WS2812 vs APA104 LEDs?

[Ardie Scott Powell]

SO...researching led strips & looks like a new Die has replaced...or superseded...the ws2812/b. 

quoted from an ebay auction.

10M APA104 5050 RGB 150Pixel LED Strip Ribbon Replace WS2812B IP65

What makes apa104 better than ws2812/b?  just price?  Anyone have any experience with these?  Know or see any functional differences?

[Paul Bonser]

They seem to be almost exactly the same. The APA104 data sheet is almost copied verbatim from the WS2812b datasheet, except the timing numbers are slightly different in one place, but the same in another...

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ATXHS Discuss" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to atxhs-discus...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to atxhs-...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/atxhs-discuss.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[Ardie Scott Powell]

So...functionally the same animal then, get the one that costs less and/or better availability is the gist of what I'm hearing?

[Ardie Scott Powell]

OK.  So turned out the WS2812 were the less expensive option.  Got 15meters of 30LED/Meter on the way.

[Tom Davidson]

http://www.szledcolor.com/newsshow.asp?id=176&sid=1

Claim the APA104 is $10 cheaper per 1000. Also says it's more 'stable' whatever that means.
I wish it had a faster refresh, 400hz is too slow for anything that moves and you get color breakup.
The LPD8806 is around 4000hz, those were solid colors.

[TomD]

Here's a good bit of info:
http://www.tweaking4all.com/forums/topic/difference-between-ws2811ws2812bws2801apa102/

The APA104 is an improved WS2812B clone, better timing margins, but still single wire and slow refresh.
The APA102 is more like the LPD8806 in that it has CLK and DI lines coming in and CLKO and DO outputs.
This allows for faster string updates, they also claim a color dithering faster refresh rate, maybe less color breakup
and it would be better for POV applications where the WS2812(b) is too slow and has color breakup.