Before you order a MegaTree, put the whole project on one sheet of paper. Tree, lights, controller, power, cables, and installation space all belong in the plan.
We want you to know what the finished setup needs before the boxes arrive. Use this checklist with the exact Sasquatch MegaTree kit you are considering.
1. Draw the yard as you will use it
Mark the tree position, viewing area, power source, controller, walking routes, and nearby obstacles. Include the assembly and lowering area required by the tree's instructions.
Take a photo from where viewers will stand or park. Will the tree block the house? Can you reach the controller? Can people still get to the front door without walking through cables?
Note slopes, paving, ground conditions, buried utilities, overhead lines, and restricted access. Resolve anything that conflicts with the specified support method before setup. Changing an anchor or extending a base leg does not automatically make a difficult site suitable.
2. Write down the exact lighting arrangement
Your worksheet needs the tree model, physical strand count, nodes per strand, node spacing, viewing coverage, connector type, and first-pixel direction. “A 32-strand tree” leaves too many questions unanswered.
For Sasquatch Legend, use the standard conventional-pixel arrangement of 32 strands, 2-inch spacing, and 360 degrees. Going beyond that requires Kraken lights and confirmation of the complete setup with us. Additional mounting holes do not establish additional load capacity.
3. Do the channel math, then the power plan
Ordinary independently controlled RGB pixels use three color channels each. As an arithmetic example, 32 strands with 100 pixels per strand give you 3,200 pixels and 9,600 channels. That example is not a recommendation for a specific tree size.
Map the physical strands to controller ports. Record the pixel count on each output, any receivers, and the data protocol. Check the controller limits for your exact hardware and firmware.
Then make a separate electrical plan from the selected lights' specifications. Being able to address a certain number of pixels does not mean the port can power them all through one connector. Include supply capacity, branch protection, cable, connectors, and any required power feeds.
4. Measure extensions to their real destinations
Measure from the controller to the strand inputs along the installed cable route. Include the route around the base and other obstacles. Name each destination and put the same name on the extension.
Choose the lengths you need, then test that actual combination. Buying every extension at maximum length creates extra cable to manage and can change how the system behaves. Connector condition and power placement matter too.
5. Budget every part of the finished tree
| Budget line | What goes in it |
|---|---|
| Structure | The exact kit variant and supports required by its instructions. |
| Lights | Strands, compatible mounts, and matching spares. |
| Control and power | Controller, receivers if required, supplies, protection, and enclosures. |
| Connections | Extensions, approved power accessories, labels, and output caps. |
| Seasonal use | Software or sequences, transport, storage, and needed installation help. |
Check included parts against the variant you are buying. Cross off equipment you already own only after confirming it suits the plan. A connector matching is a useful start, but it does not establish voltage, protocol, or capacity.
6. Schedule the first test before raising day
Give yourself time to inspect delivered parts and resolve anything missing or mismatched. Start with one strand on the bench, move to the full lighting arrangement, and then assemble according to the tree instructions.
Test each strand with its planned extension while you can reach it. Number strands in the same order as your worksheet. After installation, run a chase to check order and direction, then test your intended show brightness.
Keep the structural checks and lighting checks separate. Correct pixels do not prove the tree is assembled correctly, and correct assembly does not prove the channel map is right.
7. Save the setup that actually worked
Keep the instructions, controller configuration, software layout, finished photos, and cable map together. Add a short note whenever installation changes the original plan. That note is the detail you will appreciate during next year's setup.
If you are still choosing a family, start with our Sasquatch selection guide. When your worksheet is ready, send it and your questions to Support@Mattosdesigns.com. We can help check the proposed parts against the job you want them to do.
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.
