Adafruit
RGB backlight positive LCD 20x4 + extras [black on RGB]
This 20×4 character LCD features black text on a full-colour RGB backlight that you can set to any colour — red, green, blue, purple, teal, white, and everyt...
This 20×4 character LCD features black text on a full-colour RGB backlight that you can set to any colour — red, green, blue, purple, teal, white, and everything in between. It's the most daylight-readable character LCD available and looks strikingly good at any colour or brightness level.
A drop-in upgrade for existing 20×4 LCD projects — the standard pinout works as-is (appearing black-on-red), with two additional pins (17 and 18) for green and blue LED control. On-board resistors allow direct 5 V logic drive at approximately 40 mA per LED (two LEDs at 20 mA each).
Key Features
- Full RGB Backlight – Mix any background colour by driving red, green, and blue LEDs independently
- 20×4 Character Display – 80 characters across 4 rows
- Excellent Daylight Readability – Black characters on bright, positive-mode background
- Drop-In Compatible – Standard HD44780 pinout works with existing LCD projects
- On-Board Resistors – Drive directly with 5 V logic, no external resistors needed
Specifications
- Display – 20×4 characters, black on RGB
- Backlight – RGB LED (pins 16, 17, 18)
- LED Current – ~40 mA per colour (2× 20 mA LEDs per colour)
- Logic Level – 5 V
- Interface – Parallel (HD44780 compatible)
Ideal For
- Arduino and CircuitPython display projects
- Upgrading existing character LCD setups with colour
- Status displays with colour-coded alerts
- Interactive projects with dynamic backlight effects
Package Contents
- 1× 20×4 RGB Backlight LCD
- 1× 10 kΩ contrast potentiometer
- 1× Header strip
Resources
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- 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.
- LCD
- LCD stands for liquid crystal display, a screen technology that uses a backlight and liquid crystals to show images or text. It matters because LCD modules usually need a display driver and enough controller pins or a bus interface to send image data.
- 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.
- potentiometer
- A variable resistor usually turned with a knob or shaft to create an adjustable electrical signal. It is often used for inputs such as volume, brightness or position, so it helps beginners learn how a microcontroller reads changing values.
- RGB
- Short for red, green and blue, usually referring to an LED that can mix those three colours. It matters because controlling an RGB LED teaches how separate outputs combine to create different colours.
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Displays & Screens
Related Tutorials
Free guides on learn.littlebird.com.au
