Affordable PCB Layout Software ???

design

How would Proteus compare to the combo OrCAD Schematich and PCB? I am still running V9.2 here and am very reluctant to upgrade to Cadence.

But I also have a lot of designs in OrCAD....

Meindert

Reply to
Meindert Sprang
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I tried KiCad last night, but I'm not that impressed. The user interface is a bit clumsy and I can't find shortcuts. I like CAD software where most elementary operations have shortcuts so you don't need the mouse too much.

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Programmeren in Almere?
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Reply to
Nico Coesel

Take a look at FreePCB. Nearly all of the commands are through the Fx keys. In fact, the original versions did not support many commands via the right mouse button or through the menus. In fact, you couldn't even click the hot key labels at the bottom of the screen. That has been changed so that you typically have three options on how to invoke a command and many have four (menu, right click menu, clickable hot key label and the hot key itself).

I have been using it enough that I am used to it. There were a few things I had to get used to, but *nothing* like learning Eagle. I think the one that bothered me the most is that when you click something on the screen, if there is overlap it will select a part first. This can make it hard to select a net or vertex. But that is solved by using the selection mask on the left side of the screen. So it works pretty well and a lot of the rough edges have been smoothed off.

Since it is not commercial software, but rather a program that was written for the author to use, it gets changed when a rough edge is pointed out. You don't have to deal with a bureaucracy to get something improved.

There is a Yahoo group for support, or better, the forum on the freepcb.com web page which is very active. A couple of people write supporting software to provide XYRS files, documentation and the like. All in all it is pretty sweet!

Rick

Reply to
rickman

snipped-for-privacy@barrk.net (Blackwater) wrote in news:489081d0.15733031 @news.east.earthlink.net:

4pcb has a decent free package. Slightly cripple until after your first order of a board with them, but fully enabled afterward.
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Scott
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Reply to
Scott Seidman

Interesting product! The prices seem quite reasonable for what you get.

Current prices:

For 150 Pounds Sterling (~300 UD Dollars) you get:

500 pins maximum, One Power Planes per layer Standard Autorouting (not Rip-up and Retry) No 3D Board Visualisation No ODB++ Manufacturing Output No Gate-Swap Optimizer No Autoplace

For 295 Pounds Sterling (~590 US Dollars) you get: The above features, except 1000 pins maximum.

For 395 Pounds Sterling (~790 US Dollars) you get: The above features, except 2000 pins maximum.

For 595 Pounds Sterling (~1190 US Dollars) you get:

1000 pins maximum, Unlimited Power Planes per layer, Rip-up and Retry Autorouting 3D Board Visualisation ODB++ Manufacturing Output Gate-Swap Optimizer Autoplace

For 995 Pounds Sterling (~1980 US Dollars) you get: The above features, except 2000 pins maximum.

For 1225 Pounds Sterling (~2450 US Dollars) you get: The above features with unlimited pins.

All of the above come with basic simulation. For advanced simulation, add 195 Pounds Sterling (~390 US Dollars).

Thet also offer Microcontroller Simulation for ARM, AVR, HC11, PIC, 8051, Basic Stamp and USB at prices ranging from 150 Pounds Sterling (~300 US Dollars) to 395 Pounds Sterling (~790 US Dollars).

A free demo is available (save and print disabled).

References:

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Guy Macon
Reply to
Guy Macon

The Pulsonix software I use does a good job importing OrCAD designs:

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Leon

Reply to
Leon

I have to say that is one of the stranger marketing concepts I have ever heard of. Provide free software so that your potential customers can use your services, but cripple it for their first order!

When you say crippled, is that in terms of functionality or working with a third party?

Rick

Reply to
rickman

rickman wrote in news:360a548d-d9e3-4fcf-8200- snipped-for-privacy@m73g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:

first

It starts out fully functional for use with 4PCB, but it won't produce Gerber files. After you purchase one board from 4PCB, it will produce Gerber files.

It's not that bad an idea. You have to produce a reasonably-priced board with 4pcb, the guys that gave you the software, then you can use it with whoever you want.

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Scott
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Reply to
Scott Seidman

It has another advantage; some corporations make it really hard to buy software, but have no problem with buying PCBs. :)

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Guy Macon
Reply to
Guy Macon

Have a look at bartels lite.

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Reply to
cbarn24050

Quite a few systems can Import OrCAD SCHs, and some can import OrCAD PCBs, tho OrCAD PCB is much less common than the SCH, so fewer bother with that conversion.

-jg

Reply to
Jim Granville
[...]

Found it thanks!. Has all the bits I was looking for. My specific needs tend to revolve around knocking up (sodding!) surface mount chip adapters, with maybe one or two extra components added for convenience. For the sake of an hours work with the PC, printer and some etchant I can have a prototype in hand. My existing PCB prog' is still a ballache to use even though I've done a dozen adapters on it over the past year. Looks like I'll be spending cash on Sprint :)

Reply to
john

You'll like the Footprint Wizard then. Specify or design a pad, enter horizontal and vertical spacings, number of rows and cols, hit 'go', and the program generates the pattern, with perfect spacing.

Select the lot with the mouse, store it as a macro, and you've got a new footprint.

Great for BGAs, SMD ICs, connectors, etc.

Yep. For that use and this price it's hard to go wrong.

Cheers, James Arthur

Reply to
James Arthur

I thought most if not all could do that - looks like I have been overestimating the development over the years.... I use my (own written back in the 80-s) graphics editor, selecting some stuff then repeating it like an array is a basic feature. Then selecting some objects and defining that as a block - insertable at various scale factors and angles - is also inherent... Like you said you were used to I am doing all the routing by hand, just using the editor. Here is a demo-mess picture I did not so long ago, shows a board and my 20+ years old editor (runing under an old system emulated in a DPS window, though - much faster than back then):

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Didi

------------------------------------------------------ Dimiter Popoff Transgalactic Instruments

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Original message:

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Reply to
Didi
[...]

Yep. Bought one. Did an adapter PCB. Pleasure to not need the help file. Methinks Sprint and I will be friends.

Reply to
john jardine

CIRCAD Version 5 (OmniGlyph)

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One of the easiest to learn. I was laying out boards after a few mins. Logical user interface. Eagle V4 it drives me nuts, tried it several times and gave up each time. The user manual and tutorial also crap.

Reply to
Alt Beer

I'm curious, what does this package do that FreePCB doesn't?

Rick

Reply to
rickman

At least Eagle isn't a "windows-only" product. Even if it takes a bit longer to learn Eagle, it's certainly nothing in comparison to the time/money one would have to waste installing Windows and learning to use and maintain it. :)

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Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  If I had a Q-TIP, I
                                  at               could prevent th' collapse
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Reply to
Grant Edwards

There are any number of better options that run under other operating systems. My understanding is that there aren't many programs that won't run under MacOS or Linux using available tools. I am told that FreePCB works just fine on both of these systems.

Rick

Reply to
rickman

Alas, there are still a number of important CAD packages that run only on Windows (I am looking at you, AutoCAD) so I run windows in a VMWare virtual Machine under Linux. With a stripped-down version of Windows (using XPLite) and only one application that loads full-scree from the startup folder, you hardly have to think about the fact that the application is running under Windows. And the VMWare snapshot feature lets you go back when Windows becomes corrupted or flaky.

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Guy Macon
Reply to
Guy Macon

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