My current circuit has 12 LED panels, with the common rows all shorted out across panels. This is what you call a multiplexing design (1/8). I don't see how multiplexing can be "avoided" if I switch to a dedicated LED driver IC such as the A6278. The LED matrix I am using is single color (8x8) with only 16 pins at the back (8rows, 8cols). The outputs of the A6278 will simply go to the columns I am assuming, with the common rows. 16 pins at the back of the matrix simply aren't enough to address each of 64 LEDs in the matrix individually. The A6278 must also be multiplexing between rows or columns to display a static character right???

or have I got it horribly wrong in my head? :(