Scan Rate vs Refresh Rate vs Grayscale (and the Driver IC’s Role)
These three terms get mixed up constantly. Scan rate (e.g. 1/16, 1/32) is how many rows share each driver output via multiplexing. Refresh rate is how many times per second the whole image is redrawn. Grayscale (bit depth) is how many brightness levels each color can show. They are linked — and the driver IC is where they trade off.
Scan rate: how many rows share a driver
A 1/32-scan module drives 1 of every 32 rows at a time, cycling fast enough to look continuous. Lower scan (1/8) is brighter and easier to drive; higher scan (1/32) packs more pixels but demands more from the driver and decode chips. The driver IC and the receiving-card firmware both have to support your scan mode — for example the ICND2163 targets high 33–64 scan, while the ICND2150S is a 1/16-scan part.
Refresh and grayscale: the data-clock budget
Refresh rate and grayscale both consume the same resource: how fast data can be clocked into the driver in one cycle. Conventional drivers force a trade-off (more grayscale = lower refresh). S-PWM drivers with embedded SRAM and a GCLK multiplier break that link, which is how a modern part holds 14–16-bit grayscale at 3,840 Hz+. See S-PWM vs PWM for why.
FAQ
Does higher scan rate mean better quality?
Not directly. Higher scan (1/32) allows denser pixel layouts but is harder to drive; lower scan is brighter. Image quality depends more on the driver IC, grayscale depth, and refresh rate.
How do I find my module’s scan rate?
It is in the receiving-card config. Our RCFGX viewer reads the scan type, driver IC, grayscale and refresh straight from your .rcfgx file.