What transistor is needed and how to turn it on correctly?

Question

Batteries

There is a piece of programmable RGB tape. The control is carried out using the WS2801 chip. (detailed description www.adafruit.com/datasheets/WS2801.pdf ). It is required to pull out the LED, and instead connect a piece of tape (with its own separate power supply).
A picture of the desired result is attached.
The problem is that I don't know which of the circuits suits me best (red or green), and also which transistor is needed (well, I'm not good at this, so I'm asking for help). I just know that the maximum length for the segments that will be inserted after the transistors is 2 meters.
The tape consumes = 0.06mA (each LED) x 64 (number of LEDs per 2 meters of segment) = 3.84 A.
So the transistor must withstand 4A. Tape power is either 5 or 12 volts.
As far as I remember, a resistor is needed there, but I could be wrong.
If I'm wrong about something or made a mistake, do not judge strictly. Please help someone is not difficult. Thank you.

Answer 1

Almost any NPN transistor will do.
But the current must already be calculated, because it all depends on the supply voltage, how much is connected in parallel.
If the tape power is 12 volts (roughly speaking, 3 volts for each LED), then it turns out that 4 LEDs should be connected in series (current consumption is still 0.06), but since 64 LEDs need to be powered, 64/4 = 16 (so much should be connected in parallel), and the current consumption is already becoming 0.06 * 16 = 0.96 amperes. That is, the transistor must be taken for a voltage of more than 12 volts and a current of more than one ampere.
I personally have never worked with LED strips, so I don’t know how acceptable my option is, but in terms of current consumption and heat dissipation on the transistor, it is clearly good.