MY9221 Pixel Protocol
Manufacturer: My-Semi Inc.The MY9221 is a two-wire clocked LED driver IC offering 16-bit per-channel greyscale and driving RGB pixels across a wide 5 to 24V range.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Clock Type | Clocked |
| Color Resolution | 16 Bits |
| Physical Package | SOP24 |
| RGB | Yes |
| RGBW | No |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5 - 24V |
| PWM Rate | 1000Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 34fps |
| Redundant Data Line | No |
Strengths
- 16-bit per-channel greyscale gives 65,536 steps per colour, enough for smooth low-end fades and banding-free gradients.
- The wide 5 to 24V pixel operating range suits both low-voltage strip work and higher-voltage runs that reduce voltage drop over distance.
- The dedicated clock line gives good timing tolerance: data is latched on clock edges instead of relying on tightly toleranced self-clocked pulse widths, which eases longer or electrically noisier runs.
Limitations
- As a clocked two-wire part it needs an extra clock conductor: more wiring and cost, another point of failure, and a high-frequency clock line that can radiate EMI in sensitive installations. The market is trending toward data-only single-wire chips to avoid both, so the timing-tolerance benefit comes at a real cost rather than being simply better. With no redundant data line, a single break halts the chain downstream.
- The 1000Hz PWM is adequate and flicker-free for camera use up to the rated 34fps, but leaves little headroom above that; for higher frame-rate or extreme slow-motion capture, confirm it meets your flicker budget rather than assuming the figure scales.
Overview
The MY9221 is a clocked pixel driver that uses two signal lines, a separate data line and clock line, rather than a single self-clocking wire. Each device provides 16-bit greyscale per colour channel for fine gradient control, drives RGB (not RGBW) pixels, and operates across a wide 5 to 24V supply. It ships in an SOP24 package, cascades along a chain, and carries no redundant data line. Its 1000Hz PWM is comfortably flicker-free for camera work up to 34fps. ENTTEC is not affiliated with My-Semi.
Mapping an installation? ELM, ENTTEC's free LED pixel mapping software, drives the controllers above over Art-Net and sACN, from a single fixture to building-scale maps.
ENTTEC has been engineering lighting control in Australia since 1999, and shipping LED pixel controllers since the original Pixelator in 2014.