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Questions relating to designing PCBs
By torontogeek
#48949
Lucien wrote:
joelotz wrote:I agree, solid information solodex! Thanks!!

This thread has run it's course, so let's call it good. :lol:
At the risk of ruining a perfectly good thread...

Leon, do you have any experience with Easy-PC? I understand that shares some DNA with Pulsonix.

I've been toying with the idea of getting a copy of EAGLE schematic+layout modules - high end software like Pulsonix is more than I need, and out of my budget. But for Eagle, v5 has been released, and their prices have jumped 30%, putting it head to head with the entry level Easy-PC.

That said, I've gotten pretty decent with EAGLE, though some things still bug me, like not being able to bring up properties of a track in the layout editor and be able to type in corrected values. I wonder if they've added that in the latest version.
I think the simple rule here is that you can't expect a whole lot for free! Over the last couple of years I have had to deal with Eagle, Pulsonix, Altium Designer, OrCad (the real OrCad at about 9.2 and the 'new' one at v16 or some such), PADS and a couple of others. My employer has just started the conversion from OrCad to PADS - and I find that PADS and it associated products is way way too expensive for what you get - and far too clunky in many ways.

OrCad schematic capture is still alive but OrCad PCB is being phased out. The popular and easily obtainable 9.1 or 9.2 is getting a bit old now and lacks many necessary features for newer board layouts.

Eagle is fine is you are doing a few very simple boards, but others have already mentioned just a few of its shortcomings.

Things like Altium-Designer, Pulsonix, Cadence Allegro are the best, but expensive. But sometimes licences for older versions had be had pretty cheaply on eBay and even something 5 or 6 years old form them is a much easier to use package then Eagle.

The Geek
By UofMEShop
#49629
DipTrace

Free for non-profit use, 250 pin limit

PCB Layout with manual routing tools, auto-router and auto-placer.
Schematic — Schematic Capture and export to PCB or Spice.
Pattern Editor and Component Editor
By Philba
#49634
The student special has to ship to a university address. If you aren't a student, there is the $33 deal but you have to order 4 or more which makes it $132. For less than that price, I can get a panel done by GP.
By NleahciM
#49641
Philba wrote:The student special has to ship to a university address. If you aren't a student, there is the $33 deal but you have to order 4 or more which makes it $132. For less than that price, I can get a panel done by GP.
They don't seem to check. I have friends who have long since graduated who use their university e-mails and have zero problems getting the university discount.