TM1934 Pixel Protocol
Manufacturer: Titan Micro ElectronicsA single-wire, individually addressable 24-bit RGB pixel IC with a redundant backup data line for chain resilience.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Clock Type | Data-Only |
| Color Resolution | 8 Bits |
| Physical Package | SOP8 |
| RGB | Yes |
| RGBW | No |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5 - 24V |
| PWM Rate | 666Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 23fps |
| Redundant Data Line | Yes |
Strengths
- Single-wire self-clocking data means one signal conductor per run, cutting wiring versus two-wire clocked parts and removing the clock line as a failure and EMI source.
- A redundant (backup) data line allows the chain to keep passing pixel data past a single broken or failed node instead of losing everything downstream, useful for long or hard-to-service installs.
- Wide 5V to 24V pixel supply range gives flexibility on voltage drop and run length, and full 8-bit-per-channel (24-bit RGB) depth supports smooth gradients.
Limitations
- Rated camera-safe only up to 23fps at its 666Hz PWM rate: that refresh is adequate for the stated frame rate but leaves little headroom for higher-speed broadcast or cinema capture, where faster shutter and frame rates can reveal banding or flicker.
- As a self-clocking single-wire protocol the bit timing is tolerance-sensitive: cable length, driver quality and signal integrity matter, and it is RGB only (no white channel) at a fixed 8-bit depth.
Overview
The TM1934 is a single-wire (data-only) addressable RGB pixel driver, commonly attributed to Titan Micro Electronics on the basis of its "TM" prefix rather than markings verified on this die. Each SOP8 chip embeds its own controller, latches 8 bits per channel (24-bit colour), and forwards the remaining stream down the chain, so no separate clock conductor is required. It supports a wide 5V to 24V pixel supply and adds a redundant data line, letting a run survive a single failed link rather than going dark from that point on. The 666Hz PWM output is comfortably flicker-free for the rated cameras (up to 23fps). ENTTEC is not affiliated with Titan Micro Electronics.
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.