Adafruit
16x8 1.2 LED Matrix + Backpack - Ultra Bright Round White LEDs
A 16×8 LED matrix backpack kit featuring two ultra-bright 1.2" white 8×8 round LED matrices on a single I2C-controlled driver board. The HT16K33 chip handles...
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A 16×8 LED matrix backpack kit featuring two ultra-bright 1.2" white 8×8 round LED matrices on a single I2C-controlled driver board. The HT16K33 chip handles all the multiplexing, so you only need two I2C pins (SDA and SCL) to control 128 LEDs — no complex wiring required.
The backpack features constant-current drivers for consistent brightness, 1/16-step dimming control, and three address-selection jumpers allowing up to 8 backpacks on a single I2C bus. A small amount of soldering is required to attach the two matrices to the backpack board.
Key Features
- 16×8 White LED Matrix – Two ultra-bright 1.2" round 8×8 white matrices on one backpack
- HT16K33 Driver – Built-in clock and constant-current drivers for consistent brightness
- I2C Interface – Only 2 pins needed for full matrix control
- 16-Step Dimming – Adjustable brightness from very dim to full intensity
- Chainable – Up to 8 backpacks on one I2C bus (addresses 0x70–0x77)
Ideal For
- Scrolling text displays and small signage
- Compact notification and status indicators
- Arduino and microcontroller display projects
- Multi-backpack chainable display setups
Package Contents
- 1× 16×8 1.2" LED Backpack (fully assembled and tested)
- 2× Ultra-bright 8×8 round white LED matrices
- 1× 4-pin header
Resources
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- I2C
- I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.
- LED
- A light-emitting diode (LED) is a small electronic component that emits light when current flows through it in the correct direction. Because it only conducts one way, its polarity matters, and a through-hole LED must be soldered the correct way around to light up.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip that runs a stored program and controls connected inputs and outputs such as buttons, sensors, displays and communication interfaces. In a device built around one, it is the part that executes the code and coordinates the device's behaviour.
- SCL
- The clock line used by the I2C bus to keep data transfers timed between a controller and connected devices. When wiring I2C, SCL must be connected to the SCL pin on every device sharing the bus.
- SDA
- The data line used by the I2C bus to carry information between a controller and connected devices. When wiring I2C, SDA must be connected to the SDA pin on every device sharing the bus.
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adafruit led backpack
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