Red is coming out green. Now what? Start by recording the colors you ask for and the colors you actually see. That small test is much more useful than changing several settings and hoping the next combination looks right.
If the same wrong color appears everywhere, check how the data is interpreted. If a mixed color changes farther down the strand or as brightness rises, check the electrical path too. The clues point you toward the next test; they are not a diagnosis by themselves.
Test red, green, blue, and off
Use a modest intensity appropriate for the setup. Test one primary color at a time, followed by off. Note whether the entire prop is wrong or only part of it. Keep other players and test sources stopped.
| What you see | What to investigate |
|---|---|
| Each primary consistently becomes another primary. | Color order or a channel offset. |
| Colors change after a repeatable boundary. | Universe sizes, start channels, or a different downstream pixel type. |
| Mixed colors change with brightness. | Power delivery, connections, and load limits. |
| One node misses a color while its neighbors work. | That node or its immediate connection after settings are checked. |
Check the light type before changing color order
RGB and GRB describe different orders for three color values. RGBW adds a separately controlled white channel and changes the number of channels used per node. Make the software and controller agree with the actual product.
Do not decide from the wire count. Our EVO+ uses a four-wire dual-data arrangement; that does not make it RGBW. Identify the model and its specified data format. The Adafruit pixel overview explains color ordering, while Light-O-Rama Prop Definition help distinguishes RGB and RGBW light types.
Compare the controller test with the sequence
Run the manufacturer's appropriate color test, then a comparable test from the sequencer. Record where the result changes. If the controller test is correct and the sequencer is wrong, examine the model, mapping, and sending data path next.
Choose the test carefully. The FPP Display Testing documentation explains that some RGB chase patterns may not reflect configured output color ordering. Use an appropriate cycle or model test for that check, rather than declaring a pixel faulty from an unsuitable pattern.
Make the correction in one deliberate place
Inspect the model and the controller's output settings. Find where your supported workflow applies physical pixel color order, change that setting, and repeat the same test. Avoid making an opposite change elsewhere to compensate for the first one.
If xLights manages the controller, save and upload the relevant output configuration, then inspect the controller to confirm the change. The official controller-settings guide explains the upload workflow. Manually configured controllers need their own documented procedure.
Look closely at channel boundaries
An RGB node needs the correct three values together. A start channel that is one position early or late can send one color's value to another color. An RGB/RGBW mismatch can shift the stream across successive nodes.
For example, if the beginning of a prop looks right but a later section consistently changes color, inspect the transition before changing the entire prop's color order. Compare starting channels, preceding node counts, and universe sizes at both sender and receiver. Our channels and universes guide includes the addressing steps.
Check colors that change under load
If a mixed color looks right at lower brightness but shifts under a heavier load, inspect the power distribution and connections. Record safe low-voltage measurements under the condition that produces the fault, using the product's permitted range.
With a standard EVO installation, for instance, keep the exact strand model, installed cable length, and test pattern in your notes. The word EVO alone does not establish a universal voltage-drop limit or cable distance.
The Adafruit power guide explains why voltage loss can affect colors. Its product-specific numbers are not limits for all Mattos lights. Use our flicker and dark-pixel checklist to isolate the wider electrical path.
Repeat the test and save the fix
Check the first and last nodes, any mixed sections, and a short sequence. Save the working settings with the prop name and output. If the fault stays with a node or strand, contact us before cutting or replacing parts. Include product details, screenshots, and your primary-color test video so we can see exactly what changed.
Keep learning
- Pixel Power Planning: Voltage Drop, Injection and Brightness
- xConnect vs M-Connect: Match Pixel Cables and Adapters
- Light Show Preflight Checklist: Test, Label and Back Up
Browse all Mattos education and support guides.
Reviewed October 29, 2026. Use the instructions for your exact hardware and installed software version.
