This kit is being sold for $9.95 while the MAX7219CNG (included in this kit) ALONE is being sold for the same price in the related products... How can this kit cost so little?

This uses a pretty standard 32mm (1.2") square LED array, so if you want a different color this board should work with the green, yellow, and blue displays at Adafruit (but not the white one).

could Sparkfun Crew add the same chaining system as shown here : https://www.sparkfun.com/products/759 With the (fake, anyway) maxim chip on the back ??

These are awesome modules, but I ran into a speed limitation while trying to run them with a Teensy 3.0. I was getting random LEDs lighting on the end modules when I had 9 daisy chained together. I ended up swapping out the Teensy with a standard Arduino Uno which fixed almost all of the noise problems. Probably could have avoided the noise issue if I soldered all of the modules together instead of using jumpers but wanted to be able to replace a module in the field if necessary.

In the end the project was a huge success, a programmable countdown timer with real-time clock set for a particular date and time, accurate to the milli-second!

Countdown to Launch Clock

Hardware BOM:

9 x LED Matrix Kit

1 x Arduino Uno - R3

1 x SparkFun DeadOn RTC Breakout - DS3234

11 x Jumper Wire - 0.1", 5-pin, 4"

1 x DC Barrel Jack - Panel Mount

1 x Wall Adapter Power Supply - 5V DC 2A

4 x 3mm Orange LEDs

1 x Custom Aluminum case with silk screened faceplate

I received a couple of these kits today, and I was somewhat surprised to see what appears to be counterfit MAX7219CNG IC's. They look exactly like the fake one's that are mentioned in http://presentminded.wordpress.com/2013/05/02/max7219-a-comparison-between-genuine-and-counterfeit/ .. I have a couple of the original one's from my local electronic supplier, and the difference is very clear.

Ok so I bought this thing and put it together in about two minutes and it works great. It'd be great to find a different LED matrix to put into it maybe green or blue but this is a great easy little project for beginners.

Anyone interested in a library that makes scrolling text easy and has a lot of flexible options for special effects, see http://parola.codeplex.com/

This thing is pretty cool as a single board. They give you two sets of male headers so you might have to buy female headers to daisy chain them. My display looked garbled at first but flipping it corrected the problem (thank god it has a socket!!!). Also, the number 1 is backwards in the arduino sketch. Replace line 10 with this: {0x08,0x18,0x28,0x08,0x08,0x08,0x08,0x08}, //1 which will flip the 1 around.

I have completed the kit and uploaded the sample code but my leds are just flashing random ones on and off. Doesn't look close to [0-9] or [A-Z] I think my led matrix is shot right from the start. When I plug it in at first only a few rows light up with a blank row or two (one vertical and one horizontal) then a few led are out here and there. I wish I could show you a picture or video of how it looks. I have checked the wires to make sure they are all correct more than once cant find a fix. Do you think its a faulty matrix?

I commend Sparkfun on exceptional build quality and a decent price but I have one complaint. The width of the board does not allow for seamless, edge to edge arrangement, at least on the dozen I ordered. The LED matrix supplied measures 31.9mm but the board is 33.8mm. The gap won't effect my project but if I was anticipating building a scrolling LED sign it would have been an issue. Another manufacturer's board measures 32mm so it was much easier to eliminate the gap or at least make it not as noticeable. I decided to go with the Sparkfun board because the MAX7219 was an original part, the other board supplied a knockoff and I had a hard time eliminating flicker and random dots (not a power supply issue).

is there any good sites for me to learn to serial interface with an led matrix because i don't understand how to.

I'm tech-illiterate and looking to buy a gift for my techie boyfriend. Is this Matrix compatible with an Arduni Uno? If so, are any additional components required to hook the Uno up to the Matrix?

this looks clumsy to connect multiple together to make a seamless sign. The Parola design fixes that in one direction. Also the Parola's library would probably work for this module as well

Would someone be able to get code for an arduino pong game?

Btw this is $3 on ebay with free shipping

ok, so I'll be the dumb guy to ask the question. Why 2 caps? (I see that the datasheet says to minimize power supply ripples, but I don't understand why 2 different caps helps more than just a single decoupling cap.)

I find Elecrow has a Led matrix kit assembled module with same price. But it's green PCB Not the white one.

It would have been nicer if the PCBs were laid out such that you could chain them together on all sides, ie PCBs don't extend past LED matrix on all sides. With this design you can put the LCDs side by side but not top to bottom-- can't tell if PCB is fully within borders of LED or whether a small gap would remain. Regardless, even if you did line up two or more side by side, you would have to route wires from the top of the first to the bottom of the next. Lining up top to bottom (input to output) would leave a huge gap between the LED matrices.