Operator Manual

How to run the LED ribbon on game night: scoreboard, goals, penalties, lineup intros, sponsors and crowd animations. This manual updates together with the app, so it always matches the version installed.

1Start the system

Turn on the LED screen (cabinet power) and the NovaStar VX600 controller.
Turn on the computer connected to the VX600 (Mac mini or PC). The app starts by itself. If it doesn't, double-click Start Deep South LED. Keep the small black Terminal window open: that window is the app.
Chrome opens the Screen page. Keep it on the computer's own screen and click Full screen on LED display. The first time, Chrome asks to allow Window management: click Allow, then click the button again. (Or drag the window to the LED display and press F.)
On the iPad (same Wi-Fi), open the control address. Find it on the computer's home page or in System → Network & security. In Safari, tap Share → Add to Home Screen so next time it opens like an app.
If asked, type the control PIN.

Home page with the Screen and Control choices and the iPad address — The home page shows the address to type on the iPad.

Tip: use a Wi-Fi-only iPad for the control. Phones can switch to cellular data when the Wi-Fi has no internet and then can't reach the computer.

2The control at a glance

The top bar never scrolls away. Everything you need during play is there.

Control top bar with GOAL buttons, score, clock, screen modes and tabs — Top bar: GOAL buttons, score and clock, what's on screen, and tabs.

Part	What it does
GOAL (team colors)	Adds a goal and plays the goal animation right away.
Score + clock	Current score, period and time. Start / Stop runs the clock (when the clock doesn't come from the scoreboard console).
Undo	Says exactly what it will undo, e.g. "Undo: Goal HOU". Tap again to go further back. The clock is never rolled back.
Screen modes	Sponsors, Scoreboard, Score + spons., Photos & video, Text, Blackout. The white button is what's on air.
Tabs	Game, Penalties, Lineup intro, Hype, Announce, Media, Sponsors, Setup, System. Help opens this manual.
Status dot	Green = connected to the computer. Yellow = reconnecting.

LED scoreboard with team names, logos, goals, shots, clock and period — The LED screen in **Scoreboard** mode.

3Before puck drop

Setup → New game: press and hold for 2 seconds. Score, shots, penalties, log and clock reset. Teams, players and sponsors stay.
Setup → Teams: check the visiting team's name, short name (3 letters), colors and logo.
Setup → Players: check both rosters and mark the 6 Starters.
System → Scoreboard console: if connected, the line CONSOLE must show the real clock and score.
Put Sponsors on air during warm-up, run the Lineup intro, then switch to Scoreboard or Score + spons.

4Goals

Tap GOAL for the team that scored. The animation starts on the LED screen right away. A second tap within 3 seconds is ignored, so goals can't be doubled by accident.
A panel opens. Tap the scorer, then assist 1 and assist 2. Use No assist / clear for unassisted goals, or Skip names to fill them in later.
Tap Save. The names appear at the end of the goal animation and in the game log.

Goal panel with player tiles to choose scorer and assists — Pick the scorer and assists by tapping player tiles.

LED goal animation with scorer, assists and score — Ending with scorer, assists, PPG and the score.

Power-play / short-handed goals are tagged PPG or SHG automatically. A PPG ends the oldest minor penalty, as in the rules.
Hat trick: when you save a player's third goal, the hat trick animation plays by itself.
Fix a goal: tap it in Game → Game log to change the names.
Wrong goal: tap Undo. Or Game → Remove a goal… and hold −1 for that team.
With the scoreboard console connected, the goal animation plays when the console score goes up, and the iPad asks for the names.
The goal animation style is set in Setup: team stripes, red goal light, fireworks or random.

5Clock, periods & shots

Game tab with shots on goal, period buttons and set time — Game tab: shots, periods, set time and the game log.

Start / Stop in the top bar. In the last minute the clock shows tenths (44.1).
Period buttons: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, OT, Shootout, Intermission, Final. Changing the period stops and resets the clock (20:00, OT 5:00, intermission 15:00). Penalty time carries over.
Set time left: type the official time (e.g. 12:34) and tap Apply to match the arena clock. Period length changes the full length.
Shots: +1 shot for each team. A goal adds a shot automatically.

Scoreboard console connected: the clock, score, period, shots and penalty clocks come from the official console. The top bar shows CONSOLE and the Start button is disabled.

6Penalties

Penalties tab → choose the team.
Tap the player.
Choose the penalty: Minor 2:00, Double minor 4:00, Major 5:00, Misconduct 10:00 or Game misconduct.
Choose the infraction (Tripping, Hooking…).
Tap Start penalty. The announcement plays on the LED screen and the penalty clock starts.

Penalties tab with team, player tiles, penalty type and infraction — Four steps, all with big buttons.

LED penalty announcement — Penalty announcement.

Scoreboard showing PP HOU 1:53 — The scoreboard shows the power play and time left.

Penalty clocks run only while the game clock runs.
End a penalty early: in Running penalties, press and hold Hold: end.
Misconducts don't create a power play. Two penalties on one team show 5-ON-3.

7Starting lineup intro

Mark the 6 starters in Setup → Players, with photos.
Lineup intro tab → choose the team. Tap players to change the order (the number shows the order).
Tap Start lineup intro.
Tap Next player each time the PA announcer calls a name, or turn on Auto-advance. On the computer keyboard: N.
Tap Finish when done.

Lineup intro tab with ordered player tiles — Choose and order the starters.

LED starting lineup with photos, numbers, names and positions — Each player slides in with photo, number, name and position.

8Hype animations

Play over whatever is on screen, then return to it. Choose the team first (sets the colors).

Hype tab with animation buttons — Hype tab.

Make some noise animation on the LED screen — Make some noise.

Button	When to use it
Make some noise	Stoppages, TV timeouts.
Let's go [team]	Chant on the beat.
De-fense	Defending a lead, penalty kill.
Power play / Penalty kill	When a penalty starts.
Great save	After a big save.
Hat trick	Third goal (also plays automatically).
Fireworks	Win celebration.
Final score	End of the game, "Thanks for coming".
Puck drop 5-4-3-2-1	Countdown before the faceoff.

Optional custom text replaces the default words. Stop animation cuts it.

National anthem

Tab Anthem. A waving US flag covers the whole LED screen, with optional lyrics (first verse of The Star-Spangled Banner).

Choose the flag: One per cabinet (13 flags) or One long flag.
Choose the lyrics: Off, Line by line or Scrolling.
Line by line: leave Lines advance by themselves on and set the anthem length (about 90–100 s), or turn it off and tap Next line as the singer starts each line.
Optional: Please rise message first (text and seconds can be changed).
Tap Start anthem. When it ends, tap End anthem: the flag fades out and the screen returns to what was on before.

9Announcements & live text

Announce tab with three stars selection — Announce tab.

Three stars: tap 1st, 2nd and 3rd star in order. Switch team to pick from the other bench.
Player of the game: tap one player.
Repeat last goal: shows the last scorer and assists again.
Roster (scroll): the whole team scrolls across the ribbon.
Custom message: title + message (attendance, promos, birthdays).
Live text: type a message, choose scrolling or static and colors, tap Show.

Three stars on the LED screen — Three stars of the game.

10Sponsors, photos & video

Sponsors tab with upload and speed settings — Sponsors tab.

Media tab with upload and playlist — Media tab.

Sponsor logos scrolling on the LED screen — Sponsor logos scrolling.

Logos: PNG with a transparent background, about 200 px tall. Adjust speed, size, spacing and an optional card behind each logo.
Photos and videos: design them at the screen's size (5200 × 200, or 3840 × 148). MP4 (H.264) plays best. Tap Show to put one on air; turn on Auto-advance for a playlist.
Score + sponsors shows a small scoreboard and the sponsors at the same time. Its position (left, center, right) is in Setup.

Score plus sponsors mode — Score + sponsors.

11Teams, logos & players

Setup tab with teams, logos, scoreboard options and player list — Setup tab.

Teams: name, short name (3–4 letters), main color and text color.
Team logos: Upload a PNG with a transparent background. Show team logos turns them on or off.
Scoreboard position in Score + sponsors: left, center or right.
Players: tap the photo square to add a headshot (cropped automatically). Number, name, position and Starter. Paste a list… accepts lines like 9 Garcia C.
New game: hold 2 seconds before each game.

12System settings

Scoreboard console

Daktronics All Sport 5000: console port J6 (DB25 "I/O") → DB25-to-DB9 null-modem cable → USB-serial adapter (FTDI) → computer. Choose the port, 19200, Save connection.
Choose what comes from the console: clock, score, goal animation, shots, penalty clocks, period.
The CONSOLE line shows the live data. Simulator is for practice.

Screen

Venue name, LED resolution, cabinets, module size and side panel width.
Output area: "Centered strip" is the normal setting for the VX600 input crop.
Test patterns: cabinet numbers and module grid show if a cabinet is out of order, rotated or dark. Use Full white only briefly.

Cabinet numbers test pattern 1 to 13 — Cabinet numbers test pattern.

Network & security · License · Updates

The iPad address and the control PIN.
License: status and the computer's ID. Without a license the app keeps working and shows "UNLICENSED" in a corner.
Updates install by themselves. The LED screen picks up a new design only when you tap Reload the LED screen, so it never changes mid-game.

Do not change the NovaStar VX600 settings (cabinet rotation, ports, EDID, input crop). If the image looks cut or stretched, call Kreative D-Signs.

13Troubleshooting

Problem	What to do
iPad says "Reconnecting" or won't open	Same Wi-Fi as the computer? Use http://, not https. iPhone: Settings → Cellular → turn off Wi-Fi Assist; Settings → Wi-Fi → (i) → turn off Limit IP Address Tracking. Windows computer: the Wi-Fi must be a Private network and Node.js allowed in the firewall.
LED shows a window, the desktop or the taskbar (not full screen)	On the iPad: System → Screen → Restore full screen on the LED. Wait about 5 seconds. Don't use Esc or Alt+F4 on the computer.
LED screen is black	Is Blackout on? Is Chrome in full screen on the LED display? On the VX600 display, the HDMI input must show a signal (3840×600).
Image cut or stretched	System → Screen → Output area should be "Whole window, no VX600 crop" (VX600 input crop OFF, Main layer Full Screen 5200×200). If it still looks wrong, call Kreative D-Signs (VX600 settings).
LED shows the wrong part (top or bottom of the picture, not the middle)	The computer moved the picture a few pixels. System → Screen → Test pattern → Alignment. The LED now shows numbered stripes and a green frame. Tap ↑ / ↓ (1 or 10 px) until the green frame fills the LED with its top and bottom lines visible. Then check with Cabinet numbers and turn the pattern Off. The position is saved.
Wrong goal or action	Tap Undo.
Console line says "No console data"	Check the cable is a null-modem, the USB adapter is plugged in, and the right port is chosen. Tap Find serial ports.
App window closed by mistake	Double-click Start Deep South LED again. Everything is saved.
"UNLICENSED" in a corner	Call Kreative D-Signs to renew or install the license. The app keeps working.

14Keyboard shortcuts (computer, Screen page)

Key	Action	Key	Action
`G`	Home goal	`H`	Away goal
`Space`	Start / stop clock	`Z`	Undo
`1`	Sponsors	`2`	Scoreboard
`3`	Score + sponsors	`4`	Photos & videos
`5`	Text	`B`	Blackout
`N`	Next lineup player	`←` `→`	Previous / next photo or video
`F`	Full screen on / off

15What's new

1.3.7

Anthem: the lyrics now sit directly on the flag (white letters with a blue outline), with no dark band. Flags go edge to edge.
Reload the LED screen now opens the LED again full screen on the Windows computer.
Automatic updates are turned on (the computer needs internet).

1.3.6

Restore full screen on the LED (System → Screen, and System → App & updates): if the LED shows a window, the desktop or nothing, tap it from the iPad. The LED window closes and opens again full screen on the LED display (Windows computer).

1.3.5

New Anthem tab: waving US flag across the whole screen, "Please rise" message, and lyrics line by line (automatic or with Next line) or scrolling.

1.3.4

Scoreboard and score bug resize their numbers and names automatically, so the score never overlaps the names or the clock (any team name, any side-panel width).
Sponsors: size each logo with − / + (30–200 %). Logos always keep their shape.

1.3.3

New output area Whole window, no VX600 crop: the app pre-stretches the picture so the VX600 only needs Full Screen scaling. No crop, no offsets.
New Alignment test pattern: numbered pixel rows across the whole output, with a green frame showing where the image is.
Fine position: move the image up, down, left or right by 1 or 10 pixels from the control (System → Screen).

1.3.2

"Full screen on LED display": sends the output to the LED screen without moving the window.
F toggles full screen. Clean output page without buttons: /#led.

1.3.1

This operator manual, built into the app (Help button). It updates with the app.
Fix: "Stop animation" now clears the screen right away.

1.3.0

Team logos on the scoreboard, lineup intro and iPad GOAL buttons.
Scoreboard position (left, center, right) in Score + sponsors.

1.2.0

Daktronics All Sport 5000 scoreboard console connection and simulator.
Screen settings for any LED size, and test patterns.
License and protected build.

1.1.0

Hype animations, goal animation styles, automatic hat trick, remote updates.