Pixblasters Video LED Controller

Combine LED strips to create a huge display that acts as a regular video monitor.

Available for pre-order

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Mar 31, 2021

Project update 16 of 18

The Fastest Possible WS2811 Video Display

by Gordan G

In this short update we would like to explain the tips and tricks for building the fastest possible video displays with popular WS2811 RGB LEDs. Although a single Pixblasters MS1 can drive 16,536 LEDs, for the clarity’s sake we use just a couple of LEDs to build up a miniature demo LED display with the 5 cm pixel pitch (approx. 2 inches).

Using the info above, it’s easy to calculate the maximum size of the 5 cm pixel pitch WS2811 LED display driven by a single Pixblasters MS1 Video LED Controller – it is an immense 40 square meters (or about 430 square feet)! Of course the size matters, but the display’s capability to show any video content at the blazing 60 fps video refresh speed could be even more important. This refresh speed is an absolute maximum possible with the WS2811 LED.

Along with with the build-up principles of WS2811 based video displays, we also explain non-segmented and segmented (zig-zag) LED matrix arrangements. The Pixblasters MS1 controller automatically controls both types of LED matrices with no need for any sort of input video manipulation and with no decrease in the driving performance.

Full details are provided in this application note.

Pixblasters User’s Manual and other documentation are freely available for download.

The next video clip shows our bigger demo built of smaller pitch WS2812B LED strips. The equivalent WS2811 display with the resolution of 120x120 and the 5 cm pixel pitch would be as big as immense 6x6 meters, or fantastic 36 square meters! That’s big enough to cover the complete building with the full-speed video LED display.

The Pixblasters MS1 LED controller board (previously called ‘Pixblasters Go’) and the Array-SL are both in stock and available to order.


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Pixblasters Video LED Controller is part of Microchip Get Launched

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