Happy Pi Day Folks! 🥧 FREE UK SHIPPING THIS WEEKEND enter code "AHOY" during checkout!
Happy Pi Day Folks! 🥧 FREE UK SHIPPING THIS WEEKEND enter code "AHOY" during checkout!

RGB LED Matrix Panel

Bring a little bit of Times Square into your home with these sweet RGB LED matrix panels.

These HUB75 style panels are normally used to make video walls, you can sometimes see them on the sides of buses and bus stops displaying animations or short video clips. They have bright RGB LEDs arranged in a 32x32, 32x64 or 64x64 grid on the front. On the back there is a PCB with a set of dual IDC connectors (one input, one output) and 12 16-bit latches that allow you to drive the display with a 1:16 scan rate.

These panels require 13 digital pins (6 bit data, 7 bit control) and a good 5V supply, up to 4A per panel). They are 'chainable' if you connect one output to the next input - you will need a microcontroller with a suitably high speed processor and enough RAM plus a software library that supports this.

These displays are designed to be driven by FPGAs or other high speed processors: they do not have built in PWM control of any kind. Instead, you're supposed to redraw the screen over and over to 'manually' PWM the whole thing. On a 16 MHz Arduino, it's possible to squeeze 12-bit color (4096 colors) with 40% CPU usage but they will do best powered by an FPGA or other high speed multi-core controller (like a recent Raspberry Pi or Feather). They are pre-white balanced with nice uniformity so if you turn on all the LEDs it's not a particularly tinted white.

Here are some nice, tidy ways to connect up and drive your LED matrices:

...scroll down for tutorial links!

Includes

  • LED panel
  • Power cable (with fork connectors suitable for connecting to a screw terminal)
  • IDC data cable
  • Four magnetic feet with screw threads

COM-B021 includes

Our new 128x64 panels come in packs of two! Here's what you get with those:

  • 2x 128x64 LED panel
  • Double ended power cable (with ring connectors suitable for connecting to a screw terminal)
  • Long IDC data cable
  • Eight magnetic feet with screw threads

Specifications

  COM-B006 COM-B007 COM-B013 COM-B014 COM-B021
Dimensions (mm, L x W x H) 192 x 192 x 12.5 128 x 128 x 14 256 x 128 x 14.5 160 x 160 x 15 320 x 160 x 14.5
Panel resolution 32 x 32 (1024 dots) 32 x 32 (1024 dots) 64 x 32 (2048 dots) 64 x 64 (4096 dots) 128 x 64 (8,192 dots)
Physical LED pitch (mm) 6 4 4 2.5 2.5
Physical density (dots/m²) 27556 62500 62500 160000 160000
Panel weight (kg) 0.24 0.13 0.23 0.24 0.37
Viewing angle (horizontal) ≥160° ≥160° ≥160° ≥160°
Viewing angle (vertical) ≥160° ≥160° ≥160° ≥160°
Maximum power (w) ≤12 ≤20 ≤20 ≤18
Luminance (cd/m) ≥1300 ≥1000 ≥1000
 ≥1000
Photos of backs of panels link link link link link
  • 5V regulated power input, 4A max (all LEDs on)
  • 5V data logic level input
  • Displays are 'chainable' - connect one output to the next input.

Resources

Check out these tutorials for instructions, schematics, wiring diagrams and code examples!

Notes

  • For 64x64 displays: You must solder bridge the E jumper on the back of the Adafruit Matrix Bonnet to 8, otherwise only half of your 64x64 display will light up.
  • These panels are remainder stock from factories that make huge light boards. This means panels may vary slightly from batch to batch (though basic operation is the same). As such, if you're planning on chaining multiple boards we'd recommend buying them at the same time to ensure compatibility.
  • Recent batches of these panels use a newer FM6126A driver chip - if you're having trouble getting them to light up you might need to specify this. If you're using the rpi-rgb-led-matrix library try running the examples with --led-panel-type=FM6126A, or with our Interstate 75 examples you can specify the panel type like so:
    i75 = Interstate75(display=Interstate75.DISPLAY_INTERSTATE75_64X64, panel_type=Interstate75.PANEL_FM6126A)

39 customer reviews

a year ago
An amazing piece of hardware - used it to build a smart clock for my office. Connected to the Interstate 75W (Pico onboard) also from Pimoroni it shows the time, some notifications about mail and messages and has more useful features like a Pomodoro timer. Wiring it was a breeze (but take care you provide enough power), programming with Micropython definitely fun.
by Thomas about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
a year ago
Great to get my son started programming his pico. He soon got his LED panel flashing text and images! GATEWAY TO MARS
by Peter about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
a year ago
Great to get my kid started coding his LED display signs __ ___ __ / _ /\ | |_ | | /\\_/ \__)/--\| |__|/\|/--\| ___ __ __ __ | / \ |\/| /\ |__)(_ | \__/ | |/--\| \ __)
by Anonymous about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
2 years ago
Connected my Interstate 75 to the new matrix. Updated to the latest pimoroni microphone uf2, downloaded the examples from github to run some tests. I get a jumbled mess on the rainbow.py, half of a couple of the balls on the bouncing ball example and the rest just won't work. The panel intermittently lights up. When just trying to light up the pixel in the top left, it randomly lights an led. Having some real issues. Tried my interstate 75 w pico on board and it's the same problem. Will keep trying though.
by Anonymous about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
2 years ago
Matrix Panel looks nice. One suggestion: if, like me, you write your own software (assembler in my case), it would be worth highlighting more noticeably that if the Matrix is based on the FM6126A shift register, as mine is, then a short piece of special initialization code needs to be run, otherwise the panel appears dead. You can scan for FM6126A in the MicroPython code to see the necessary steps.
by David about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
2 years ago
This item didn't work at all. Nothing wrong with my software or setup; it was just completely dead. The power connector on the back looked dodgy, a little proud from the base, and when I was removing the power cable it broke off. Very disappointed.
by David about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
2 years ago
The matrix panel is very nice to look at and easy to use when coupled with the Interstate module.
by Michael about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
2 years ago
Feels very nicely made, and looks fantastic - worked well with the Adafruit matrix portal.
by Anonymous about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
3 years ago
I underestimated how beefy a power supply I needed, (up to 4A depending on how many lights are expected to be alight simultaneously), but that's on me.
by Eli about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
3 years ago
Great quality LED Matrix Panel. Simple to use, very bright, and lightweight. I love these!
by Fabio about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
3 years ago
Good little matrix. I think I might by a larger one next time as it would fit my project needs more
by Anonymous about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
3 years ago
I would have had given these 5 stars were it not for the fact that 2 out of the 3 panels I ordered have 1 dead pixel, which is generally not an issue on a video display, but it is quite obvious when you only have 64x64 pixels per panel.
by Alfonso about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
4 years ago
This panel is perfect. It has all the correct chips on board to make it compatible with many of the processors and programs out there. I plugged my controller board in with a sketch already loaded and it worked straight away. Nice and bright.
by Nigel about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
4 years ago
Well it’s marvellous - the resolution is splendid - bit of soldering on the jumper and “it’s alive - it’s alive” - highly recommend this bad boy
by Christopher about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
4 years ago
Good quality panel, easy to set up and use with a marixled shield (im using a teensy) Will certainly be back for about four more.. The magnetic stand offs make mounting a real breeze. Quality, and super quick delivery as always.
by Oll about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
4 years ago
This display is nice and bright. Combined with the Adafruit matrix portal programming is a breeze. Came well packed with all the bits
by Nigel about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
4 years ago
Quick delivery. Well packaged and most importantly all panels (X4) that ordered came from some batch this is important when you are making a multi-panel screen.
by olivier about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
5 years ago
This is bigger than I expected — but that's no bad thing, as it makes for a more exciting display to tinker with. This is no beginner's display, and just getting the thing to turn on is a challenge for those new to this kind of thing (like me!). Even finding a power supply that works with it was a long research project in itself! I'm yet to find a good use for it, but I'm excited to try it out properly when I do.
by John about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
5 years ago
Great display. Can be used with an wemos mini or Esp32 board along with a raspberrypi to get best results
by Nigel about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
5 years ago
Nice bright LED panel. Takes a bit of fiddling to get it running smoothly with no flickering. You should shop around a bit as well as I have since found this a bit cheaper elsewhere.
by Darrell about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
5 years ago
Ahoy, have been running the last batch we bought (10 pcs) of those 32x32 matrices in our makerspace over the weekend, and they are still bright and shiny! 10 out of 10 blinking away.... Really nice hardware. We use Pi3 with the Electrodragon hat and rpi-rgb-led-matrix for various effects. The only thing I would like to see more, is the driver board available here @ Pimoroni.
by Petr about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
5 years ago
Ahoy Pimoroni and customers! I have purchased a total of six of these panels over the last few months and I use them with the Adafruit RGB Bonnet which seems to work very well. The demonstration programmes available on the website are easy to install on my Pi 3 and make a good starting point for your own developments. So far I have wired up four of the panels, using the ribbon cables supplied. My power leads have been modified to chain the 5V from the bonnet to the first pair, then on to the second pair. I use a "patent" connector for pairs of panels, with a 30mm tapped plastic standoff and axial screws to lock the spade terminals together, then another pair of wires link to an identical arrangement on the second pair. Power supply. My initial experiment was with a 4-cell 7AH NiMh pack however this was not good enough. I tried a heavy-duty adjustable supply, this worked fine but only as a trial. My recent purchase of a 25W, 5V 5A "brick" is the solution. This has a flying lead with a 2.1 mm connector which fits the socket on the bonnet. I suggest that heavy-duty power leads are used, radiating from the power supply instead of daisy-chaining. Max current with four panels is 1.8 A. If the array is bent into a "U", the data ribbon is a bit short at 150 mm, I advise one data ribbon which is just a bit longer, e.g. 200 mm. A very easy to use LED panel, daylight readable, which can be scaled up as required.
by Timothy about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
6 years ago
This panel (64x64) is really very good. The standard library (https://github.com/hzeller/rpi-rgb-led-matrix) unfortunately does not display anything by default though. This is due to the controller chips (FM6126A) being used I believe. Also, either the standard AdaFruit bonnet installer does not quite work on Raspbian Lite or python is just missing - in any event, to get things running on Rasbian Lite, you will need to install python manually. Here is what I did to get this panel running the adafruit demos and functioning normally on a Raspberry Pi Zero (and presumably others) using the AdaFruit Bonnet - (As noted in the product description, the pads on the Bonnet must be bridged to the 8 position for this panel.) 1. Follow the AdaFruit tutorial at https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-rgb-matrix-bonnet-for-raspberry-pi/ and use their installer. It is pretty good and (mostly on my Pi Zero with Rasbpian Lite) works 2. run the command 'sudo apt install python3-gpiozero' to install python (I was using Raspbian Lite - this may not be required for other distributions of Raspbian). This is discussed in issue #807 (https://github.com/hzeller/rpi-rgb-led-matrix/issues/807) as an aside. 3. run the script attached to issue #746 of the library's GitHub issues log (https://github.com/hzeller/rpi-rgb-led-matrix/issues/746) making the changes to the brightness variables as discussed there. the demos should now run and be visible. If the images don't come out quite right (eg a band missing horizontally in the middle) specify the size of the panel on the demo's command line (--led-rows=64 --led-cols=64).
by Steve about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io
6 years ago
The panel is high quality and looks stunning. The colours look very good and there are plenty of examples of how to program the panel.
by Michael about RGB LED Matrix Panel via REVIEWS.io

1 user photo