Grove - RGB LED Matrix w/Driver

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8x8 RGB LED Matrix is awesome for simple image display, 64 pixel leds and 255 colors for each pixel means almost infinite possibilities. However, the complicated wiring of the matrix is daunting. Now we present the Grove - RGB LED Matrix w/Driver for you, leave all the complex and variable wireing and soldering behind, just one single grove connector to control the RGB 8x8 LED matrix easily. Amazing? Try it yourself and you will love it.

Version

Product Version	Changes	Released Date
Grove - RGB LED Stick (10 WS2813 Mini)	Initial	Dec 2018

Features

8x8 pixel, RGB 255 colors
Build-in MCU
±1%(typ.) LED Current accuracy between channels
Support for displaying custom images

Specification

Item	Value
Operating Voltage	3.3V / 5V
Operating Temperature	-40℃ ~ +85℃
Interface	I2C
I2C Address	0x65
size	L: 40mm W: 40mm H: 21mm
Weight	17.3g
Package size	L: 120mm W: 100mm H: 33mm
Gross Weight	28g

Typical Applications

Simple image display
Toys

Hardware Overview

Pin Out

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Grove Interface

We use I2C interface to control the LED matrix:

GND: connect this module to the system GND
VCC: you can use 5V for this module
SDA: I2C serial data
SCL: I2C serial clock

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DC-DC Module

We use MP-2155 to provide a stable 3.3V for the the MCU and the LED driver chip.

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Firmware Download Interface

Connect to the SDA and SCL pin, works as the UART when download the firmware.

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LED Driver

The MY9221 is a 12-channels (R/G/B x 4) constant current APDM (Adaptive Pulse Density modulation) LED driver. Since this mudule is 8x8 matrics, so we need RGB X8 output channels, therefor, we use two MY9221.

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8x8 LED Matrix

We use 64 KTR-3528RGB LEDs to form an 8x8 matrix LED

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We use the V signal for column selection and the RGB signal for row selection.
We name the leds by D, D1 - D64. R1/G1/B1 - R8/G8/B8 is drive by two MY9221, V1 - V8 is controled by the 74HC183PW chip. If all the LEDs are off, the V1 -V9 should be pulled low by default, and all the RGB changle line will all be pulled high.

e.g.

D8 is in the first row, eighth column. If we want to make the D8 Green-255, then we should pull V8 high, and pull R1/B1 high, pull G1 to ground. Then only the Green led will be light up, you will see the D8 turn pure green.

Platforms Supported

Arduino	Raspberry Pi

caution

The platforms mentioned above as supported is/are an indication of the module's hardware or theoritical compatibility. We only provide software library or code examples for Arduino platform in most cases. It is not possible to provide software library / demo code for all possible MCU platforms. Hence, users have to write their own software library.

Getting Started

Play With Arduino

Hardware

Materials required

Seeeduino V4.2	Base Shield	Grove - RGB LED Matrix w/Driver

Get One Now	Get One Now	Get One Now

note

**1** Please plug the USB cable gently, otherwise you may damage the port. Please use the USB cable with 4 wires inside, the 2 wires cable can't transfer data. If you are not sure about the wire you have, you can click [here](https://www.seeedstudio.com/Micro-USB-Cable-48cm-p-1475.html) to buy

**2** Each Grove module comes with a Grove cable when you buy. In case you lose the Grove cable, you can click [here](https://www.seeedstudio.com/Grove-Universal-4-Pin-Buckled-20cm-Cable-%285-PCs-pack%29-p-936.html) to buy.

info

**1**. If the you uses Arduino UNO as the motherboard, it is recommended that use the DC power supply. Otherwise, the maximum ripple of VCC may exceed 100mV. If you use Seeeduino V4.2 as the motherboard, you do not need to connect DC power.

**2**. Hot swap is not supported.

Step 1. Connect the Grove - RGB LED Matrix w/Driver to port I2C of Grove-Base Shield.
Step 2. Plug Grove - Base Shield into Seeeduino.
Step 3. Connect Seeeduino to PC via a USB cable.

note

    If we don't have Grove Base Shield, We also can directly connect this module to Seeeduino as below.

Seeeduino	Grove Cable	Grove - RGB LED Matrix w/Driver
GND	Black	GND
5V or 3.3V	Red	VCC
SDA	White	SDA
SCL	Yellow	SCL

Software

note

    If this is the first time you work with Arduino, we strongly recommend you to see [Getting Started with Arduino](https://wiki.seeedstudio.com/Getting_Started_with_Arduino/) before the start.

Step 1. Download the Seeed_RGB_LED_Matrix Library from Github.
Step 2. Refer to How to install library to install library for Arduino.
Step 3. Restart the Arduino IDE. Open the example, you can open it in the following three ways：
1. Open it directly in the Arduino IDE via the path: File --> Examples --> Seeed_RGB_Led_Matrix --> display_emoji.
2. Open it in your computer by click the display_emoji.ino which you can find in the folder XXXX\Arduino\libraries\Seeed_RGB_LED_Matrix-master\examples\display_emoji, XXXX is the location you installed the Arduino IDE.
3. Or, you can just click the icon
  in upper right corner of the code block to copy the following code into a new sketch in the Arduino IDE.

#include "grove_two_rgb_led_matrix.h"

#ifdef ARDUINO_SAMD_VARIANT_COMPLIANCE
#define SERIAL SerialUSB
#else
#define SERIAL Serial
#endif


#define DISPLAY_COLOR    0X11


void waitForMatrixReady()
{
    delay(1000);
}

GroveTwoRGBLedMatrixClass matrix;
void setup()
{
    Wire.begin();
    SERIAL.begin(115200);
    waitForMatrixReady();
    uint16_t VID = 0;
    VID = matrix.getDeviceVID();
    if(VID != 0x2886)
    {
        SERIAL.println("Can not detect led matrix!!!");
        while(1);
    }
    SERIAL.println("Matrix init success!!!");
    
}

void loop()
{
    for(int i=0;i<35;i++)
    {
        matrix.displayEmoji(i,5000,true);
        delay(5000);
    }
}

note

    The library file may be updated. This code may not be applicable to the updated library file, so we recommend that you use the first two methods.

Step 4. Upload the demo. If you do not know how to upload the code, please check How to upload code.

tip

    If every thing goes well, now you can see the LED matrix show:

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DIY

Now let's talk about diy.

note

    In this version firmware if you want to diy your own image with UNO serial you need to modify the file of arduino. If you use mega or lotus, the change will not be needed.

Locate the arduino setup folder xxxxx\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\libraries\Wire\src, open the Wire.h file

change

#define BUFFER_LENGTH 32

into

#define BUFFER_LENGTH 128

Then locate the arduino setup folder xxxxx\Arduino\hardware\arduino\avr\libraries\Wire\src\utility, open the twi.h file.

change

#define TWI_BUFFER_LENGTH 32

into

#define TWI_BUFFER_LENGTH 128

Let's begin DIY.

Step 1. Download the image editor, it's a zip file, unzip it.
Step 2. Find the index.html in the folder doc-->doc, double click to open it.

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Step 3. Creat your own images, when you finish one, click Insert in the control panel, the you can edit anothor one, when you finish all the image sequence you can copy the code in the code zone.
Step 4. Replace the following code block line 9 unit64_t example[] with your own code.

#include "grove_two_rgb_led_matrix.h"

#ifdef ARDUINO_SAMD_VARIANT_COMPLIANCE
#define SERIAL SerialUSB
#else
#define SERIAL Serial
#endif

uint64_t example[] = {

  0xffff5e5e5e5effff,
  0xff5effffffff5eff,
  0x5eff5effff5eff5e,
  0x5effffffffffff5e,
  0x5eff5effff5eff5e,
  0x5effff5e5effff5e,
  0xff5effffffff5eff,
  0xffff5e5e5e5effff,
 
  0xffff29292929ffff,
  0xff29ffffffff29ff,
  0x29ff29ffff29ff29,
  0x29ffffffffffff29,
  0x29ff29292929ff29,
  0x29ffffffffffff29,
  0xff29ffffffff29ff,
  0xffff29292929ffff,
 
  0xffff00000000ffff,
  0xff00ffffffff00ff,
  0x00ff00ffff00ff00,
  0x00ffffffffffff00,
  0x00ffff0000ffff00,
  0x00ff00ffff00ff00,
  0xff00ffffffff00ff,
  0xffff00000000ffff
};

void waitForMatrixReady()
{
    delay(1000);
}

GroveTwoRGBLedMatrixClass matrix;
void setup()
{
    Wire.begin();
    SERIAL.begin(115200);
    waitForMatrixReady();
    uint16_t VID = 0;
    VID = matrix.getDeviceVID();
    if(VID != 0x2886)
    {
        SERIAL.println("Can not detect led matrix!!!");
        while(1);
    }
    SERIAL.println("Matrix init success!!!");
   
}

void loop()
{
 for (int i=0;i<3;i++) {
        matrix.displayFrames(example+i*8, 200, false, 1);
        delay(500);
    }
}

tip

    If every thing goes well, now you can see the LED matrix show:

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Schematic Online Viewer

Resources

[Zip] Grove - RGB LED Matrix Driver Eagle Files
[Zip] RGB LED Matrix 8x8 Eagle Files
[Zip] Seeed_RGB_LED_Matrix Library
[PDF] Datasheet MY9221
[PDF] Datasheet MP2155

Tech Support

Please do not hesitate to submit the issue into our forum.

Version​

Features​

Specification​

Typical Applications​

Hardware Overview​

Pin Out​

Platforms Supported​

Getting Started​

Play With Arduino​

Hardware​

Software​

DIY​

Schematic Online Viewer​

Resources​

Tech Support​

Version

Features

Specification

Typical Applications

Hardware Overview

Pin Out

Platforms Supported

Getting Started

Play With Arduino

Hardware

Software

DIY

Schematic Online Viewer

Resources

Tech Support