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The Small 1.2" (30 mm) 8x8 Bright Square LED Matrix + Backpack combines a vivid blue LED matrix with an I2C backpack driver board, making it simple to add a ...

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The Small 1.2" (30 mm) 8x8 Bright Square LED Matrix + Backpack combines a vivid blue LED matrix with an I2C backpack driver board, making it simple to add a compact display to any microcontroller project without complex wiring.

The HT16K33 driver chip handles all multiplexing, constant-current drive for consistent colour, and 1/16-step dimming — all controlled over a two-wire I2C bus. Three address-selection jumpers allow up to eight backpacks on a single bus, so you can build larger or mixed displays with ease.

Key Features

  • I2C Interface – Only two data pins required (SDA + SCL)
  • HT16K33 Driver – Built-in oscillator and constant-current LED drivers
  • Adjustable Brightness – 1/16-step display dimming via software
  • Chainable – Three address jumpers allow up to 8 devices on one I2C bus
  • Compact Size – 1.2" (30 mm) square pixel matrix
  • LED Colour – Blue

Ideal For

  • Status indicators and simple animations
  • Scrolling text displays
  • Sensor data visualisation
  • Multi-display arrays using I2C addressing

Package Contents

  • 1× Assembled and tested 1.2" LED backpack (HT16K33)
  • 1× 1.2" 8x8 square pixel blue LED matrix
  • 1× 4-pin header
Note: Light soldering is required to attach the matrix to the backpack — approximately 5 minutes of work.

Resources

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

Address jumpers
Address jumpers are small solder pads, links or switches used to change a device's address on a shared bus such as I2C. They matter when you want to connect several identical devices to the same controller, since each one needs a unique address to avoid conflicts.
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.
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