EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Electronics => Beginners => Topic started by: zanzeoo on October 05, 2015, 12:09:51 pm
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Hi every!
In my compagny we are going to choose between 2 PCB design tool . He insited and wants me to compare both :
Eagle ( which i use for years now) and Geda....(which i never heard before...)
The principal needs area
-6 layer pcb tool
-huge library of component.
-A good price
I have a huuuuuge preference for EAGLE but For you what are the avantages and drawback of both ?
I've changed the subject
Thx a lot for your help !
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If free and open source software is important, gEDA may be fine if you're a seasoned Linux penguin (but even then I would suggest KiCad instead). The price is unbeatable -- free!
If that's not important and you need it to run on Windows, then Eagle is what you want. Eagle is not free, and the price isn't exactly good for what you get, but it's not insanely expensive like some other packages.
You will in nearly all cases have to make your own libraries, but the supplied ones can be used to get started.
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Thx for your answer , i added a poll
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Very good idea.
But why dont you add also
fritzing http://fritzing.org/home/ (http://fritzing.org/home/)
xcircuit http://opencircuitdesign.com/xcircuit/ (http://opencircuitdesign.com/xcircuit/)
oregano https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregano_(software) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregano_(software))
proteus http://www.labcenter.com/index.cfm (http://www.labcenter.com/index.cfm)
osmondCocoa http://www.osmondpcb.com/download.html (http://www.osmondpcb.com/download.html)
TraxMaker 3
ZenitPCB
and so on
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Very good idea.
But why dont you add also
fritzing http://fritzing.org/home/ (http://fritzing.org/home/)
xcircuit http://opencircuitdesign.com/xcircuit/ (http://opencircuitdesign.com/xcircuit/)
oregano https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregano_(software) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oregano_(software))
proteus http://www.labcenter.com/index.cfm (http://www.labcenter.com/index.cfm)
osmondCocoa http://www.osmondpcb.com/download.html (http://www.osmondpcb.com/download.html)
TraxMaker 3
ZenitPCB
and so on
DONE ! :-+
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In my opinion, free software such as KiCAD is a revolution, especially with what you can do with it.
For small projects, home users / hobbyists / OSHW projects it makes sense to use something completely free.
When it comes to a company, who ultimately will plan to make money from such designs, I think it better to stick to commercial software for one reason and one reason alone, SUPPORT! And whatever people say about <insert CAD package here>, you will find quirks with all software, so what you should be asking, which is what I ask at every trade show I go to where PCB CAD suppliers are, is not which one is best, they all work, and they all serve a purpose, but which one offers the best support vs cost.
Personally, I hate CADSTAR, I think it is unintuitive, over complicated and just a downright PoS package, but I cannot fault the support we get from the supplying company, which is why it is one of the packages the company I work for uses.
Your "poll" is essentially meaningless, people will tick the box they use or prefer, but it won't get you useful feedback on the one thing you will rely on when you get stuck.
Others will have their opinion, this is mine.
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I'm very new to PCB design. I have a EE degree and have been doing software development for 35 years. I've only done one hardware design professionally and it was a VME wire-wrapped card. I just started doing some PCB layouts with DipTrace (http://diptrace.com/) for personal use. DipTrace was very easy to learn the basics. They have a free version you can download and try. You're limited to 2 layers and 300 pins. I highly recommend it.
I have tried Eagle and found the learning curve very high.
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Hardly anyone use gEDA AFAIK, KiCAD is by far the better option.
BTW here is a short interview I did with the lead developer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAgtLkFTEvY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAgtLkFTEvY)
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DaveCAD works for me ... http://www.post-it.com/3M/en_US/post-it/ideas/articles/solving-open-ended-math-problems/ (http://www.post-it.com/3M/en_US/post-it/ideas/articles/solving-open-ended-math-problems/) ;)
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I love DipTrace! Though it doesn't have the huge parts library, it is damn easy to make your own parts (5min or less). Plus it is has a very fair licensing scheme. I never could get into Eagle, it just frustrated me too much. Everyone is different though.
I'm very new to PCB design. I have a EE degree and have been doing software development for 35 years. I've only done one hardware design professionally and it was a VME wire-wrapped card. I just started doing some PCB layouts with DipTrace (http://diptrace.com/) for personal use. DipTrace was very easy to learn the basics. They have a free version you can download and try. You're limited to 2 layers and 300 pins. I highly recommend it.
I have tried Eagle and found the learning curve very high.
You can get the Non-Profit Lite license for free which up's the pin count to 500 pins.
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I love DipTrace! Though it doesn't have the huge parts library, it is damn easy to make your own parts (5min or less). Plus it is has a very fair licensing scheme. I never could get into Eagle, it just frustrated me too much. Everyone is different though.
I'm very new to PCB design. I have a EE degree and have been doing software development for 35 years. I've only done one hardware design professionally and it was a VME wire-wrapped card. I just started doing some PCB layouts with DipTrace (http://diptrace.com/) for personal use. DipTrace was very easy to learn the basics. They have a free version you can download and try. You're limited to 2 layers and 300 pins. I highly recommend it.
I have tried Eagle and found the learning curve very high.
You can get the Non-Profit Lite license for free which up's the pin count to 500 pins.
I thought DipTrace was able to import the Eagle libraries? I haven't tried to import one.
Thanks. I already have the Non-Profit Lite license. Easy to apply and receive the license.
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thx for your feedback
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DIPTRACE! O0
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I started using DesignSpark (http://www.rs-online.com/designspark/electronics/).
But then there are some more design tools:
CircuitMaker by Altium (http://www.circuitmaker.com/#why_circuitmaker)
Target 3001 (http://ibfriedrich.com/index.htm)
Zuken (http://www.zuken.com/de/products/pcb-design/cr-8000)
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updated
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Your poll results are skewed because of people voting for "other" before what they actually use was added.
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You forget a few ...
CircuitStudio
DxDesigner
Expedition
Zuken is not 1 tool , there are 3 different ones...
PADS
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There are other issues with your poll. For instance, is the user a PCB Layout Designer (someone who uses the tool everyday) or an EE, or an electronics hobbyist (casual users)? Has the voter actually used any other layout tools. If they have only used one tool that will be their favorite and they cannot really speak on the usefulness of another tool. Often colleges will use a lower end tool (Eagle or Altium) and when their students start working in the field they bring what they know with them spreading the tools into the workplace (known as the Apple Computer model).
Many factors drive the tools a company will buy, sometimes it is cost per seat, sometimes it is the tool's capabilities, sometimes it is what the team already has the most experience with, and sometimes it is foisted upon the team buy someone above them who will never use the tool but had a wonderful sales presentation.
I am a PCB Designer of more than 40 years, and I'm currently learning my 20th layout tool so I feel I can speak with some authority on the subject. Tools come is three tiers, low end and cheep, mid range, and high end and expensive. The old saying "You get what you pay for" holds true generally (but not always). If you only do basic digital designs you really do not need a high end tool and almost any CAD software will do. If, on the other hand, you need a tool that does very complex high speed boards with lots of simulation and RF one of the higher end CAD tools may be the right choice. So based on this having a poll asking what someone's favorite tool is must be taken into the context of their experience with the tool, as a beginner learning Cadence Allegro may hate the tool because it is so complex with a steep learning curve, the user who has used it for years may consider it the best. Almost every tool does something excellent and has short comings as well, the key is finding the one that meets your needs and does most things you need well. I seldom use low end tools, but with determination you can make a simple board with almost any program.
As for me I have three favorites, PCad (Now pretty much dead), Altium (Has some bugs but does pretty well), and Cadence Allegro (Mentor Expedition coming in as a close runner-up).