UCS2904 Pixel Protocol
Manufacturer: Shenzhen UcsThe UCS2904 is a single-wire, individually addressable RGBW pixel driver running at 5 to 24V with WS2812-style self-clocking timing and 32-bit color.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Clock Type | Data-Only |
| Color Resolution | 8 Bits |
| Physical Package | SOP8 |
| RGB | No |
| RGBW | Yes |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5 - 24V |
| PWM Rate | 1800Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 60fps |
| Redundant Data Line | No |
Strengths
- Single-wire wiring: one data conductor plus power and ground, so there is no separate clock line to route, terminate, or fail, and no high-frequency clock conductor radiating EMI.
- Dedicated white channel (RGBW): a true white LED alongside RGB gives cleaner, more consistent whites and better pastel mixing than an RGB-only chip that has to fake white from three colors.
- Wide 5 to 24V supply range: higher-voltage (up to 24V) installs reduce voltage drop and the number of power-injection points needed on long runs.
Limitations
- Data-only single-wire timing is sensitive: the self-clocking scheme depends on tight pulse-width timing, so controller compatibility and cable quality matter, especially on long runs. There is no redundant/backup data line, so a single failed pixel breaks the whole downstream chain.
- 8-bit per channel (256 levels per color) is standard but not deep: slow, low-level fades can show visible banding compared with higher-bit-depth drivers.
- 1800Hz PWM is comfortably flicker-free for the rated up-to-60fps capture, but it is modest by current standards; very high-speed cinema or slow-motion capture beyond 60fps may still catch artifacts, so treat 60fps as the practical camera-safe ceiling for this chip.
Overview
The UCS2904 is a single-wire, individually addressable RGBW LED driver in a SOP8 package. Each pixel embeds a controller that latches 8-bit-per-channel data (32-bit color across red, green, blue and a dedicated white) and self-clocks in the WS2812 style on one data line, forwarding the rest of the frame downstream. It runs across a wide 5 to 24V supply, and its 1800Hz PWM is comfortably flicker-free for the rated up-to-60fps capture. ENTTEC pixel controllers drive a wide range of pixel protocols; contact ENTTEC about chips not listed. The chip is commonly attributed to Shenzhen Ucs, and 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.