Pixel LED Address Planner
Plan your pixels, outputs and DMX addresses.
Your address plan
Each row below is one data output.
Output assignments
| LED run / output | Pixels | Start address | End address | Inspect output |
|---|
Controller capacity not checked. Add your device limits to check this plan.
Universe map
Output details
Channel slots assigned to this output.
Address planning only. This does not verify power supplies, cable losses, pixel compatibility or refresh rate.
Good to know
What is a pixel, and how is it different from an LED?
A pixel is the smallest group of LEDs you can control independently. A strip may have several LED packages in one pixel. Enter independently addressable pixels, not the advertised LED count.
For example, 60 LEDs per metre with 3 LEDs controlled together gives 20 pixels per metre. Only use this conversion when your product specification confirms the grouping.
Why does RGB sometimes use 510 channels and RGBW use 512?
With 8-bit control, an RGB pixel needs 3 channel slots and an RGBW pixel needs 4. A 512-slot universe fits 170 complete RGB pixels, leaving 2 slots, or 128 RGBW pixels with no slots left.
Some controllers use a 510-slot RGB mapping. Others use 512 slots and may split colour channels at the boundary. Set the same mapping rules in your sending software and controller.
Does one universe mean one physical output?
No. A compatible SPI pixel controller can combine several network universes into one pixel output. A conventional DMX512 output carries one universe. The DMX512 signal path in this planner checks that each run fits within one physical DMX output; it does not continue an oversized run on another universe.
Each run here represents a separate data output. Daisy-chained sections, mirrored outputs and remote receiver layouts need their own device-specific setup.
What changes when I group pixels?
Each group shares a colour value, reducing independently controlled points and input channels. The number of physical pixels stays the same. Grouping starts again for each run.
This planner retains a shorter group at the end when the run is not divisible by the group size. Your controller must support that behaviour. Check the map for the final group size.
Can I use this plan directly in my control software?
The address table is a configuration reference. Copy its universe, start address, pixel count and mapping rules into your software and controller. The CSV is a general project table, not a universal controller import format.
Art-Net display numbering can differ between applications. Match actual protocol addresses; this planner displays the numeric Art-Net Port-Address and provides its Net:Sub-Net:Universe equivalent in each map. Address 0 is available for legacy setups and is deprecated in the current Art-Net specification.
How do I keep or share a project?
Share plan copies a link containing your current inputs. Save results offers a CSV, a printable plan, an editable project file and an offline copy of this calculator. Open saved plan restores a project file.
Calculations run in your browser. Anyone with a shared link can read the settings it contains, so keep private customer information out of run names.
Keep your plan with your project.
Save an offline copy, or discuss your pixel LED requirements with our team.
For AI agents: instructions and calculation APIs
This planner calculates locally in your browser. A public pixel-planning API and its Markdown and OpenAPI instructions are planned for a later release.
- Pixel LED Address Planner instructions
/tools/pixel-led-address-planner.md - OpenAPI contract
/openapi.json - Agent site index
/llms.txt
Pixel LED Address Planner
POST /api/tools/v1/pixel-plan
Content-Type: application/jsonPlan independently wired LED runs. Enter independently addressable physical pixels, not LED packages. Each run instance uses one output. Grouping reduces control channels but does not reduce physical pixel load, power or wiring checks.
Address planning and result model
The web and offline planner use the same local calculation model. The request example below is a complete project input for four 200-pixel RGB runs, 8-bit control, 512 slots and a new universe per output.
The result contains ok, errors, warnings, summary and ports. A successful model result does not certify controller compatibility, wiring, power or refresh rate. A null controller limit remains unchecked.
Request limits and errors
The current model validates strict JSON with 1–64 run rows, up to 128 output instances and 2,000,000 input channels. Each run accepts 1–100,000 pixels, 1–100,000 pixels per group and quantity 1–64; IDs must be unique. Unknown fields and invalid types are rejected.
HTTP body limits, timeouts, authentication, CORS and rate limits belong to the production API. No hosted pixel-planning endpoint is available in this release. Do not send requests to the proposed route.