UCS2904 Pixel Protocol
Manufacturer: Shenzhen Ucs
The UCS2904 is a single-wire, individually addressable RGBW pixel driver running at 5 to 24V with WS2812-style self-clocking timing and 32-bit color.
Specifications
| Clock Type | Data-Only |
| Color Resolution | 8 Bits |
| Physical Package | SOP8 |
| RGB | No |
| RGBW | Yes |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5 - 24V |
| PWM Rate | 1800Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 60fps |
| Redundant Data Line | No |
Strengths
- Single-wire wiring: one data conductor plus power and ground, so there is no separate clock line to route, terminate, or fail, and no high-frequency clock conductor radiating EMI.
- Dedicated white channel (RGBW): a true white LED alongside RGB gives cleaner, more consistent whites and better pastel mixing than an RGB-only chip that has to fake white from three colors.
- Wide 5 to 24V supply range: higher-voltage (up to 24V) installs reduce voltage drop and the number of power-injection points needed on long runs.
Limitations
- Data-only single-wire timing is sensitive: the self-clocking scheme depends on tight pulse-width timing, so controller compatibility and cable quality matter, especially on long runs. There is no redundant/backup data line, so a single failed pixel breaks the whole downstream chain.
- 8-bit per channel (256 levels per color) is standard but not deep: slow, low-level fades can show visible banding compared with higher-bit-depth drivers.
- 1800Hz PWM is comfortably flicker-free for the rated up-to-60fps capture, but it is modest by current standards; very high-speed cinema or slow-motion capture beyond 60fps may still catch artifacts, so treat 60fps as the practical camera-safe ceiling for this chip.
Overview
The UCS2904 is a single-wire, individually addressable RGBW LED driver in a SOP8 package. Each pixel embeds a controller that latches 8-bit-per-channel data (32-bit color across red, green, blue and a dedicated white) and self-clocks in the WS2812 style on one data line, forwarding the rest of the frame downstream. It runs across a wide 5 to 24V supply, and its 1800Hz PWM is comfortably flicker-free for the rated up-to-60fps capture. ENTTEC pixel controllers drive a wide range of pixel protocols; contact ENTTEC about chips not listed. The chip is commonly attributed to Shenzhen Ucs, and ENTTEC is not affiliated with Shenzhen Ucs.
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.