Addressable / individually addressable
Pixels that can receive separate color or brightness values. This differs from ordinary analog tape, where every LED section connected to one output changes together.
Art-Net
A protocol that carries DMX-style lighting data over Ethernet using IP networks. Controllers commonly translate Art-Net into DMX outputs or pixel protocols.
AWG
American Wire Gauge, a wire-size system. Smaller AWG numbers generally indicate thicker wire with lower resistance and greater current capacity.
Channel
One control value. An RGB pixel normally uses three channels—red, green, and blue—while RGBW normally uses four.
Common ground
A shared electrical reference between the controller and LED tape. Direct SPI data usually needs this reference even when the tape and controller use separate power supplies.
Daisy-chain
Connecting devices in sequence so the signal passes from one device to the next. Conventional DMX wiring normally uses this arrangement rather than an unplanned star.
Decoder
Hardware that translates lighting-control data into outputs suitable for LED tape. A DMX PWM decoder drives analog tape; a DMX-to-SPI decoder generates digital pixel data.
Differential signaling
Data sent as the voltage difference between two wires. Because interference tends to affect both wires similarly, the receiver can reject much of that noise. DMX and extender systems use this for longer cable runs.
DMX512
The entertainment-lighting standard commonly carried over a differential RS-485 link. One universe contains up to 512 control slots. Some pixel products use “DMX512” loosely, so always confirm the physical signal and wiring.
DMX512-D
Advatek’s differential pixel protocol. It sends addressed pixel data over a balanced pair but is distinct from conventional fixture-level DMX512.
Headroom
Capacity kept above the calculated load. Power supplies are normally selected with reasonable headroom instead of being operated continuously at their maximum rating.
IC
Integrated circuit—the small chip that receives data and controls an LED or group of LEDs. Examples include WS2811, WS2812B, WS2815, and SK6812.
Pixel
The smallest independently controlled section of addressable tape. Depending on the tape design, one pixel may be one LED package or a group of several LEDs.
Pixel controller
Hardware that receives DMX, Art-Net, sACN, or another control source and generates the exact digital signal required by addressable tape.
Pixel grouping
Making multiple physical pixels respond as one logical pixel. This reduces channel and universe use at the cost of individual resolution.
Power injection
Adding power at extra points along LED tape rather than relying only on the first feed. This reduces voltage drop in the tape’s copper traces. It does not regenerate data.
PWM
Pulse-width modulation: switching an output rapidly on and off to control average LED brightness. Analog RGB and RGBW decoders use separate PWM outputs for each color channel.
RGBW
LED tape with red, green, blue, and a dedicated white channel. The white channel usually produces better whites than mixing RGB alone.
RGB+CCT / RGBCCT
LED tape with red, green, blue, warm-white, and cool-white channels. Adjusting the two white channels changes the white color temperature.
RS-485
A robust differential electrical signaling standard used by conventional DMX512. RS-485 describes the electrical layer, not the meaning of the lighting data.
sACN
Streaming ACN, standardized as ANSI E1.31. It transports many universes of lighting data over an IP network and supports multicast and unicast delivery.
SPI pixel data
On this site, “SPI” is shorthand for chip-level digital pixel protocols sent directly from a pixel controller to addressable LEDs. Products may use data-only or data-and-clock wiring. It is not interchangeable with DMX.
Termination
A resistor installed at the far end of a differential data line to match its impedance and reduce reflections. Conventional DMX commonly uses 120-ohm termination at the end of the line.
Topology
The physical arrangement of devices and cables—such as daisy-chain, star, branches, or home runs. The permitted topology depends on the signal system and hardware.
TTL-level pixel data
Short-distance, single-ended digital signaling referenced to ground. Many direct SPI-style pixel outputs use this kind of electrical connection and become less reliable over long or noisy cable runs.
Universe
A block of up to 512 control slots in DMX, Art-Net, or sACN. A typical 8-bit RGB pixel needs three slots, so 170 complete RGB pixels fit in one universe with two slots left over.
Voltage drop
Voltage lost when current flows through resistance in feeder wires, connectors, and tape copper. Excessive drop can cause dimming, color shift, flicker, or resets.
eDMX
A general label for transporting DMX-style universe data over an Ethernet/IP network. Art-Net and sACN are two common but distinct eDMX protocols.
Media server
A computer and software system that plays, processes, maps, and routes visual content to displays, projectors, or lighting pixels.
OSC
Open Sound Control, a flexible network messaging protocol used to trigger and adjust parameters between media, lighting, audio, and control systems.
Pixel mapping
Matching pixels sampled from an image, video, or generated effect to the physical positions and channel addresses of real LED pixels.
RDM
Remote Device Management, a bidirectional extension to DMX that allows compatible devices to be discovered, addressed, configured, and monitored.
Show controller
A device that stores and plays lighting scenes, cues, timelines, schedules, logic, or triggered actions without needing the programming computer to remain connected.
Timecode
A shared timing reference used to synchronize lighting, video, audio, automation, and other show systems to the same timeline.
Voxel mapping
Mapping content into a true three-dimensional grid of controllable light points. A voxel is the 3D counterpart of a two-dimensional pixel.
See a term that is missing?
Send it through the feedback address and it can be added to this reference.
Suggest a definition