The Guide of Addressable LED Strip

Table of Contents

What is an Addressable LED strip

Addressable LED strip is single-point control using constant current IC; each pixel has an IC chip. Each pixel can change color and brightness in the whole system, thus forming rich running effects such as running horse, flowing water, meteor trailing, scanning, etc.

Addressable LED strip are more beautiful and colorful than the traditional single color LED strip; more dynamic than the traditional RGB LED strip effect. Compared with ordinary light strips, Addressable LED strip is a special kind of light strips. The most common LED used in the market Addressable LED strip is an IC chip integrated SMD LED package that can control each LED, such as 5050, 3535, 2427, etc. Usually, one IC chip controls one LED, so you only need to ensure that each channel IC chip controls each LED color.

Addressable LED strip light to use Addressable LEDs driven and operated by an integrated microcontroller or microprocessor. Each channel of a multi-color or multi-CCT LED can be controlled individually.

Addressable LED strip usually have WS2812B, SM16703, WS16704, WS2811, UCS1903, SK6812, INK1003, UCS2904B, and other IC control methods to achieve the variation, where WS2812B, SK6812 is the most widely used addressable led strip.

The difference between Addressable LED strip and ordinary LED strip lights.

Working Principle

The light beads of the addressable RGB LED strip are composed of a single-point single control or three points single control form, while the single-color strip light is generally composed of a series of connection light beads. Each light bead of the addressable RGB LED strip can be an independent color, so you can program many effects which you want according to the LED stirp controller, which can form the lighting pattern you want to show.

The ordinary single-color light strip can only emit a color, which limits its diversity. However, for some large monochrome scene lighting production, a single-color strip light is still very practical.

Price

The price of the individually addressable LED strips is generally more than twice the price of ordinary strip lights. First of all, they are different processes used in manufacturing; single-color LED tape lights only need to weld color lamp beads on it. In contrast, the individually addressable LED strips needs several different colors of lamp beads welding, and each lamp bead can be individually controlled with its luminous color. The cost of this product will be much higher compared to ordinary light strips.

Control method

Flexible addressable LED strips can be programmed using most types of controllers to achieve the desired lighting effect.

The controller is SPI-controlled, determined by the maximum number of load points of the controller and the PIX of the corresponding color strip.

There is no need to program the addressable LED strip in daily life, and it is not necessary that only professionals can operate it. Just connect the smart pixel LED controller, and you can easily control the addressable LED strip light through your smartphone; you can also DIY the color of your LED Pixel Tape, dynamic mode, and so on.

Suppose you want to form a colorful pattern effect. In that case, you can only use several different colors of light strip splicing, which becomes complicated to install, but the use of safety is not as reliable as the addressable RGB LED strip. So ordinary LED strips in price will be much cheaper, but it also depends on the specific occasion. Not all occasions are suitable for the use of the LED pixel tape.

Working voltage for Individually Addressable LED tapes

Most of the Addressable LED tapes work at 5VDC and 12VDC. The light will dull if choose a low power supply. Using the too high-power supply will shorten the life of the flexible LED strip. It is important to choose the correct power supply.

The advantages of the Addressable LED strip Light

Individually addressable LED strips is easy to install, energy-saving, long life, display patterns, and other characteristics, high brightness, good consistency. WS2811 LED strip rich and vivid colors, high visibility, visually attractive. WS2811 LED strip can be curled like wire, easy to use, through the LED strip controller to achieve a combination of different color variations. Generally applicable to bars, KTV, stage, and some other places.