Hansen Hobbies

8x8 LED Matrix - 60mm, Row Cathode, Red

  • 1 for $4.49

  • 10pcs for $37.95

This is an 8x8 LED matrix in red. This is a much bigger version of what we use for our Mini Scrolling LED Kit. The LED's are connected in a row cathode configuration, so you can turn on a row by pulling a single pin to ground (typically with an NPN transistor). All of the columns have a common anode. Yes, you're right, row/column/cathode/anode doesn't really matter because the matrix is square, but they're still manufactured with both pin configurations. The third image below shows a 20x20mm matrix sitting next to a 60x60mm matrix. These are high quality. They are too wide to plug directly into a standard breadboard, but you can make it span two breadboards.

If you're not familiar with how displays work, you may be asking why there aren't enough pins to control each pixel individually. This would require a lot of pins and wires/pcb traces to make it work. The solution is to only light up one row at a time so that each one is on for 1/8 of the time. Do this very fast (>60Hz) and it will look good to the human eye. This is called multiplexing, and makes for a fantastic intermediate electronics project.

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