 pixels each).
Step 1: Count Cabinets & Total Pixels
- Cabinets wide: 4000mm ÷ 500mm = 8 cabinets
- Cabinets high: 3000mm ÷ 500mm = 6 cabinets
- Total cabinets: 8 × 6 = 48 cabinets
- Pixels per cabinet: 128 × 128 = 16,384
- Total pixels: 48 × 16,384 = 786,432
Step 2: Receiving Cards (NovaStar A5s, 196,608 px/card)
- Cards needed: 786,432 ÷ 196,608 = 4.0 → 4 cards
- Plus 1 spare: 5 receiving cards total
- Pixels per card: 786,432 ÷ 4 = 196,608 (within limit ✅)
Step 3: Sending Controller (MCTRL600, 2,600,000 px)
- 786,432 < 2,600,000 → Single MCTRL600 is sufficient ✅
- With 2.6M capacity, you could add 113 more cabinets before needing a second controller.
Example 2: Outdoor P10 Fixed Display with NovaStar MCTRL4K
Project: P10 outdoor, 20m wide × 12m high, using 960×960mm cabinets (96×96 pixels each).
Step 1: Count Cabinets & Total Pixels
- Cabinets wide: 20,000mm ÷ 960mm = 20.8 → 21 cabinets
- Cabinets high: 12,000mm ÷ 960mm = 12.5 → 13 cabinets
- Total cabinets: 21 × 13 = 273 cabinets
- Pixels per cabinet: 96 × 96 = 9,216
- Display resolution: 21×96 = 2,016 wide × 13×96 = 1,248 high
- Total pixels: 2,016 × 1,248 = 2,515,968
Step 2: Receiving Cards
For outdoor government projects: 1 card per cabinet = 273 + 1 spare = 274 receiving cards.
For general commercial projects: 1 card per 2 cabinets = 273 ÷ 2 = 136.5 → 137 + 1 spare = 138 receiving cards.
Step 3: Sending Controller (MCTRL4K, 8,800,000 px)
- 2,515,968 < 8,800,000 → Single MCTRL4K is sufficient ✅
- Even with government-spec 1 card per cabinet, one MCTRL4K handles the entire wall.
Example 3: Fine-Pitch P1.5 Indoor with VX1000
Project: P1.5 indoor fine-pitch, 6m wide × 3m high, using 600×337.5mm cabinets (400×225 pixels each).
Step 1: Count Cabinets & Total Pixels
- Cabinets wide: 6000mm ÷ 600mm = 10 cabinets
- Cabinets high: 3000mm ÷ 337.5mm = 8.89 → 9 cabinets
- Total cabinets: 10 × 9 = 90 cabinets
- Pixels per cabinet: 400 × 225 = 90,000
- Total pixels: 90 × 90,000 = 8,100,000
Step 2: Receiving Cards (NovaStar A8s, HDR-ready)
- 1 card per cabinet (fine-pitch HDR): 90 cards
- Plus 2 spares: 92 receiving cards total
Step 3: Sending Controller
- 8,100,000 pixels requires VX16S (10.4M) or MCTRL4K (8.8M)
- VX1000 (6.5M) is insufficient — you’d need to cascade 2 units
- If HDR is needed: MCTRL4K (only model with HDR10/HLG)
- If multi-source/PIP is needed: VX16S or 2× VX1000 cascaded
Sending Controller Capacity by Pixel Pitch (Quick Lookup)
Use this table to quickly estimate which controller you need. Find your pixel pitch and approximate wall size:
| Pixel Pitch | Wall Size (m) | Approx. Pixels | Recommended Controller |
|---|---|---|---|
| P1.5 | 4m × 2.25m | ~2,667 × 1,500 = 4.0M | MCTRL4K or VX16S |
| P1.9 | 4m × 2.25m | ~2,105 × 1,184 = 2.5M | MCTRL600 (2.6M) or VX600 |
| P2.6 | 5m × 3m | ~1,923 × 1,154 = 2.2M | MCTRL600 or MCTRL660 |
| P3.91 | 5m × 3m | ~1,280 × 768 = 983K | MCTRL300 (1.3M) |
| P3.91 | 8m × 4.5m | ~2,048 × 1,152 = 2.4M | MCTRL600 (2.6M) or VX600 |
| P4.81 | 10m × 6m | ~2,080 × 1,248 = 2.6M | MCTRL600 (2.6M — tight) or 2× MCTRL300 |
| P6 | 10m × 6m | ~1,667 × 1,000 = 1.7M | MCTRL600 or MCTRL660 |
| P10 | 20m × 12m | ~2,016 × 1,248 = 2.5M | MCTRL4K or 2× MCTRL600 |
| P10 | 40m × 20m | ~4,032 × 2,016 = 8.1M | MCTRL4K (8.8M) |
Per-Port Pixel Limit: The Hidden Constraint
The total controller capacity is one limit. The per-port limit is another — and it’s the one most installers miss until they see dead pixels on site.
⚠️ Critical Rule
No single Ethernet port on any NovaStar controller can exceed 650,000 pixels at 8-bit/60Hz.
At 10-bit or 12-bit depth, this drops to ~320,000 pixels per port. At 120Hz, it halves again.
Formula: Pixels/Port = 880,000,000 ÷ (Refresh Rate × Color Depth × 3)
Example: A P2.6 wall at 3840Hz refresh with 14-bit color = 880,000,000 ÷ (3840 × 14 × 3) = ~5,456 pixels per port. That’s a lot less than 650,000! Always calculate per-port limits for high-refresh-rate or deep-color applications.
Calculation for Linsn Systems
For installations using Linsn control systems, the calculation method differs slightly:
Indoor LED Display (Linsn)
Example: P10 indoor, 20m × 10m, unit board 32cm×16cm (32×16 pixels).
- Modules long: 2000cm ÷ 32cm = 62.5 → 63 modules
- Modules high: 1000cm ÷ 16cm = 62.5 → 63 modules
- Resolution: 63×32 = 2,016 wide × 63×16 = 1,008 high
- Receiving cards (Linsn indoor: 256×128 per card):
Width: 2,016 ÷ 256 = 7.875 → 8
Height: 1,008 ÷ 128 = 7.875 → 8
Total: 8×8 + 1 spare = 65 receiving cards - Sending cards (Linsn TS802: 1,280×1,024):
Width: 2,016 ÷ 1,280 = 1.575 → 2
Height: 1,008 ÷ 1,024 = 0.98 → 1
Total: 2×1 = 2 sending cards
Outdoor LED Display (Linsn)
For outdoor displays, calculate by cabinet count rather than resolution:
- Government/safety-critical: 1 receiving card per cabinet
- Commercial: 1 receiving card per 2 cabinets (outdoor static mode: 256×64 per card)
- Always add 1 spare receiving card
- Sending cards: still calculated by total resolution ÷ 1,280×1,024
Common Calculation Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)
#1 — Forgetting the Spare Card
Always add at least 1 spare receiving card and 1 spare sending controller (for critical deployments). A spare costs $25–$200 but saves hours of downtime if a card fails mid-event. For rental companies, carry 10% spares.
#2 — Ignoring the Per-Port Limit
An MCTRL600 can load 2.6M pixels total — but only 650,000 per port. If you put 800,000 pixels on one port and 450,000 on the other three, port 1 will lose data. Distribute pixels evenly across all ports.
#3 — Not Accounting for 10-bit/12-bit Color
At 8-bit, each Ethernet port handles 650,000 pixels. At 10-bit or 12-bit, this drops to ~320,000 per port. If your project requires deep color (broadcast, HDR, fine-pitch), recalculate with the lower per-port limit.
#4 — Mixing Refresh Rate and Resolution Without Recalculating
Higher refresh rates consume more bandwidth. A wall at 3840Hz refresh loads far fewer pixels per port than at 1920Hz. Use the formula: Pixels/Port = 880,000,000 ÷ (Refresh × Color Depth × 3).
#5 — Using the Wrong Receiving Card Capacity
Different receiving cards have different maximum loads. A NovaStar A5s (512×384=196,608) handles less than an A8s (512×512=262,144). Check your specific receiving card datasheet before calculating.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many receiving cards do I need for a 4K LED wall?
A 4K wall (3840×2160 = 8,294,400 pixels) with NovaStar A8s cards (262,144 px/card): 8,294,400 ÷ 262,144 = 31.6 → 32 receiving cards plus 2–3 spares. For the sending side, a single MCTRL4K handles the full 8.3M pixels at 8-bit.
Can one sending controller drive multiple receiving cards?
Yes — that’s the standard architecture. One MCTRL or VX sending controller feeds dozens of receiving cards, each driving 1–2 LED cabinets. The sending controller distributes the video signal across its Ethernet ports to chains of receiving cards.
What happens if I exceed the per-port pixel limit?
The cabinets connected to that port will show flickering, missing rows, or no image at all. The controller doesn’t warn you — it simply can’t push more pixels through that physical Ethernet port. Always calculate per-port load before finalizing your cabinet topology.
Do I need separate sending cards for indoor and outdoor displays?
No — NovaStar MCTRL and VX controllers work with both indoor and outdoor LED cabinets. The difference is in the receiving card configuration and the cabinet’s IP rating, not the sending controller. However, outdoor displays often use fewer cabinets at lower resolution, which may affect your controller choice.
How do I calculate for irregular or curved LED walls?
Calculate the total pixel count the same way — sum the pixels of all cabinets regardless of physical arrangement. The sending controller doesn’t care about cabinet geometry, only the total pixel count assigned to each Ethernet port. Use NovaLCT’s Free Layout mode for irregular cabinet mapping.
Need Help With Your Calculation?
At LEGIDATECH, we calculate your card requirements as part of every LED display project — and pre-configure every controller before shipping. Send us your wall dimensions and pixel pitch for a complete card count, controller recommendation, and factory-direct quote.
📧 legidatechled@gmail.com
📞 WhatsApp: +86 185 69492693
Updated July 2026 by LEGIDATECH Engineering Team. All controller specifications verified against manufacturer datasheets. Card capacities listed at 8-bit/60Hz unless otherwise specified.
