Why connect to arduino/esp8266 and not RPi GPIO?

I'm new and trying to learn.

For your average living room TV setup, it seems like everyone overcomplicates their setup by adding another micro-controller in addition to the RPi...why? E.g., an arduino or esp8266. Why not connect LED data wire to RPi GPIO and eliminate the extra controller? Doesn't the extra controller add latency?

My question assumes using an RPi and WS2812b lights. Along w hdmi usb capture w loopout. With these lights, you just connect the green led data wire to gpio. Please note, I am not saying to power the lights off the Pi. I'm saying to feed the data line from the Pi rather than an arduino or esp8266.

What am I missing? What's the benefit for the basic home living room setup?

..thanks for the help everyone. I dug around and found the answer, which is explained here: https://hyperion-project.org/t…options.10755/#post-27792

I really wish all these youtube personalities that talk-up this type of lighting system would offer a fuller explanation. I'm beginning to realize YouTubers don't know a whole lot. Imagine that.

But have come to appreciate intermit tech. Anyway, I'll mark this as solved.

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