# New 8x8 LED Matrix

**URL:** <https://forum.electromage.com/t/new-8x8-led-matrix/286>\
**Category:** News and Announcements\
**Created:** [March 6, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/new-8x8-led-matrix/286 "2020-03-06T18:19:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![wizard](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/wizard/32/4_2.png) [@wizard](https://forum.electromage.com/u/wizard)\
**Post date:** [March 6, 2020, 6:19pm UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/new-8x8-led-matrix/286/1 "2020-03-06T18:19:07Z")

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A grid of 64 beautiful SK6812 (WS2812/NeoPixel) addressable LEDs, perfect for Pixelblaze, arranged in an 8x8 matrix. Combines really nicely with the [8 Channel Output Expander](https://www.tindie.com/products/electromage/electromage-serial-to-8x-ws2812apa102-driver/)

It comes with a 3 wire connector that can plug right in to the output expander (though the 3 pins are ordered differently, just be sure to solder the wire to match).

> **[ElectroMage 8x8 LED Matrix by ElectroMage on Tindie](https://www.tindie.com/products/electromage/electromage-8x8-led-matrix/)**
>
> A grid of 64 beautiful SK6812 (WS2812/NeoPixel) addressable LEDs, perfect for pixel art, arranged in an 8x8 matrix

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**Author:** ![jeff](https://forum.electromage.com/user_avatar/forum.electromage.com/jeff/32/3473_2.png) [@jeff](https://forum.electromage.com/u/jeff)\
**Post date:** [March 11, 2020, 6:51am UTC](https://forum.electromage.com/t/new-8x8-led-matrix/286/2 "2020-03-11T06:51:29Z")

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This was really easy to get going:

1. Solder it
2. Connect and configure 8ch expander (optional)  
a. Set 64 pixels in general, AND in the channel config  
b. Color order is GRB
3. Define a 8x8 matrix in the mapper using the preset example
4. Load any pattern that uses render2D()

I had never really _seen_ the 2D/3D patterns before. The examples: cube fire 3D, plasma 3D, sinpulse 3D, fast pulse 3d, or honeycomb 3D all work on 2D and look really cool. “sound - spectromatix optim” also works if you have the sensor board connected.

I noticed my v1 WS2812 output expander has occasional sparkles (glitches) when Pixelblaze is set to a lower global brightnesses. This might be a problem with my soldering though. The newer APA102/WS2812 output expander is perfectly smooth at lower global brightness.

For $15 and 20 min this was pretty easy to get started with a matrix. That is, after I realized I had the 3-pin connector on backwards 😂