Alternative way to build the Beta Shield

[gogol]

Finally I received today my beta package.   When looking to the parts, the layout of the PCB does not look very optimal.
As I will solder male pins to the Digispark PRO (as I plan to use it primarly on the breadboard), I have to solder female sockets to the shield.
Those sockets need to go to the top of the PCB, because of the layout. But now the USB plug collides with the MAX7219, so that it looks like, that I have to solder that without socket.


Furthermore:  Do I need to connect the legacy GND and Vcc?  I wish to omit the pins there on the PRO (because of the planned breadboard usage).

Has someone else thought about this?

[defragster]

@gogol - You can skip the legacy 3 as they are dupes - I saw that when I built mine and compared to the photo of the shield build

I struggled with the socket versus pins on Pro too, the alternative would be Stackable Headers on the PRO so they stand in the breadboard - and then use the headers ( or have them in the way)

[defragster]

oh @gogol - the shield board seems to have been optimized for space (still 6x the PCB of the PRO) - the USB tail is odd to deal with and would touch the MUX.

Other improvement would be a left underside button (or two) in the Matrix void for double the game factor.  And a socket for the LDR so an alternate analog could swap in.

[gogol]

...  the alternative would be Stackable Headers on the PRO so they stand in the breadboard ...

I thought about that, but that will make the handling really worse. In that case you need to plug the PRO into the breadboard, to avoid that the pins get damaged.

I tend to solder the MAX without socket into the PCB. In that case, the USB plug has enough room above the MAX.  But still rethinking ...

[defragster]

Bottom silkscreen labels pins - soldered normal headers on top - then long male header pins (like SFUN:12693) would let you invert into a bread board. Reset button is hard to hit with headers - Digispark Programming Tool fixes that (out of stock)