Pixel Protocol Overview: DMX512

This pixel protocol, also known as DMX512P, was designed by Tianli New Technology Co. in China. It uses a non-differential DMX512 protocol to drive pixel chips. The control circuit comes in a SOP8 package, allowing for more flexibility with LED choice.

PixLite Support

Are you looking for DMX512 pixel drivers that work with Art-Net or sACN? All PixLite Mk2 and Mk3 products support DMX512 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.

Note: Some variants of this chip may also offer a "White" output.

Technical Specifications

Clock Type Data-Only
Color Resolution 8 bits
Physical Package SOP8
RGB Yes
RGBW Yes
Output Pixel Voltage 5 – 24V
PWM Rate 3000Hz
Suitable Camera Up to 100fps, see Refresh Rate and PWM Rate
Data Transfer Rate 250 – 650 kbps
Redundant Data Line No

DMX512 Advantages

  • High PWM rate allows for filming these pixels with cameras up to 100fps
  • Up to 24V, allowing for very long cable lengths
  • Presence of white LED allows for higher brightness and more color mixing options

DMX512 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
  • No redundancy in data
Categories: Pixel LEDs