VLX/VPX: Controlling a videowall

Editor's note: this article was originally written focused on VLX, but the general concept applies to VLX and VPX products.

Let's say you are setting up a 2x2 video wall using VLX or VPX. You will have 4 decoders connected to the 4 displays and configured like below:


To enter video wall mode, you need to send 4 Telnet commands from your control system, one to each decoder:

  • Decoder #1: send set vwall ENABLE wall_size: 2 2 position_index: 1 1 bezel: 1 1 1 1 to 192.168.1.101:6970
  • Decoder #2: send set vwall ENABLE wall_size: 2 2 position_index: 1 2 bezel: 1 1 1 1 to 192.168.1.102:6970
  • Decoder #3: send set vwall ENABLE wall_size: 2 2 position_index: 2 1 bezel: 1 1 1 1 to 192.168.1.103:6970
  • Decoder #4: send set vwall ENABLE wall_size: 2 2 position_index: 2 2 bezel: 1 1 1 1 to 192.168.1.104:6970


To exit video wall mode and go back to individual screens, send 4 Telnet commands from your control system, one to each decoder:

  • Decoder #1: send set vwall DISABLE to 192.168.1.101:6970
  • Decoder #2: send set vwall DISABLE to 192.168.1.102:6970
  • Decoder #3: send set vwall DISABLE to 192.168.1.103:6970
  • Decoder #4: send set vwall DISABLE to 192.168.1.104:6970


Note that the carriage return (represented with the ) needs to be sent using the notation that your control system supports. On an Aurora ReAX control system, the carriage return would be sent as %0D (hexadecimal 0D).

Example:

set vwall DISABLE%0D​

If you need additional information on working with hexadecimal data, please see: https://support.auroramultimedia.com/blog/reax-control-systems-3/how-do-i-work-with-hexadecimal-data-in-a-reax-system-5

Aurora has a simple tool that will help you generate VLX video wall commands including the parameters for bezel compensation. Please visit: https://tools.auroramultimedia.com/vlx/videowall/

For more information on controlling a VLX system, please check out the VLX Programming Quickstart Guide, VLX Series Protocol Guide, and VLX Series User Guide, available on our customer portal: https://auroramultimedia.com/portal/files/

Originally published 4/26/2021