New EDA PCB from Digi-Key, Mouser, Zuken, Altium

[up8051]

Hello,

We have a rash of new products on the PCB EDA market:

Multisim Blue from Mouser - FREE, not avaliable yet
http://www2.mouser.com/multisimblue/?cm_sp=homepage-_-homeintro-_-multisimblue-comingsoon

Designer Schematic and Designer Layout grom Digi-Key - about 300$ a year, beta version avaliable
http://www.digikey.com/product-highlights/us/en/mentor-graphics-designer-software/4171

CadStar Express from Zuken - FREE, avaliable
http://www.zuken.com/en/products/pcb-design/cadstar/resources/software/express

CadStar Essential from Zuken - 999$, avaliable
http://www.zuken.com/en/news/press-releases/2014/09-cadstar-essential

Circuitmaker from Altium - FREE, pre-beta version
www.circuitmaker.com

Who will be the winner?

Best regards.
JarekC

[ElektroQuark]

Users!

[Wilksey]

Eagle

[poorchava]

DipTrace

[tggzzz]

Don't forget DesignSparkPCB, which has no artifical limitations and also works under Wine (but I haven't tried the 3d modelling as that is of no interest to me).

[up8051]

Hi,

I grew up on Protel.
I still use DOS version of Autotrax 1.61

Eagle:
I tried to use Eagle about 3 times. But I don't like ther interface. For example: If I want to change size of one pad in the component on ready PCB I must edit library.

Circuitmeaker:
Save files in the cloud is not acceptable for me.

Best regards,
JarekC

[ElektroQuark]

Anyone has played with Zuken? Just curiosity.

[Wilksey]

Have CadStar license at work, only 1 engineer uses it actively as we have 2 or 3 floating licenses, I tried it, didn't like it.
Tried Pulsonix, tried OrCad, settled on Altium.

I can't get on with Design Spark, i've used it several times, just can't persist with it.
We have a few Eagle licenses in work, and we have our old Ranger XL licenses also, I use KiCAD, DT and Eagle at home, all free versions, I still go back to Eagle though, I guess it's what you are used to.

Proteus is a good mid range package, we have 7 on one machine which I use occasionally for simulation.

[Zeta]

The $999 cardstar is called "Cadstart Essential Bundle". Cadstar express (the free version) has been available for quite some time but I guess Zuken is not well known in USA.

I just looked at the Digi-key/Mentor site and found quite interesting their partquest webapp. It is a part/footprint seach site linked to digikey database. I thought it was awesome, it is like the Element14-eagle offering done right, until I tried to use it. Turns out you not only have to create a new Mentor/Partquest login but also a Dropbox login and link the two accounts. I dont use drop box so it is another step in the way, it would have been easier and more convenient to just store the id/reference of the parts you want somewhere in a database and then when done create a downloadable library on the fly (a las google fonts) with all the parts footprint/symbols (and datasheets if wanted) you selected.

btw Designspark and diptrace just suck

[tggzzz]

btw Designspark and diptrace just suck

Please explain.

[alank2]

I am a fan of Eagle now though it had some learning curve.  Their original cut/copy/paste worked fine, but it seemed to be pretty counter intuitive to those who aren't familiar with it.  They did change it to work more intuitively though.

[ampdoctor]

nice to see they've resurrected circuitmaker. was always my favorite for ease of use and just the right amount of capabilities for light duty professional use. Hopefully they don't screw it up, but they probably will.

[sleemanj]

diptrace just suck

DesignSpark I might agree with (I could never get it working reliably though so maybe that's unfair), but DipTrace?  Have you used it?  What makes you say it sucks? 

It's for the most part well thought out, intuitive, easy to use, inexpensive, multi-platform (even if it does use Wine, it just works), and in general, just a pretty good tool, especially for hobbiests and smaller operators who might not spend all day every day in front of an EDA.

[EEVblog]

CadStar Express from Zuken - FREE, avaliable
http://www.zuken.com/en/products/pcb-design/cadstar/resources/software/express
CadStar Essential from Zuken - 999$, avaliable
http://www.zuken.com/en/news/press-releases/2014/09-cadstar-essential

I'll have to check those out. $999 isn't a bad price point if it's got decent functionality.

[EEVblog]

nice to see they've resurrected circuitmaker.

In name only, it has nothing to do with old Circuit Maker 2000

[timb]

CadStar Express from Zuken - FREE, avaliable
http://www.zuken.com/en/products/pcb-design/cadstar/resources/software/express
CadStar Essential from Zuken - 999$, avaliable
http://www.zuken.com/en/news/press-releases/2014/09-cadstar-essential

I'll have to check those out. $999 isn't a bad price point if it's got decent functionality.

No 3D, even in the $1k version. I'll pass.


Sent from my Smartphone

[Eternauta]

Cadstar Essential is avaiable only in USA, not in Europe where Zuken pheraps is better know.

Digikey/Mentor looks promising, but be careful the cost is for  an annual license.  There will not be a perpetual license 

$300/yr Designer Schematic Limited
$650/yr Designer Layout Limited
-----------------------------
$950/yr Designer full flow Limited
 
$500/yr Designer Schematic Unlimited
$750/yr Designer Layout Unlimited
-----------------------------
$1350/yr Designer full flow Unlimited

[Zeta]

"Annual license" is a deal breaker for me no matter how cheap it is. I hate the fact that almost all software is heading towards a subscription license model (even MSOffice does now). Subscription used to be for updates only, if you were OK with an old version you could just use the old software after your subscription expired.

I guess some might say you would need to update every 2 years to the latest version anyway, but often I find out I don't need the super duper latest features of the new version.

what is interesting is the schematic only licences ($300, $500) I've known some small companies that do the design in house and contract layout outside. A cheap Schematic only tool will probably save them a lot of money as long as the files can be opened also by Pads. But really, I would hate to be one of those guys doing the pcb layouts and have client's bringing schematics in all kinds of formats.