dwalker0229

I've been doing computer programming for 32 years now so I know how to code in pretty much all the languages. I started with the C64 if anyone remembers that. So using VS is the easy part but now I'm working on the hardware. I took electronics back in highschool and understand the basics.

I've searched and came up short. Are there any ways to be able to use 31 4 digit or 110 1 digit 7 segment displays. I have 36 buttons hooked up using the matrix keypad driver so 12 pins are used up, A0-A5 and D0-D5. I have in hand for testing, a few max7219 and a few 74hc595. I have running, 2 4 digit displays on the spi(13, 11) and the latch set on 10. The first 595 runs all the segments and the other 595 switches each digit on and off. It works, I don't see shadowing. But how do I extend the 2 displays to 31? I think I'm going to run into problems with power consumption. I'm thinking I'm going to have to use an external power. Is that possible? how would they be wired?

Thank you.