WS2816C Pixel Protocol
Manufacturer: WorldsemiA 5V single-wire RGB pixel chip whose standout feature is 16-bit per-channel colour depth plus a redundant backup data line for run reliability.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Clock Type | Data-Only |
| Color Resolution | 16 Bits |
| Physical Package | SMD5050 with integrated LEDs |
| RGB | Yes |
| RGBW | No |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5V |
| PWM Rate | 10,000Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 333fps |
| Redundant Data Line | Yes |
Strengths
- 16-bit per-channel colour resolution: markedly finer control at the low end of the dimming curve and smoother gradients than the common 8-bit WS281x parts, useful for slow fades and subtle animation.
- Redundant data line: if one pixel's forward data output fails, the backup path lets the rest of the chain keep receiving signal, improving reliability on longer runs and permanent installs.
- Simple single-wire (data-only) wiring at 5V in a standard SMD5050 footprint, so it drops into existing WS2812-style layouts with only one data conductor to route.
Limitations
- As a self-clocking data-only chip, timing is tolerance-sensitive: signal integrity depends on clean 5V, short data hops and proper injection, and 5V runs need power injection to avoid voltage droop over distance.
- RGB only (no white channel), so it cannot produce a dedicated or tunable white; and the 16-bit benefit is only realised if the driving controller genuinely outputs 16-bit data, otherwise it behaves like an ordinary 8-bit pixel.
Overview
The WS2816C is a data-only, single-wire addressable RGB pixel built into an SMD5050 package with integrated LEDs, running at 5V. Each node self-clocks from one data line and forwards the stream down the chain, in the same signalling style as the WS2812. Its differentiator is 16-bit colour resolution per channel, giving far finer low-end dimming and smoother gradients than typical 8-bit pixels, alongside a redundant data line that lets the chain continue past a single failed node. Worldsemi produces the WS281x family. ENTTEC is not affiliated with Worldsemi.
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.