Name: Interstate 75 W (Pico W Aboard) - RGB LED Matrix Driver
SKU: 329853

An all-in-one, Raspberry Pi Pico W powered controller for HUB75 LED matrix panels.

Interstate 75 W is a Pico W-based driver board for HUB75-style LED matrices. It's designed to plug neatly into the back of a LED panel, and provides a quick and easy way to whip up some scrolling signage or an eye-catching LED display for sensor outputs. Because it has a Raspberry Pi Pico W aboard you can also use it to display information from the internet! 🌎

I75 W is powered from the Pico W's micro-USB port, which should also be able to power a few connected panels happily, assuming you're not planning anything too eye-bleedingly bright. There's also two useful buttons, a reset button and an onboard RGB LED.

We've also popped a QW/ST connector on there, to make it super easy to plug in or breakouts.

Here are some things you could do!

🚌 Tap into an API and display bus times, plane tracking or traffic info.

📈 Generate a big bold graph showing air quality or other sensor readings.

💡 Create some ad hoc, easily adjustable signage for your classroom, maker stall or kebab shop.

💾 Scroll greetz to your crew, just like in the old days:

"`-._,-'"`-._,-' HACKED AND PACKED BY PIMORONI "`-._,-'"`-._,-'

Features

Raspberry Pi Pico W Aboard

Powered by RP2040 (Dual Arm Cortex M0 running at up to 133Mhz with 264kB of SRAM)
2MB of QSPI flash supporting XiP
Powered and programmable by USB micro-B
2.4GHz wireless

Compatible with our 32x32, 32x64 and 64x64 LED matrices.
Sturdy screw terminals for powering the LED panels.
Qw/ST (Qwiic/STEMMA QT) connector
Two user buttons
Reset button
RGB LED
Fully-assembled (no soldering required)
Measurements: approx 64.3 x 40 x 18mm (L x W x H, including connectors)

Software

Our C /MicroPython libraries include support for Interstate 75 W. You'll get best performance using C , but if you're a beginner we'd recommend using our batteries included MicroPython build for ease of getting started. Our HUB75 module lets you draw individual pixels to your matrices and uses RP2040's PIO state machines and DMA to minimise CPU usage and maximise luscious, 10-bit gamma corrected colour depth.

Alternatively, you can draw on your LED matrices using our lightweight PicoGraphics library, which includes convenient functions for displaying text and shapes, and we've provided some examples to get you started. Note that if you're chaining panels, PicoGraphics only currently supports these specific arrangements of matrix panels (WxH):

32x32, 64x32, 96x32, 128x32
64x64, 128x64, 192x64, 256x64

MicroPython

(and troubleshooting)
(you'll want the `Pico W` .uf2, v 1.19.11 or later)

C/C

Connecting Breakouts

The Qw/ST connector on Interstate 75 W makes it super easy to connect up or breakouts. If your breakout has a QW/ST connector on board, you can plug it straight in with a .

Breakout Garden breakouts that don't have a Qw/ST connector can be connected using a plus a . Want to use >2 breakouts at the same time? Try !

currently compatible with our C /MicroPython build.

About Pico W Aboard

Our new Pico W Aboard products come with a built in Raspberry Pi Pico W. This means you get all the advantages of a RP2040 microcontroller - a speedy fast dual-core ARM processor, a dynamic, growing ecosystem and a choice of different programming methods to experiment with. Most excitingly though, Pico W has wireless connectivity, so your Pico/RP2040 devices can communicate with each other, and the internet! 🌍