This pixel protocol was designed by Newstar in China. This simple pixel protocol offers quality at an affordable price, which is why SK6818 is one of the most common protocols for pixel lighting displays. It offers all the same features as its RGB version-SK6822, but is dedicated to RGBW. The control circuit and LEDs are integrated in a 5050 SMD package, which provides a small physical footprint for each pixel.
PixLite Support
Are you looking for SK6818 pixel drivers that work with Art-Net or sACN? All PixLite Mk1 and Mk2 products support SK6818 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: when you use SK6812 LEDs, select 'SK6812' as your Pixel IC Type, and set LED Type to ‘RGBW’. This is the equivalent protocol that will allow you to use SK6818 pixels.
Technical Specifications
| Clock Type | Data-Only |
| Color Resolution | 8 bits |
| Physical Package | SMD5050 with integrated LEDs |
| RGB | See SK6822 |
| RGBW | Yes |
| Output Pixel Voltage | 5V |
| PWM Rate | 1200Hz |
| Suitable Camera | Up to 40fps, see Refresh Rate and PWM Rate |
| Data Transfer Rate | 800kbps |
| Redundant Data Line | No |
Color Specifications
| Color | Wavelength |
| Red | 620 – 630 nm |
| Green | 515 – 525 nm |
| Blue | 460 – 470 nm |
| White | 2700 – 7000 K |
SK6818 Advantages
- High PWM rate allows for filming these pixels with cameras up to 40fps
- Presence of white LED allows for higher brightness and more color mixing options
SK6818 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
- Limited to 5V, causing short cable lengths
- No redundancy in data
