The PixelMatix SmartLED shield for Teensy makes it easy to connect to RGB LED matrix panels! The shield makes it easy to connect to the 16 pins required to drive the display, connects an external 5V supply to power the display and Teensy, and brings out the Teensy’s free signals to a convenient header.
Note: This tutorial was originally written for the SmartLED Shield V4 for Teensy 3. If you are using a Teensy 4, we recommend using the SmartLED Shield V5 or an adapter. Make sure to check out the compatibility notes for more information.
In this tutorial, we will explore a some of the examples provided with the SmartLED shield using different RGB LED matrix panel sizes.
Required Materials
To follow along with this tutorial, you will need the following materials. You may not need everything though depending on what you have. Add it to your cart, read through the guide, and adjust the cart as necessary.
RGB LED Matrix Panel
You will need a panel. The following has been tested to work with the examples provided.
Heads Up! The comments in the example code indicate that he known working width are: “32, 64, 96, 128”. As for the height, the known working sizes are: 16, 32, 48, 64. If you dig into the library, the known working scan rates are:
1:16 with 32 rows
1:8 with 16 rows
1:32 with 64 rows
For example, if you are trying to use a 32x32 panel with a 1:8 scan rate, it may not display as expected.
Teensy
To control the panel using the SmartLED shield, you will need a Teensy. You can use a Teensy 4.0 but you would need to make sure that you are using the appropriate SmartLED Shield version or adapter.
Make bright, colorful displays using the 32x16, 32x32, and 32x64 RGB LED matrix panels. This hookup guide shows how to hook up these panels and control them with an Arduino.
bboyho 
