Updated September 2026. We rewrote this guide to reflect how pixel displays are designed and built today, including the software most of our customers now use.
HolidayCoro receives a lot of questions each year from people who don't know exactly where to start with the design of a pixel element (house outline, MegaTree, arches and so on), and we understand how overwhelming it can be when you're just starting out. After working with so many customers, a fairly standard process has emerged that takes most people from "How do I?" to "I did it!"
Want help with your project? Fill out our project design form and we'll put together a recommendation and a complete quote with the lights, controller, mounting and accessories you'll need.
Here is the overall process. Each step is covered in more detail below.
(Click the picture to enlarge)
Common questions before you start
I don't want to solder.
You may not have to. Many of our pixels come with waterproof plug-in connectors on each end, and our Ready2Run packages arrive assembled. Elements like MegaTrees can be almost entirely plug-and-play. A house outline is always custom because every house is different, so expect some cutting and connecting there. If you do need to solder, we have videos on the subject, and it's easier than most people expect.
What is a pixel?
A pixel is a single light, or a small group of lights, that can be set to any color independently of the lights around it, much like a pixel on your computer screen. What a pixel is NOT is a whole string of lights that all change to the same color at the same time, even if those lights are RGB. Every pixel is "smart." There is no such thing as a "dumb pixel."
What about dumb RGB?
Dumb RGB is now rarely used. The cost of pixels has come down so much, and pixels can do so much more than dumb RGB, that there's little reason to choose it for a new project. If you aren't using dumb RGB today, stick with pixel products. See our post on dumb vs. smart RGB for more.
What voltage should I use?
The two common pixel voltages are 5v and 12v DC. For most holiday projects, 12v is the more forgiving choice because it runs longer before you need to inject power. See our Knowledge Base article on the pros and cons of each.
What pixel controller do I need?
People often worry about this early, and it's usually one of the easier decisions. We like to say you don't pick the controller, the controller picks you. Once you've defined your design, pixel count and power, the choices narrow quickly. Our Controller Selection Wizard walks you through it.
I don't know anything about DMX. Is this going to be hard?
No. Pixel controllers receive their data over your home network using a protocol called E1.31 (also called sACN), which is DMX sent over Ethernet. There are really only two things to know: a DMX universe holds 512 channels, which is 170 pixels at 3 channels each (red, green, blue), and each controller output is assigned a starting universe and channel. Your sequencing software handles the rest.
Can I connect pixel controllers to my old Light-O-Rama controllers?
Not directly. Older LOR controllers use the LOR protocol over RS-485 serial cable, which is now considered legacy technology. All modern pixel controllers, including ours, use Ethernet. To connect multiple E1.31 controllers, you just use an ordinary network switch.
Step 1: Pick a single project
It's easy to watch YouTube videos of amazing pixel displays and wonder how to get there. It starts with narrowing your focus to a single project, or "element." Think about the whole display, but build one element at a time. Controllers, power and mounting are usually specific to each element, so building one at a time gets you a win and makes every project after it easier.
The most common starting points are:
House outline
- The house becomes the frame for your whole display
- Always custom, since every house is different
- Mounted with Pixel Pipe (seasonal) or PixaTrack (permanent)
- See our house outline primer and detailed design guide
Pixel MegaTree
- Makes a huge impact in a display
- Can be close to plug-and-play when bought as a package, including pre-sequenced songs
- The mounting system is usually the hardest part, not the lights or controller
- See our MegaTree packages and the MegaTree Builder Wizard
Pixel arches
- Typically very easy to build, often in a few hours
- See our arch packages and arch building accessories
Pixel props
- Stars, snowflakes, singing faces, candy canes and hundreds of other shapes, pre-drilled for pixels
- Standard shapes make purchased sequences much easier to use
- See our pixel props
Step 2: Determine the design
Once you've picked an element, decide exactly what you want it to look like. Some questions to ask:
House outline
- Which areas will you outline: roofline, gutter/fascia, windows, doors, garage?
- Can your audience actually see each of those areas from the street?
- Do you want it up for the season, or year-round?
- Do you want the look of nodes, or of traditional bulbs?
MegaTree
- Where will it go: against the house, on a corner by itself, in the middle of the yard?
- How tall should it be? Will it overwhelm the rest of the display?
Arches
- How many, how long, and how tall?
Without a clear idea of the design, it's nearly impossible to work out the rest. It's also hard to know the cost until you've been through the whole process, so you may need to go through it once, then scale the project up or down to fit your budget.
Step 3: Determine the light type
There are several physical formats of pixels. The major groups are:
Nodes
Nodes came from the sign industry in Asia, where channel letter signs are made from sheet metal drilled with 12mm holes and filled with these lights. The holiday lighting community adopted them, and today 12mm nodes are the most common pixel for house outlines, MegaTrees and props. They come in bullet and flat (square) styles, both with a "neck" that fits a ~12mm hole.
Bullet style node. Note the neck that fits a 12mm hole.
Flat or square style node.
Strip (ribbon)
Pixel strip is a flexible circuit board with LEDs along its length, sold by the meter. It's described by LEDs per meter and pixels (ICs) per meter, so 30/10 strip has 30 LEDs and 10 pixels per meter, with every 3 LEDs acting as one pixel. Strip spacing is fixed and it needs a substrate to mount to, so today it's used less for outlines and trees than nodes, but it still has its place. See our pixel strip.
Modules
Squares, rectangles and pucks with LEDs mounted in a rigid housing. Useful where pixels need to point in many directions or fill an area. See our pixel modules.
Bulbs
Pixels with a diffused cover that mimic the look of traditional C7 or C9 bulbs, like our Brilliant Bulbs. A great choice if you want a classic look with full pixel control.
Not sure which you like? Our Pixel Light Selection Wizard can help.
Step 4: Determine the mounting location and method
Nearly every pixel needs to be mounted to something. Pixels are more fragile than traditional lights, and they need to be accurately spaced and aimed because each one has a specific location in your sequencing software. If the lights don't match the layout, the effects won't look right.
Start with your audience. If your display is viewed from the road, stand in the road and look at it from a typical viewer's height. Avoid placing elements where they block each other (a MegaTree in front of a house outline, for example). A good rule of thumb is larger items toward the back and smaller items toward the front.
House outline
- Make sure every outlined section can be seen from where your audience stands.
- For a seasonal install, Pixel Pipe holds your nodes at a fixed spacing and snaps into clear clips that can stay up year-round.
- For a permanent install, PixaTrack encloses the wiring and comes in off-white or brown to blend with the house.
- Mounting under the fascia or soffit hides the hardware but can reflect light onto the wall ("wall washing"). Mounting on the front of the fascia gives a crisp outline.
MegaTree
- Most trees only need to look good from the front (about 180 degrees), since they usually sit at the back of a display.
- A MegaTree is really a rectangle of pixels wrapped into a cone, so the pixels need consistent vertical and horizontal spacing. PixNode strips and the QuickTree mounting system are built for this.
Arches
- Arches are simple: a bent pipe, the pixels attached along it, and stakes in the ground. See our arch building accessories.
Think through the whole life cycle: not just building it, but installing it, repairing it and storing it in the off-season.
Step 5: Determine how many lights you need
More pixels isn't always better. Think about your TV: stand two feet away and you can see the individual pixels, but from across the room the picture is smooth. Holiday pixels work the same way. What matters is the spacing of the pixels compared to how far away your audience is.
| Pixel type | Recommended viewing distance |
|---|---|
| 12mm node, 1" center-to-center | 10 to 50 feet |
| 12mm node, 2" center-to-center | 20 to 80 feet |
| 12mm node, 3" center-to-center | 60 to 120 feet |
| 60/20 strip | 10 to 60 feet |
| 30/10 strip | 30 to 170 feet |
Why not just add more pixels?
- Past a certain distance, no one can see the difference. Tightly spaced pixels on a house viewed from 150 feet away look the same as wider spacing.
- More pixels means more channels. Every pixel adds three channels, which means more controller outputs, more network data and larger sequences.
- More pixels means more power. That means heavier wire, more power injection and bigger power supplies.
- Colors blend at a distance. Alternate red and green on very tightly spaced pixels, view them from 75 feet, and you'll see a muddy yellow instead of crisp red and green.
Pick a spacing that fits your viewing distance. Nodes and bulbs let you choose your spacing; strip spacing is fixed.
Step 6: Calculate power and pixel counts
Now put on your math hat. Pixel count is the length of each run divided by the spacing:
20 feet × 12 = 240 inches ÷ 3 inch spacing = 80 pixels
When planning spacing, check three limits with your vendor:
- Minimum spacing, the closest two pixels can be mounted.
- Maximum spacing, set by the wire length between pixels. Confirm the center-to-center spacing, not just the wire length.
- Maximum gap, the distance the data signal can travel between pixels or from the controller to the first pixel. If you need to go farther, long-range receivers or "null" pixels can bridge the gap.
Then calculate power. Watts = volts × amps, and 1 amp = 1,000 milliamps (mA). For example, our 12v 12mm nodes draw about 45 mA each at full white, or about 0.55 watts. A 100-node string is about 55 watts. Add up all your pixels, then size your power supplies with headroom above the total.
Published specs are a starting point, but the only sure way to know is to measure. Wire gauge, temperature, supply voltage and the quality of the pixels all change the real number. Set your pixels to full white for 15 to 30 minutes and measure with a meter.
For a fully worked example, see our detailed house outline design guide.
Step 7: Select the controller
With your pixel counts and power worked out, choosing a controller is straightforward. Look at:
- Pixels per output. How many pixels each output can drive.
- Power per output and per controller. Don't go by the fuse rating; the fuse protects against shorts, it doesn't define capacity.
- Number of outputs. One per continuous run, plus room to grow.
- Distance. A central controller works when your runs start close together. For larger layouts, a controller with long-range receivers lets you put outputs right where the runs start.
No matter how powerful the power supply is, there's a limit to how much current can travel down the small wires in a pixel string. Past that point, you bring power in partway down the run. This is called power injection:
Our Controller Selection Wizard walks you through the options, or browse our Ready2Run pixel controllers.
Step 8: Select the sequencing software
This used to be a hard choice. Today it's easy: use xLights.
About 80% of our residential customers sequence with xLights. It's free, it runs on Windows, Mac and Linux, and it has the largest community and the most tutorials of any sequencing software. At this point, xLights is better than the paid alternatives in every way that matters for a pixel display: its effects are built for pixels, its visualizer shows your display on a model of your house, and it can map sequences built for someone else's layout onto yours.
To run the show itself, most people pair xLights with FPP (Falcon Player), free show-player software that runs on a small, inexpensive computer like a Raspberry Pi. You sequence on your PC, copy the show to FPP, and it runs your schedule every night without tying up a computer.
About 15% of our customers use Light-O-Rama S5 or S6, usually because they already own LOR hardware and sequences. All of our pixel controllers work with it over E1.31. If you're starting fresh, though, start with xLights.
Step 9: Choose how you'll get sequences
There are two approaches, and many people use both:
Sequence it yourself
- Every sequence is 100% customized to your display.
- No sequences to buy.
- It takes time: anywhere from an hour per song for a simple sequence to many hours per minute of music for a detailed, hand-built one.
Buy pre-made sequences
- Lets you use sequences built by people with more experience.
- Works best when your elements match the sequence: MegaTrees and standard props like ours are the easiest.
- Custom elements, especially house outlines, will need some remapping. xLights makes this much easier than it used to be.
- See our MegaTree sequences and whole house pixel sequences.
Let us help
We've tried to boil the process down to its essentials, but it can still feel like a lot. Start with a single project, and like nearly all of our customers, you'll be building bigger and better elements before you know it.
If you'd like a hand, fill out our project design form and we'll put together a recommendation and a complete quote for your project.
Have a great season from HolidayCoro.com!
