Window outlines give your display a clear shape. The trick is making the physical frame, the pixel order and the xLights model agree. Start with one complete window, document it, and repeat the method after it works.
This guide uses Kraken Structural Pixel Mounting System, the PVC track with 12mm holes on 2-inch centers, and the EVO 100-count, 4-inch spacing, black, xConnect/EasyPlug variant. The track listing specifically identifies EVO and bullet compatibility. This is the mounting track; Kraken Flex is a different lighting product.
1. Measure the light path and the mounting surface
Measure the window where the lights will actually sit. Record width, height, available mounting area and any clearance needed for an opening sash, screen or drainage path. Choose whether the light line follows the inside, outside or center of the trim, then use that reference for every measurement.
Do not make a cut list from the glass dimensions. Measure the delivered track profile and the distance from its ends to the first holes. Corner joints and the width of the track affect where the lights sit. Keep a small offcut for checking pixel fit and your proposed mounting hardware.
2. Work through a counted example
Here is a design example for a square light path measuring 24 inches per side along the pixel centerlines. It is not a measured customer installation. Place 12 holes on each side at positions 1, 3, 5 and so on through 23 inches. Each side therefore has a 22-inch span between its first and last pixel.
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Side | Nodes | Numbering when viewed from the front |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom | 12 | 1β12, left to right |
| Right | 12 | 13β24, bottom to top |
| Top | 12 | 25β36, right to left |
| Left | 12 | 37β48, top to bottom |
The result is 48 pixels with no shared corner pixel counted twice. Because the corner-adjacent pixels are each one inch from the theoretical corner, their straight-line separation is about 1.41 inches. That is a geometry check, not permission to stretch the wiring: route the actual wire around the profile and leave relaxed bends.
Lay out the delivered track against this drawing before cutting. Choose cut positions that preserve the holes and leave sufficient material around them. For a mitered square, a 24-inch centerline dimension is not the same as a 24-inch outside-edge cut. Account for the measured profile width and saw kerf. If the factory hole positions or mounting clearances cannot produce the example cleanly, change the dimensions or node count and update the table first.
3. Gather the complete build materials
- Enough Kraken Structural track for four sides, plus cutting allowance.
- The selected EVO pixels, with an agreed plan for the required finished length.
- Appropriate supports and fasteners for the actual mounting surface.
- A compatible xConnect extension and an output cap for the final exposed output.
- A tape measure, square, marking tool, suitable saw and deburring tools.
- A compatible 12V controller and power arrangement for bench testing.
The track is sold as a larger kit. Price the whole purchased kit in your first-project budget; leftover material may serve later windows. Verify the delivered stick lengths before optimizing cuts.
4. Cut, dry-fit and support the track
Label the pieces Bottom, Right, Top and Left before assembly. Cut the first set, remove sharp edges and check it against the window. Keep fasteners and cut edges away from pixel bodies and wires.
Support each rail securely. Do not rely on the pixel wire to hold the corners together, and do not assume the corners alone turn the track into a rigid, freestanding frame. A removable backing frame or independent mounting points needs hardware appropriate to its weight, surface and exposure. Check that you can remove the outline without pulling on the electrical connectors.
5. Install pixels in the documented order
Test the string before pushing it. Begin at the lower-left corner with data entering pixel 1, then follow the numbering table around the frame. Leave room behind each corner for wiring and connector access. Check that the pixels seat consistently without forcing them.
A 100-node string does not become a 48-node string just because the model has 48 nodes. Decide whether you are ordering a suitable custom length or modifying a string. The EVO listing's warranty applies to unmodified, uncut strings; review that condition before cutting. Any modification needs the correct polarity, data direction, conductor size and outdoor termination.
6. Match xLights and test the finished outline
Create or edit the window model to represent the actual four sides and starting point. Use its wiring view to check the node order. Assign the intended controller and output, then save and update supported controller settings as required.
Run red, green and blue tests, then a single moving pixel. It should begin at the lower left and travel around the frame in the documented order. A reversed side or misplaced corner is easier to fix now than after every window is installed.
Test again through the intended extension at your planned operating brightness. Label the frame, cable and controller port, and save the final measurements and node count with your parts-list worksheet. Use that confirmed first build as the template for the remaining windows.
