WS2815 Pixel Protocol
Manufacturer: Worldsemi
A 12V single-wire addressable RGB pixel protocol with a redundant backup data line for resilience across long runs.
Specifications
| Clock Type | Data-Only |
| Color Resolution | 8 Bits |
| Physical Package | SMD5050 with integrated LEDs |
| RGB | Yes |
| RGBW | No |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 12V |
| PWM Rate | 2000Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 67fps |
| Redundant Data Line | Yes |
Strengths
- Single-wire, self-clocking data protocol: only one signal conductor plus power and ground, keeping wiring simple and cabling costs down.
- Redundant backup data line means a single failed pixel does not cut the data path to the rest of the run, a genuine reliability gain for long installs.
- 12V operation reduces voltage drop along a strip versus 5V chips, allowing longer sections between power injection points; 8-bit-per-channel RGB and a 2000Hz PWM rate keep it comfortably flicker-free for cameras up to 67fps.
Limitations
- Single-wire timing-sensitive protocols like this depend on tight signal integrity; long or poorly terminated data lines can still corrupt the stream despite the backup line, so keep controller-to-first-pixel runs short and use proper line conditioning.
- Colour depth is fixed at 8 bits per channel, so very slow fades can show visible banding in the darkest steps; the 2000Hz PWM rate is adequate for camera work up to the rated 67fps but leaves limited headroom for higher-frame-rate or slow-motion capture.
Overview
The WS2815 is a data-only, single-wire addressable RGB pixel protocol running at 12V, with each SMD5050 LED carrying an integrated driver IC that reads its 24-bit RGB data (8 bits per channel) and forwards the remaining stream down the chain. Its defining feature is a redundant backup data line: if one LED fails, the next pixel still receives signal, so a single dead node no longer breaks the whole run. Running at 12V reduces voltage drop over distance compared with 5V parts. ENTTEC is not affiliated with Worldsemi.
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.