Adafruit Pixel Trinkey - USB Key for NeoPixel / DotStar Driving
The Adafruit Pixel Trinkey is a tiny USB microcontroller board purpose-built for driving NeoPixel (WS2812, SK6812) and DotStar (APA102) addressable LEDs directly from your computer. It plugs into any USB-A port and provides screw terminal connections for solder-free wiring to your LED strips, rings, or grids.
Powered by an ATSAMD21 with 32 KB of SRAM, the Pixel Trinkey can drive thousands of pixels. It supports Arduino, CircuitPython, and Windows 11's built-in Dynamic Light Control. A computer USB port provides up to 1A — enough for roughly 150 pixels at moderate brightness. For larger installations, connect an external 5V power supply to the LED strip and share the ground connection.
Key Features
- ATSAMD21E18 Processor – 48 MHz 32-bit Cortex M0+ with 256 KB Flash and 32 KB RAM
- USB-A Plug – Plugs directly into any USB port; appears as serial console, MIDI device, HID keyboard/mouse, or disk drive
- Screw Terminal Block – 4 ports (5V, Data, Clock, GND) for solder-free wiring with 18–26 AWG wire
- Dual LED Protocol Support – Drive NeoPixels (1-wire) or DotStars (2-wire data + clock); NeoPixels can run two independent strands
- Built-in Level Shifting – Outputs 5V logic for reliable LED driving
- On-Board RGB NeoPixel – Status indicator LED for feedback
- JST SH 3-Pin Connector – Extra GPIO (pin D4) for adding buttons, potentiometers, or IR receivers
- USB 5V Monitoring – Resistor divider lets you monitor the USB power line voltage
- Reset Button – Restart code or enter bootloader mode
Ideal For
- Driving NeoPixel and DotStar LED strips, rings, and matrices from a computer
- Desktop ambient lighting and PC case lighting
- Windows 11 Dynamic Light Control setups
- Quick LED prototyping without breadboards or soldering
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit Pixel Trinkey (assembled with screw terminals and JST SH connector)
Product Information
Product Information
Shipping & Returns
Shipping & Returns
Description
The Adafruit Pixel Trinkey is a tiny USB microcontroller board purpose-built for driving NeoPixel (WS2812, SK6812) and DotStar (APA102) addressable LEDs directly from your computer. It plugs into any USB-A port and provides screw terminal connections for solder-free wiring to your LED strips, rings, or grids.
Powered by an ATSAMD21 with 32 KB of SRAM, the Pixel Trinkey can drive thousands of pixels. It supports Arduino, CircuitPython, and Windows 11's built-in Dynamic Light Control. A computer USB port provides up to 1A — enough for roughly 150 pixels at moderate brightness. For larger installations, connect an external 5V power supply to the LED strip and share the ground connection.
Key Features
- ATSAMD21E18 Processor – 48 MHz 32-bit Cortex M0+ with 256 KB Flash and 32 KB RAM
- USB-A Plug – Plugs directly into any USB port; appears as serial console, MIDI device, HID keyboard/mouse, or disk drive
- Screw Terminal Block – 4 ports (5V, Data, Clock, GND) for solder-free wiring with 18–26 AWG wire
- Dual LED Protocol Support – Drive NeoPixels (1-wire) or DotStars (2-wire data + clock); NeoPixels can run two independent strands
- Built-in Level Shifting – Outputs 5V logic for reliable LED driving
- On-Board RGB NeoPixel – Status indicator LED for feedback
- JST SH 3-Pin Connector – Extra GPIO (pin D4) for adding buttons, potentiometers, or IR receivers
- USB 5V Monitoring – Resistor divider lets you monitor the USB power line voltage
- Reset Button – Restart code or enter bootloader mode
Ideal For
- Driving NeoPixel and DotStar LED strips, rings, and matrices from a computer
- Desktop ambient lighting and PC case lighting
- Windows 11 Dynamic Light Control setups
- Quick LED prototyping without breadboards or soldering
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit Pixel Trinkey (assembled with screw terminals and JST SH connector)
