“How much will my light show cost?” needs a project attached to it. A first string on the workbench, four window outlines and a MegaTree use different equipment and have different installation costs.
These three budgets use exact Mattos variants and prices checked on October 29, 2026, in U.S. dollars. The totals below are the verified merchandise portions of the projects. Complete your own total by adding the installation and ownership items listed for each example. Use actual quotes for work that depends on your property.
All examples assume you already have a suitable computer, an Ethernet network, an appropriate AC supply and any audio equipment you want to use. Tax, shipping where applicable, tools, music, purchased sequences and labor are additional. Prices can change; a listed product is not a promise of current availability.
Budget 1: Learn with 100 pixels — $378.18 in listed equipment
The goal is one working connection that you can test and sequence on a bench before building outdoor props. The selected ready-to-run controller includes its enclosure and 12V power supply, so those are not purchased again.
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Exact selected product or variant | Qty | Each | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD1500 Baldrick8 RTR — xConnect | 1 | $349.00 | $349.00 |
| EVO — 100ct / 4in / Black / xConnect–EasyPlug | 1 | $18.89 | $18.89 |
| EZ Label single cable — 5ft / Black | 1 | $2.49 | $2.49 |
| 10 output caps — xConnect/EasyPlug | 1 | $7.80 | $7.80 |
| Verified merchandise subtotal | $378.18 | ||
Add to finish your personal budget: the Ethernet connection needed to reach the controller, any computer network adapter you need, labels and a suitable work area. This is a learning setup; an outdoor mounting structure is not included.
The 5-foot extension is a chosen example length. Replace it with the length your route requires. Confirm the connector and polarity on the delivered equipment, then work through one color and a moving-pixel test before trying a complete musical sequence.
Budget 2: Four small window outlines — $679.46 in listed equipment
This example repeats the 48-node square layout in our window-frame guide four times. That gives 192 installed nodes from 200 purchased nodes. Four controller outputs serve four windows, with one selected extension for each.
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Exact selected product or variant | Qty | Each | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| MD1500 Baldrick8 RTR — xConnect | 1 | $349.00 | $349.00 |
| Kraken Structural — complete track kit | 1 | $268.92 | $268.92 |
| EVO — 100ct / 4in / Black / xConnect–EasyPlug | 2 | $18.89 | $37.78 |
| EZ Label single cable — 10ft / Black | 4 | $3.99 | $15.96 |
| 10 output caps — xConnect/EasyPlug | 1 | $7.80 | $7.80 |
| Verified merchandise subtotal | $679.46 | ||
Add to finish your personal budget: surface-appropriate frame supports and fasteners, any backing structure, approved termination materials and pigtails for the finished strings, labels and the required network/AC connections.
The entire track kit is included in the purchase total even though these small outlines leave material for later projects. Pixel quantities assume finished 48-node lengths; check the product's uncut-string warranty condition before modifying stock strings, or request a quote for appropriate custom lengths. A custom-length quote replaces the pixel line rather than being hidden inside it.
Ten-foot extensions are budget assumptions, not measurements of your house. Measure each route and update those four lines. A longer route may require a different power or data arrangement, so cable changes need more than a price adjustment.
Budget 3: An Apollo MegaTree — $3,994.75 in listed equipment
This selects Apollo / USA / 32 Strands 2in Spacing, including the selected Kraken Flex lighting option. The listed Apollo configuration is 32 strands of 75 nodes, or 2,400 nodes. Do not add a second purchase of those same strands.
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Exact selected product or variant | Qty | Each | Line total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sasquatch Legend — Apollo / USA / 32 Strands 2in Spacing | 1 | $2,555.59 | $2,555.59 |
| MD1500 Baldrick17 RTR — Mconnect | 2 | $634.00 | $1,268.00 |
| EZ Label 10-pack — 5ft / Mconnect Pro Series / Flat | 4 | $34.99 | $139.96 |
| 10 output caps — Mconnect | 4 | $7.80 | $31.20 |
| Verified merchandise subtotal | $3,994.75 | ||
This example uses a straightforward physical arrangement: one strand per output, with 16 strands assigned to each of two 17-output Mconnect controllers. It is a budgeting choice that avoids depending on an unverified chained-strand plan; it is not a claim that every Apollo installation needs two controllers.
The four extension packs contain 40 cables, allowing 32 individual strand leads and eight unused spares. Four cap packs contain 40 caps, enough for 32 strand outputs and the two unused controller outputs, with six spare. Five-foot leads assume nearby controller placement; confirm actual routing around the tree before ordering.
Add to finish your personal budget: the exact site anchoring and guying requirements from the current tree instructions, controller mounting, suitable AC distribution, network cabling and any additional power-distribution materials required by the verified load plan. Optional stars, extra props, playback hardware and installation labor are outside this example.
The final electrical plan still needs the current strand load, controller bank limits, cable lengths and intended brightness checked together. A controller's advertised pixel capacity describes data capability; it does not establish that every possible connected load can be powered through it. Keep the selected tree configuration within its current installation requirements.
Turn a merchandise subtotal into your finished budget
Scroll sideways to see all columns.
| Budget line | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Verified equipment | The applicable subtotal above, adjusted to current variant prices. |
| Installation materials | Your measured hardware list and local supplier prices. |
| Equipment not already owned | Actual quotes for computer/player, networking, tools and audio as needed. |
| Delivery and tax | The checkout amounts for your location and order. |
| Labor and extra reserve | Your installation quote and the reserve you choose to keep. |
Record what each line includes. If an existing controller can safely serve the new project, remove the new-controller purchase instead of counting it twice. If you need more equipment, add it openly. Use our layout-to-parts-list workflow to close those quantities before ordering.
Price and specification references
Put the guide to work
Use Build This Project for the same merchandise examples with current variant prices and availability. You can omit equipment you already own and review the selected items together before checkout. Site-specific construction and electrical requirements remain part of your personal plan.
