Customer Question: Should I use a centralized or de-centralized controller for an element?

HolidayCoro sales/support often sees common, open-ended questions from our customers and here on our blog we post detailed responses publicly so that other people will be able to learn from the decision making process we use to answer these questions.

Today's question is:  "I am making 16 pyramids and would like to light them up using 3 or 4 Basic Rectangle RGB LED Waterproof Module per pyramid.  The pyramids will be in the front yard each about a yard apart.  My Question - should I buy 16x Item #30 Basic 3 Channel RGB DMX Controller or should I buy 2x Item #24 Basic RGB 27 Channel DMX Controller.  Is there any advantage to either in this situation?"

For this given project it has already been determined that basic or dumb RGB lights should be used as opposed to pixels and this is often the case when an element doesn't need the control that pixels offer or when there are larger distances between elements.  So the question becomes - should the basic RGB DMX controller be centralized in the form of a 27 channel (9 RGB outputs) DMX controller or individual 3 channel (1 RGB output) DMX controller in each element?  The issue comes down mainly to two factors - cost and complexity:

• Cost - The number of RGB lights won't change between the two methods, so we'll exclude that from the calculations, though what does mainly matter are wiring, power supplies, controllers.  Also, we need to determine he power consumption of the RGB Modules, which in this case consume about 100ma (1/10th of an amp) at 12v DC - or 16 elements x 4 modules is 6.4 amps total.  So, we'll take the number of individual elements here - 16 and do some comparison math with the two options: 
• Centralized - This method allows us to have one (or two in this case) centralized controllers - the costs involved are:
• $114 ($57 x 2) - 27 Channel DMX controllers
• $26 ($13 x 2) - 45w (3.75amps at 12v) power supply.  This solution would power each 27 channel controller with a single power supply.  It's a little tight on the power at 3.2 amps total per controller (32 modules per controller) but it should work.
• $20 ($10 x 2) - Waterproof housing.  The 27 channel controller isn't waterproof, so you'll need a waterproof/resistant housing and this varies by region, water/snow conditions and budget.
• $20 (100ft @ $.10 per foot x 2) - CAT5 wiring.  You'll need to get the output of the controller out to the individual elements and CAT5 would be a good solution here as the current consumption of the lights is below the current carying ability of CAT5 at a bout 3 to 4 amps and it has 8 wires, so you could double up each wire for the 4 wires required for RGB lights.
• ~$180 - Total
• De-Centralized - This method allows us to have an individual, 3 channel DMX controllers in each element - the costs involved are:
• $144 ($9 x 16) - 3 Channel, CAT5 based controllers
• $26 ($13 x 2) - 45w (3.75amps at 12v) power supply.
• $8 (80ft @ $.10 per foot) - CAT5 wiring.  Using the DMX+Power over CAT5 system, it is possible to inject power at the start of the string and again at the 8th element.
• $23 ($1.50 x 16) - 3 Way Splitters for the DMX signal+power.
• ~$201 - Total

Of course there are other minor costs - shrink wrap, solder, tools, shipping, etc and we've not included those in the calculations above.  So, on the surface, they look pretty much about the same from a cost basis, so let's take a closer look and consider all the other factors:

• Complexity
• Interconnections - Left out from above on both are how you'll interconnect the wiring from the element to the controllers.  
• Centralized - With the centralized solution, you could solder the CAT5 wire directly to the lights in the element and then have elements with 20, 15, 10 and 5 ft lengths of cable coming off them and then you'd fish that wire into the controller case and screw it down to the terminals on the controller.  The problems with this solution are that it makes future adjustments in length complicated since you've already set the length of the cable from the element to the controller when you built the element.  Additionally, you'll have to deal with elements that have attached wire and then manually wire up each element to the controller, adding to your display setup time.  An additional down side to this method is that you also have more wire spread out over your display which can present safety/tripping hazards.  The upside to this method is that it doesn't really require any additional connectors - just tin the wires where they go into the controller screw terminals.
• De-Centralized - If you've placed the individual CAT5 controllers in each element, that means that you can simply attach a 3 way splitter to each CAT5 plug, then plug in the necessary CAT5 cable between each element (5ft lengths in this case) in a daisy chain arrangement.  Then you just build a power injector for each of the two bands of 8 elements and this allows you to run the power and the DMX signal from one element to the next.  The amount of wire is limited as it only goes from one element to the next.  The down side is that you need to ensure that you control water ingress in to the CAT5 connectors and use a corrosion control spray - usually mounting the controller up-side down under the element would be more than sufficient to manage water ingress.  The real beauty of the Power+DMX over CAT system is that you can assembly your display quickly just by plugging into each element to the element next to it.

Factors to Consider When Designing an RGB Pixel Matrix

Over the years we at HolidayCoro have been asked why we only sell a single pixel matrix product - our 18" x 24" pixel with either 150 or 162 pixels.  Well, actually, we've produced a fair number of custom matrix based panel items for customers over the years and the main reason we don't offer all these variations for sale is because each project is so different.  The article hopes to provide information on factors that we consider when working with customers on designing a pixel matrix and hopefully this will help those building their own or working with us to custom produce one.

• What exactly is the purpose of the pixel matrix?
• Is this matrix intended to be dense enough that viewers will be able to see objects scrolling or displayed on it such as text, icons or logos?  
• What is the viewing distance from the matrix to the viewer?  If you've ever looked at a big screen TV up close, you can understand the relationship the size of the pixels (lights) have to the distance they are being viewed from.
• What is the viewing angle?  A curve pixel panel (such as a pixel megatree) can look odd if all the pixels in the matrix are not visible to the viewer.
• What is the shape of the matrix?  Is the matrix a cone, in the case of a pixel megatree, where the pixels at the top are in a much higher density than those at the bottom of the tree?  Is the matrix cylindrical?  flat? concave or convex?  All these designs have an effect on the final output, pixel density and mounting methods.
• Technical factors to consider include:
• Number of pixels - This is an important factor to consider and the number shouldn't be random - it should be based on the design requirements.  Look closely at how many pixels you'll need and their spacing from each other.  If needed, build a sample mock-up and view it from the distance and angle you expect your viewer to view it from. 
• Pixel height and width - Also consider how many pixels you may need to display certain items such as a text font which often require a 5x8 pattern.  Again, keep in mind that you will also need to have the pixels close enough that the human eye can make out the pattern - just because it might look good in the sequencing software doesn't mean that will translate into the real world.  
• Multi-Panel Alignment - If the matrix will be comprised of several panels, be sure to carefully consider the spacing within a panel and how it relates to the spacing induced between two adjoining panels.  This may mean that you will need to increase the center-to-center spacing of the lights to match that of the panel-to-panel gap.
• Mounting or support - An important part of any matrix is how you will mount it - because a matrix tends to be a flat area (excluding pixel megatrees), you'll need to think hard about what system you'll use to mount the substrate on to which the pixels are mounted. If that surface catches the air, there could be problems with it blowing over or toppling the support structure.  Also consider that you'll need to store this mounting system in the off-season - so if the panels need to go into an attic, consider the opening going to the attic.
• Substrate mounting - In most cases, you'll need to mount your pixels to a substrate - not only to support them but to maintain a clean and even spacing - there isn't anything worse than a matrix that has mis-aligned pixels.  How you mount those pixels can vary - it could be holes in coro like we do at HolidayCoro or it could be screwed or glued to wood slats or plywood - this all depends on your pixel type.
• Pixel type - The type of pixel you select will often be a by-product of the distance and viewing angle of the people viewing your matrix.  These pixels could be in a strip form, node form or module form and each has it's pros and cons and there is no one pixel that is best suited for all matrix types.
• Channels - Keep in mind that you'll often have many, many DMX channels on a matrix display and it makes sense to select pixel counts that fall within a set number of DMX universes - so don't design a pixel display that requires 180 pixels (18 wide by 10 high) if it could have been done in 163 pixels (18 wide by 9 high) which fits neatly into a single DMX universe and thus saves you a controller or controller output and also makes your sequencing easier to setup and manage.
• Repairs - Factor in that pixels DO fail and that you'll need to fix them.  So consider how easy it will be to remove and replace pixels.
• Cost / Budget - A matrix can grow in cost quite quickly when you factor in hundreds to thousands of pixels, so be sure to ask yourself the overall value of the matrix and how well it accomplishes its goal.  If this is just for announcing the radio station and song titles, a simple matrix will do - if you need to scroll logos or animations, you'll need a larger and more expensive matrix.
• Big isn't always better - Since pixels have come down in price and complexity, we've seen a number of pixel matrix panels (and pixel megatrees) in displays that just completely over-shadow and "hog" the display.  We believe that a well balanced display should be the ideal and that one mega-element can leave your audience so fixated on one area that they fail to see other areas and animation. 
• Software & Sequencing - Building a matrix panel is only one part of the process and the other major part is generating the sequencing for that panel.  Since it is nearly impossible to "hand" sequence matrix displays, you'll want to consider xLights, which has matrix effects, scrolling text, pictures and video built in.  You may even want to design your pixel display hardware, then start sequencing it before you buy or build it to evaluate how complex it will be to sequence the matrix. 

Customer Question: How many lights can be hooked up to the TinyPix?

Legacy technology notice (updated September 2026): This post covers the TinyPix, an RS-485 DMX pixel controller we no longer sell. That is now considered ancient technology. All modern lighting control, including every pixel controller we sell, runs over Ethernet using E1.31.

If you are building or expanding a display today, start with our guide, Where Do I Start When Designing a New RGB Pixel Project. About 80% of our residential customers sequence with xLights, which is free and works with all of our controllers. We have left the original post below for anyone still running legacy hardware.

HolidayCoro sales/support often sees common, open-ended questions from our customers and here on our blog we post detailed responses publicly so that other people will be able to learn from the decision making process we use to answer these questions.

Today's question is:  "I see that the smart pixels 8mm come in a max of 100 per string, however a TinyPix can control up to 170 pix. So if I wanted to control 150 8mm smart pixels, can I do that with one TinyPix? If so, how would the 2 strings (100 & 50) be hooked up to the TinyPix, and what kind of power supply would be required? (I assume the 45w one would be too small for 150 8mm Smart Pxels)."

I can see that the customer understands that the TinyPix controller can handle 170 pixels (510 DMX channels (170 * 3) or almost a full DMX universe that is 512 DMX channels) as that is covered in our documentation on the product page.  I can also see that the customer is aware from the product page for the 8mm smart pixel nodes that the pixels come shipped in 100 count maximum per string.  So, we have several issues here, some of which we have information on and some we don't.

Design - There isn't any design information provided, so we don't know if these are being used in a concentrated matrix or string over a long distance, such as a pixel tree or a soffit on a house.  Why this matters is because if the pixel nodes are all close together, it can be fairly easy to inject power (more on that in a minute) as where if they are in a long single string over a distance, it can be harder/more complex to inject power.  Additionally, we don't know if this is for a single element or many elements and the distances of those elements.  We would be generally suspicious if the TinyPix is even the correct item for this design because we suspect that it would be one of several units where a centralized pixel controller would be a better match.

Signal - A TinyPix controller is a RS-485 based controller and thus needs a DMX source, such as our Actidongle.  A single Actidongle could output 512 channels, so it could handle the 150 pixels (450 DMX channels) without issue - IF - the customer only has one of these items with such a high channel count.  If the customer has several other 150 pixel elements, they would need more DMX dongles and at some point it is likely cheaper to invest into a centralized pixel controller with a E1.31 inface.  Again, since we don't know anything about the overall design the customer has in mind, we can't recommend a specific solution here or if the TinyPix is even the right item for this customer.

Power - An important part of any RGB design is power management - we've covered this in many articles and knowledge base articles.  So, given that we know we are going to have problems if we try hooking more than 150 pixels together end-to-end from a power loss standpoint, we recommend the customer review our blog post about how to manage power injection and power supply selection (because the customer had also asked if the 45w power supply was sufficient to power them.)

So, to recap - yes, the pixels can be connected end-to-end in an amount UP TO 170 but just because that can technically be done by soldering the wires together to make a single length, doesn't mean they will work without managing the power issues.  The issue at hand is that there will be just too much power drop over the pixel wiring and thus power injection would need to take place, likely at the start (through the controller power outputs) and again at the end of the string.  This is what we recommend with our 163 and 150 pixel scrolling RGB matrix signs since it is easy to put power in at both ends of the wire, thus resolving the power drop issues since everything is close together.  If the pixels were used on, say, the front of a house or to outline windows, you'd need to still carry the power to the end or middle of the string for power injection.

The second part of the customer's question if our 45 watt power supply will be able to power all 150 nodes.  So, first we need to look at the overall power consumption of the nodes, which is:  White (all three colors) 100 Nodes: 3.6 amps / ~44 Watts  We can see right away that at 44 Watts for 100, that a 45 Watt power supply isn't going to cut it since 44 (100 nodes) + 22 (50 nodes) would be 66 Watts total, plus add in another few Watts for line losses and a safety factor and we are up towards about 75-80 Watts to be safe.  This excludes looking at any other factors such as additional controllers, etc - hence, why it is good to know the overall design involved.  So, normally I would just recommend hooking up a 250 to 350 Watt power supply.  They are not that expensive and likely the customer also has other controllers that could also piggy-back off this same power supply.

So, in conclusion - the customer would best benefit by providing as much detail as possible about the overall scope of the project and where this specific element fits into that project.  We understand that often customer just want a simple answer to their question and do not yet understand the underlying complexities that comprise an important part of the decision making process.  In this case, it would be helpful if the customer were to review and then understand the power and DMX addressing issues under-lying the technology in the TinyPix (and all DMX controllers.)  While this process can be long and tedious - taking weeks or months for some customers, this knowledge is a fundamental requirement for customers selecting a completely DIY solution, as we talked about in our DIY vs Commercial solutions blog post.

How many lights can be connected to a controller, what controller do I need for RGB lights, what wiring should I use for RGB lights and/or what power supply do I need for my RGB lights? (Updated for 2026)

Updated September 2026. This post was rewritten around pixels, which have replaced dumb RGB for nearly every holiday project.

We often get asked how many lights can be connected to a controller, what power supply to use and what wire to run. This post answers those questions for pixel lights and pixel controllers.

A word of caution first: if you get the power side wrong, the results range from flickering lights to damaged hardware and, in the worst case, a fire. Don't "wing it." If you'd rather just have the answer, fill out our project design form and we'll put together a recommendation and a complete quote, or start with one of our Ready2Run packages, where the power math is already done.

The key is to see the lights and the controller as parts of one system:

Pixels → Pixel wiring → Controller → Power wiring → Power supply

Let's work through the chain.

1. The pixels

Everything starts with the lights, because every other part is sized to them. When choosing pixels, consider:

• Format. Nodes, strip, modules or bulbs, depending on how you'll mount them and whether they need to follow corners or curves. For house outlines, MegaTrees and props, 12mm nodes are the most common choice.
• Voltage. Pixels are usually 5v or 12v DC. 12v runs farther before you need to inject power and is the more forgiving choice for most holiday projects. 5v is slightly more efficient but needs more careful power planning.
• Power draw. This is the number that drives everything else. Our 12v 12mm nodes draw about 45 milliamps each at full white, or about 0.55 watts per pixel.

Always figure power at full white (red, green and blue all on), since that's the most a pixel can draw.

2. The pixel wiring

This is the wire between each pixel in a string, or the circuit board in a strip. It carries power from the controller down the run, and it's where most power problems start.

There's no standard here. One vendor's nodes may use thick 18 AWG wire while another's look identical but use thin 22 AWG. Thinner wire loses more power over distance, so the pixels at the end of the run get less voltage than the ones at the start.

Ideally, your vendor tells you how many pixels can run before you need to inject power. Our 100-count 12mm node strings, for example, are designed to run the full 100 nodes with power fed at the start. If your vendor doesn't publish this, measure it yourself: set the run to full white for 15 to 30 minutes, then measure the voltage at the first and last pixel with a meter. A drop of 10 to 20% is usually fine. Much more than that and you'll see dimming, color shift or random flicker at the end of the run.

When a run is longer than the pixels can carry power, you inject power: run heavier wire from the power supply to a point partway down the run and connect it to the string's power and ground there. The data passes straight through.

3. The controller

A pixel controller receives data from your sequencing software over your network (E1.31) and sends it to each pixel. It also passes power from the power supply through to each output. When sizing a controller, check:

• Pixels per output. How many pixels each output can drive. This is usually the limit you hit first on long runs.
• Current per output. How many amps each output can supply. Divide your run's watts by the voltage to get amps: a 100-pixel run at 0.55 watts each is 55 watts, or about 4.6 amps at 12v.
• Current per bank and per controller. Larger controllers split their outputs into power banks, often each fed by its own power supply.

Don't size by the fuse. The fuse is there to protect against a short, not to tell you how much the output can carry.

Our Controller Selection Wizard will match a controller to your pixel count and power, or see our Ready2Run pixel controllers.

4. The power wiring

This wire carries power from the power supply to the controller, and to any power injection points. Size it by two things: the total power of every pixel it feeds, and the distance it has to run. Two controller outputs of 55 watts each need a wire that can carry 110 watts over that distance. Our technical guide to wire selection has the charts.

5. The power supply

The power supply is the last thing you choose, and it's simple once the rest is done:

• Total power. Add up every pixel it feeds at full white, then add 10 to 20% headroom. 576 pixels at 0.55 watts is about 317 watts, so you'd want a supply rated comfortably above that.
• Voltage. Match your pixels: 12v pixels need a 12v supply.
• Enclosure and cooling. Outdoor supplies need to be protected from water but still get enough airflow, since larger supplies often have fans. Our Ready2Run controllers come with the power supply already mounted in the enclosure with the controller.

See our power supplies.

Putting it together

Work from the pixels up: count your pixels, figure watts at full white, split long runs or plan power injection, pick a controller with enough outputs and capacity, size the wire and pick a supply with headroom. For a complete worked example on a real house, see our detailed house outline design guide.

Related posts:

• See the effects of power draw on long runs of pixels
• Where do I start when designing a new pixel project?
• Dumb RGB or pixels: which is right for me?

HolidayCoro.com

How To Question: Pixel Arches

Legacy technology notice (updated September 2026): This post covers the TinyPix, an RS-485 DMX pixel controller we no longer sell, along with LOR S3 and serial DMX dongles. That is now considered ancient technology. All modern lighting control, including every pixel controller we sell, runs over Ethernet using E1.31.

If you are building or expanding a display today, start with our guide, Where Do I Start When Designing a New RGB Pixel Project. About 80% of our residential customers sequence with xLights, which is free and works with all of our controllers. We have left the original post below for anyone still running legacy hardware.

Today's question comes from Phill who asks:

After reading, and watching several videos on your site, I would like to test an RGB Pixel setup (100 lights per string, using your tinypix controllers). I am using LOR S3 Advanced software, and would like you to verify what I will need (to make sure I don't miss anything).

Currently, I am just using the inexpensive Light-o-Rama USB485 dongle, at 500K (network speed), and it works great - will that work, or do I need to use one of your dongles, and if so which one - Ultimately, I will be using this for 12 arches (50 pixels each).

I know I need a 100 light pixel string, 1-tinypix, programming cable, and power supply - for the testing of the single string, I will just use one I have on hand). other then the possible dongle, is there anything else I will need???

 

So let's break down this issue - Phill would like to make pixel arches and he has indicated that he needs 12 of them at 50 pixels each.  My first question would be - what type of RGB pixel is being used here?  My guess is pixel strip given that the number is 50 pixels and pixel strip commonly comes in 16' lengths that contain 50 pixels (150 DMX channels), so we'll go with that given that pixel strip is a reasonable choice for pixel arches.

 

The next question I'd have is - what type of interface is going to be used here to get the sequencing data to the pixel controller?  50 pixels * 3 DMX channels (Red, Green, Blue) * 12  = 1,800 DMX channels - so that's a fair number of pixels and is comprised of 3 DMX universes (actually 4 because you would likely put 3 arches of 150 pixels each, within a single DMX universe of 512 channels.)  So, I think an RS-485 interface is out of the question here - the customer is going to need to go E1.31 for output of that much data.

 

So, to answer Phills question about LOR - yes, you'd need at a minimum LOR S3 advanced to get enough output and E1.31 support.  Phill would run the LOR network separately of the DMX network, so Phill's LOR settings really don't matter here since they don't impact the DMX E1.31 network.

 

Phill mentions needing a "100 light pixel string" which isn't correct based on my assessment that he has chosen RGB pixel strip, so maybe he is referring to 8mm pixel nodes?  If that is the case, usually 8mm pixel nodes would be a bad choice for this design - they don't mount well, you have to get them pointed in the right direction and they have less light output than the 5050 RGB chips in RGB strip - so we are going to just forget the 100 light pixel string reference and again assume he needs RGB pixel strip.

 

Phill also mentions needing a TinyPix -  I can't say if that is the case because I know nothing about the distances involved.  A centralized controller is great, something like the SanDevices E68x or the J1Sys controllers but they do have limits on distances you can place elements from the controller - yea, you can use null/ghost pixels to span longer distances but I'm not sure if we are talking 2 acres or a 5,000 sq/ft yard.  In the 2 acre, now a distributed pixel controller like the TinyPix really makes sense, if you have them all very close to each other, a centralized controller makes sense.  Now please note that the TinyPix is RS-485 based and thus would require "dongles" for output of each DMX universe as where the centralized controllers would require an Ethernet feed from the show computer.

 

So, to completely answer a question such as those posed by Phill, we need to know other relevant data such as:

• The physical design and layout of the display elements (arches)
• Any additional pixels/DMX channels used in the display
• The method the user will choose to sequence the display (software)
• The budget range for this project
• The skill level of the customer (plug-n-play or DIY)

 

Locating and Repairing Bad Pixels

If you have pixels - be they nodes, modules or strip - at some point you are going to have a failure.  That failure could be when you purchase them or over a period of time due to physical damage or other causes.  So, you'll need to have the ability to locate and then replace the bad pixel.  This video shows how to perform this process on nodes (8mm / 12mm) but it also is the exact same process if you have any other type of pixel. 

As mentioned in the video, if you do pixels, you'll need to solder and it's not nearly as complex as you might expect.  Check YouTube for videos on how to solder.

A Demonstration of the Effects of Power Draw on Long Lengths of RGB Lights

Todays blog post is about the effects that power draw has on RGB lights.  We've taked about it before in our blog post about how wiring affects power distribution and in our demonstration example house where we lined it with pixels and handled the issue of power consumption.

This video is pretty simple - it shows 160 pixels (480 DMX channels) connected to a single power supply and our HolidayCoro pixel controller.  It is intended to show the effects that the gauge of the power wire and the power consumption of the pixels themselves have on the actual light output.


(open in YouTube with High Def for better viewing)

Post any questions below.

Thanks,
David
HolidayCoro.com

I want to control an high power LED - How do I do that?

There are a number of different high output LEDs on the market - they commonly run 1 watt, 10 watts, 30 watts and more.  We will often get the question - can I use your controller to run this LED?  Well, yes and no. 

Think of an LED as an engine in a car.  A modern car has a throttle and a rev limiter (usually controlled by the cars computer.)  So, if you press the gas pedal all the way down (more so for a manual shift car as opposed to an automatic), the car will speed up (if in gear) up to the point where the rev limiter kicks in and it prevents you from running the speed of the engine faster than the engine can handle (and thus destructing itself.)  So, in this example, think of the "bare" LED as an engine - it will take all the current (power) you can give it as long as the power supply can supply it - and it will do so right up until it burns out, which could be seconds, minutes or longer (thermal and voltage issues determine this rate.)  So, just like with a car and its gas pedal and rev limiter, your LED needs the equivalent of the rev limiter and that is called a Constant Current Driver.

In a car we have gasoline that provides the power that keeps the engine going but in an LED it is electricity that provides the power for the LED to operate.  In the same way that a throttle (or some function of the cars rev limiter system) modulates the amount of gasoline that reaches the engine, a Constant Current Driver circuit limits the amount of current that can reach the LED. 

There are two general methods you can use to modulate the current in an LED - a Constant Current Driver circuit or just simple current dropping resistors.  A CC driver circuit is ideal but requires more complex parts, usually an IC plus some other minor components.  A current dropping resistor circuit is either one or several, simple resistors that limit the amount of current that can reach the LED, thus "limiting" it's current.  Each method has it's pros and cons.  The CC driver is ideal because no matter the input voltage (up to a point), the CC driver will still maintain the exact same amount of light output as where a resistor dropping circuit will fluctuate the current level based on the input voltage.  This means that you can have LEDs (using dropping resistors) at the start of a long string be brighter than those at the end of the string as opposed to a CC driver which would produce the same light output along the entire string (generally speaking.)  So, you think - heck, why don't all LEDs have CC drivers?  It's an issue of cost - if you have individual nodes or modules, each one will require a method to control the current and it is generally much cheaper to use resistors than a more complex CC driver.

So, what if you want to make your own constant current supply for your LED?  We'll first you'll need to know the specs that are included with your LED, this will include the voltage of the power supply, the forward voltage of the LED and the forward current of the LED.  If you are using RGB, each color will often have different values.  Next you need to determine if you want to build a resistor dropping solution (cheaper, easier but less tolerant to voltage changes) or a true constant current solution (more expensive, more complex but safer and more consistent light output).

For how to build a dropping resistor solution, see this website - it provides the exact wiring for the resistors and LEDs and the size and values of the resistors.  For how to build a constant current driver, see this website.  While this site refers to an arduino for control over the circuit, you can use the standard, dumb RGB DMX controllers HolidayCoro sells for driving the CC circuit.

This is just but a small part of the overall issues involved with this subject but hopefully it is helpful in explaining some of the basic concepts.

For additional in-depth information on how LEDs are driven, you can see this website or many other websites on the Internet.

The Nearly Famous RGB Video Series - Everything You Wanted To Know About Pixels But Couldn't Find The Answer

When I started researching RGB and pixel solutions in early 2010, there was just about no information on the internet as to what all the teminolgy, protocols, wiring, controllers and other items were.  After extensive research and work with others, I decided to document all the information I knew at the time in the form of a video series.  The focus behind the videos was to simply show each type of lighting, controller, wiring, etc in a non-vendor specific manner so that someone just getting started out could get up to speed on the terminolgy and functions.  This information, while produced in late 2010, early 2011 is older now, every bit of it is still completely relevant.  Since this information is squirrled away on our website, I though I would repost it here for those new to RGB and pixels.

The videos below cover the general topics of RGB as they relate to Holiday Lighting.

Video #1 What is RGB? What are the different type of RGB lighting devices? What is Basic RGB and RGB Pixels? How to Pixels get their addresses? How do you assign channels to pixels? What are controller macros?
Video #2 How do I fix dead pixels? What is the difference between three and four wire pixels?  Does it matter? How do I know which end of my pixels to hook to the controller?  Does it matter? How do I power my pixels? Why are there different voltages for pixels? What is the difference between centralized and de-centralized power distribution of pixels? How many pixels can be on a single controller output? What is color depth in pixels?  Why does it matter?
Video #3 What are the different type of pixel chips? What quality issues should I be aware of when purchasing pixels? What are the drawbacks of RGB over just regular Christmas lights? What advantage do Basic RGB and RGB Pixels give me?
Video #4 What are the different types of Basic RGB controllers? Why would I want to use basic RGB controllers and LEDs instead of pixel based controllers and LEDs? What are the different types of RGB Pixel controllers?

Outlining Your House in RGB Lights - Detailed Design Guide (Updated for 2026)

Updated September 2026. We rewrote this guide around the pixels, mounting and controllers we recommend today. The original 2013 version was built around pixel strip and hardware that has since been replaced.

When you're planning a Christmas display, it's easy to focus on everything going in the yard. But the biggest prop is already there: your house. Outline it, and the house becomes part of the sequence, framing everything you've built in front of it.

Vineyards Lights, Meridian, ID. The rooflines, peaks and garage all become part of the show.

If you want the big picture first (why a mounting system matters and how to pick between seasonal and permanent), start with our house outline primer. This post is the step-by-step design: how to measure, how many pixels you need, how to power them and where the controller goes.

Would you rather have us do the math? Fill out our project design form and we'll send you instructions for sending us one photo of your house and your measurements. We'll put together a recommendation and a complete quote with the controller, mounting, hardware and accessories for your project.

Step 1: Start with a photo

Go outside and take a photo of your house from where your audience will see it, usually the street. You'll sketch your design on this photo and use it to record measurements, where cables will run and where the controller and power supplies will go.

We'll use Nathanial R.'s house as our example throughout. It has 19 separate rooflines, so it's a good example of how a house with complex roof lines can be handled.

Step 2: Measure every run

Get out the ladder and tape measure and record the exact length of every section you want to outline. Write each one on the photo.

Accuracy matters. Every foot you miss is another 4 pixels at 3 inch spacing, which changes your pixel count, your power budget and possibly how many controller outputs you need.

Step 3: Choose seasonal or permanent mounting

Across a whole house, mounting pixels one at a time means a lot of clips, a lot of alignment and a lot of visible black wire. A mounting system lets you build the outline in sections that hold their spacing and aim, snap into a few clips and come down as a unit for repairs.

Want it to come down after Christmas? Use Pixel Pipe. Each aluminum pipe is 7.3 feet long with 88 holes on 1 inch centers, sized for standard 12mm bullet pixel nodes. It's available in black, white or mill-finish grey, mounts with clear, UV-resistant clips that can stay on the house year-round, and rotates in its clips so you can aim the pixels toward your viewing area. Couplers, corners and tees let you follow the roofline.

Want it to stay up? Use PixaTrack. Each track is 6.66 feet long with 80 holes on 1 inch centers and takes 12mm bullet or square-neck nodes. It fully encloses the wiring to protect it from UV and animals, comes in off-white or brown to blend with the house, and is available with front-facing or side/down-facing holes.

Both come as samples, so you can hold one up against your house before you decide.

Step 4: Pick your spacing and count your pixels

Because both systems are drilled on 1 inch centers, you can space pixels at 1, 2, 3 inches or more by skipping holes. Two things set how far apart you can go:

• The wire length between nodes on the pixel string. Our 100-count 12mm node strings reach up to about 3.4 inches between nodes. For wider spacing, our 6 inch strings reach up to about 6.8 inches.
• The look you want. Closer spacing reads as a solid line and gives you more resolution for effects. Wider spacing costs less and gives a more classic bulb-by-bulb look.

The math is simple:

Pixels = run length in inches ÷ spacing in inches
DMX channels = pixels × 3

For Nathanial's house we grouped the 19 measured sections into four continuous runs and used 3 inch spacing:

Run	Length	Pixels (3" spacing)	DMX channels	Watts at full white
Garage front	26 ft	104	312	57
Garage, over the doors	34 ft	136	408	75
Front of house, upper	53 ft	212	636	117
Front of house, lower	31 ft	124	372	68
Total	144 ft	576	1,728	317

At 170 pixels per DMX universe, 576 pixels needs 4 universes. Any current E1.31 pixel controller handles that over a single network cable.

Step 5: Plan your power

Our 12v, 12mm nodes draw about 0.55 watts each at full white (45 milliamps). That's where the watts column above comes from: 576 pixels × 0.55 W = about 317 watts, or roughly 26 amps at 12 volts. Size your power supplies with headroom above that number, since draw varies with temperature, wiring and supply voltage.

The second question is how far the power can travel. As power runs down a string, voltage drops through the LEDs and the wire itself. Our 100-count node strings are designed to run the full 100 nodes with power fed at the start. Past that, plan to inject power. Three of the four runs above are over 100 pixels, so each would get power injection partway along, or be split into two shorter runs fed from separate outputs.

To inject, run heavier-gauge wire (14 AWG is a good start) from the power supply to the injection point and connect it to the power and ground of the string there. The data passes straight through, since each pixel regenerates it. See our guide to wire selection for sizing the injection wire.

Test before it goes on the house. Build a section, set it to full white for 15 to 30 minutes and measure the voltage at the controller output and at the last pixel with a multimeter. A drop of 10 to 20% is usually fine. Much more than that and you'll see dimming or color shift at the end of the run, or random flicker if the voltage falls below what the pixel chips need. Finding that on the ground is a lot easier than finding it on the roof.

Step 6: Place the controller

Look at your photo for where runs start and end. Places where two runs meet, like a garage corner or the peak over a front door, are natural spots to feed two outputs from one location. Current pixel controllers and sequencing software let you reverse a run's direction, so a run can start at either end.

The data signal from a pixel controller output only travels a limited distance to the first pixel, so you have two basic layouts:

• One central controller. An AlphaPix Classic with 4 or 16 outputs, placed somewhere central and close to the runs. It keeps everything in one enclosure, and spare outputs can drive other props in the yard.
• A controller plus long-range receivers. With a Flex system, the controller can sit in the garage and small long-range receivers go near the roofline where the runs start. This is the better fit for large houses, runs that start far apart, or when you want the main controller out of sight.

For Nathanial's four runs and about 317 watts, a single 4-output controller placed near the garage corner would handle the whole outline. Adding props later, or splitting the long runs, is where a 16-output controller or a Flex system with receivers starts to make sense. Our Controller Selection Wizard walks you through the options.

Step 7: Build and test on the ground

One of the biggest advantages of Pixel Pipe and PixaTrack is that you can build each section on the ground, plug it in and test it before it goes up. With connectors between sections, a problem later means unplugging one section, fixing it in the garage and putting it back without disturbing your spacing. With a seasonal install, the sections come down as a unit and go back up next year exactly as they were.

Watch the full process

Our house outline video walks through planning and building an outline with Pixel Pipe and PixaTrack from start to finish:

Let us put it together for you

You don't have to work out every part of the system yourself. Fill out our project design form and we'll send you instructions for sending one photo of your house and your measurements. We'll look at what you're planning and put together a recommendation and a complete quote with the controller, mounting, hardware and accessories you'll need.

Want to see the mounting in person first? Pixel Pipe and PixaTrack samples let you compare colors against your house before choosing a system.

HolidayCoro.com

Which is better for my RGB lighting project - Dumb or Smart RGB Lights? (Updated for 2026)

Updated September 2026.

The short answer today: go with pixels.

When we made the video below, dumb RGB and smart pixels were both reasonable choices depending on the project. That's no longer the case. The cost of pixels has come down so much, and pixels can do so much more than dumb RGB, that dumb RGB is now rarely used in holiday displays. If you are not using dumb RGB now, stick with pixel products.

What's the difference?

Dumb RGB (also called basic RGB) lights can change color, but every light connected to the same controller output changes together. A whole string or strip is always one color at a time.

Smart RGB, or pixels, are individually controlled. Every pixel, or small group of lights, can be a different color at the same moment. That's what makes chases, waves, text, pictures and all the effects you see in modern displays possible.

Why pixels won

• Price. The price gap that once made dumb RGB attractive has all but disappeared, especially once you count the controllers and wiring needed to get the same result.
• Capability. A pixel can do everything a dumb light can, and a dumb light can't do most of what a pixel can. You can always make a string of pixels act like one color; you can never make a dumb string act like pixels.
• Simpler wiring. One pixel controller can drive thousands of pixels over a single network cable. Getting even a fraction of that control with dumb RGB means many more controllers and a lot more wire.
• Software and sequences. Today's sequencing software, like xLights, and nearly all available sequences are built around pixels.
• Room to grow. Everything you buy today works with the next pixel element you add.

Where dumb RGB still fits

There are still a few spots where dumb RGB makes sense, like simple flood lighting that only ever needs to be one color at a time, or expanding a dumb RGB setup you already own. For anything new, choose pixels.

The original video

The video below still does a good job explaining how the two types work, even though the recommendation has changed since it was made.

Ready to start?

See our pixel lights and pixel controllers, read where to start with a new pixel project, or fill out our project design form for a recommendation and quote.

HolidayCoro.com

Customer Projects Using HolidayCoro LED Lighting

While HolidayCoro is focused on the Holiday Lighting community, we often have customers that use our products in different ways.  Here are two customer provided projects that we thought were interesting:

Club UV

Chris K at Club UV in Nashville, TN used 280 of our rectangle RGB modules and ten of our 3 channel DMX controllers to spice up the exterior and interior of their night club:

Outside the Club

Inside at the bar

Landscape Lighting Conversion



Casey H of Crowley, TX used our Square RGB dumb lights to replace the original lights used in his landscape lighting system.  Here is how he describes the project:

We have Malibu landscape lights (aluminum fixtures) around our home for security lighting and this past Christmas I wanted to include them in the light show.  I retrofitted them with the square RGB modules you sell.  The one on the left is the 20W version that Malibu offers, the one on the right is the 50W version.  I used one module in the 20W and two in the 50W after gutting the 12V halogen reflector, socket and wiring. 

 

The 20W has a 2 ½” 6x32 machine screw through the module with a backing nut.  There is a think block of aluminum at the back of the fixture that I drilled and tapped for the screw.  If you do this, be careful to avoid drilling through the back of the fixture.  On the 50W I cut a piece of wood that is a light press fit in the housing and simply used the two sided tape to hold them in place.  Obviously the 50W was gutted as well.

For control, I am using a Lightorama DC controller and that gives me 5 RGB channels.  https://store.lightorama.com/products/cmb16dqcdeluxe  The DC controller can operate stand alone and I have set up some sequences for running the lights.  One of the options for the stand alone operation is to have the sequence start on power up, and I am powering the power supply (the HolidayCoro 45W) from a time clock.  During show season, I put it on the network and the landscape lights become another element in the show.

For wiring, I used sprinkler control cable since it is designed for direct burial.  I used 18AWG wire to avoid voltage drop issues.  The longest run is about 125’.  The one drawback to sprinkler cable is it is stiff.  Definitely not something I would utilize on the lawn for a show display, but for this project it fit the bit nicely.

Before the RGB conversion, the landscape lights were drawing 490W from a Malibu 600W power supply.  I do not have all of the fixtures converted to RGB yet, but at this point I have all of the lights on the front and side of the house running from that single 45W power supply.  Here are a couple of pictures from this evening.  Since it is Valentine’s Day, I went red slowly fading to pink and back.  Normally I have the color set static to a yellowish white.

Thanks guys for taking the time to share your projects with us at HolidayCoro.com!

If you are thinking of mounting lights on your house year round, also take a look at our blog entry on this topic.

So you're thinking of mounting RGB lights on your house permanently? (Updated for 2026)

Updated September 2026. This post was rewritten around the permanent mounting and control options available today.

Once people get into pixels, a common next step is mounting them on the house permanently instead of putting them up and taking them down every season. It makes sense: pixels are small enough to hide under a soffit, and because they can be any color, the same lights work for Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, the Fourth of July, game days, Halloween and Christmas, with warm white architectural lighting in between.

PixaTrack (right) is built for permanent installs and comes in off-white and brown.

Start with the right mounting

A seasonal install can get away with clips and exposed wire for a month. A permanent install lives through summer sun, winter storms and every squirrel in the neighborhood, year after year. That's what PixaTrack was designed for:

• It fully encloses the wiring, protecting it from UV damage and keeping animals away from it.
• It blends with the house. PixaTrack comes in off-white or brown, and with the wiring hidden, the install is hard to spot during the day. That also helps with HOAs.
• It holds your spacing and aim. Aluminum track, 6.66 feet long, drilled every 1 inch for standard 12mm nodes, so every pixel lines up.
• Front-facing or side/down-facing. Choose front holes for a visible outline, or side/down holes to light the wall and hide the pixels.
• Samples are available, so you can hold a piece up against your house and check the color before you buy.

PixaTrack installed on a white soffit.

Things to consider before you go permanent

Reliability of the lights.
Much of the pixel hardware on the market is built with price as the main driver, and that usually shows up in long-term reliability. Over the years we've seen plastics and potting compounds that yellow or crack from heat and UV, LEDs that don't tolerate voltage swings, and wire insulation that breaks down after a few seasons outdoors. Something that survives a month in December may not survive year-round. Enclosing the pixels' wiring in track helps a lot, but start with quality pixels.

Power supplies and controllers.
Pixels run on low-voltage DC, so you'll need power supplies, and both they and the controller need a spot that stays dry but still gets airflow. Don't run a power supply at or near its rated maximum; leave 10 to 20% headroom so it isn't working at its limit every night of the year. Also keep the controller reasonably close to where the runs start, or use long-range receivers so the outputs can sit near the roofline.

Running the lights when there's no show.
Between holidays, you'll want the lights to come on by themselves: warm white every evening, team colors on game day, red, white and blue for the Fourth. The easiest way is FPP (Falcon Player), free show-player software that runs on a small computer like a Raspberry Pi. You build your looks and sequences in xLights, and FPP runs them on a schedule all year without a PC.

Codes and wiring.
A permanent install often means permanent AC power to the power supplies. Extension cords that are fine for a month-long seasonal display are not meant to live outdoors year-round. Check with your local building code office about the requirements for permanent low-voltage lighting and the AC circuits that feed it, and use an electrician where required.

Temperature range.
If you live somewhere with extreme heat, cold or sun, check the rated operating range of the pixels, power supplies and controller against your climate.

Questions to ask any vendor

• Warranty. Does it exclude year-round installation? Will the vendor still be around if you need to make a claim?
• Testing. Has the product actually been tested for long-term outdoor use?
• Certifications. A listing from a recognized testing lab shows a vendor invested in the product. Be skeptical of certification marks on products bought directly from overseas marketplaces until they're verified.
• System design. Do the connectors, mounting and power fit together as a system? It's usually obvious when a vendor has thought the whole install through.

Let us design it with you

Fill out our project design form and we'll put together a recommendation and a complete quote with the PixaTrack, pixels, controller, power and accessories you'll need.

For the full design process, see our house outline primer and detailed design guide.

HolidayCoro.com

The LOR ShowDirector and DMX

Legacy technology notice (updated September 2026): This post covers Light-O-Rama controllers and hardware that use the LOR protocol over RS-485 serial cable. That is now considered ancient technology. All modern lighting control, including every pixel controller we sell, runs over Ethernet using E1.31.

If you are building or expanding a display today, start with our guide, Where Do I Start When Designing a New RGB Pixel Project. About 80% of our residential customers sequence with xLights, which is free and works with all of our controllers. We have left the original post below for anyone still running legacy hardware.

NOTE:  This article was updated on 08-Sept-2015.

A number of our customers currently have heavy investments in LOR controllers, hardware and software and they want to be able to re-use as much of this hardware as possible.  We've talked about using LOR controllers mixed with DMX controllers here on this blog post but this blog post is more specific to one group of products that LOR sells - the ShowTime directors.  The ShowTime director has been around for years and it was introduced during a period of time when people didn't want to dedicate an expensive ($500+) PC to do the task of running their display for the season.  It was much cheaper than a PC at the time, running about $150 or less (it now sells for $130) and it solved a very real problem. 

How a ShowTime director works is you sequence your shows in LOR S3/S4, then saved those completed sequences, along with the audio file, onto an SD memory card and put the card into the "director".  Then you just plugged your LOR (as opposed to DMX) network cable into the unit and it would start your shows at the scheduled time.

Fast forward to 2015 - PC's are insanely cheap - you can pickup NEW PC's for under $300 and used PCs can be found just about anywhere for next to nothing (CraigsList, eBay, the Computer Guy at work, Goodwill, friends, etc.)  So now one of the major reasons for purchasing a "dedicated" PC for your show is pretty much gone and given that even the cheapest PC is more than fast enough, the issue of having a "powerful PC" is no longer the case.

There are now two major issues with a ShowDirector - DMX and the rise of E1.31 as a common pixel protocol:

• DMX (RS485 Based)
  Another issue has now appeared that puts yet another nail in the coffin of the ShowDirector - DMX.  Given that generic and DIY DMX controllers are generally half or even less the price of given LOR controllers, experienced LOR customers are moving more and more toward the standards based DMX protocol.  The problem?  The ShowDirectors don't work with any DMX...mostly.  So, you can't use E.131 (DMX over Ethernet) or standard DMX dongles with the ShowDirector units.  So, this means you can only output the LOR protocol and not DMX and this locks you into LOR only controllers.  There is also another issue - the standard ShowTime mini can only output to one network (about 700-800 LOR channels) and the G3-MP3 director at $270 can output to only two LOR networks.  So, if you start loading up your display with large amounts of pixels, you are still limited.
• E1.31 (Ethernet Based)
  Nearly all new pixel based items are based on E1.31 and thus Ethernet.  As such, this requires a completely different system of control. Since E1.31 uses Ethernet which is completely different from RS485 based LOR or DMX protocols, it isn't possible to run this new protocol from the Director.

This said, there are some reasons why you would want to use a ShowDirector - if you are running a commercial show and don't have a good/secure location for a PC (mall, outdoor locations), if you don't have the ability to run wires to the network from where the PC is located, need the ability to have external triggers (this is also possible on PCs) or if you run a 100% LOR controller network.  We should also mention that it is possible to use a ShowDirector with another LOR item - the iDMX1000 - so you come out of the ShowDirector with LOR protocol and into the iDMX1000 which coverts it over to DMX.  We do not recommend, except in very rare cases, the use of an iDMX1000 protocol converter as it is nearly always cheaper, much easier and more flexible to use other solutions.

So, to conclude, if you are using LOR and DMX devices (E1.31 or RS-485 based) on your network, just buy that cheap PC, put on a copy of LOR S3/S4 (it's licenced for this) and run your show from that PC.  It will not only often be cheaper but you'll have the ability to easily tweak your show schedule (flip it on for people who came late, turn it on for testing before the regular show starts), easily tweak your sequences that have issues, perform testing (xLights and others), run audio enhancers (such as Breakaway) and if you want to switch to other sequencing applications (such as xLights) you only need install the software.

David
HolidayCoro.com

No free rides - Cheap isn't free when it comes to RGB

Fairly often, HolidayCoro receives questions from customers looking for how they can add RGB / Pixels / DMX to their display.  In the majority of cases, the customer is new to these technologies.  There are a few options here:

• DIY - Spend weeks or months pouring over forum posts, videos, blogs and other information spread, literally, all over the Internet
• Ready 2 Run - Purchase a pre-packaged solution from a vendor
• Custom - Work with an integrator/vendor to custom build a solution

So, let's break down these options and look at the pros and cons to each.

DIY - The Do It Yourself option is, without a doubt, the least financially expensive option - assuming the customer is fully educated on all their options before purchasing.  A customer that has spent the time to investigate all the options can properly select between all the different features, vendors, lights, wiring, power and software available in the market.  Because the customer knows their own display requirements, they are able to select the most applicable products and software to meet their needs.  They also are usually able to determine which vendors can provide them with the best options, pricing and quality.  There is also a cost and that cost is in the time that a customer needs to invest into spending, literally, weeks or months reading and educating themselves.  It can also get costly if insufficient time is spent prior to making purchases, with purchases of hardware that can't ultimately used.  Another major advantage for DIY customers is that during the process of learning "how" RGB works, they are better prepared for technical problems as they come up down the road.

Ready 2 Run - For customers that are looking for a simple "drop in" solution, a small number of vendors sell package solutions (also see our article on Package Solutions).  The advantage to these solutions is that they are usually a complete package - controller, power supply, lights and sometimes software.  Since these solutions are a known for the vendor selling them, it is easier for them to support should you have a problem.  The downfall of this route is that often these Ready 2 Run solutions don't exactly meet the customers requirements - sometimes this isn't an issue and sometimes it is.  Another downfall is that in nearly all cases, this solution is 30 to 100% more expensive than a DIY solution.  The additional upside is that the customer doesn't really have to fully understand what they are doing to implement the solution.

Custom - A small number of vendors (including HolidayCoro) offer custom solutions.  This is basically the DIY solution without the requirement that the customer fully understand the solution.  The vendor collects all the requirements, including ones the customer may not be aware of and through a process of refinement, uses their knowledge to narrow down all the solutions to those that meet the customers requirements.  So, the customer gets exactly (with a good vendor) the right solution for their display requirements but without the need to know the vast number of issues and solutions to arrive at the best solution.

HolidayCoro primarily focuses on the DIY market - our best customer is an educated customer and hence why on HolidayCoro.com you will find an amazing quantity of videos, articles and other educational information (see or Knowledge Base and Blog), not just on our products but on general concepts and designs - more than any other vendor.  We also offer a number of Off The Shelf solutions. We also offer custom solutions (products and  designs) for customers that have limits on the amount of time they can dedicate towards finding the best solution for their display needs.

Let us know if HolidayCoro can help you with your project.

Thanks,
David
HolidayCoro.com

Outlining Your House in RGB Lights - A Primer (Updated for 2026)

Updated September 2026. This post replaces our original 2013 primer with how we recommend outlining a house today.

When you're planning a Christmas display, it's easy to focus on everything going in the yard.

But the biggest prop is already there: your house.

A yard full of props can already make a great show. Outline the house behind them, and now the house becomes part of the sequence too. It frames everything you've built in front of it and gives you a much bigger canvas to work with.

Here's one from a HolidayCoro customer:

Landry Lights, Hudson, NH. This is a great example of why the house itself can become such a big part of the display.

And when you're putting that many pixels across a house, how you mount them starts to matter.

Why use a mounting system?

You can absolutely hang pixels individually. But across an entire house, you're now dealing with a lot of individual pixels, clips, alignment, and visible black wire.

A mounting system turns that outline into sections you can build once and work with as a unit.

1. Keep the spacing, and the look, consistent.
Instead of positioning and angling every pixel individually on the house, the mounting keeps them at the spacing and orientation you set. You can commit to the look you want, with pixels facing outward for a clean, defined outline or oriented toward the house for a wall-wash effect, without ending up with a mix of both along the same run.

2. Deal with a lot fewer individual clips.
A whole section can snap into a few clips instead of attaching pixels one at a time across the house.

3. Keep the installation cleaner-looking.
Pixel Pipe (seasonal) and PixaTrack (permanent) keep the pixels and wiring organized instead of leaving loose black pixel wire running along the house. That makes the installation less noticeable when the lights are off, too.

4. Bring repairs down to the garage.
With connectors between sections, you can unplug a section, bring it down, make the repair, and put it right back where it was. Your spacing stays intact.

5. Make the next installation easier.
With a seasonal installation, the sections can come down and go back up without starting over on pixel spacing and alignment, or moving the ladder for every individual pixel.

You can also build and test Pixel Pipe and PixaTrack sections on the ground before they go on the house.

A few more customer installs

Casey's 2025 display, before and after. Notice what happens when the house joins the display. The roofline gives the whole show a frame and connects the props in the yard to the house behind them.

Vineyards Lights, Meridian, ID. Look at how much of this display comes from the house outline itself. The rooflines, peaks, garage, and other architectural details all become usable parts of the show.

Thinking about what this could look like on your house?

The first choice is pretty simple.

Want it to come down after Christmas? Go with Pixel Pipe.

Pixel Pipe is built for seasonal installations. The clear, UV-resistant clips can stay on the house year-round, so your completed sections are ready to go back up the next season.

Pixel Pipe can also rotate in its clips, letting you dial in the direction the pixels face toward your viewing area.

Get Seasonal Mounting: Pixel Pipe

Want it to stay up? Go with PixaTrack.

PixaTrack is designed for permanent installations. It fully encloses the wiring, keeping it away from squirrels and other animals while protecting it from UV damage.

The wiring stays out of sight, and PixaTrack is available in off-white or brown to help it blend with the house, which can also help with HOAs.

It's available in front-facing and side/down-facing versions depending on how you want the pixels positioned.

Get Permanent Mounting: PixaTrack

Not sure exactly what you'll need? We'll help you figure it out.

You don't have to work out every part of the system yourself. Fill out our project design form and we'll send you instructions for sending us one photo of your house and your measurements.

We'll look at what you're planning and put together a recommendation and a complete quote with the controller, mounting, hardware, and accessories you'll need for your project.

Want to see the mounting on your house before deciding?

We offer Pixel Pipe and PixaTrack samples so you can see the mounting in person, compare the colors against your house, and get a feel for how it will look before choosing a system.

Still working through the design?

Our house outline video walks through the planning process from start to finish:

Want to run the numbers yourself? Our detailed house outline design guide walks through measuring, pixel counts, power, and controller placement step by step.

HolidayCoro.com