A quick word on how your sign is run
Your LitUp wall is driven by a NovaStar TB2-4G controller. You never program the controller box directly — you send content and settings to it from free NovaStar software. This guide splits into two paths: pick the one you’re using with the PC / Phone switch at the top right, and swap any time.
On a computer
ViPlex Express (Windows) — the full tool for building and publishing content. Best for designing layouts. Download from NovaStar’s website.
On a phone / tablet
ViPlex Handy (iOS & Android app) — handles everyday publishing, brightness and on/off from your pocket. Get it from the App Store or Google Play.
Your device and the controller need to be on the same network, and you’ll need your sign’s pixel size (width × height) once. The rest of the manual follows the path you choose above.
01How it all connects
Content travels from your device, across the network, into the controller — which plays it on the wall on its own.
The TB2-4G runs in async mode: once you publish, the content is copied onto the controller and stored there. You can close the app, shut the laptop, and the sign keeps playing what you sent. You only reconnect when you want to change something — and you can do that from either a PC or a phone.
02What plugs in where
You rarely touch the box once it’s installed — but here’s what each connection does.
The ETHERNET port carries data to your LED display and connects the controller to your network — leave it plugged in. The SWITCH powers the unit on and off. HDMI IN takes a live video source, USB 2.0 loads content from a U-disk, and the SIM CARD slot is for optional 4G. Two antennas handle Wi-Fi and 4G (COM), and the PWR/CLOUD and SYS/RUN lights show it’s powered and running. On the other side of the unit you’ll find the 12V power input, a RESET button, and an audio output — and a label with the Wi-Fi name and password.
There’s a small reset button on the controller. Hold it for about a minute to restart it; the password returns to the factory default SN2008@+. Change it back to your own afterward.
03Getting connected (PC)
Do this once at the start of every session.
- Get your PC on the same network as the controller — join its Wi-Fi, or use the same wired LAN.
- Open ViPlex Express and choose Async Mode.
- Click Refresh. Your controller appears in the screen list — a green dot means online.
- Click Connect next to it, enter the password, and log in.
04Putting content on the screen (PC)
Everything you display is bundled into a “solution” — a playlist of images, videos and text. Build it, then publish it.
- Go to the Solutions tab and click New → Regular Screen.
- Set the resolution to your sign’s exact pixel width and height.
- Click Video, Image, or Text to add media, and drag each item into place. A solution can hold several pages that play top to bottom.
- Click Save, then preview to check it looks right.
- Click Publish, pick your controller, and confirm. Unsupported video is converted automatically. At 100%, it’s live.
05Removing or changing content (PC)
Publishing always overwrites what’s on the wall — that’s the key idea.
Swap one item
Open the solution, delete or replace the image / video / page, then publish again. The new version replaces the old one.
Clear it entirely
Publish a simple holding page (black, or a logo). To tidy your library, select an old solution and click Delete.
Deleting a solution inside the software doesn’t change what’s on the wall. Only publishing changes what the sign shows.
06Automatic brightness (PC)
With a light sensor fitted, the sign dims at dusk and brightens at midday — easier on the eyes at night and on your power bill.
Setting it up
- In Terminal Control, open Brightness Adjustment.
- Switch the mode from Manual to Smart. Manual locks one brightness all day; Smart lets the sensor drive it.
- Tell it which sensor you have (manufacturer and type), then apply.
- Open the Brightness Mapping Table. Use Quick Subsection to lay down a starting curve, then fine-tune and Apply.
Sensible starting values
A good baseline — nudge to taste once you see the sign in real conditions:
| Setting | Start | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| Max screen brightness | 100% | Brightest the sign goes (full daylight) |
| Min screen brightness | 10% | Night floor — dim but still readable |
| Max ambient | ~15,000 | Reading that counts as “full daylight” |
| Min ambient | ~500 | Reading that counts as “night” |
If the table includes a 0% step, the sign can dim all the way to black. Remove the 0% step to hold a minimum glow, then Apply.
No sensor fitted?
You can still dim on a clock. In Smart mode, add time slots — e.g. 100% during the day and a lower value overnight, repeating daily.
03Getting connected (phone)
Do this once at the start of every session.
- Join the controller’s Wi-Fi. The network is named
AP+ the last 8 digits of the serial number; the default password is12345678— both are printed on a label on the controller. The first time you join, open your phone’s settings for this network and turn Auto-Join OFF. (Or put your phone on the same wired/Wi-Fi network as the controller.) - Open ViPlex Handy. It finds the controller automatically — swipe down to refresh. (On newer versions, tap Add Device.)
- Tap Connect next to the device, enter the login password, and tap OK.
- Leave it on LAN Control for on-site use. Switch to Internet Control (VNNOX cloud sign-in) to manage the sign from anywhere.
The controller only lets one phone onto its Wi-Fi at a time. If its network isn’t showing up, another phone is almost certainly still connected — make sure nobody else is connected and it’ll reappear. This is exactly why you turn Auto-Join off in step 1: it stops your own phone from silently grabbing and holding the connection the next time you walk up.
04Putting content on the screen (phone)
On the phone you build the same kind of “solution” — a playlist — then publish it.
- Go to Solution List → Local Solutions and tap to create a new one.
- Set a name and resolution (match the wall’s pixels), choose a layout template, and tap OK.
- Tap a window in the layout, tap Add Media, pick photo / video / text, and set its properties.
- Repeat for any other windows, then save the solution.
- Tap Publish and choose your controller. When it finishes, it’s live.
05Removing or changing content (phone)
Publishing always overwrites what’s on the wall — that’s the key idea.
Swap one item
Open the solution, remove or replace the media or page, then publish again. The new version replaces the old one.
Delete a solution
On the solution list, slide the solution to the left to delete it. To clear the wall, publish a black or logo holding page.
Deleting a solution in the app doesn’t change what’s on the wall. Only publishing changes what the sign shows.
06Automatic brightness (phone)
With a light sensor fitted, the sign dims at dusk and brightens at midday — easier on the eyes at night and on your power bill.
Setting it up
- Open your screen’s settings (tap the screen name, then its settings / management page).
- Open Brightness Control (also called Brightness Adjustment).
- Set Brightness Mode to Smart and confirm.
- Open the smart / auto-brightness parameters, tap Quick Subsection to lay down a starting curve, fine-tune, and save.
Sensible starting values
A good baseline — nudge to taste once you see the sign in real conditions:
| Setting | Start | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| Max screen brightness | 100% | Brightest the sign goes (full daylight) |
| Min screen brightness | 10% | Night floor — dim but still readable |
| Max ambient | ~15,000 | Reading that counts as “full daylight” |
| Min ambient | ~500 | Reading that counts as “night” |
If the table includes a 0% step, the sign can dim all the way to black. Remove the 0% step to hold a minimum glow, then save.
No sensor fitted?
You can still dim on a clock. In Smart mode, add time slots — e.g. 100% during the day and a lower value overnight, repeating daily.
07If something’s off
Controller won’t show up
Confirm you’re on the same network, then refresh. A grey dot means offline — check power and the network cable.
Can’t see the poster’s Wi-Fi
The controller allows just one phone on its Wi-Fi at a time. If its network isn’t listed, another phone is still connected — make sure nobody else is connected and it reappears. Turning off Auto-Join keeps your phone from holding it.
Content didn’t change
You probably edited but didn’t re-publish. Publish again and wait for it to finish.
Picture looks stretched
The solution resolution doesn’t match the wall. Rebuild the solution at the correct pixel size.
Sign too bright at night
Lower the min screen brightness, or remove low steps from the mapping table. Make sure it’s on Smart, not Manual.
Sign is blank / nothing plays
Check power first. After a power cut the controller restarts and resumes the stored content on its own; if it doesn’t, reconnect and re-publish your solution.
Call us — LitUp set up your system and we can log in to help. Have your sign’s location and what changed last on hand.