addressable.wiki

SK6812 RGBW

1-wire RGBW · OPSCO Optoelectronics · sk68xx

Channels
RGBW
Bits / channel
8
Supply
3.7–5.5 V
PWM
1.2 kHz
Backup data
no
Packages
1

The reason most people buy SK6812 rather than WS2812B: a real, dedicated white die. Sold in fixed white temperatures - typically 3000 K warm, 4500 K neutral and 6000 K cool - which you must choose at purchase, since it is a property of the die and cannot be changed in software.

Timing

Sources disagree. This is normal and worth understanding: FastLED's numbers are tuned to drive real parts reliably, including clones, while the datasheet gives the manufacturer's nominal figures. Both are recorded here rather than picking one and hiding the conflict.

hilo012002400T0H 300nsT1H 600ns0 bit1 bit
T0H 300 / T0L 900 · T1H 600 / T1L 600 · period 1200 ns · reset 80 µs source: datasheet
SourceT0HT0LT1HT1LPeriodRateReset±
fastled ↗ 300 ns 900 ns 900 ns 300 ns 1200 ns 833 kHz 80 µs —
Same signalling as the RGB part. The difference is that each pixel takes 32 bits rather than 24, so a run of the same length takes a third longer to send.
datasheet ↗ 300 ns 900 ns 600 ns 600 ns 1200 ns 833 kHz 80 µs 150 ns
Note the disagreement with FastLED on the ONE bit: the datasheet splits it 600/600, FastLED drives it 900/300. Both total 1200 ns, so the bit period matches and both work, but the duty cycle differs substantially. The datasheet also states TH+TL = 1.25 us +/- 600 ns while its own four figures sum to 1.20 us - an inconsistency within its own tolerance.

Clones & compatibility

“Compatible” is never stated bare here — each relationship carries how strong the claim is, and what bites if you assume too much.

  • protocol compatible SK6812

    Identical timing, but four channels rather than three. Driving it with an RGB library shifts colours down the strip, because every pixel consumes one extra byte.

Library support

FastLED
SK6812 ↗
Adafruit_NeoPixel
NEO_GRBW + NEO_KHZ800
WLED
SK6812 RGBW

Adafruit_NeoPixel needs an explicit RGBW colour order constant; FastLED’s RGBW support arrived later than its RGB support.

Parts using this protocol

Dating evidence

Evidence, not a release date. A library commit proves the part existed by that date and says nothing about how long before.

  • 2015-07-31 datasheet revision OPSCO SK6812RGBW specification rev. 01 - the INITIAL revision - dated on its cover page ↗ day
  • 2015-12-16 first seen listing Adafruit began selling SK6812-based 'NeoPixel RGBW' strip (products 2824 / 2832 / 2847) ↗ day
  • 2015-08-10 first library support Adafruit_NeoPixel — first commit introducing NEO_GRBW ↗ day
  • 2020-02-24 first library support WLED — first commit introducing SK6812_RGBW ↗ day
  • 2020-04-09 first library support FastLED — first commit introducing SK6812RGBW ↗ day