Since hand-wiring can be a little tedious, here are some PCBs that help
with the wiring when using the rpi-rgb-led-matrix code.
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Passive-3 Supports three parallel chains, directly connected to the output of a Raspberry Pi with 40 GPIO pins. Works, but usually it is better to buffer the outputs using the ...
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Active-3 board. Supports three parallel chains with active buffering and 3.3V -> 5V level shifting for best reliability. Requires SMD soldering.
As another option you can buy it from these locations not affiliated with this project. They are given to help you locate premade boards but no guarantees are given or implied:
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https://www.electrodragon.com/product/rgb-matrix-panel-drive-board-raspberry-pi/ ($3/board, but fairly long and/or expensive shipping from HKG). The old board includes support for an optional RTC (real time clock) which had to be disabled for most users who wanted 3 channels instead of an RTC.
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The new HD board with angled connectors (thinner footprint), is here: https://www.electrodragon.com/product/rgb-matrix-panel-drive-board-for-raspberry-pi-v2/ << this is the recommended board for most users today (or consider the smaller adafruit active-3 board below)
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If you have an rpi0 2wl, this passive board was made specifically to be as small as possible: https://www.electrodragon.com/product/rpi-passive-3ch-rgb-matrix-drive-board-v0/
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After the passive-3 low profile board from Electrodragon, Adafruit made an even better version that is about the same size, but active-3, which may work slightly better and faster with some panels. Its only small potential downside is the connectors are pointed up as opposed to sideways, so the entire thing will be a bit taller compared to the ED3 board, due to cables pointing up, but it's minor and active-3 is a win, so this is definitely a recommended board: https://www.adafruit.com/product/6358
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Another ready-to-use active-3 adapter is available also from Acme Systems ( https://www.acmesystems.it/HAT-A3 )
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The Passive-RPi1 adapter board is to connect one panel to Raspberry Pi 1 with 26 GPIO pins.
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For completeness, Adafruit has a single channel active board here: https://www.adafruit.com/product/3211 although it is ultimately inferior to the electrodragon board, but it does ship quicker if you're in the US (note that you will need special compile option or command line argument since it uses non standard wiring). Please prefer this new adafruit version that is triple output with the standard pin mapping: https://www.adafruit.com/product/6358
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As of 2024/12 and this thread: https://rpi-rgb-led-matrix.discourse.group/t/solved-aliexpress-2-string-passive-adapter-not-working-because-rpi-connector-was-soldered-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-board/892/26 , there is also a cheap passive 2 channel board that works great on a small board like rPi0 2W, but all chinese sellers that Marc Merlin surveyed at the time, sold the board soldered wrong and they do not work unless you order the board unsoldered and solder it yourself. Electrodragon made a low profile 3 channel passive board that is a proper replacement for the unnamed mis-soldered chinese board while offering 3 channels (see above). In short, do not buy that one
