64 super bright RGB LEDs adorn the NeoMatrix for an array of configurable color. Arranged in an 8x8 matrix, each pixel is individually addressable. Only one microcontroller pin is required to control all the LEDs, and you get 24-bit color for each LED (8-bit red, 8-bit green, 8-bit blue).
Wiring it up is easy. There are two 3-pin connection ports. Solder wires to the input port and provide 5V DC to the +5V and ground pins, then connect the DIN pin to your microcontroller. If you're using our NeoPixel Arduino library, use digital #6. You'll also need to make a common ground from the 5V power supply to the microcontroller/Arduino. Since each LED can draw as much as 60mA (20mA per color, thats up to 3.5 Amps per panel if all LEDs are on bright white!) we suggest our 5V 2A power supply and snip off the connector. For most uses, you'll see about 1-2A of current per panel.
This panel may be chained together with additional panels. For the second shield, connect the DIN connection to the first panel's DOUT. Also connect a ground pin together and power with 5V. There you go! You can chain as many as you'd like although after 4 or more panels you may run low on RAM if you're using an UNO. Watch your power usage too, you may need a 5V 10A power supply for powering so many of these!
There is a single data line with a very timing-specific protocol. Since the protocol is very sensitive to timing, it requires a real-time microcontroller such as an AVR, Arduino, PIC, mbed, etc. It cannot be used with a Linux-based microcomputer or interpreted microcontroller such as the netduino or Basic Stamp. Adafruit's wonderfully-written Neopixel library for Arduino supports these pixels! As it requires hand-tuned assembly, it is only for AVR cores, but others may have ported this chip driver code so please google around. An 8MHz or faster processor is required.
