P943 Pixel Protocol
P943 is a single-wire, self-clocking 24-bit RGB pixel IC in an SMD5050 package, with a redundant backup data line and a wide 5 to 17V supply range.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Clock Type | Data-Only |
| Color Resolution | 8 Bits |
| Physical Package | SMD5050 with integrated LEDs |
| RGB | Yes |
| RGBW | No |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5 - 17V |
| PWM Rate | 1600Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 53fps |
| Redundant Data Line | Yes |
Strengths
- Single-wire wiring: only a data line plus power is needed, with no separate clock conductor to route, terminate, or fault-find, which simplifies cabling and connectors.
- Redundant data line: a backup data path lets the chain keep running past a single failed data link, a useful reliability margin on long or hard-to-service runs.
- Wide 5 to 17V supply: the higher end of the range reduces voltage drop across long strings, allowing longer segments or fewer power-injection points than a fixed 5V part.
Limitations
- As a data-only single-wire protocol it is timing-critical: correct operation depends on strict pulse timing, so it is more sensitive to signal degradation over long cable runs and to noise than a two-wire clocked chip. The redundant data line mitigates single-point data dropouts but does not remove the underlying timing sensitivity.
- Colour is 8 bits per channel (24-bit) and RGB only, with no white channel. The 1600Hz PWM rate is comfortably flicker-free at the rated 53fps for typical capture, but leaves limited headroom for higher-frame-rate or slow-motion filming.
Overview
P943 is an individually addressable RGB pixel IC that runs on a single self-clocking data line, similar in approach to WS2812 but with its own timing. Each SMD5050 pixel integrates the controller, drives 8 bits per channel (24-bit RGB), and passes data down the chain. A redundant data line adds a backup path so one failed link need not break the run, and a wide 5 to 17V supply helps limit voltage drop over longer strings. ENTTEC pixel controllers (OCTO 71521, PIXELATOR MINI / MK2 70067/70068, DIN PIXIE 73539, 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.