In the following article we will explain the Dot Matrix Display Module MAX7219 4 In 1 which is widely available on the market, along with a series of connection connections with Arduio tutorials and sample programs.
Introduction
MAX7219 Dot Matrix 4 In 1 Display Module is a display board arranged in series from 4 8 x 8 Dot Matrix using MAX7219 controller IC. Basically MAX7219 is an IC Shift Register specifically designed to control Dot Matrix, 7 Segments and independent LED.
1 IC MAX7219 can be used to control :
- One Dot Matrix 8 x 8
- Eight 7 Segment
- 64 independent LED
Because it uses the Shift Register mechanism, the IC MAX7219 only uses 3 input pins to control the three displays above, namely: D IN, CS and CLK besides of course VCC and GND.
To learn more details regarding pin out and how it works from IC MAX7219, so you can make or design your own or custom Dot Matrix displays or 7 Segments as needed or project, please open the article link below :
Learn more in detail : IC MAX7219 – 8 Digit 7 Segment, Dot Matrix 8×8 LED Display Driver IC
If we want to be able to control more displays, then just arrange in series according to the number of displays desired, as shown in the picture above.
Specification
Following are the specifications of the Dot Matrix MAX7219 4 In 1 module display :
- Operating Voltage : 5V
- Consists of 4 Dot Matrix 8 x 8 arranged in series.
- Using MAX7219 controller IC
- Dimension / size : 12.8 cm x 12.8 cm x 1.3 cm
Hardware Required
The hardware required in the example Dot Dotrix MAX7219 4 In 1 module program with Arduino in this tutorial, among others :
- Dot Matrix MAX7219 4 In 1 Module
- Arduino UNO / Arduino Nano / Arduino Pro Mini or others
- Some M-F / F-F jumper cables
Circuit / Wiring Diagram
The following is a series or connection between Arduino and MAX7219 Display Module.
| MAX7219 Dot Matrix Module | Arduino Nano / Pro Mini / Others |
| VCC | 5V |
| GND | GND |
| D IN | D12 |
| CLK | D11 |
| CS | D10 |
Program Code / Sketch
The advantage of using Arduino is the ease of use and also the development support from the wider community. Therefore to use the MAX7219 Dot Matrix Module, we don’t need to bother anymore because there is already a library developed by the Arduino user community that can be downloaded at the following link :
After the LedControl.zip library above is downloaded, then extract and copy to the library folder of the Arduino IDE. If the Arduino IDE is open, close it first and then open it again.
The following is an example of a sketch to turn on one by one from the Dot Matrix LED then turn it off one by one and do it repeatedly.
#include "LedControl.h" // need the library
LedControl lc=LedControl(12,11,10,1); //
// pin 12 is connected to the MAX7219 pin 1
// pin 11 is connected to the CLK pin 13
// pin 10 is connected to LOAD pin 12
// 1 as we are only using 1 MAX7219
void setup()
{
// the zero refers to the MAX7219 number, it is zero for 1 chip
lc.shutdown(0,false);// turn off power saving, enables display
lc.setIntensity(0,8);// sets brightness (0~15 possible values)
lc.clearDisplay(0);// clear screen
}
void loop()
{
for (int row=0; row<8; row++)
{
for (int col=0; col<8; col++)
{
lc.setLed(0,col,row,true); // turns on LED at col, row
delay(25);
}
}
for (int row=0; row<8; row++)
{
for (int col=0; col<8; col++)
{
lc.setLed(0,col,row,false); // turns off LED at col, row
delay(25);
}
}
}
While the following is an example program for writing text / sentences on the LED Dot Matrix then writing the discroll.
#include <avr/pgmspace.h>
#include <LedControl.h>
const int numDevices = 2; // number of MAX7219s used
const long scrollDelay = 75; // adjust scrolling speed
unsigned long bufferLong [14] = {0};
LedControl lc=LedControl(12,11,10,numDevices);
prog_uchar scrollText[] PROGMEM ={
" THE QUICK BROWN FOX JUMPED OVER THE LAZY DOG 1234567890 the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog \0"};
void setup(){
for (int x=0; x<numDevices; x++){
lc.shutdown(x,false); //The MAX72XX is in power-saving mode on startup
lc.setIntensity(x,8); // Set the brightness to default value
lc.clearDisplay(x); // and clear the display
}
}
void loop(){
scrollMessage(scrollText);
scrollFont();
}
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
prog_uchar font5x7 [] PROGMEM = { //Numeric Font Matrix (Arranged as 7x font data + 1x kerning data)
B00000000, //Space (Char 0x20)
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
6,
B10000000, //!
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B10000000,
2,
B10100000, //"
B10100000,
B10100000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
4,
B01010000, //#
B01010000,
B11111000,
B01010000,
B11111000,
B01010000,
B01010000,
6,
B00100000, //$
B01111000,
B10100000,
B01110000,
B00101000,
B11110000,
B00100000,
6,
B11000000, //%
B11001000,
B00010000,
B00100000,
B01000000,
B10011000,
B00011000,
6,
B01100000, //&
B10010000,
B10100000,
B01000000,
B10101000,
B10010000,
B01101000,
6,
B11000000, //'
B01000000,
B10000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
3,
B00100000, //(
B01000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B01000000,
B00100000,
4,
B10000000, //)
B01000000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B01000000,
B10000000,
4,
B00000000, //*
B00100000,
B10101000,
B01110000,
B10101000,
B00100000,
B00000000,
6,
B00000000, //+
B00100000,
B00100000,
B11111000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00000000,
6,
B00000000, //,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B11000000,
B01000000,
B10000000,
3,
B00000000, //-
B00000000,
B11111000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
6,
B00000000, //.
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B11000000,
B11000000,
3,
B00000000, ///
B00001000,
B00010000,
B00100000,
B01000000,
B10000000,
B00000000,
6,
B01110000, //0
B10001000,
B10011000,
B10101000,
B11001000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
6,
B01000000, //1
B11000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B11100000,
4,
B01110000, //2
B10001000,
B00001000,
B00010000,
B00100000,
B01000000,
B11111000,
6,
B11111000, //3
B00010000,
B00100000,
B00010000,
B00001000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
6,
B00010000, //4
B00110000,
B01010000,
B10010000,
B11111000,
B00010000,
B00010000,
6,
B11111000, //5
B10000000,
B11110000,
B00001000,
B00001000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
6,
B00110000, //6
B01000000,
B10000000,
B11110000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
6,
B11111000, //7
B10001000,
B00001000,
B00010000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
6,
B01110000, //8
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
6,
B01110000, //9
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01111000,
B00001000,
B00010000,
B01100000,
6,
B00000000, //:
B11000000,
B11000000,
B00000000,
B11000000,
B11000000,
B00000000,
3,
B00000000, //;
B11000000,
B11000000,
B00000000,
B11000000,
B01000000,
B10000000,
3,
B00010000, //<
B00100000,
B01000000,
B10000000,
B01000000,
B00100000,
B00010000,
5,
B00000000, //=
B00000000,
B11111000,
B00000000,
B11111000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
6,
B10000000, //>
B01000000,
B00100000,
B00010000,
B00100000,
B01000000,
B10000000,
5,
B01110000, //?
B10001000,
B00001000,
B00010000,
B00100000,
B00000000,
B00100000,
6,
B01110000, //@
B10001000,
B00001000,
B01101000,
B10101000,
B10101000,
B01110000,
6,
B01110000, //A
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B11111000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
6,
B11110000, //B
B10001000,
B10001000,
B11110000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B11110000,
6,
B01110000, //C
B10001000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
6,
B11100000, //D
B10010000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10010000,
B11100000,
6,
B11111000, //E
B10000000,
B10000000,
B11110000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B11111000,
6,
B11111000, //F
B10000000,
B10000000,
B11110000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
6,
B01110000, //G
B10001000,
B10000000,
B10111000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01111000,
6,
B10001000, //H
B10001000,
B10001000,
B11111000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
6,
B11100000, //I
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B11100000,
4,
B00111000, //J
B00010000,
B00010000,
B00010000,
B00010000,
B10010000,
B01100000,
6,
B10001000, //K
B10010000,
B10100000,
B11000000,
B10100000,
B10010000,
B10001000,
6,
B10000000, //L
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B11111000,
6,
B10001000, //M
B11011000,
B10101000,
B10101000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
6,
B10001000, //N
B10001000,
B11001000,
B10101000,
B10011000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
6,
B01110000, //O
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
6,
B11110000, //P
B10001000,
B10001000,
B11110000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
6,
B01110000, //Q
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10101000,
B10010000,
B01101000,
6,
B11110000, //R
B10001000,
B10001000,
B11110000,
B10100000,
B10010000,
B10001000,
6,
B01111000, //S
B10000000,
B10000000,
B01110000,
B00001000,
B00001000,
B11110000,
6,
B11111000, //T
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
6,
B10001000, //U
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
6,
B10001000, //V
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01010000,
B00100000,
6,
B10001000, //W
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10101000,
B10101000,
B10101000,
B01010000,
6,
B10001000, //X
B10001000,
B01010000,
B00100000,
B01010000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
6,
B10001000, //Y
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01010000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
6,
B11111000, //Z
B00001000,
B00010000,
B00100000,
B01000000,
B10000000,
B11111000,
6,
B11100000, //[
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B11100000,
4,
B00000000, //(Backward Slash)
B10000000,
B01000000,
B00100000,
B00010000,
B00001000,
B00000000,
6,
B11100000, //]
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B00100000,
B11100000,
4,
B00100000, //^
B01010000,
B10001000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
6,
B00000000, //_
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B11111000,
6,
B10000000, //`
B01000000,
B00100000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
4,
B00000000, //a
B00000000,
B01110000,
B00001000,
B01111000,
B10001000,
B01111000,
6,
B10000000, //b
B10000000,
B10110000,
B11001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B11110000,
6,
B00000000, //c
B00000000,
B01110000,
B10001000,
B10000000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
6,
B00001000, //d
B00001000,
B01101000,
B10011000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01111000,
6,
B00000000, //e
B00000000,
B01110000,
B10001000,
B11111000,
B10000000,
B01110000,
6,
B00110000, //f
B01001000,
B01000000,
B11100000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
6,
B00000000, //g
B01111000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01111000,
B00001000,
B01110000,
6,
B10000000, //h
B10000000,
B10110000,
B11001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
6,
B01000000, //i
B00000000,
B11000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B11100000,
4,
B00010000, //j
B00000000,
B00110000,
B00010000,
B00010000,
B10010000,
B01100000,
5,
B10000000, //k
B10000000,
B10010000,
B10100000,
B11000000,
B10100000,
B10010000,
5,
B11000000, //l
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B11100000,
4,
B00000000, //m
B00000000,
B11010000,
B10101000,
B10101000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
6,
B00000000, //n
B00000000,
B10110000,
B11001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
6,
B00000000, //o
B00000000,
B01110000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01110000,
6,
B00000000, //p
B00000000,
B11110000,
B10001000,
B11110000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
6,
B00000000, //q
B00000000,
B01101000,
B10011000,
B01111000,
B00001000,
B00001000,
6,
B00000000, //r
B00000000,
B10110000,
B11001000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
6,
B00000000, //s
B00000000,
B01110000,
B10000000,
B01110000,
B00001000,
B11110000,
6,
B01000000, //t
B01000000,
B11100000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B01001000,
B00110000,
6,
B00000000, //u
B00000000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10011000,
B01101000,
6,
B00000000, //v
B00000000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01010000,
B00100000,
6,
B00000000, //w
B00000000,
B10001000,
B10101000,
B10101000,
B10101000,
B01010000,
6,
B00000000, //x
B00000000,
B10001000,
B01010000,
B00100000,
B01010000,
B10001000,
6,
B00000000, //y
B00000000,
B10001000,
B10001000,
B01111000,
B00001000,
B01110000,
6,
B00000000, //z
B00000000,
B11111000,
B00010000,
B00100000,
B01000000,
B11111000,
6,
B00100000, //{
B01000000,
B01000000,
B10000000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B00100000,
4,
B10000000, //|
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
B10000000,
2,
B10000000, //}
B01000000,
B01000000,
B00100000,
B01000000,
B01000000,
B10000000,
4,
B00000000, //~
B00000000,
B00000000,
B01101000,
B10010000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
6,
B01100000, // (Char 0x7F)
B10010000,
B10010000,
B01100000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
B00000000,
5
};
void scrollFont() {
for (int counter=0x20;counter<0x80;counter++){
loadBufferLong(counter);
delay(500);
}
}
// Scroll Message
void scrollMessage(prog_uchar * messageString) {
int counter = 0;
int myChar=0;
do {
// read back a char
myChar = pgm_read_byte_near(messageString + counter);
if (myChar != 0){
loadBufferLong(myChar);
}
counter++;
}
while (myChar != 0);
}
// Load character into scroll buffer
void loadBufferLong(int ascii){
if (ascii >= 0x20 && ascii <=0x7f){
for (int a=0;a<7;a++){ // Loop 7 times for a 5x7 font
unsigned long c = pgm_read_byte_near(font5x7 + ((ascii - 0x20) * 8) + a); // Index into character table to get row data
unsigned long x = bufferLong [a*2]; // Load current scroll buffer
x = x | c; // OR the new character onto end of current
bufferLong [a*2] = x; // Store in buffer
}
byte count = pgm_read_byte_near(font5x7 +((ascii - 0x20) * 8) + 7); // Index into character table for kerning data
for (byte x=0; x<count;x++){
rotateBufferLong();
printBufferLong();
delay(scrollDelay);
}
}
}
// Rotate the buffer
void rotateBufferLong(){
for (int a=0;a<7;a++){ // Loop 7 times for a 5x7 font
unsigned long x = bufferLong [a*2]; // Get low buffer entry
byte b = bitRead(x,31); // Copy high order bit that gets lost in rotation
x = x<<1; // Rotate left one bit
bufferLong [a*2] = x; // Store new low buffer
x = bufferLong [a*2+1]; // Get high buffer entry
x = x<<1; // Rotate left one bit
bitWrite(x,0,b); // Store saved bit
bufferLong [a*2+1] = x; // Store new high buffer
}
}
// Display Buffer on LED matrix
void printBufferLong(){
for (int a=0;a<7;a++){ // Loop 7 times for a 5x7 font
unsigned long x = bufferLong [a*2+1]; // Get high buffer entry
byte y = x; // Mask off first character
lc.setRow(3,a,y); // Send row to relevent MAX7219 chip
x = bufferLong [a*2]; // Get low buffer entry
y = (x>>24); // Mask off second character
lc.setRow(2,a,y); // Send row to relevent MAX7219 chip
y = (x>>16); // Mask off third character
lc.setRow(1,a,y); // Send row to relevent MAX7219 chip
y = (x>>8); // Mask off forth character
lc.setRow(0,a,y); // Send row to relevent MAX7219 chip
}
}
This is the tutorial for programming the MAX7219 Dot Matrix 4 In 1 module.
++++++++ May be Useful ++++++++
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