Make a scrolling sign, or a small video display with this 8×8 gridded square Amber LED matrix. Only 1.2″ on a side, it is quite visible but not so large it won’t plug into a breadboard! 64 Amber LEDs are contained inside the plastic body, in an 8×8 matrix. There are 16 pins on the side, 8 on each, with 0.1″ spacing so you can easily plug it into a breadboard with one row on each side for wiring it up.

These LEDs have a deeper amber coloring, it’s a beautiful shade but the process is different than our other 1.2″ yellow-orange/amber LED matrices so be aware the colors won’t match up.

Since the display is in a grid, you’ll need to 1:8 multiplex control it. We suggest either using a 74HC595 and TPIC6B595 (using the 74HC’ to control the 8 anodes at once and then using the TPIC’ to drive one cathode at a time) or just using a single MAX7219 which will do the multiplexing work for you.

The Arduino playground has a nice set of tutorials introducing the MAX7219 and 8×8 LED matrices

Technical Details

The Arduino playground has a nice set of tutorials introducing the MAX7219 and 8×8 LED matrices

Using a high power shift register to drive 8×8 matrices with a NETduino

Datasheet

This is a Common Cathode LED Matrix

Dimensions:

• 31mm x 31mm x 7mm / 1.2″ x 1.2″ x 0.3″
• Height without Pins: 7mm / 0.3″
• Weight: 7.65g