Description

Product Description

Transform your projects with vibrant 16×16 RGB LED Panels, designed to bring colorful visuals to life. Perfect for enthusiasts, hobbyists, and professionals, these panels integrate seamlessly with a Raspberry Pi, offering endless possibilities for creative displays and dynamic visual effects.

The OzzMaker 16×16 RGB LED panel uses the HUB75 signalling protocol. However our panels use FFC cables for easy connectivity. The FFC cable replaces the standard 16-pin IDC ribbon you see with most LED matrix panels.

You need one of these connectors to drive these panels from a Raspberry Pi;

• OzzMaker RGB LED Matrix Connector for Raspberry Pi
• OzzMaker RGB LED Matrix Connector for Raspberry Pi with Lipo/Ii-Ion support

Raspberry Pi connector sold separately

Included in this purchase

• 2x 16×16 RGB LED Matrix Panels
• 3x FFC Cables
  • 15cm
  • 10cm
  • 5cm

Key Features

• High-Resolution Display: 256 RGB LEDs arranged in a 16×16 grid, providing bright and vibrant colors.
• FFC cables: Connect using FFC cables for compact and flexible design options.
• Seamless Raspberry Pi Integration: Compatible with Raspberry Pi models, Pi 3, Pi 4, Pi Zero and Pi Zero 2 (Pi 5 support coming soon)
• Flexible Power Options: Can be powered directly from the Raspberry Pi or through an external power source for more intensive applications.
• Easily chain panels: You can chain 50+ panels in a long strip for scrolling text, or tile them into bigger square displays — 64×64 and beyond. Each panel has solder pads along its edges that act as anchor points: line two panels up side by side, match the pads, and flow solder across them to join the panels together — a bit like spot-welding. The result is a single rigid display rather than a loose array of separate boards
• Software/Programming: Open source software available, Python or C, and we include plenty of examples and guides.

Specifications for each LED panel

• Dimensions: 68mm x 68mm / 2.67in x 2.67in
• Weight: 30g / 1.05oz
• Number of LEDs: 256 (16×16 grid)
• LED Type: RGB
• Input Voltage: 5V
• Power Consumption: ~300mA typical, 800mA max (per panel, at 100% brightness full white)
• Connection: FFC, 5V and GND pads
• Compatibility: Pi 3, Pi 4, Pi Zero and Pi Zero 2
• Pitch: 4.2mm
• Other: Edge connectors for chaining

Possibilities

Here are a few examples of what you can build with these panels.

5 Panels in a cross formation

Below is an example of 5 panels set up in a cross formation using the Raspberry Pi connector with LiPo/Li-Ion (not included in this purchase).

2 Panels using Raspberry Pi connector which supports a LiPo battery

Here is an example of 2 panels using Raspberry Pi connector with LiPo/Li-Ion (not included in this purchase).

10 Panels chained

Click on the below image to see the video

50 panels chained

Click the below image to see a video of 50 panels connected in one long chain.

Connecting Multiple Panels

Connecting multiple 16×16 RGB LED panels together is simple and efficient thanks to the included Flat Flexible Cable (FFC). Each panel is equipped with FFC connectors, allowing you to chain panels together seamlessly:

1. Align the Panels: Position the panels you want to connect side by side.
2. Insert the FFC Cable: Carefully insert one end of the FFC cable into the FFC connector of the first panel and the other end into the FFC connector of the next panel.
3. Check direction: Each FFC connector is marked with an arrow indicating signal IN and OUT — make sure OUT on one panel connects to IN on the next.
4. Secure the Connection: Ensure the cable is securely fastened in both connectors to establish a reliable connection.
5. Power and Data Transmission: The FFC cable will handle both power and data transmission, ensuring synchronized operation. A 5V 2A+ power supply is recommended. For more intensive displays (e.g. 6+ panels), each block of 6 panels needs to be powered individually using the 5V and GND pads.

Connecting to a Raspberry Pi

Connecting to a Raspberry Pi is done using the OzzMaker Raspberry Pi LED connector which sits on top of the GPIO of the Raspberry Pi.
We also have a Raspberry Pi LED connector which supports a LiPo/Li-Ion battery.

Raspberry Pi connector sold separately

Software

hzeller’s open-source software is used to drive these panels. It’s actively maintained, well-documented, and widely used in the Raspberry Pi LED-matrix community.

We also have guides and example code available, which includes some of the animations you see above.

Raspberry Pi, battery and RGB LED connectors not included.