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.
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.