WS2813 Pixel LEDs Protocol Overview

 

Pixel Protocol Overview: WS2813

This pixel protocol was designed by Newstar in China. WS2813 offers many of the benefits the WS28xx series is famous for, as well as being the first in the series to offer both a redundant data line and a much higher PWM rate, making it one of the most common protocols for pixel lighting displays. There are multiple variants of WS2813, including A, B, C and D. These variants offer different brightness levels so that all budgets are met. The control circuit and LEDs are integrated in a 5050 SMD package, which provides a small physical footprint for each pixel. similar to SK6813.

PixLite Support

Are you looking for WS2813 pixel drivers that work with Art-Net or sACN? All PixLite Mk2 products support WS2813 as an available Pixel IC type, so get in touch with us to find out how the lighting specialists at Advatek can support you in your pixel lighting project.

Technical Specifications

Clock TypeData-Only
Color Resolution8 bits
Physical PackageSMD5050 with integrated LEDs
RGBYes
RGBWSee WS2814
Output Pixel Voltage5 – 12V
PWM Rate2000Hz
Suitable CameraUp to 67fps, see Refresh Rate and PWM Rate
Data Transfer Rate800kbps
Redundant Data LineYes

Color Specifications

ColorBrightnessWavelength
Red480(A) / 360(B) / 120(C) / 100(D) mcd620 – 622 nm
Green1500(A) / 1150(B) / 540(C) / 420(D) mcd522 – 525 nm
Blue320(A) / 220(B) / 130(C) / 110(D) mcd467 – 470 nm

WS2813 Advantages

  • Up to 12V, allowing for long cable lengths
  • High PWM rate allows for filming these pixels with cameras up to 67fps
  • Redundant data line reduces chance of entire strip failure

WS2813 Disadvantages

  • Data-only restricts refresh rates to be limited by the speed of the protocol, which will generally be slow
  • Only 8 bits of data for each color makes dimming curves less smooth

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