What's better than a single LED? Lots of LEDs! A fun way to make a numeric display is to use a 4-digit 7-segment display. LED matrices like these are 'multiplexed' - so to control all the seven-segment LEDs you need 14 pins. That's a lot of pins, and there are driver chips like the MAX7219 that can control a matrix for you but there's a lot of wiring to set up and they take up a ton of space. Here at Adafruit we feel your pain! After all, wouldn't it be awesome if you could control a matrix without tons of wiring? That's where these adorable LED matrix backpacks come in. We have them for a variety of 8x8 and 7-segment displays. They work perfectly with the displays we stock in the Adafruit shop and make adding a bright display trivial.
The backpacks use a driver chip that does all the heavy lifting for you: They have a built in clock so they multiplex the display. They use constant-current drivers for ultra-bright, consistent color (the images above are photographed at the dimmest setting to avoid overloading our camera!), 1/16 step display dimming, all via a simple I2C interface. The backpacks come with address-selection jumpers so you can connect up to eight 7-segments (or a combination, such as four mini 8x8's and four 7-segments, etc) on a single I2C bus.
Data sheet
Manufacturer
Responsible person
4-digit 7-segment LED display, 1.2" diagonal, with a built-in controller allowing communication via the I2C bus connected to the Stemma QT/Qwiic connector. Red display. Adafruit 1270
4-digit 7-segment display with MAX7219 driver chip. Adafruit 1269
7-segment LED display, 1 digit 25.4mm, yellow color (592nm), 20mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-10016BMY
LED display: 25.40mm 1.00 "single, red (660nm), 12 mcd / seg (10mA), common anode, Pb-free, replacement TOS-1106BH-B, TOS-1106BS-B. LED1-AS-10016BS- B
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1 digit 25.40mm, green (575nm), 7000ucd (10mA), common anode, red (630nm), 13000ucd (10mA), common anode. Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-10016DMRMG
7-segment LED display, 1 digit 30.60mm, bright red (630nm), 20mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-12011BMR
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1 digit 30.60mm, black background green (575nm), 20mcd (10mA), common anode, red (630nm), 20mcd (10mA), common anode. Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-12011BMRMG
7-segment LED display, 1 digit 38.10mm, amber (605nm), 15,000ucd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-15011BMA
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1 digit 38.10 mm, blue light (470nm), 12 mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-15011BMB
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1 digit 38.10mm, bright green (575nm), 15,000ucd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-15011BMG
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1 digit 38.10mm, bright red (648nm), 20mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-15011BMR
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1-digit 45mm, amber (605nm), 15mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-18011BMA
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1-digit 45mm, bright green (575nm), 15mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-18011BMG
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1-digit 45mm, bright red (648nm), 20mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-18011BMR
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1 number 45mm, yellow color (585nm), 15mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-18011BMY
7-segment LED display, 1 digit 14,20mm, blue color (470nm), 12mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-23011BB
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1 digit of 56.80mm, green (570nm), 20mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-N-23011BMG
No product available!
7-segment LED display, 1 digit of 56.80mm, red (660nm), 20mcd (10mA), common anode, Pb-free. LED1-AS-B-23011BMR
4-digit 7-segment display with MAX7219 driver chip. Adafruit 1269