NeoPixel Mini PCB - Pack of 5

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

Colour depth

Colour depth describes how many different colours a display can show. A 65K-colour display can show about 65,000 colours, which is useful for icons, graphs, and simple full-colour interfaces but is less detailed than modern phone or computer screens.

constant-current driver

A constant-current driver supplies a set current to its load even as the load voltage changes. It is commonly used to keep LED brightness consistent and protect LEDs from being overdriven, whether for indicator LEDs, high-power lighting, or display backlights.

fps

fps means frames per second, or how many video images are captured or displayed each second. A higher fps generally gives smoother motion, which helps when the camera or the scene being viewed is moving.

LED

A light-emitting diode (LED) is a small electronic component that emits light when current flows through it in the correct direction. Because it only conducts one way, its polarity matters, and a through-hole LED must be soldered the correct way around to light up.

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 (PCB) is a board, usually rigid, with etched copper tracks that connect electronic components together without loose wiring. Components are mounted on the board and signals route between them through the copper layout.

PWM

Pulse Width Modulation is a way for a digital pin to simulate variable output power by switching on and off very quickly. It matters for controlling things like LED brightness, motor speed, or servo-style signals from a microcontroller pin.

RGB

Short for red, green and blue, the three primary colours of light that are mixed in varying amounts to make a wide range of colours. In electronics RGB can refer to an LED or pixel that blends these three colours, or to a colour signal or interface that carries separate red, green and blue channels.

WS2812B

A smart RGB LED chip with a tiny built-in controller, commonly used in addressable light strips and panels. It matters because many WS2812B LEDs can be chained together and controlled from one microcontroller pin, but they need compatible code and careful power planning as the number of LEDs grows.