Adafruit 0.56 4-Digit 7-Segment Display w/I2C Backpack - Yellow

What could be better than a single LED? A whole bunch of them! One super - fun way to create a small display is by using an 8x8 matrix or a 4 - digit 7 - segment display. These matrices are multiplexed, which means you'd need 14 pins to control all the seven - segment LEDs. That's a lot of pins! There are driver chips like the MAX7219 that can manage a matrix for you, but setting up the wiring is a hassle and they take up a lot of space. At Adafruit, we get your pain. Wouldn't it be amazing if you could control a matrix without all that wiring? That's where our cute LED matrix backpacks come in. We offer two types: a mini 8x8 and a 4 - digit 0.56 - inch 7 - segment. They work great with the matrices in our Adafruit shop and make adding a bright little display a breeze. The matrices use a driver chip that does all the hard work. They have a built - in clock for display multiplexing. With constant - current drivers, they offer ultra - bright and consistent color (the images are taken at the dimmest setting to avoid overloading the camera). You can also dim the display in 1/16 steps, all through a simple I2C interface. The backpacks come with address - selection jumpers, allowing you to connect up to four mini 8x8s or eight 7 - segments (or a mix of both) on a single I2C bus. The product kit includes a fully tested and assembled LED backpack, an ultra - bright 4 - digit 0.56 - inch tall yellow seven - segment display, and a 4 - pin header. You'll need to do a bit of soldering to attach the matrix to the backpack, but it's easy and only takes about 5 minutes. As always, we have a detailed tutorial on soldering, wiring, and controlling the display. We've also written a great library for the backpacks, so you can start using it in under half an hour, showing images on the matrix or numbers on the 7 - segment. If you've been wanting a matrix display but were put off by the complexity, this is the perfect solution!

Using this Adafruit display is a piece of cake. First, you'll need to do a bit of soldering to attach the 4 - digit 7 - segment display to the LED backpack. Don't worry, it's easy and only takes about 5 minutes. After that, you can connect it to your project using the 4 - pin header. The backpacks come with address - selection jumpers, so you can connect multiple displays on a single I2C bus. To start displaying images or numbers, you can use the library we've written for the backpacks. It'll have you up and running in under half an hour. As for maintenance, keep it away from excessive heat and moisture. The display uses constant - current drivers, which are pretty reliable, but just make sure the connections stay secure. And if you have any issues, refer to our detailed tutorial that shows you how to solder, wire, and control the display.