PCB Design Software 4

[paintinman]

I have had some experience with PCB design software but I'm more of a casual user and don't really want to have to become dedicated to PC design. I am looking for a professional quality - easy to use - quick learning curve - pc design package that is stable and bug free ( or has a clean recovery). I have been using McCad from Vamp software and am not happy with the crashes when typing the wrong keystrokes. These keystrokes that cause the crashes are not documented nor does Vamp seem to be able to reproduce them at their end. I have a sample of Protel and have seen similar bugs and crashes but there seems to be a cleaner recovery. I like the simulation and FPGA design capability of Protel but I'd like to find out if there is better software out there.

Can anyone tell me that they have had good luck with a design package they have used?

 

[morizabal]

Hello,

I found a free PCB software that is actually really good. It doesn't support auto routing so you have to decide where everything goes. It has most SMT and Thru hole pads, and you can create you own. It's also easy to learn. You can either have the company make the board for you, or you can print it out and use the toner transfer system.

http://www.expresspcb.com/

 

[SteveSmith]

Unfortunately Protel (now Altium) is the best of the "low cost" PCB packages available. I've found that you will have to spend several thousand dollars more for a better package. You might get Protel at a lower cost buying a used package through a reseller and updating it with downloads from their website. Send a message to marjan@vom.com, I believe he might have some for resale (but he is in the process of moving from "left" to east coast right now and may take a while getting back to you. Good luck.
Steve Smith
Product Engineer
Staco Energy Products Co.

http://www.stacoenergy.com

 

[Markl1957]

If you do not mind an older windows style interface there is a nice package from Eagle. they have 3 levels the first being free and limited to a small board 4 x 3.2 inches then next level limits it to 4 x 6 inches and the last is an unlimited version.

http://www.cadsoftusa.com/

I have been using it for the last 7 months and found it to be farily bug free.
Mark

 

[johnday]

Protel is about the best at a reasonable price. THe older versions were a little unstable but I have been using Protel 98 for three years and recently switched to Protel 99SE which seems very stable (I can work on an open file for two days without a crash!)

It just depends on how much you want to pay.

Good luck!

John Day
Technical Director
Words&Images

 

[timnerger]

I have had very good results with Protel 99SE. I have not had any crashes in the last year since I have been using it. The simulation is very easy to use, and I like the fact that it can import and export spice files. It's not free, but worth the price if you need the capability.

 

[aj2x]

I've been using Protel SE for several months and though it rarely crashes, it is maddeningly inconsistent and hard to learn and use. Not recommended if you can afford anything else.

A simple and somewhat more well-organized (though barely, and with its own collection of inconsistencies and weirdnesses) is WinBoard (layout) and WinDraft (schematic) from Ivex (

http://www.ivex.com).

Pretty cheap and workable.

 

[SteveSmith]

I have the original release of the Ivex Winboard & Windraft software and it's a real dog. I was so displeased with it that I didn't bother with the next release as I think that the only way to improve it is to rewrite it from scratch. Steve Smith
Product Engineer
Staco Energy Products Co.

http://www.stacoenergy.com

 

[xray]

I have just finished an MCU support board for an HC12 and utilized the expresspcb, that morizabal has described. The soft ware allows for an upload of the files I have created and the boards are put on order, three boards 2"*3" at 59.00. I do not forsee any problems and was quite convenient. TTFN, In the words of tigger.

 

[jbartos]

Suggestion: Also try other Threads in this Forum, e.g.
Thread248-11222