SK6813 Pixel Protocol
Manufacturer: Opsco Optoelectronic (also seen branded Normand)
A single-wire, individually addressable 5V RGB pixel with an integrated 8-bit-per-channel controller in each SMD5050 package.
Specifications
| Clock Type | Data-Only |
| Color Resolution | 8 Bits |
| Physical Package | SMD5050 with integrated LEDs |
| RGB | Yes |
| RGBW | No |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5V |
| PWM Rate | 1200Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 40fps |
| Redundant Data Line | No |
Strengths
- Single-wire self-clocking design: only one data conductor plus power and ground, so cabling and connector count stay low compared with two-wire clocked pixels.
- 1200Hz PWM is comfortably above what a 40fps camera needs, giving a sensible flicker-free margin for on-camera and architectural installs without chasing headline refresh figures.
- Integrated per-pixel controller handling 8-bit (24-bit RGB) data with regenerated forwarding, letting pixels cascade in long chains from a single output.
Limitations
- As a data-only single-wire protocol it is timing-sensitive: the pulse windows are tight, so signal integrity, cable length and injection points must be managed carefully over long runs.
- This row specifies no redundant data line, so a single failed pixel or broken joint interrupts every pixel downstream, and 8-bit depth (256 levels per channel) can show banding on slow, very-low-level fades.
Overview
The SK6813 is a 5V, single-wire (data-only) addressable RGB pixel that packages an integrated controller inside each SMD5050 LED. It self-clocks from one timed data line, so no separate clock conductor is needed: pixels cascade in a chain, each latching its 24-bit word (8 bits per channel) and forwarding the rest. Its 1200Hz PWM rate keeps output comfortably flicker-free at up to 40fps, suiting typical on-camera and architectural work. This row specifies no redundant data line and no white channel (RGB only). ENTTEC is not affiliated with Opsco Optoelectronic.
Compatible ENTTEC controllers
Sku: 71521
Sku: 73539
Sku: 70067
Sku: 70068
Sku: 73-545
Sku: 73924
ENTTEC has been engineering lighting control in Australia since 1999, and shipping LED pixel controllers since the original Pixelator in 2014.