MAX7219 Dot Matrix Display Module 8X8

The 8×8 LED matrix displays are usually used for the display of symbols, simple graphics and texts. Made of super bright LEDs, they produce low resolution display and can be daisy chained to produce larger displays. To enable us to control the display easily, we will be using the MAX7219 LED display driver module. Although this driver comes attached to the LED Matrix display that we will be using for this tutorial, its important to treat them separately, so you can understand how the LED driver works and be able to use it in case you are unable to get an 8×8 LED Matrix display that comes with the LED Driver.

The MAX7219 are compact, serial input/output common-cathode display drivers that interface to microcontrollers and microprocessors to 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, a 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.  Individual digits of the connected LED display may be addressed and updated without rewriting the entire display. The MAX7219 also allow the user to select code-B decoding or no-decode for each digit.

Pin Connection: