NEW PRODUCT – Digital RGB LED Pixels (Strand of 20)
NEW PRODUCT – Digital RGB LED Pixels (Strand of 20)! RGB Pixels are digitally-controllable lights you can set to any color, or animate. Each RGB LED and controller chip is molded into a ‘dot’ of silicone. The dots are waterproof and rugged. There are four flanges molded in so that you can ‘push’ them into a 20mm drill hole in any material up to 2mm/0.08″ thick. They’re typically used to make outdoor signs.
The pixels are connected by a 4-conductor cable. Red is +5V, Blue is Ground, Yellow is Data and Green is Clock. Data is shifted down from one pixel to the next so that you can easily cut the strand or attach more onto the end.
Each dot is digitally controlled, with an internal 5-bit PWM LED driver (15-bit color for 32,768 different shades). The pixels must be clocked by a microcontroller, we have an example code linked below that works on an Arduino, it should be simple to adapt it to any other microcontroller.
The pixels use 5050 surface mount RGB LEDs, with brightness of about 500 mcd per individual r/g/b LED. If you need something much brighter, check out the Shiftbrites, they use a piranha-style LED that is 5000 mcd+
20mm diameter (0.75″) 16.5mm deep (0.65″)
64mm / 2.5″ apart on the strand
20 pieces per strand
15 bit color
5V power, 60mA maximum per pixel (LED on full white)
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“You can solder multiple strands in a row, as many as you wish.”
You’ll need to look out for power consumption though!
If the cable is 22AWG (*1), you’ll get max. 7A/60mA = 116 LEDs < 6 strands
But, it also seems the power and ground are routed in one side and out the other of each LED, so watch out for the max. current through the board traces too! [Any specs on that?]
It might be a good idea to suggest resupplying power and ground every N strands (serializing data will be fine as long as the grounds are tied together though)
Hi,
“You can solder multiple strands in a row, as many as you wish.”
You’ll need to look out for power consumption though!
If the cable is 22AWG (*1), you’ll get max. 7A/60mA = 116 LEDs < 6 strands
But, it also seems the power and ground are routed in one side and out the other of each LED, so watch out for the max. current through the board traces too! [Any specs on that?]
It might be a good idea to suggest resupplying power and ground every N strands (serializing data will be fine as long as the grounds are tied together though)
Cheers,
Jonathan
(*1: http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm)
How far apart can these pixels be placed from each other without modifying the wiring?
probably a couple of feet. total length we would suggest keeping under 100 ft.