Get excited because creating your own 8x16 LED matrix display for any Feather is a breeze! This kit pairs two cute miniature LED matrices with a FeatherWing driver board. Measuring 0.8 inches square, these 8x8 matrices pack all the features of a large LED matrix but in a compact size. Combine them for a total of 128 bright LEDs. We offer these Adafruit 0.8 inches 8x16 LED Matrix FeatherWing Display Combo Packs in White, Blue, Green, Red, Yellow, and Yellow - Green. Normally, wiring 8x16 matrices would need a whopping 24 GPIO pins, but our 16x8 LED matrix backpack PCB comes to the rescue. It has a HT16K33 I2C LED matrix driver that handles all the multiplexing, and it's controlled via two I2C pins. It's super easy to use and has a portable library that works on any of our Feathers to control each LED. The 16x8 backpack is perfect for scrolling displays or small video displays. In our example, we set it to show small bitmap emoticons, but you can also display moving text like a sign at a mini car dealership. The kit includes a fully - tested and assembled 16x8 0.8 inches LED FeatherWing, 2 ultra - bright square 8x8 matrices, and 2 16 - pin headers. You'll need to do a bit of soldering to attach the matrices to the FeatherWing, but it's simple and only takes about 15 minutes. Check out our tutorial for assembly instructions, pinouts, CircuitPython and Arduino library code, schematics and more! The board/chip uses a 12C 7 - bit address between 0x70 - 0x77, selectable with jumpers. FeatherWing Dimensions: 51mm x 23mm x 5mm / 2.0 inches x 0.9 inches x 0.2 inches. FeatherWing Weight: 6.3g. Mini LED Matrix Display Dimensions: 20mm x 20mm x 6mm / 0.8 inches x 0.8 inches x 0.2 inches. Mini LED Matrix Display Height w/ Pins: 13mm / 0.5 inches. Mini LED Matrix Display Weight: 3g. Don't forget to check our tutorial for all the details!
Using this Adafruit LED matrix kit is really easy. First, you'll need to solder the two ultra - bright 8x8 matrices onto the FeatherWing. It only takes about 15 minutes, and you can find detailed assembly instructions in our tutorial. Once it's assembled, you can use the included portable library on your Feather to control each LED. You can set it up to display bitmap emoticons, moving text, or use it for scrolling or small video displays. When it comes to the address, the board/chip uses a 12C 7 - bit address between 0x70 - 0x77, and you can select the address with jumpers. As for maintenance, keep it in a dry and clean place. Avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures or humidity. If you have any questions during use, refer back to our tutorial which also has pinouts, CircuitPython and Arduino library code, and schematics.
