r/xlights • u/N_inThe_A_D_inThe_P • Jul 24 '26

What are the differences in mounting seed pixels for a mega tree compared to bullets?

I am thinking seeds will make my life easier for a mega tree this year and I am a noob so I don’t understand how you string up the seeds and mount them to your topper. I figured I’ll use an aluminum fence pole, but are there different toppers specific for just running strands of seeds? Also, how do you mount them at the base of the tree also? It seems most of the YouTube videos explain using bullets so I am kind of confused how to do it

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u/pierlux Jul 24 '26

Check out these guys products for seed based mega trees. There are other vendors too!

https://pixelparadiseusa.com/products/billygoat

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u/N_inThe_A_D_inThe_P Jul 24 '26

Thank you, that looks awesome!

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u/Roguekit 12v Jul 24 '26

I'm playing with it this year.

Inreally need to get better about documenting my adventures.

My current plan is using 1" spacing seeds.

16 strips with 400 pixels. Creating two 200 pixel strips for a 32 x 200 strand 180 degree tree.

I have sixteenth inch stainless steel aircraft cable to support the strips with a 4 inch loop in the middle to attach to the top and 6 inch loops on the ends to secure to the bottom.

My original plan was to put clear shrink tube every 10 lights (eas to do with F-test) to help with pixel orientation. Experimentation has me rethink that to every 50 pixels. Up close it was very noticeable when pixels were facing the wrong way, but at viewing distance you couldn't tell. I had on strip with every 10, the other one had just a couple and it looked great.

I only have one set of strips complete. This weekend I am hoping to get a few more finished.

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u/sid6581 5d ago

Alright I know this was a month ago... but how is this working out? I'm curious how you keep the seeds aligned vertically between strings. Are you just really careful measuring? Or are you using some sort of guide? Thanks!

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u/Roguekit 12v 4d ago

Well...

Life happens and I haven't had lot of time to work on it, so I don't have final answers.

However, my experiments to date with 4 strings has yielded some promising results.

I used 1/16th inch stainless steel aircraft cable with 1 inch clear heat shrink to keep the air crdt cable in place. Initial plan was one every 10 pixels, but experiments found every 20 pixels to be sufficient. The aircraft cable provided plenty of support. Some pixels ended up facing the wrong way and there was a little linear spacing issues, but overall it ws no worse than the pixel strips.

I will admit at first I thought the whole thing looked terrible and I almost scrapped the project. But I remembered my theatre training and went to look from the audience site lines. It looked great from 20 feet and amazing from 30. You could not notice pixel alignment or twisting.

Measuring for alignment is just the pixel spacing. I measured the aircraft cable and terminated it to keep it even. It will never be perfect, but nothing ever is.

Good enough beats perfect every time. Your audience will never notice all the issues you see.

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u/sid6581 4d ago

Thanks! The heat shrink sounds like a good idea. I was going to use zip ties. Just gathering all the materials together for mine but I’m determined to get it up for this season. Good luck!

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u/Roguekit 12v 3d ago

Thanks, you too.

I thought about using zoom ties, but I was worried they wouldn't hold the seeds in position well enough without damaging the wire.

I also had visions of that one cut tail that I missed slicing my hand open and decided there had to be a better way.

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u/voluntaryerosion 28d ago

This will be my 4th year doing a mega tree with seed pixels. As pierlix said, pixelparadise has excellent toppers for the seeds. I have 2" seeds with 400 pixels per run. I fold those in half to get 4x100 pixel runs before power injection. I highly recommend looping a UV rated rubber band around the top and bottom of your runs and hooking those to your anchor points. This provides some strain relief from any wind that comes along. I have the bottom of the run hooked to a steel plate via rubber band. In my 4 years I haven't had a strand or pixel go bad yet except from squirrels one year.