SM16804 Pixel Protocol
Manufacturer: Sunmoon MicroelectronicsA single-wire, self-clocking RGBW pixel driver with 8-bit-per-channel colour and a 4 kHz PWM rate that stays flicker-free to 133 fps.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Clock Type | Data-Only |
| Color Resolution | 8 Bits |
| Physical Package | SOP8 |
| RGB | No |
| RGBW | Yes |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5 - 30V |
| PWM Rate | 4000Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 133fps |
| Redundant Data Line | No |
Strengths
- Single-wire (data plus power) topology: no clock conductor to run, which lowers conductor count and cabling cost compared with two-wire clocked chips.
- Native RGBW with a dedicated white channel at 8 bits per channel, giving cleaner whites and pastel mixes than RGB-only drivers.
- Wide 5 to 30V pixel supply lets installers run higher-voltage strings for longer runs with less voltage drop, and its 4 kHz PWM is comfortably flicker-free to 133 fps.
Limitations
- As a single-wire self-clocking protocol it is timing-sensitive: signal integrity depends on tight pulse timing, so long controller-to-first-pixel leads, weak data injection or marginal level-shifting can corrupt data. Keep the first lead short and inject data cleanly.
- No redundant data line: a single dead IC halts every pixel downstream of it, and the SM16804 offers no backup data path to route around the fault.
Overview
The SM16804 is a data-only pixel driver: one self-clocking data line carries timing-sensitive signalling to each IC, so there is no separate clock conductor to run. Every device drives an RGBW pixel at 8 bits per channel (a dedicated white alongside red, green and blue) and refreshes at a 4 kHz PWM rate, comfortably flicker-free for cameras up to 133 fps. It accepts a wide 5 to 30V pixel supply and comes in a SOP8 package. There is no redundant data line, so a failed IC breaks the chain downstream of the fault. The SM16804 is made by Sunmoon Microelectronics, whose "SM" part-number prefix stands for SunMoon. ENTTEC is not affiliated with Sunmoon Microelectronics.
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.