MAX7219 – 8X8 LED Dot Matrix Display Module Functions

Hello friends! Welcome back to ElectroDuino. This blog is based on MAX7219 – 8X8 LED Dot Matrix Display | How its Works. Here we will discuss the introduction 8X8 LED Matrix Display module, pin diagram/pinout, module hardware overview, How it’s Works, its Specifications, and applications.

Introduction

An 8×8 dot led matrix is a very interesting display module that can print characters using LEDs or a group of LEDs. Another most interesting thing about it is the cheap price, easily available in the market, and easy to interface with microcontrollers. In the display, LEDs are arranged in 8 columns and 8 rows. So it is consists of 8×8 = 64 LED. It’s very difficult to control 64 LEDs by a microcontroller or microprocessor. So this display comes with a controller IC MAX7219. The MAX7219 is a common cathode display driver IC with serial input and parallel output. Which is make the display easier to control.

MAX7219 – 8X8 LED Dot Matrix Display Module Pin Diagram

MAX7219 – 8X8 LED Dot Matrix Display Module Hardware Overview

This Display Module consists of two main components, one is 8 x 8 LED matrix display and MAX7219 display driver IC.

8 x 8 LED Dot Matrix Display

These matrix display modules are made of 1088AS 8×8 led dot matrix. It has 8 rows of LED and 8 columns of LED, so it has a total of 8×8 =64 numbers of LED. This matrix has the LEDs anodes are connected across rows (8 pins) and the LEDs cathodes are connected across columns (8 pins each). So this display has total of 16 pins to control the LEDs.

MAX7219 Display Driver IC

The MAX7219 driver IC input interface is a 16-bit serial input shift register. It is a 24-pin IC available in different packages. This IC is basically used to convert serial data to parallel data. The MAX7219 are compact, serial input/output common-cathode display drivers that easy to interface with microcontrollers for control 7-segment numeric LED displays of up to 8 digits, bar-graph displays, or 64 individual LEDs. Included on the MAX7219 chip is a BCD code-B decoder, a multiplex scan circuitry, segment and digit drivers, and an 8×8 static RAM that stores each digit. Only one external resistor is required to set the segment current for all LEDs. This MAX7219 driver IC can control 64 LEDs using only 3 pins of a microcontroller or microprocessor. So this IC is used to reduce I/O pin usage of microcontroller or microprocessor.

Specifications

Applications

• OUTDOOR displays
• POSTER display.
• PIXEL gaming.
• Character design.
• Electronic, DIY  projects.