SM16716 Pixel Protocol
The SM16716 is a two-wire clocked RGB pixel driver with 8-bit per channel colour, running across a wide 5 to 24V range.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Clock Type | Clocked |
| Color Resolution | 8 Bits |
| Physical Package | SOP16 |
| RGB | Yes |
| RGBW | No |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5 - 24V |
| PWM Rate | 2500Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 84fps |
| Redundant Data Line | No |
Strengths
- Wide 5 to 24V operating range covers both low-voltage tape and higher-voltage strings, easing voltage-drop management over longer runs.
- Two-wire clocked interface gives genuine timing tolerance: because a separate clock line strobes each bit, the data path is far less sensitive to controller timing jitter than self-clocked single-wire chips.
- 8-bit per channel (24-bit RGB) driving at 2500Hz PWM is comfortably flicker-free for camera capture up to 84fps, which suits typical broadcast and video use.
Limitations
- Being clocked, it needs a second (clock) conductor: that adds wiring and cost, introduces another point of failure, and the high-frequency clock line can radiate EMI in sensitive installations. The timing-tolerance benefit is real but comes at that cost, and the wider market is trending toward data-only single-wire chips to avoid both.
- Colour depth is 8 bits per channel with no white channel (RGB only), so it offers no extra low-end dimming resolution or dedicated white mixing, and the row lists no redundant data line, meaning a single failed IC breaks the downstream chain.
- The 2500Hz PWM rate clears the camera-safety bar to 84fps with sensible margin, but leaves limited headroom above that: it is adequate rather than generous, so very high-speed capture beyond the stated range should be validated on site.
Overview
The SM16716 is a clocked RGB pixel driver: it uses two signal lines, separate data and clock, rather than a single self-clocking wire, so timing is governed by the controller's clock rather than tight fixed-width pulses. Each IC handles 8-bit per channel colour (24-bit RGB, with no dedicated white channel) and operates across a wide 5 to 24V supply range, which helps limit voltage drop on longer runs. Its 2500Hz PWM rate is comfortably flicker-free for on-camera work at frame rates up to 84fps.
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.