Adafruit 16x8 LED Matrix Driver Backpack - HT16K33 Breakout

This is the magic sauce in our 7-segment and matrix backpacks, now available in a breadboard-friendly breakout board format. The HT16K33 is a neat little chip that can drive a multiplexed 16x8 matrix, equating to 128 individual LEDs.

Utilizing the I2C communication protocol, this chip operates with only 2 pins and supports up to 8 selectable I2C addresses. This configuration allows for a total of 8 matrices, each controlling an impressive 16x8 LEDs for a total of 1024 LEDs.

Unlike our LED matrix segment backpacks, this breakout doesn't have pre-drilled holes for an existing LED module. Instead, all 16 anodes and 8 cathodes are broken out alongside the I2C and power pins. You'll need to wire the anodes and cathodes based on your matrix datasheet, ensuring proper alignment of the pins.

With the freedom to connect any matrix you desire, our handy library allows you to program and display custom configurations. Although capable of switching LEDs on and off, the driver lacks the functionality to individually PWM dim them.

This chip is stable and supported by both Arduino and Pi with provided example code. The chip also supports reading a 3x13 keypad matrix, though example code for this is not included in our library. Refer to the datasheet for detailed information on keypad capabilities.