Which EDA (schematic/pcb) package do you use? (poll / discuss)

[microbug]

I'm a bit fed up with people saying Eagle dominates the hobbyist market (although it does), but much of this forum is a bit more sophisticated than sticking some shields on an Arduino and calling it 'design'. I'd be interested (and so would others, I imagine) to know what those who know what they're doing use. Personally, I am a great believer in KiCad; despite its shortcomings in official builds and information, it is quite nice to use (and it's FREE). What EDA program do you use? Discussion welcome 

[Seán]

I use Altium ...it was a bit difficult to get used to it when I started, but it's grand now ...I do like it.

Seán

[deephaven]

Bartels Auto Engineer. I bet I'm the only one here who does!

[HackedFridgeMagnet]

I use Altium ...it was a bit difficult to get used to it when I started, but it's grand now ...I do like it.

Apparently it's nine grand now.

[microbug]

If Altium was free (or at least had more reasonable pricing) I would definitely use it over KiCad.

[wiss]

LTSpice and PCB (http://pcb.geda-project.org/ would this be gEDA then?), not really using any auto-routing or schematic capture for layouts.

[miguelvp]

How many polls do we need in a year? Here is the previous one:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/eda/2014-pcb-cad-preferences/

[digsys]

Proteus

[microbug]

I did search for other ones but I didn't find any!

[digsys]

  I did search for other ones but I didn't find any! 

www.labcenter.com/index.cfm

[microbug]

Sorry, other threads (not other tools). The pricing on Proteus does look quite tempting though...

[Rigby]

Too bad polls don't let you select multiple choices.  I use Upverter, Eagle, and Allegro.  Depends on what team I'm working with.

[G0HZU]

At work I have to use Mentor for production designs. However, I don't recommend it unless the PCB designer uses it every day for very complex designs and can afford the maintenance costs. Otherwise, it is too complicated and riddled with subtle gotchas that will trap the unwary.

For casual RF design of prototype PCBs I've always stuck with Eagleware (Agilent) Genesys because I really like the simplicity of it and the ease of producing a very accurate artwork. I've been using it ever since the PCB layout capability was released as an option in the 1990s.

Some of my colleagues prefer to use the low cost EasyPC from NumberOne Systems (UK) and this has been a regular favourite for many engineers over the years for doing simple boards and test jigs etc. I much prefer Genesys but I think I'm alone in this.

[microbug]

I didn't know that Agilent had an EDA package!

Is there such thing as 'casual' RF design?

Good to see that KiCad is in the lead at the moment!

[davorin]

I would really like to use one of those fancy schematics/PCB software package...but it is just way out of being affordable..even for a one-man company like me...
That's why I chose DipTrace...

Got many phone calls, especially from Altium resellers, trying to sell me their software with a little pressure saying that it would soon cost more (o;

What I don't understand that those companies don't switch to a software model like Adobe did a while ago...I really like their software since Illustrator version 1.1 and version 88 (o;
And suudenly it was affordable for me as well, as they switched to a monthly fee based model...which is around $70...and best of all, you get the whole spectrum and be able to run it on two computers...expect Framemaker, which I don't really understand...liked the software back then on SunOS/Solaris ;-)

Adobe just saw the chance to also attract people who were using their software illegally, but not cause the wanted to, but because they couldn't afford it...

So please all you PCB design software companies...get up and learn something from Adobe :-))


BTW: Did you know Adobe produced also chips for Postscript cards? Think I still have one lying around (o;

[G0HZU]

I didn't know that Agilent had an EDA package!

Is there such thing as 'casual' RF design?

Good to see that KiCad is in the lead at the moment!

Genesys is an RF design package that has roots that go back to the 1980s. It started out as 'Circuit Busters' then the company name changed to Eagleware and they named the design suite 'Genesys' some time around the late 1990s IIRC.

In the 1990s they also added a neat (but very basic) PCB design capability which allowed direct schematic to PCB capture.

In 2005 the company was bought out by Agilent but the name of the simulator has remained as Genesys and the PCB design capability has remained.

http://www.home.agilent.com/agilent/editorial.jspx?cc=GB&lc=eng&ckey=1664088&nid=-34275.0.02&id=1664088

Some history is given here:

http://www.microwaves101.com/encyclopedias/373-history-of-microwave-software#superstar

[kc0ngu]

I generally use Eagle (full version) but also use EasyPC, been using EasyPC since about 1989.

[ajb]

We recently switched to Altium at work.  Eagle was getting to be a real chore and would have been a big handicap for some of the projects we have on the horizon which require collaboration with other Altium users.  The impending price increase was a big help on finally getting the trigger pulled, honestly, and we just made the deadline.  I've used KiCad for some personal stuff and I sincerely hope it does well, but at least as of the last time I used it it has a ways to go before it's really robust enough to use on a day to day basis.

[ampdoctor]

No love for NI multisim/ultiboard? Yeah, it's got a few quirks and wtf's in it but its pretty straightforward and damn easy to use.

If you're looking for something basic that has reasonable functionality, google around for an archived copy of circuitmaker2k. Yeah, it's older than dirt and can feel a bit clumsy at times due to it's age, but even at that it's still miles ahead of kicad.

[WarSim]

When I made boards at work an old Altium version.
At home with a limited budget Eagle Std.  I have switched to mac at home so my alternatives are limited.  There are several cross platform projects but Eagle is the only one I know of that has actually happened. 

[tom66]

At work, Mentor Graphics CAD.

[Seán]

I use Altium ...it was a bit difficult to get used to it when I started, but it's grand now ...I do like it.

Apparently it's nine grand now.

Yes, the price is crazy from what I know ...I guess I should have said that I use it in work (and they pay the licence fees  )

Seán

[microbug]

@WarSim I work on a mac too! If you don't know, there are pre-compiled builds of KiCad for mac which work well (see here.

[Richard Head]

Does anyone remember SmartWork?

[digsys]

  Does anyone remember SmartWork? 

Yep. I still have it installed on an old DOS machine, even have the disks. I wrote a gerber, graphics and hole/punch viewer for it.
For it's time it was AWESOME !