Datasheet

Plus an 8-way concurrent NeoPixel DMA library.

Third-Party Libraries

In addition to the previously-mentioned FastLED library, NeoPixel-compatible libraries have been developed for

devices beyond Arduino. Please keep in mind that Adafruit did not develop any of this code and can’t fix bugs or offer

technical help. This is Wild West stuff.

OctoWS2811: specifically for the PJRC Teensy 3.0 microcontroller board. Uses DMA to drive up to 8 NeoPixel

strips concurrently with minimal processor load. Multiple boards can be cascaded for still larger displays.

FadeCandy: also for Teensy 3.0. Doesn’t support as many pixels as OctoWS2811, but adds dithering and smooth

interpolation for color purists.

LEDscape: specifically for BeagleBone Black. Although the BeagleBone is a multitasking Linux system like the

not-NeoPixel-compatible Raspberry Pi, this code exploits hardware features specific to the BeagleBone Black to

drive

hundreds

of meters of NeoPixel strip with virtually no processor load.

WS2812 LED Driver for Parallax Propeller.

xCORE NeoPixel test code for the XMOS xCORE startKIT.

WS2811? WS2812? Why do I see two different names mentioned?

The WS2811 is an earlier driver chip separate from the RGB LED. The data signal is similar, but runs at half the speed.

By the time the WS2812 (with integrated LED) was released, a lot of code and projects had already built up around

the WS2811 name. Sometimes code “for the WS2811” might actually be for the newer chip, or for either type. The

Adafruit_NeoPixel library supports both.

Writing Your Own Library

The WS2812 datasheet explains the data transmission protocol. This is a

self-clocking

signal — there’s only one wire,

not separate data and clock lines. “1” and “0” bits are indicated by varying the duty cycle of a fixed-frequency square

wave.

There’s a math goof in the datasheet’s timing values. Use these figures instead:

Some of these are 3.3V devices. See the “Powering NeoPixel” page for notes on controlling 5V NeoPixels

from 3.3V microcontrollers.