# Adafruit NeoPXL8 FeatherWing and Library ## Overview **NeoPixels** are magical things. It couldn’t be simpler…a _single data wire_ from the microcontroller, linking pixel to pixel for as long as you need. When NeoPixel projects get really large though…_hundreds_ of pixels or more…this simplicity starts to become a **bottleneck** … - The standard NeoPixel data rate is a fixed **800 KHz** , or 30 microseconds per 24-bit pixel. As projects scale into the hundreds or thousands of pixels, the time spent issuing all that data reaches progressively larger fractions of a second; animation becomes **less smooth**. - While this data is being transmitted, _all other processing_ on the microcontroller **stops** , including interrupts which keep track of time. This is why the millis() and micros() functions gradually drift in NeoPixel projects. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/054/678/medium800/leds_banner.jpg?1527659513) **NeoPXL8** (pronounced “NeoPixelate”) is a hardware-and-software combo that works around these limitations to bring buttery **smooth animation** to **large-scale NeoPixel projects**. NeoPXL8 splits the problem **8 ways** : rather than one long strand of, say, 1,000 pixels\*, eight strands of 125 pixels can operate concurrently in perfect sync. It’s like shoving two whole Kit Kats® in your mouth “the illegal way” instead of nibbling one bar at a time. Data transmission times are greatly reduced and animation can remain smooth. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/088/737/medium800/leds_neopxl8-candy.png?1582779505) \* Hypothetical situation, not an imposed limit. Depends on available RAM, but most “M0” (SAMD21) boards might handle upwards of 2,500 pixels, with “M4” (SAMD51) and RP2040 potentially up to 15,000…but in reality, you’ll want some _fraction_ of that, so your code has time to _compute_ those pixels. Additionally, NeoPXL8 uses **direct memory access (DMA)** to allow the CPU to **continue with other tasks** while these data transfers take place in the background. Your code could start processing the next frame of animation, or load data from an SD card. All interrupts and timekeeping functions operate normally, no drift. **The NeoPXL8 code relies on features unique to the SAMD21, SAMD51, RP2040 and ESP32-S3 microcontrollers — it should work on any Adafruit “M0” or “M4” board, the Arduino Zero, most RP2040 boards like the Raspberry Pi Pico, and most ESP32-S3 boards (but _not_ S2, C3 or original ESP32). _It will not work on other architectures._** The NeoPXL8 **FeatherWing** adapters provide  **8 NeoPixel outputs** with **5-Volt logic level shifting** , and it stacks directly atop any of our **M0 or M4 Feather** boards — Basic Proto, Adalogger and so forth. _(Note there are different versions for Feather M0 vs M4, they are not interchangeable!)_ With a minor change, the M4 version can work with the **Feather RP2040**. _Either one_ works with **Feather ESP32-S3**. The **NeoPXL8 Friend** breakout board provides similar functionality in a non-FeatherWing format, making it handy for use with boards like the Metro Express or ItsyBitsy M0 Express (and their respective M4 variants) or the Raspberry Pi Pico. - [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-neopxl8-featherwing-and-library/neopxl8-featherwing.md) ## Featured Products ### Adafruit NeoPXL8 FeatherWing for Feather M4 - 8 x DMA NeoPixels! [Adafruit NeoPXL8 FeatherWing for Feather M4 - 8 x DMA NeoPixels!](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4537) Since we first started carrying NeoPixels back in 2012, the chainable RGB LEDs have taken over the world. And a big part of that success is due to the simplicity of their wiring - just one data wire, no matter how many pixels you've got. So no surprise they're _everywhere_,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4537) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4537/guides) ### Adafruit NeoPXL8 FeatherWing for Feather M0 - 8 x DMA NeoPixels! [Adafruit NeoPXL8 FeatherWing for Feather M0 - 8 x DMA NeoPixels!](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3249) Since we first started carrying NeoPixels back in 2012, the chainable RGB LEDs have taken over the world. And a big part of that success is due to the simplicity of their wiring - just one data wire, no matter how many pixels you've got. So no surprise they're _everywhere_,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3249) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3249/guides) ### Adafruit NeoPXL8 Friend - 8 x Strands NeoPixel Level Shifter [Adafruit NeoPXL8 Friend - 8 x Strands NeoPixel Level Shifter](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3975) Since we first started carrying NeoPixels back in 2012, the chainable RGB LEDs have taken over the world. And a big part of that success is due to the simplicity of their wiring - just one data wire, no matter how many pixels you've got. So no surprise they're _everywhere_,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3975) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3975/guides) ### Adafruit Feather M4 Express - Featuring ATSAMD51 [Adafruit Feather M4 Express - Featuring ATSAMD51](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3857) It's what you've been waiting for, the Feather M4 Express featuring ATSAMD51. This Feather is fast like a swift, smart like an owl, strong like a ox-bird (it's half ox, half bird, OK?) This feather is powered by our new favorite chip, the **ATSAMD51J19** -  with... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3857) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3857/guides) ### Adafruit Feather M0 Basic Proto - ATSAMD21 Cortex M0 [Adafruit Feather M0 Basic Proto - ATSAMD21 Cortex M0](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2772) Feather is the new development board from Adafruit, and like its namesake it is thin, light, and lets you fly! We designed Feather to be a new standard for portable microcontroller cores. This is the  **Feather M0 Basic Proto** , it has a bunch of prototyping space... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2772) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2772/guides) ### Adafruit Feather M0 Adalogger [Adafruit Feather M0 Adalogger](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2796) Feather is the new development board from Adafruit, and like its namesake it is thin, light, and lets you fly! We designed Feather to be a new standard for portable microcontroller cores. This is the  **Adafruit Feather M0 Adalogger**  - our take on an... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2796) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2796/guides) ### Adafruit Feather M0 Bluefruit LE [Adafruit Feather M0 Bluefruit LE](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2995) Feather is the new development board from Adafruit, and like its namesake, it is thin, light, and lets you fly! We designed Feather to be a new standard for portable microcontroller cores. This is the  **Adafruit Feather M0 Bluefruit LE**  - our take on an... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2995) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2995/guides) ### Adafruit Feather M0 WiFi - ATSAMD21 + ATWINC1500 [Adafruit Feather M0 WiFi - ATSAMD21 + ATWINC1500](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3010) Feather is the new development board from Adafruit, and like its namesake it is thin, light, and lets you fly! We designed Feather to be a new standard for portable microcontroller cores. This is the  **Adafruit Feather M0 WiFi w/ATWINC1500** - our take on an... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/3010) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/3010/guides) ## Related Guides - [Adafruit Feather M0 Adalogger](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-feather-m0-adalogger.md) - [Adafruit Feather M0 Bluefruit LE](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-feather-m0-bluefruit-le.md) - [Adafruit Metro M0 Express](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-metro-m0-express.md) - [Adafruit Feather M4 Express](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-feather-m4-express-atsamd51.md) - [CircuitPython Hardware: ILI9341 TFT & FeatherWing](https://learn.adafruit.com/micropython-hardware-ili9341-tft-and-featherwing.md) - [Lucio Blaster 2020 - CircuitPython for Advanced Prop Making](https://learn.adafruit.com/lucio-blaster-2020-circuitpython-advanced-prop-making.md) - [Pulse Room](https://learn.adafruit.com/pulse-room.md) - [Holiday Icicle Lights with Flair](https://learn.adafruit.com/holiday-icicle-lights-with-flair.md) - [CircuitPython 101: Basic Builtin Data Structures](https://learn.adafruit.com/basic-datastructures-in-circuitpython.md) - [All the Internet of Things - Episode Three: Services](https://learn.adafruit.com/all-the-internet-of-things-episode-three-services.md) - [Adafruit Feather M0 Radio with LoRa Radio Module](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-feather-m0-radio-with-lora-radio-module.md) - [3D Printed Case for Adafruit Feather](https://learn.adafruit.com/3d-printed-case-for-adafruit-feather.md) - [CircuitPython 101: Working with Lists, Iterators and Generators](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-101-list-and-things-iterators-generators.md) - [OOZE MASTER 3000: NeoPixel Simulated Liquid Physics](https://learn.adafruit.com/ooze-master-3000-neopixel-simulated-liquid-physics.md) - [MicroPython for SAMD21](https://learn.adafruit.com/micropython-for-samd21.md) - [Adafruit DS3502 I2C Digital Potentiometer](https://learn.adafruit.com/ds3502-i2c-potentiometer.md) - [Light Up Prop with Prop-Maker](https://learn.adafruit.com/prop-maker-light-wand.md) - [Introducing Adafruit Feather](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-feather.md) - [Make It Talk](https://learn.adafruit.com/make-it-talk.md)