The PCA9685 is a 16-channel I2C-bus controlled LED controller optimized for Red/Green/Blue/Amber (RGBA) color backlighting applications. Each LED output has individual 12-bit resolution (4096 steps) PWM controller with a fixed frequency. The controller operates at a programmable frequency from a typical 24 Hz to 1526 Hz with a duty cycle that is adjustable from 0% to 100% so the LED can be set to output a specific brightness. All outputs are set to the same PWM frequency.
With the PCA9685 as the master chip, the 16-channel 12-bit PWM Servo Driver only needs 2 pins to control 16 servos, thus greatly reducing the occupant I/Os. Moreover, it can be connected to 62 driver boards at most in a cascade way, which means it will be able to control 992 servos in total.
Features:
- Contains an I2C-controlled PWM driver with a built-in clock. It means, unlike the TLC5940 family, you do not need to continuously send it signals tying up your microcontroller; it's completely free running!
- 5V compliant, which means you can control it from a 3.3V microcontroller and still safely drive up to 6V outputs, which is good when you want to control white or blue LEDs with a 3.4V+ forward voltage
- Supports using only two pins to control 16 free-running PWM outputs – you can even chain up 62 breakouts to control up to 992 PWM outputs.
- 3 pin connectors in 4 groups, so you can plug in 16 servos at one time (Servo plugs are slightly wider than 0.1" so you can only stack 4 adjacent ones on 0.1"-hole female headers.
- 12-bit resolution for each output - for servos, that means about 4us resolution at an update rate of 60Hz.
- Size: 62 x 26 mm
Specifications
Resources
Tutorial
What is the PCA9685 16 channel PWM driver used for?
It provides 16 PWM outputs controlled over I2C for LED backlighting and RGBA color applications. Each output is 12 bit resolution and the PWM frequency is programmable from 24 Hz to 1526 Hz with a duty cycle from 0 to 100 percent.
How many driver boards can be cascaded and how many outputs can I control total?
Up to 62 boards can be cascaded, allowing control of up to 992 PWM outputs.
What voltages does it support and how can I drive it with my microcontroller?
The device is 5V compliant and can be driven from a 3.3V microcontroller while safely driving up to 6V outputs.
How are the servo connections arranged on the board?
The board uses 3 pin connectors in 4 groups to connect 16 servos. Servo plugs are wider than 0.1 inch so only 4 adjacent ones fit on standard 0.1 inch headers.
What resources are available and what is the servo update rate with 12 bit resolution?
Resources include a datasheet, library, sample code, and tutorials. For servos, the 12 bit resolution yields about 4 microseconds per step at a 60 Hz update rate.
Description
The PCA9685 is a 16-channel I2C-bus controlled LED controller optimized for Red/Green/Blue/Amber (RGBA) color backlighting applications. Each LED output has individual 12-bit resolution (4096 steps) PWM controller with a fixed frequency. The controller operates at a programmable frequency from a typical 24 Hz to 1526 Hz with a duty cycle that is adjustable from 0% to 100% so the LED can be set to output a specific brightness. All outputs are set to the same PWM frequency.
With the PCA9685 as the master chip, the 16-channel 12-bit PWM Servo Driver only needs 2 pins to control 16 servos, thus greatly reducing the occupant I/Os. Moreover, it can be connected to 62 driver boards at most in a cascade way, which means it will be able to control 992 servos in total.
Features:
- Contains an I2C-controlled PWM driver with a built-in clock. It means, unlike the TLC5940 family, you do not need to continuously send it signals tying up your microcontroller; it's completely free running!
- 5V compliant, which means you can control it from a 3.3V microcontroller and still safely drive up to 6V outputs, which is good when you want to control white or blue LEDs with a 3.4V+ forward voltage
- Supports using only two pins to control 16 free-running PWM outputs – you can even chain up 62 breakouts to control up to 992 PWM outputs.
- 3 pin connectors in 4 groups, so you can plug in 16 servos at one time (Servo plugs are slightly wider than 0.1" so you can only stack 4 adjacent ones on 0.1"-hole female headers.
- 12-bit resolution for each output - for servos, that means about 4us resolution at an update rate of 60Hz.
- Size: 62 x 26 mm
Specifications
Resources
Tutorial
FAQ
What is the PCA9685 16 channel PWM driver used for?
It provides 16 PWM outputs controlled over I2C for LED backlighting and RGBA color applications. Each output is 12 bit resolution and the PWM frequency is programmable from 24 Hz to 1526 Hz with a duty cycle from 0 to 100 percent.
How many driver boards can be cascaded and how many outputs can I control total?
Up to 62 boards can be cascaded, allowing control of up to 992 PWM outputs.
What voltages does it support and how can I drive it with my microcontroller?
The device is 5V compliant and can be driven from a 3.3V microcontroller while safely driving up to 6V outputs.
How are the servo connections arranged on the board?
The board uses 3 pin connectors in 4 groups to connect 16 servos. Servo plugs are wider than 0.1 inch so only 4 adjacent ones fit on standard 0.1 inch headers.
What resources are available and what is the servo update rate with 12 bit resolution?
Resources include a datasheet, library, sample code, and tutorials. For servos, the 12 bit resolution yields about 4 microseconds per step at a 60 Hz update rate.
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