HD108 Pixel Protocol
A two-wire clocked RGB pixel offering 16-bit-per-channel colour and a 27 kHz PWM rate, aimed at high-speed camera work and fine low-end gradients.
Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Clock Type | Clocked |
| Color Resolution | 16 Bits |
| Physical Package | SMD5050 with integrated LEDs |
| RGB | Yes |
| RGBW | No |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5V |
| PWM Rate | 27,000Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 900fps |
| Redundant Data Line | No |
Strengths
- 16-bit-per-channel colour depth (65,536 levels versus the 8-bit, 256-level output of typical pixels) resolves very fine steps at the bottom of the dimming curve, so slow fades and dark gradients stay smooth instead of banding.
- The separate clock line decouples refresh timing from the incoming data rate, giving good timing tolerance, and the 27 kHz PWM is high enough to read as flicker-free on high-speed cameras rated to 900fps for broadcast and film work.
- Standard 5V RGB pixel in a common SMD5050 footprint with the driver integrated into each LED, so it drops into conventional strip and dot layouts.
Limitations
- Being clocked is a real tradeoff, not a free advantage: the second (clock) conductor adds wiring and cost and another point of failure, and a high-frequency clock line radiates EMI that can interfere in sensitive installations. The genuine timing-tolerance benefit comes at that price, and the wider market is trending toward data-only single-wire chips to avoid both. With no redundant data line, one break also drops every pixel downstream.
- The 27 kHz PWM and 16-bit depth are useful but subject to normal engineering limits: usable bit depth can fall as refresh climbs, and 5V operation constrains run length before voltage drop forces re-injection. Beyond a sensible camera-safe margin (already met here for up to 900fps), higher headline numbers add little practical benefit.
Overview
HD108 is a clocked, individually addressable RGB pixel that carries data and a separate clock on two wires, placing it in the APA102/SK9822 family rather than the single-wire WS2812 group. Its defining feature is 16-bit-per-channel colour (65,536 levels), a large step up from the usual 8-bit depth, which smooths low-intensity fades and gradients. Each pixel runs at 5V, ships in a standard SMD5050 package with integrated LEDs, and drives a 27 kHz PWM rate that stays comfortably flicker-free for high-speed camera capture up to 900fps. It has no redundant data line.
Compatible ENTTEC controllers
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.