Adafruit
RGB LCD Shield Kit w/ 16x2 Character Display - Only 2 pins used! [POSITIVE DISPLAY]
This Arduino shield kit combines a 16×2 RGB character LCD with five navigation buttons, all controlled over I2C using just two pins (Analog 4 and 5). An on-b...
This Arduino shield kit combines a 16×2 RGB character LCD with five navigation buttons, all controlled over I2C using just two pins (Analog 4 and 5). An on-board I2C port expander handles the LCD, RGB backlight, and keypad inputs, leaving your remaining pins free for sensors and other peripherals — and the I2C bus can still be shared with other devices.
The five directional buttons (up, down, left, right, select) provide a built-in user interface for standalone projects without needing a computer. This is the positive display version (black text on RGB backlight).
Key Features
- I2C Control – LCD, backlight, and buttons all managed via two I2C pins
- 16×2 RGB LCD Included – Positive display (black on RGB) with 7 backlight colours (red, yellow, green, teal, blue, violet, white) plus off
- 5 Navigation Buttons – Up, down, left, right, and select with automatic debouncing
- Shared I2C Bus – Other I2C devices (sensors, RTCs, etc.) can share the bus
- Arduino Library – Drop-in replacement for LiquidCrystal with built-in keypad support
Compatibility
- Arduino Uno, Duemilanove, Diecimila – Direct plug-in
- Arduino Mega R3 – Works with the extra SDA/SCL pins
- Earlier Mega – Requires two wires soldered from the shield I2C pins to Digital 20 and 21
Ideal For
- Standalone projects with on-device user interfaces
- Menu-driven Arduino applications
- Sensor readout displays
- Learning to solder (beginner-friendly kit)
Package Contents
- 1× PCB shield board
- 1× 16×2 RGB positive LCD
- 5× Navigation buttons
- Headers and all required components
Resources
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- Headers
- Rows of metal pins used to plug a module into a breadboard or connect it with jumper wires. Pre-soldered headers make the module easier to use straight away without needing to solder the pins yourself.
- 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.
- 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.
- PCB
- A printed circuit board is a rigid board with copper tracks that connect electronic parts without loose wires. For this kit, the PCBs also form the airplane shape, so they are both the circuit base and part of the finished model.
- PWM
- Pulse Width Modulation is a way for a digital pin to simulate variable output power by switching on and off very quickly. It matters for controlling things like LED brightness, motor speed, or servo-style signals from a microcontroller pin.
- 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.
- SDA/SCL
- SDA and SCL are the two signal lines used by an I2C bus: data and clock. Seeing these names helps you identify the correct connections when wiring I2C devices, even though Qwiic cables usually hide that wiring for you.
- Shield
- An add-on board that plugs into a main controller board to give it extra features such as sensing, motor control or communication. Knowing a product supports shields helps you judge whether it can connect neatly into an existing maker-board setup.
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Related Tutorials
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