The WS2812 may look like a common 5050-sized (5x5mm) SMD LED, but an integrated control circuit is also embedded inside. Sometimes you don't need 10 or even 50, maybe you need a whole reel of 1000! If you are the person who needs that many then this is the perfect quantity for you. If you look really hard, you can see the tiny black chip hidden in there, along with minuscule gold wires connecting the chip to the LED. This LED is certainly more than meets the eye!
The LED itself is unlike most RGB (Red/Green/Blue) LEDs. The brightness of each color can be adjusted using a serial string to one of 256 different levels. You can produce any color from white to black (off), or salmon to sienna.
Forward Voltage:
This skill defines how difficult the soldering is on a particular product. It might be a couple simple solder joints, or require special reflow tools.
Skill Level: Competent - You will encounter surface mount components and basic SMD soldering techniques are required.
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If a board needs code or communicates somehow, you're going to need to know how to program or interface with it. The programming skill is all about communication and code.
Skill Level: Rookie - You will need a better fundamental understand of what code is, and how it works. You will be using beginner-level software and development tools like Arduino. You will be dealing directly with code, but numerous examples and libraries are available. Sensors or shields will communicate with serial or TTL.
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If it requires power, you need to know how much, what all the pins do, and how to hook it up. You may need to reference datasheets, schematics, and know the ins and outs of electronics.
Skill Level: Competent - You will be required to reference a datasheet or schematic to know how to use a component. Your knowledge of a datasheet will only require basic features like power requirements, pinouts, or communications type. Also, you may need a power supply that?s greater than 12V or more than 1A worth of current.
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How long are the reels? I hope I'm not literally staring at a length, but I don't see one.
I think this is a reel (temporary holding thing for uncounted SMD chips), not a ready-to-use strip. Only clicked on it because I didn’t realize that either!
I think you're 100% correct. Thanks!