> OK, I want to have control over every dot, instead of using
> each matrix to build an individual character...

So you're talking bit-mapping ? Use two 74HC164 shift registers
on each matrix - one for column, one for row. Now, if you have a
number of matrices and just one micro suppling data to all pairs
of SR's you may have a problem with timing overhead. The micro
may be just too busy to refresh the pixels comfortably. In which
case you should consider a small micro (508/84/628) to do the
donkey work for its assigned matrix and use your larger micro
to supervise. To get the best out of the display it's going to come
down to timing - if you start compromising and the end result
looks like a piece of crap, was it worth saving a few bucks ?

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