You’ve committed to building an animated RGB light show, and you're ready to add some custom corrugated plastic (coro) props to your yard. But as you browse the GEUSA catalog, you notice a highly technical choice you have to make for certain items: Pixel Spacing (Node Density).
Should you go with 1-inch spacing, 2-inch spacing, or 3-inch spacing? Why does it matter, and how does it affect the way your light show looks from the street?
Let’s demystify pixel spacing so you can pick the perfect props for your layout layout.
What is Pixel Spacing in Coro Props?
Pixel spacing (often called "pitch" in the LED world) is simply the physical distance between the center of one pixel hole and the center of the next pixel hole drilled into the coro prop.
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High-Density Spacing (1-inch to 2-inch): The light bulbs are packed tightly together.
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Low-Density Spacing (3-inch+): The lights are spread out further apart.
The spacing you choose directly impacts two things: the total pixel count of the prop (which affects your controller budget) and how clear your animations look from a distance.
The Viewing Distance Rule (The Science of Spacing)
Your eyes naturally blur individual points of light together when you stand back from them. This is how digital billboards and TVs work.
In the holiday lighting hobby, the general rule of thumb is: The closer your display is to the sidewalk, the tighter your pixel spacing needs to be.
1. High-Density (1-inch to 1.5-inch Spacing)
When pixels are packed this tightly, you can display highly complex, recognizable graphics, crisp text scrolling, and smooth moving matrix effects.
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Best for: Elements that sit close to the street or on a front porch where viewers are only 10 to 20 feet away (like singing monster faces for Halloween, talking trees, or a matrix display near your front door).
2. Medium Density (2-inch Spacing)
This is the universal standard for the vast majority of yard props in the hobby today. It offers the perfect sweet spot between high-resolution graphics and keeping your total pixel budget reasonable.
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Best for: Standard yard props like snowflakes, stars, arches, and candy canes. From 30+ feet away at the curb, your brain seamlessly fills in the gaps to make the shapes look solid.
3. Low-Density (3-inch+ Spacing)
When props sit far away or are incredibly massive, you can spread the pixels out further without losing any visual quality.
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Best for: Roofline outlines, massive window frames, or mega-props mounted high up on a roof or chimney. From 60+ feet away, 3-inch spacing looks exactly like a solid line of light.
Balancing Pixel Counts vs. Your Wallet
Before you buy a high-density prop because it "looks cooler," remember that more holes mean more pixels to buy, push, and power.
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A 4-foot snowflake with 3-inch spacing might only require 100 pixels. (Easy to run on a single port with zero power injection).
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That exact same 4-foot snowflake drilled with 1-inch spacing could require 400+ pixels! (Now you need a dedicated port and power injection).
Always evaluate your available controller ports and budget before choosing a high-density option.
💡 The GEUSA Pro-Tip: xLights Sub-Models are Your Best Friend
Don't let a high pixel count scare you away from high-density props. Modern sequencing software like xLights features an incredible tool called Sub-Models.
If you buy a high-density GEUSA singing prop with 500 pixels, you don’t have to animate all 500 lights at the same time. You can use xLights sub-models to isolate just the outline of the prop, just the eyes, or just the mouth. This allows you to create incredibly crisp, fluid mouth movements and animations that make your props look truly alive.