What could be better than smart RGB LEDs? Smart RGB + White LEDs! These NeoPixel rings feature 4 LEDs (red, green, blue, and white) for amazing lighting effects. This is the 24-LED RGBW NeoPixel Ring in Natural White. There are also many other NeoPixel rings in our store. 24 ultra-bright smart LED NeoPixels are arranged in a circle with a 2.58' (65.5mm) outer diameter. The rings are chainable - just connect the output pin of one to the input pin of another. You only need one microcontroller pin to control as many as you can chain. Each LED is addressable as the driver chip is inside. With ~18mA constant current drive, the color remains consistent even with voltage changes, and no external choke resistors are needed for a slim design. Power it with 5VDC and you're good to go. The NeoPixel is split - one half is the familiar RGB, and the other half is a white LED with yellow phosphor. Unlit, it looks like an egg yolk. When lit, it's incredibly bright. You can control it with 8-bit PWM per channel (32-bit color overall). Great for adding colorful and white dots to your project! NeoPixel LEDs use an 800 KHz protocol, requiring specific timing. Their PWM rate is ~400 Hz, which works well but may be noticeable if the LED is moving. In contrast, DotStars have a 20 KHz PWM rate for smooth blending. (We recommend DotStars if possible.) NeoPixels are 5050-sized LEDs with an embedded microcontroller inside. You can set the brightness and color of each R/G/B/W with 8-bit PWM precision (32-bit color per pixel). They're controlled by shift-registers and only need 1 digital output pin for data. The PWM is built into each LED-chip, so once you set the color, it'll keep going. We have a tutorial on wiring, power usage calculations, and example code. Note that you need a NeoPixel library with RGBW support, which may not always be available. Our Adafruit NeoPixel library supports RGBW, but other libraries may need some adjustment. Our detailed NeoPixel Uberguide has everything you need for NeoPixels of any shape and size, including ready-to-go library and example code for various Arduino models. It comes as a single ring with 24 individually addressable RGB LEDs, already assembled and tested.
Using this NeoPixel ring is easy. First, power it with 5VDC. You can chain multiple rings together by connecting the output pin of one to the input pin of another, and control them all with just one microcontroller pin. To set the color and brightness of each LED, use an 8-bit PWM precision. Remember, you'll need a NeoPixel library with RGBW support. Our Adafruit NeoPixel library works well, but if you use a different one, you might need to make some adjustments. When it comes to maintenance, keep it in a dry and cool place. Avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures or humidity. If you want to move the LEDs around, be aware that the NeoPixel's PWM rate of ~400 Hz may cause some pixelation. In such cases, we recommend DotStars with a 20 KHz PWM rate for smoother blending.
