Abstract: The present invention discloses a single chip ballast controller, capable of providing brightness levels overview and brightness setting of a fluorescent lamp during power-on period, having: a switching detection circuit, used to generate a set signal, which changes from an inactive state to an active state when a supply voltage falls below a threshold voltage; a time-varying reference voltage generator, used to generate a time-varying reference voltage varying between a first level and a second level during a power-on period, wherein the time-varying reference voltage can be fixed at a level by the active state of the set signal during the power-on period; and a gating signal generator, used to generate a high side driving signal and a low side driving signal according to an error voltage between the time-varying reference voltage and a current sensing voltage.