What's cooler than smart RGB LEDs? Smart RGB + White LEDs! These NeoPixel sticks are packed with 4 types of LEDs (red, green, blue, and white) for amazing lighting effects. They're super fun and glow brightly, and you can control each LED individually. This is the Natural White RGBW version, and we also offer Warm White, Cool White, and regular RGB options. The NeoPixel is unique - one half is the familiar RGB, and the other half is a white LED with a yellow phosphor. When lit, they're extremely bright. You can control them with 8 - bit PWM per channel, giving you 32 - bit color overall. We've squeezed 8 tiny 5050 (5mm x 5mm) smart RGBW LEDs onto a PCB with mounting holes and a chainable design. You only need one microcontroller pin to control as many as you can chain together. Each LED has a ~18mA constant current drive, so the color is consistent even with voltage changes, and no external choke resistors are needed. Power it with 5VDC (4 - 7V also works). NeoPixel LEDs use an 800 KHz protocol, so specific timing is required. They have a ~400 Hz PWM rate, which works well but may show pixelation if the LED is moving. DotStars have a 20 KHz PWM rate and smoother blending (we recommend DotStars if possible). The LEDs are chainable by connecting one stick's output to another's input. They require a real - time microcontroller like an AVR, Arduino, etc., and can't be used with Linux - based microcomputers. Our Arduino Neopixel library supports these pixels. You'll need a NeoPixel library with RGBW support. Our Adafruit NeoPixel library does support it. It comes as a single stick with 8 individually addressable RGBW LEDs, already assembled and tested. Our detailed NeoPixel Uberguide has all the info you need for using NeoPixels in any form.
Using your NeoPixel Stick is easy. First, power it with 5VDC (4 - 7V also works). Connect one stick to another by plugging the output of one into the input of the next if you want to chain them. You'll need a real - time microcontroller like an AVR or Arduino to control the LEDs. Use only one microcontroller pin to manage all the chained - together sticks. Make sure to use a NeoPixel library with RGBW support; our Adafruit NeoPixel library is a good option. When coding, keep in mind that each LED is individually addressable. You can create all sorts of cool lighting effects by controlling each LED separately. Note that the NeoPixel LEDs use an 800 KHz protocol, so specific timing is required. If you notice pixelation when the LEDs are moving, you might want to consider using DotStars instead. For maintenance, keep the stick in a dry place. Avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures or moisture. If you're not using it for a long time, unplug it from the power source. Our detailed NeoPixel Uberguide has more info and ready - to - go library and example code for different Arduino models.
