Feature Request: Single-channel dimmer DMX mode (Multiple White / Multiple Dimmer)

[cloverstreet]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

There is currently no DMX mode that treats each LED/output as a simple single-channel dimmer. This is a significant gap when using WLED with PWM controllers like the common optogled 5-channel boards, where each output drives an independent white light.
To control 5 independent white channels today, the closest options are Multiple RGB (which wastes 3 channels per output and requires setting R=G=B to the same value in your lighting software) or Multiple RGBW (4 channels per output, same problem). This creates unnecessary complexity in DMX controllers like MadMapper, where channel mapping becomes confusing and error-prone for what should be the simplest possible use case: one channel = one dimmer.

Describe the solution you'd like

A new DMX mode — something like "Multiple White" or "Multiple Dimmer" — where each LED/output consumes exactly 1 DMX channel interpreted as a brightness value. Optionally, a "Dimmer + Multiple White" variant with a master dimmer channel followed by 1 channel per output.
For a 5-channel PWM controller, the channel layout would simply be:

Ch 1: Output 1 brightness
Ch 2: Output 2 brightness
Ch 3: Output 3 brightness
Ch 4: Output 4 brightness
Ch 5: Output 5 brightness

This is the most basic DMX fixture profile imaginable and would make WLED with PWM outputs behave like any standard dimmer pack from any lighting console or software.

Describe alternatives you've considered

Multiple RGB mode with R=G=B mapped to the same fader — works but wastes 2 channels per output and requires manual remapping in the lighting software for every fixture.
Multiple RGBW — same problem but even worse at 4 channels per output.
Single DRGB — only controls all outputs uniformly, no individual control.

None of these are practical for the simple and common use case of independently dimming white light outputs.

Additional context
This would complement the existing mode set nicely — the codebase already handles per-LED multi-channel modes (MULTIPLE_RGB, MULTIPLE_RGBW), so a 1-channel-per-LED variant should be a straightforward addition following the same pattern. Related requests for expanded channel modes include #5018 (RGBCCT) and PR #4832 (DRGBW).

[netmindz]

You contradict yourself, you say "There is currently no DMX mode that treats each LED/output as a simple single-channel dimmer." but also acknowledge that "Multiple RGBW" does give you one channel per LED.

I disagree with "This is the most basic DMX fixture profile imaginable and would make WLED with PWM outputs behave like any standard dimmer pack from any lighting console or software." as that is exactly what MultiRGB does already - just you expect channel to equal pixel

If you are using RGBW strips, then to have a "Multi W" would give you the low number of channels used, but rather restrictive. If you have "Multi W" that actually sets all 4 leds in the pixel to the same value your color matching would be rubbish. Having RGBW (singular) and multi dimmer might make sense

[cloverstreet]

Thanks for the feedback. I think we might be talking past each other on the use case, so let me clarify.

I'm not using addressable RGB/RGBW strips — I'm using WLED with multi-channel PWM controllers (like the optogled 5-channel boards) where each output drives a completely separate, independent white light fixture. There are no pixels with RGBW subpixels — there are 5 physically separate lights, each needing one dimmer channel.

You're right that Multiple RGB gives per-LED control, but it costs 3 DMX channels per output. For 5 independent white lights, that's 15 channels instead of 5, and the usable channels end up on addresses 1, 4, 7, 10, 13 — meaning I have to manually track and map those non-contiguous addresses in my lighting software for every fixture, rather than just having a simple 1-through-5 layout. In a show environment where DMX channel counts are limited (ETC Element's 1024 channel cap, for example), both the channel waste and the mapping complexity matter.

Your last point about "RGBW (singular) and multi dimmer" is actually close to what I'm proposing. A mode where each LED/output = 1 DMX channel = brightness. Simple dimmer pack behavior. I'm happy to write the PR for it.

[netmindz]

Thanks for clarification of your use case. That is much clearer now

To help with the limit, I would use a fixture definition that was just a single dimmer, but set the start address to skip over the channels you don't need, or even a single fixture with your 15 dimmers. In both cases they are consecutive on the desk, just not consecutive addresses. If you have two universes then doesn't feel massively wasteful. I'd often skip channels do make the start address easier to keep track of

The fact it's 5 outputs you want us what is making it awkward. Otherwise R is your first white, G is your second, B is your 3rd and W is your 4th. So the issue really is that you use your 5th. You need a whole extra pixel, when all you want is R2

RGBW + Multi dimmer, so all the same colour, but optional intensity I think would be nice for a strip, but actually if you are only using analogue output, then that is no use to you as it would in effect be the same as RGBW + Dimmer so would be 9 channels (4 to set the colour of all pixels. Then 5 for the pixels)

What might work for you with current functionality is a layered approach. I might need to think of through, but wondering if by sending from the desk to the first WLED, then that is configured to output ArtNet or DDP to the other optogled boards