Datasheet

Can I use NeoPixels for POV (persistence of vision) displays?

Not recommended. The refresh rate is relatively low (about 400 Hz), and color displays in fast motion may appear

“speckled.” They look fine in stationary displays though (signs, decorations, jewelry, etc.). For POV use, DotStar

strips will look much better (they have about a 20 KHz refresh rate).

How about for light painting?

Definitely! The slower movement used for photographic light painting doesn’t call attention to the limited refresh

rate; the results look great, especially with a light diffuser.

Is there a limit to the number of NeoPixels in a chain?

There’s no

inherent

limit in the maximum length of a NeoPixel chain, but eventually you’ll encounter any of various

practical

limits:

1. RAM: NeoPixels require some RAM from the host microcontroller; more pixels = more RAM. It’s only a few

bytes each, but as most microcontrollers are pretty resource-constrained, this becomes a very real

consideration for large projects.

2. Power: each NeoPixel draws a little bit of current; more pixels = more power. Power supplies likewise have

some upper limit.

3. Time: NeoPixels process data from the host microcontroller at a fixed data rate; more pixels = more time and

lower animation frame rates.