Adafruit
Adafruit 14-segment LED Alphanumeric Backpack
The Adafruit 14-Segment LED Alphanumeric Backpack is a standalone I2C LED driver board that makes it easy to add a 4-character alphanumeric display to any pr...
The Adafruit 14-Segment LED Alphanumeric Backpack is a standalone I2C LED driver board that makes it easy to add a 4-character alphanumeric display to any project. Powered by the HT16K33 chip, it handles all LED multiplexing over I2C — just send commands and it lights up the right segments for you.
Backpacks are end-to-end stackable, and by soldering the address jumpers on the back you can have up to 8 units sharing the same two I2C wires for a total of 32 characters.
Key Features
- HT16K33 I2C Driver – Handles all LED multiplexing and segment control
- Stackable Design – Up to 8 backpacks on one I2C bus (address jumpers on back)
- I2C Interface – Only 2 wires required for communication
- Arduino and CircuitPython Support – Ready-to-use library available
Also Available
- 14-Segment Alphanumeric LED FeatherWing – FeatherWing format with display
Ideal For
- Custom alphanumeric text displays
- Scrolling message boards and counters
- Instrument readouts and status panels
- Multi-digit display chains using I2C addressing
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit 14-Segment LED Alphanumeric Backpack (assembled and tested)
- 1× 4-pin header
Specifications
- Driver – HT16K33
- Interface – I2C
- Max Stackable – 8 units per I2C bus
- Compatible Display – 2-digit 0.54" 14-segment alphanumeric (×2)
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- Address jumpers
- Address jumpers are small solder pads or links used to change a device’s bus address. They matter when you want to connect multiple identical displays to the same controller without their addresses conflicting.
- CircuitPython
- A beginner-friendly version of Python designed to run directly on microcontroller boards. If a product supports CircuitPython, you can often program it by copying code files onto the board rather than setting up a more complex toolchain.
- FeatherWing
- A FeatherWing is an add-on board made to plug into the Feather microcontroller board layout. Knowing a product is a FeatherWing helps you check whether it will physically and electrically fit your Feather-style mainboard.
- 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 is a small electronic component that lights up when current flows through it in the correct direction. In this kit, LEDs create the flashing effect, so polarity and correct soldering matter for the project to work.
- LED driver
- An LED driver is a control chip or circuit that supplies and switches power to LEDs. For a display board, it reduces the number of microcontroller pins needed and handles tasks like lighting the right segments and adjusting brightness.
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