# Adafruit Bicolor LED Square Pixel Matrix with I2C Backpack

**Type:** Product page · **SKU:** ADA902 · **Brand:** [Adafruit](https://core-electronics.com.au/brands/adafruit-australia)
**Page:** https://core-electronics.com.au/adafruit-bicolor-led-square-pixel-matrix-with-i2c-backpack.html ([markdown](https://core-electronics.com.au/adafruit-bicolor-led-square-pixel-matrix-with-i2c-backpack.html.md))

What's better than a single LED? Lots of LEDs! A fun way to make a small colorful display is to use a 1.2" Bi-color 8x8 LED Matrix. Matrices like these are 'multiplexed'...

## Pricing

- **Price:** $28.95 (inc GST) — $26.32 AUD, exc GST
- **Quantity discounts:** 10+ $25.53 (exc GST) · 50+ $25.00 (exc GST)

## Availability & dispatch

- Available with a lead time — expect dispatch between Sep 02 and Sep 07.

## Description

What's better than a single LED? Lots of LEDs! A fun way to make a small colorful display is to use a [1.2" Bi-color 8x8 LED Matrix](https://core-electronics.com.au/small-1-2-8x8-bi-color-red-green-square-led-matrix-bl-m12a883dug-11.html). Matrices like these are 'multiplexed' - so to control all the 128 LEDs you need 24 pins. That's a lot of pins, and there are [driver chips like the MAX7219](https://core-electronics.com.au/max7219cng-led-matrix-digit-display-driver-max7219.html) that can help control a matrix for you but there's a lot of wiring to set up and they take up a ton of space. Here at Adafruit Adafruit feel your pain! After all, wouldn't it be awesome if you could control a matrix without tons of wiring? That's where these adorable LED matrix backpacks come in. Adafruit have them in three flavors - [a mini 8x8](https://core-electronics.com.au/#), [1.2" Bi-color 8x8 ](https://core-electronics.com.au/adafruit-bicolor-led-square-pixel-matrix-with-i2c-backpack.html) and a [4-digit 0.56" 7-segment](https://core-electronics.com.au/#). They work perfectly with the matrices Adafruit stock in the Adafruit shop and make adding a bright little display trivial. It's called a Bicolor LED, but you can have 3 colors total by turning on the red and green LEDs, which creates yellow. That's 3 colors for the price of 2!
 
 The matrices use a driver chip that does all the heavy lifting for you: They have a built in clock so they multiplex the display. They use constant-current drivers for ultra-bright, consistent color, 1/16 step display dimming, all via a simple I2C interface. The backpacks come with address-selection jumpers so you can connect up to four mini 8x8's or eight 7-segments/bicolor (or a combination, such as four mini 8x8's and two 7-segments and two bicolor, etc) on a single I2C bus.
 
 The product kit comes with:

- A fully tested and assembled LED backpack
- [1.2" Bi-color 8x8 LED Matrix ](https://core-electronics.com.au/small-1-2-8x8-bi-color-red-green-square-led-matrix-bl-m12a883dug-11.html)
- 4-pin header
 
A bit of soldering is required to attach the matrix onto the backpack but its very easy to do and only takes about 5 minutes.
 
 Of course, in classic Adafruit fashion, We also have a detailed tutorial showing you how to solder, wire and control the display. They even wrote [a very nice library for the backpacks so you can get running in under half an hour, displaying images on the matrix or numbers on the 7-segment](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit-LED-Backpack-Library). If you've been eyeing matrix displays but hesitated because of the complexity, his is the solution you've been looking for!

## Technical Details

[Bi-Color LED Display Datasheet](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/BL-M12A883xx_34583e0e10f.PDF)

[Datasheets, schematic, EagleCAD PCB files, and Fritzing available in the product tutorial](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-led-backpack/downloads)

- This board/chip uses I2C 7-bit address between 0x70-0x77, selectable with jumpers

**Backpack Dimensions:**

- 33mm x 41mm x 4mm / 1.3" x 1.6" x 0.16"
- Mounting Holes: 28mm x 36mm / 1.1" x 1.4"

 ![](https://core-electronics.com.au/attachments/localcontent/rohs_icon_8216055e11.jpg)

## Images

- [Product image 1](https://core-electronics.com.au/media/catalog/product/9/0/902-00.jpg)