RGB Matrix Backpack

The RGB Matrix Backpack will be a small controller board to attach to 8x8 RGB LED matrices. It will accept input via SPI or I2C and control the display.

Project Status

BOM on file at Digikey (minus matrix display from Sparkfun), PCB design completed and submitted to Laen 2010-10-25.

Rough Notes

• Going to use the PIC18F65K22 as it will drive all the pins needed directly (no muxes or anything) and is <$5 in single qty. Cheaper than using multiplexers and more flexible this way.
  • Also I haven't used PICs in any projects in ~5 years, so I want to try them out again :)
• Cathode/low side (columns) will be N-channel MOSFETs.
  • Which is nice because there are 24 columns to drive, but only 8 rows. Cheaper components on the columns is handy.
• Anode/high side (rows) should be a constant current source with P-channel MOSFETs.
• Being able to plug them together in a 2D matrix would be awesome
• They plug into a 1D matrix natively, and there's a cable interface to link multiple 1D rows together into a 2D display