Adafruit
Adafruit NeoPXL8 FeatherWing for Feather M4 - 8 x DMA NeoPixels!
Drive massive NeoPixel installations without blocking your code. The NeoPXL8 FeatherWing for Feather M4 enables 8 concurrent DMA NeoPixel strands from a sing...
Drive massive NeoPixel installations without blocking your code. The NeoPXL8 FeatherWing for Feather M4 enables 8 concurrent DMA NeoPixel strands from a single Feather M4, with up to 1,750 RGB pixels per strand (14,000 total) — all running in the background via hardware DMA on the ATSAMD51's blazingly fast 120 MHz processor.
The wing handles 3.3 V to 5 V level shifting with an onboard switch-cap converter and includes 100 Ω series resistors on each output to reduce ringing on long wiring runs. For SAMD21-based boards, see the NeoPXL8 FeatherWing for Feather M0, or the standalone NeoPXL8 Friend level shifter board.
Key Features
- 8 DMA NeoPixel Outputs – Drive 8 independent strands simultaneously via hardware DMA on the ATSAMD51's TCC0 timer
- Up to 14,000 Pixels – 1,750 RGB pixels per strand with RAM to spare for your code
- 120 MHz Processor Support – Takes full advantage of the Feather M4's speed for smooth, fast-refresh animations
- Built-In Level Shifting – 3.3 V to 5 V conversion with onboard switch-cap converter
- 100 Ω Series Resistors – Reduces signal ringing on long wiring runs
- Non-Blocking – DMA handles all pixel data output, freeing your code to run simultaneously
Connection Options
Choose your preferred wiring method (solder in the connectors you need):
- 2×8 Header – Ground and 5 V-logic signal pairs for each strand
- 2× RJ-45 Jacks – Ethernet-style connectors with ground and signal per twisted pair (OctoWS2811-compatible pinout)
Pin Mapping
- Output #0: SPI SCK or RX (selectable)
- Output #1: D5 or TX (selectable)
- Output #2: D9 or I2C SCL (selectable)
- Output #3: D6 or I2C SDA (selectable)
- Output #4: Digital #13 (fixed)
- Output #5: Digital #12 (fixed)
- Output #6: Digital #11 (fixed)
- Output #7: Digital #10 (fixed)
Power
NeoPixel power is not routed through the FeatherWing — the PCB copper would be too limiting for the currents involved. Provide 5 V power directly to your NeoPixel strips using terminal blocks or bus bars connected to a dedicated 5 V supply.
Compatible Boards
- Adafruit Feather M4 Express (ATSAMD51)
- Other ATSAMD51-based Feather M4 boards
Ideal For
- Large-scale NeoPixel installations (thousands of pixels)
- Art exhibits and stage lighting
- Multi-strand costume and wearable projects
- Fast-refresh LED effects and animations
- Projects that need to run other code while updating pixels
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit NeoPXL8 FeatherWing for Feather M4 (connectors not soldered)
Resources
- NeoPXL8 Arduino Library – Library and example code on GitHub
- NeoPixel Uberguide – General NeoPixel wiring and usage guide
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- FeatherWing
- A FeatherWing is an add-on board made to plug into the Feather microcontroller board layout. Knowing a product is a FeatherWing helps you check whether it will physically and electrically fit your Feather-style mainboard.
- I2C
- I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.
- LED
- A light-emitting diode is a small electronic component that lights up when current flows through it in the correct direction. In this kit, LEDs create the flashing effect, so polarity and correct soldering matter for the project to work.
- NeoPixel
- A type of addressable LED system where colour data is sent along a single digital data line from one LED or controller to the next. Compatibility matters because the timing and signal format must match for the lights or driver board to respond correctly.
- PCB
- A printed circuit board is a rigid board with copper tracks that connect electronic parts without loose wires. For this kit, the PCBs also form the airplane shape, so they are both the circuit base and part of the finished model.
- RAM
- RAM is temporary memory used while a device is running, and its contents are lost when power is removed. A “Run in RAM” mode is useful for testing settings without permanently programming the module, but it may not support every feature.
- RGB
- Short for red, green and blue, usually referring to an LED that can mix those three colours. It matters because controlling an RGB LED teaches how separate outputs combine to create different colours.
- SAMD21
- The SAMD21 is a Microchip microcontroller used in many Arduino-compatible boards. It matters here because USB host library support can depend on the exact microcontroller on your mainboard.
- SPI
- A fast serial communication bus often used for displays, memory cards, and sensors. It matters because SPI devices need specific pins for clock and data, plus a separate chip-select line for each device.
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