Pimoroni
Unicorn HAT Mini
The Unicorn HAT Mini is a compact 17×7 RGB LED matrix for Raspberry Pi, featuring 119 individually controllable LEDs and four tactile buttons. Simply pop it ...
The Unicorn HAT Mini is a compact 17×7 RGB LED matrix for Raspberry Pi, featuring 119 individually controllable LEDs and four tactile buttons. Simply pop it onto any 40-pin Raspberry Pi — no soldering required — and use the Python library to display animations, scrolling text, simple images, and mini games.
Two Holtek HT16D35A LED matrix driver chips handle all the multiplexing, giving you per-pixel colour and brightness control. The four built-in buttons are ideal for controlling display modes, adjusting brightness, or building simple interactive games.
Key Features
- 17×7 RGB LED Matrix – 119 individually addressable LEDs
- Per-Pixel Colour and Brightness – Full control of each LED via two HT16D35A drivers
- Four Tactile Buttons – User input for games, mode selection, or brightness control
- Pre-Assembled – Header pre-attached; no soldering required
- Mini HAT Format – Compact board fits all 40-pin Raspberry Pi models
- Python Library – Ready-made library with examples including Simon Says and a falling-blocks game
Specifications
- LED Type – Non-smart RGB (not NeoPixel/DotStar)
- Driver Chips – 2× Holtek HT16D35A
- Dimensions – 65 × 30 × 10 mm
- Compatibility – All Raspberry Pi models with a 40-pin GPIO header
Ideal For
- LED animations and scrolling text displays
- Simple games with button input
- Status indicators and notification lights
- Creative coding and Python learning projects
Package Contents
- 1× Unicorn HAT Mini (fully assembled)
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- GPIO
- General-purpose input/output pins are microcontroller pins you can set in software to read signals, switch devices on and off, or connect to peripherals. The number of GPIO pins matters because it limits how many buttons, LEDs, sensors, and other parts you can wire directly to the board.
- 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.
- NeoPixel
- A type of addressable LED system where colour data is sent along a single digital data line from one LED or controller to the next. Compatibility matters because the timing and signal format must match for the lights or driver board to respond correctly.
- pHAT
- A smaller add-on board format for Raspberry Pi, similar in idea to a HAT but usually not full-sized. It matters because pHAT compatibility can affect how neatly a board stacks or fits into a Raspberry Pi project.
- 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.
Find this product in
Brands
Raspberry Pi
Related Tutorials
Free guides on learn.littlebird.com.au
