Hardware

The bill of materials.Buy it once. Own it forever.

Prices verified · Mar 2026

Complete shopping list

9 items

ItemPurposePricePriority↗

Raspberry Pi 4 (4 GB)Main controller$65Required Raspberry Pi 3B+Budget alternative$40Alternative MicroSD Card (32 GB)OS storage$8Required ENTTEC Open DMX USBDMX interface (entry-level)$67Alternative ENTTEC DMX USB ProDMX interface (recommended)$130Required Power Supply (USB-C / Micro-USB)Pi power$10Required DMX Cable (3-pin XLR)Fixture connection$10–15Required Wireless DMX SystemCable-free setup$60–200Optional Case for Raspberry PiProtection$7–15Recommended

Three ways to fly it

From budget to wireless

Minimum Setup

~$125

Pi 3B+ + Open DMX USB

Recommended Setup

~$230

Pi 4 + DMX USB Pro + case

With Wireless DMX

~$300–430

Full wireless setup

Example setups

03 configurations

Budget Setup

$125

·Raspberry Pi 3B+
·ENTTEC Open DMX USB
·2× LED par cans
·Basic cables & power

Creator Setup

$400

·Raspberry Pi 4 (4 GB)
·ENTTEC DMX USB Pro
·4× RGB LED panels
·Wireless DMX transmitter

Professional Setup

$1,200+

·Raspberry Pi 4 (8 GB)
·ENTTEC DMX USB Pro
·8+ fixtures (moving heads, pars, strips)
·Wireless DMX system
·Backup Pi

Selection · 01

Raspberry Pi

Both the Pi 3B+ and the Pi 4 work great for Lights Pi. The Pi 4 has more headroom; the 3B+ keeps the bill of materials lighter.

Choose Pi 4 if

·You have 10+ fixtures
·You want faster web interface
·You plan to run additional services
·You want to keep the MCP server snappy

Choose Pi 3B+ if

·You're on a budget
·You have fewer than 10 fixtures
·You want minimal power draw
·You're learning before scaling up

Selection · 02

ENTTEC DMX interface

ENTTEC makes the most widely supported USB-to-DMX interfaces for QLC+. Two models, two budgets.

Open DMX USB · $67

·Entry-level, open-source hardware
·Great for small setups and getting started
·Output only, no RDM support
·Works well with QLC+

DMX USB Pro · $130

·Professional-grade, faster frame rates
·RDM support for device discovery
·More stable under heavy load
·Recommended for 10+ fixtures

Avoid counterfeits. Buy from B&H Photo, Amazon (sold by ENTTEC), or authorized dealers — counterfeit units may not work properly with QLC+.

Selection · 03

DMX cables

Use proper DMX cable, not microphone cable. Most fixtures use 3-pin XLR; some pro fixtures use 5-pin. Cable quality matters on long runs.

·Maximum cable length: 300–500 ft total
·Use a termination resistor for long runs
·Avoid running DMX cables parallel to power
·ENTTEC interfaces use 5-pin — to connect to a 3-pin fixture (e.g. Chauvet D-Fi Hub 2) you'll need a 5-to-3 converter cable

Got the parts?

Ten minutes to first light.

Quick-start guide Hardware setup docs