UCS2903 Pixel Protocol
Manufacturer: Shenzhen UCSA single-wire, self-clocking 24-bit RGB pixel IC in an SOP8 package, rated across a 5V to 24V pixel supply range.
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 | 1600Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 54fps |
| Redundant Data Line | No |
Strengths
- Single-wire self-clocking design: one data line per run keeps wiring and connectors simple, with no clock conductor to route, terminate, or shield.
- Wide 5V to 24V pixel supply rating gives installers flexibility to run at higher voltage where longer power spans or reduced voltage drop matter, unusual for a WS2812-style single-wire part.
- 8-bit-per-channel colour with a 1600Hz PWM rate is comfortably flicker-free for typical broadcast and film capture up to the rated 54fps.
Limitations
- No redundant (backup) data line: a single IC or joint failure breaks the chain and blanks every pixel downstream, so the run's reliability depends entirely on one signal path.
- As a timing-sensitive single-wire protocol, it is sensitive to cable length, capacitance, and electrical noise on the data line; long leader runs between controller and first pixel may need a buffered injector to keep edges clean.
- The 1600Hz PWM is adequate for the rated 54fps but leaves limited headroom above that; very high-frame-rate or slow-motion capture beyond the specified camera rating may reveal flicker, and 8-bit resolution can show banding on slow, deep fades.
Overview
The UCS2903 is a data-only pixel driver: a single self-clocking signal line carries 24-bit RGB data, with each IC latching its own three bytes and forwarding the rest down the chain, so no separate clock conductor is run. Colour is 8 bits per channel (256 levels each, 16.7 million combinations) and the internal PWM runs at 1600Hz, comfortably flicker-free for capture up to 54fps. The SOP8 part is RGB only (no white channel) and specified across a wide 5V to 24V pixel supply. ENTTEC is not affiliated with Shenzhen UCS.
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.