NS108E Pixel Protocol
A two-wire clocked RGB pixel driver pairing 16-bit-per-channel colour depth with a 4kHz PWM rate for smooth, camera-safe rendering.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Clock Type | Clocked |
| Color Resolution | 16 Bits |
| Physical Package | SMD5050 with integrated LEDs |
| RGB | Yes |
| RGBW | No |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5V |
| PWM Rate | 4000Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 134fps |
| Redundant Data Line | No |
Strengths
- 16-bit-per-channel colour resolution, far finer than the common 8-bit pixel chips, giving smoother low-level dimming and cleaner gradients at the bottom of the fade curve.
- The two-wire clocked design decouples data recovery from strict pulse-width timing, so it tolerates cable length and timing variation better than tightly-timed single-wire parts.
- A 4000Hz PWM rate is comfortably flicker-free for the rated 134fps capture, leaving a sensible margin for typical broadcast and film frame rates.
Limitations
- Being clocked, it needs a second (clock) conductor: that adds wiring and cost and another point of failure, and a high-frequency clock line can radiate EMI in sensitive installations. The timing tolerance is genuine, but the market is trending toward data-only single-wire chips to avoid the extra wire; clocked is a tradeoff, not simply better.
- No redundant data line, so a single dead pixel or broken joint kills the rest of the run downstream; at 5V, voltage drop over long chains also needs power injection planning.
Overview
The NS108E is a clocked, two-wire RGB pixel driver: it carries separate data and clock lines rather than a single self-clocking signal. Each 5V pixel comes as an SMD5050 with the LED integrated, drives 16-bit-per-channel colour, and refreshes at a 4000Hz PWM rate that stays comfortably flicker-free for cameras up to 134fps. There is no redundant data line, so a failed pixel interrupts everything downstream. The manufacturer is not firmly established, so no specific company is named here. ENTTEC pixel controllers (OCTO 71521, PIXELATOR MINI and MK2 70067/70068, DIN PIXIE 73539, and the PLINK Injectors) drive a wide range of pixel protocols; contact ENTTEC about any chip not listed.
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.