what is this symbol?

[almondcity]

Do I need to include this in my schematic? Trying to build my own board

 

[mdc]

That's a battery connection.

(although shouldn't it have an even number of lines?)

 

[almondcity]

So should I omit this connection to ground then if I don't need a battery?

 

[swyse]

Just in case this wasn't obvious, you want to run your power in to there regardless of battery or plug. Your reverse polarity diode and LED are both coming off of it.

 

[almondcity]

Oh that makes sense now. I've no idea what I'm doing

 

[swyse]

Everyone has to start somewhere! If you're able to post your final schematic I'm sure many people would be able to help you check for errors. It can definitely be confusing if you start with other people's schematics and they don't all use the same labeling methods. On my schematics I personally label my 9v DC in as 9V and then use VCC to send it out to parts of the circuit after polarity protection and filtering.

 

[mdc]

Have you watched the effects layout youtube videos on laying out a PCB from a schematic? Might be a helpful place to start.

You definitely need to include the connection to ground regardless of from where the supply voltage is coming. Some of this is going to depend on the CAD library you're using. On the physical PCB you'll want + and - in from the DC jack; you need to make sure that whatever component you're adding to the schematic has the appropriate physical properties on the board itself.

 

[almondcity]

I've watched parts of it but will watch again. I think I got it down now I just need to layout the PCB

Thanks

 

[almondcity]

Do my traces look bad here? This is a real puzzle game as far as I see it

 

[Silver Blues]

Some of the routing looks a little less efficient than it could be, but what strikes me is your traces look super skinny. What trace width are you using?
Also, do you have a VCC plane on the front copper layer? You probably don't need to pour the whole front layer if you don't need to distribute anything all the way across the board. (Someone else with more experience than me feel free to chime in.)

 

[Feral Feline]

 

[szukalski]

Yeah, that trace width is suspect but it'll probably work because fabs are fab.

Might want to think about your placement as well, that B50K (tone?) is surrounded by components. When it comes time to solder, you're going to be swearing or melting components or both. Heavens forbid if you want to desolder that pot.

I'd make your IO pads 2.54mm spacing so you can use pin headers if it floats your boat.
Was this manually routed or did you use an auto-router?

It IS a puzzle game. The secret is breaking your signal flow into chunks and grouping them together as efficiently as possible, then connecting them to the next group with as short as trace as you can.

Short traces into amplifying components (ICs, transistors) is always a good idea.

Or just throw shit on the board and hit auto-route. I've seen worse..

Also, using PPCB standard dimensions for pot placements are really nice on whoever eventually builds one of these.

 

[Brett]

Do my traces look bad here? This is a real puzzle game as far as I see it

Have another look at your 100uf cap as well. You have both pins connected to ground.

Edit: I see now, you have the entire top plane poured as VCC. I’d just route the couple connections you have to VCC and make both planes ground.

 

[almondcity]

Thanks for the feedback. I will work some more on this before I send it off

 

[swyse]

Make sure your pots are on the side you intend them to be, I can’t tell since I don’t use that program. I always mount the pots on the opposite side of the components. I learned this on my first board when all my pots were backwards.