Let’s wire up the SPI pins. Note that each Arduino board has a unique set of SPI pins that must be connected accordingly. If you are only using a single MAX7219 module, you can power it directly from the Arduino, but you should avoid doing so if possible. Because the display consumes a lot of current, we’ll use an external power supply instead of the Arduino board’s 5V supply. Let’s start with the module’s power supply connections. Now that we know everything about the module, we can start hooking it up to our Arduino! The breakout pins on the other end of the module are used to daisy-chain displays.ĭOUT is Data Out and connects to the DIN pin of the next module.ĬS/LOAD connects to CS / LOAD on the next module.ĬLK connects to CLK on the next module. Connect it to any digital pin of the microcontroller. Connect it to any digital pin of the microcontroller.ĬLK stands for Clock pin. Connect it to any digital pin of the microcontroller.ĬS/LOAD is Chip Select (sometimes labeled as LOAD). If you want to use the Arduino’s 5V supply, keep the brightness below 25% to avoid overheating the voltage regulator.ĭIN is the Data pin. Because the display draws a lot of current (up to 1A at maximum brightness), it’s best to use an external power supply instead of the Arduino’s 5V supply. The breakout pins on one end of the module are used to communicate with the microcontroller.
