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First of all I have used Orcad STD (DOS) and Capture (Windows) for over 25 years at various companies. In the Netherlands Orcad has a strong user base. Previously I have used Orcad Layout to create PCB designs but that has been discontinued for several years now.
And this is the part that makes people biased. I've drawn PCB designs (multi-layer flex) in AutoCAD, and for me that's perfectly ok because I've been an AutoCAD user for about 15 years now. I'll probably do it quicker in AutoCAD than many folks in . But that doesn't make it good advice for other people.I think Altium has more eye candy where Orcad is more geared towards functionality.
I'd say Altium is more intuitive to the beginning user. I managed to get a PCB design out of Altium without reading the manual, for OrCAD I vividly remember needing an actual book to get a PCB out of it.I think the biggest differentiator between the two packages is that Orcad has a signal integrity simulation package included.
https://www.altium.com/video-altium-presents-signal-integrity
https://techdocs.altium.com/display/ASIAE/Signal+Integrity+AnalysisFor me a big plus of Orcad is that the PCB package runs on Linux natively. So far I have managed to get going by using on-line resources like instruction videos and fora.
I consider this the main disadvantage of Cadence and Mentor Graphics software, I have to use an operating system that doesn't "just work". On Linux I always find myself fighting the OS more than working on the actual task. There's always a hardware interfacing issue, the driver is never quite working without glitches, multi-screen support is lacking, ... Windows has its flaws *cough* Windows Update *cough* but when I turn on my computer in the morning when arriving at the office I can say with some certainty that it's going to start up and that I'll be able to get started.Ultimately there is not much difference between the packages.
Usability and bugs are major differentiators, Cadence lost all credit on that metric.One of my customers choose Altium because they wanted to exchange designs with other companies which happen to use Altium. Without that the choice could have just as easely swung the other way because Orcad is cheaper.
Yes, Altium costs more, but licensing of OrCAD ain't always that convenient either. Like I'm fairly certain the way we used our Altium license would have been entirely illegal if we had used OrCAD instead at my last job.At one employer I have used Altium but I needed the manual on my lap to get started on a schematic. Nothing was intuitive to me. It is also slow. And there is one thing I really hate about Altium; the default font for the pin names and labels: 'Times'. Who uses that as a default? It becomes completely unreadable when printed small (like you'd do with a schematic). It can be changed but most designers don't bother.
I'll grant you that you do have to change the fonts, but there are ways to do that quite quickly. But I found myself going to a library and needing a physical book to get OrCAD to work about a decade ago. Sure, they improved slightly in the meanwhile, but it's honestly not intuitive at all. OrCAD somehow manages to be less intuitively usable than CATIA, which is an impressive feat of software engineering. -
It is interesting to read that your Linux and Orcad problems are my Windows and Altium problems
(and let's leave it at that right here right now). I'm not judging or disagreeing; I value the different perspectives.
Other than that it seems it depends greatly on your past experiences and personal taste which package (Orcad or Altium) works better for you. I hope we can agree that the functionalities and capabilities are largely the same. I can't really comment on differences in productivity. -
Usability and bugs are major differentiators, Cadence lost all credit on that metric.
LOL you got it backwards. Orcad is yet to crash once on me in 1.5 years of me using it, while Altium is well known for crashes and bugs. Check the Altium subforum to get all the proof you needYes, Altium costs more, but licensing of OrCAD ain't always that convenient either.
Orcad Professional is waaay cheaper than Altium yet it contains pretty much all you even need to make modern boards. And yes - unlike Altium, with Orcad you get SI tools that are actually usable
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One of my customers choose Altium because they wanted to exchange designs with other companies which happen to use Altium. Without that the choice could have just as easely swung the other way because Orcad is cheaper.
Yes, Altium costs more, but licensing of OrCAD ain't always that convenient either. Like I'm fairly certain the way we used our Altium license would have been entirely illegal if we had used OrCAD instead at my last job.
Candence obfuscates the real cost of its packages by breaking them into pieces. Everything that Altium can do is in Altium. With OrCAD if you want spice simulation you have to purchase PSpice. Want advanced spice simulation you must by PSpice Advanced Analysis (AA). Want this or that... Well that and this are other packages to purchase. Everything that Altium does, you get when you purchase a license of Altium Designer. That is vey nice and not deceptive.At one employer I have used Altium but I needed the manual on my lap to get started on a schematic. Nothing was intuitive to me. It is also slow. And there is one thing I really hate about Altium; the default font for the pin names and labels: 'Times'. Who uses that as a default? It becomes completely unreadable when printed small (like you'd do with a schematic). It can be changed but most designers don't bother.
I'll grant you that you do have to change the fonts, but there are ways to do that quite quickly. But I found myself going to a library and needing a physical book to get OrCAD to work about a decade ago. Sure, they improved slightly in the meanwhile, but it's honestly not intuitive at all. OrCAD somehow manages to be less intuitively usable than CATIA, which is an impressive feat of software engineering.
Yeah... A good manual, tutorial, and/or training OR ALL of the above is needed for me to work OrCAD. Nothing seems intuitive, right down to the move commands.
Is it true than one cannot open two projects in OrCAD, and copy things from one project to another?
Thanks
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I don't understand why you would even make the post you made. I am no liar.
Sorry if I offended you but I think there was a misunderstanding. I was just saying unknown to you is that EMA gives deals to certain individuals to generate more future sales at different prices.
I can confirm what you stated is true about the promotional deal they are currently giving. It doesn't apply to me as I don't have a competing product that I can use to trade up to Orcad Professional.
Sorry if I caused any distress to you. -
I don't understand why you would even make the post you made. I am no liar.
Sorry if I offended you but I think there was a misunderstanding. I was just saying unknown to you is that EMA gives deals to certain individuals to generate more future sales at different prices.
I can confirm what you stated is true about the promotional deal they are currently giving. It doesn't apply to me as I don't have a competing product that I can use to trade up to Orcad Professional.
Sorry if I caused any distress to you.
Thanks. Sorry, I am a little over sensitive when I feel people are misrepresent me; it has been done to me far too many times in the past; so I apologize about blowing up like that.
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Yeah... A good manual, tutorial, and/or training OR ALL of the above is needed for me to work OrCAD. Nothing seems intuitive, right down to the move commands.
If you want a crash course and not spend a bundle try Kirsch Mackey Udemy Orcad Course.
Pretty much the same content that EMA training course. Kirsch Mackey also has a Youtube channel and a Website that has more advance tips.
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LOL you got it backwards. Orcad is yet to crash once on me in 1.5 years of me using it, while Altium is well known for crashes and bugs. Check the Altium subforum to get all the proof you need
Last time I used OrCAD (which has now been more than three years luckily) it didn't directly crash on me, other Cadence software took care of that bit. But that's the beauty of it, it only managed to output entirely bugged gerber files after it was running for more than a few days. Took a while until we figured that one out.Orcad Professional is waaay cheaper than Altium yet it contains pretty much all you even need to make modern boards. And yes - unlike Altium, with Orcad you get SI tools that are actually usable
It's way cheaper in some circumstances, in others Altium's licensing policy is far more lenient. I recommend you read the license agreement very well if you're a small company. If you want to run it by the book you might need more than one license.
And I never worked with more than one design at a time with Cadence software, so no idea about that mstevens. But this is honestly my main issue with any Cadence software, there's no decent built-in tutorial. If I open up the Altium documentation I know I'm going to find an up-to-date explanation on how to do something, in the case of Cadence you might find an entry from 1992 for some DOS version of the software. Just ask for a trial license and check if it's right for you before you buy it, and read the small letters in the license agreement. -
I meant to mention that I got OrCAD Pro with CIS and CIP for a base price then added PSpice for just a little more. Not only did I get an AMAZING price but I also got a PERPETUAL license.
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Salespeople are salespeople.... They will promise they world and deliver a lot of hot vapor.
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TBH, i find this bullshit really unacceptable for a professional tool:
I've used it for a year, then I told my manager that we are buying altium. Seriously, this is a software, where I had to go and do a google search and download a guide on how to place a via.I think I messed up with VM settings
Yeah. If you can spend that much on a software, you can afford a Windows workstation for it with ECC ram and professional grapics card. Most people complaining are running a cracked license on a pc that is below the minimum system requirements. -
If Altium wants to be a real first class software, it has to ditch Delphi and go 100% C#. This current half breed language isn't going to work for them well.
Altium Designer 18 and later are written using C#; so it is true 64-bit. Delphi is no longer used.
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I got a VERY good deal; I don't dare mention the price. You should call Fred at 585-334-6001 x124 and tell him Melvin sent you. He is eager to sell!!
Sorry, bullshit click-bait alert. "I don't dare mention the price" are trigger words meaning someone is full of shit or getting an offer to spam in exchange for a better deal. If you are truly in the no bullshit zone then just say the real price. -
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I got a VERY good deal; I don't dare mention the price. You should call Fred at 585-334-6001 x124 and tell him Melvin sent you. He is eager to sell!!
Sorry, bullshit click-bait alert. "I don't dare mention the price" are trigger words meaning someone is full of shit or getting an offer to spam in exchange for a better deal. If you are truly in the no bullshit zone then just say the real price.
You call BS. I call you an idiot! Someone in this thread already confirm that the deal exists! Either you want to purchase or you don't. If you want to and don't because you want the price I got but are scared to call and negotiate then it is your loss.
For those reading this, the deal is legit. It is my belief that companies need to make money to stay in business. At the price I purchased, I don't think EMA Designs/Cadence made money. I would not subject a salesperson to a flood of people off whom they could make no money.
ehughes don't say someone is BS unless you have the proof to back up your assertion. Have you any proof that my claim is BS? No you don't, you can't have any; because I have an invoice to prove my claim. So, I know you don't have any proof to justify your assertion. You're an idiot!
Folks if you want a good deal on a seat of Orcad, call Fred 585-334-6001 x124, and tell him Melvin sent you. Tell him you know that he can give you a good deal because "Melvin said you gave him an unbelievable deal!" …On this page https://www.ema-eda.com/products/cadence-orcad/orcad-pcb-designer-suite/pricing plus I got the OrCAD PCB Designer Professional with PSpice - New Perpetual License with CIS and CIP options added. Not only did I get an incredible price, but I got great terms as well; that is why I posted this. You don't have to tell Fred I sent you; but know this if Fred knows I sent you he will know that there is a possibility that I told you what I paid so he is less likely to pull the salesman BS on you and try to get more out of you. That does happen with salespeople
Ultimately I posted because I wanted to help those who might NEED or WANT a seat.
Further, for example say I decided to do PCB design as a services employing 4 designers all using AD. I think I would not be inconceivable that the company may get a request to modify some legacy OrCAD or PADS design. Well If I could get a $10k Orcad license for say $1k and it were perpetual, I would buy two licenses and shelve them in the even that we may get such a request in the future.
I tell my wife all the time I get tools when I can get a deal on them, not when I need them. You always pay more when you NEED a tool. Example I bought a Kreg Foreman off Ebay, Brand new, from a factory outlet. I realized it was a deal. I picked it up for $320. ...I searched the other night for one and the cheapest I could find a new one was for about $450. I did ot need it at the time I purchased it but I have used it several times within a year after purchase. This is just my modus operandi.
My initial post was not intended as SPAM, official advertisement, or to offend anyone or to get anyone to switch. -
I have been receiving this promo for a while now but I couldn't yet justify spending that kind of money with a hobby. Especially since I have access to these tools at my work.
Regarding this whole price discussion, I can tell from experience that pricing of goods (especially in B2B transactions) is highly dependent on who you talk to.
My experience with both Altium and OrCAD are very similar to others, with a slight edge for me for Altium. Back in the days of heavy keyboard (or no mouse at all) use, OrCAD was king. A few years later I could tell that others were catching up, until I found and fell in love with Protel, with many successful designs back then. My attempts to get back to OrCAD were not as successful, but I am truly reconsidering it nowadays given that versions post Altium 12 have become so convoluted for my taste.