I agree, solid information solodex! Thanks!!
This thread has run it’s course, so let’s call it good. :lol:
Incidentally, I see the term ‘high speed’ bandied about: what are you considering the threshold for ‘high speed’ to be?
It’s a bit vague, but I’d say it was speeds where impedance, crosstalk and track length matter. The sort of stuff where one would use FPGAs running at 200 MHz or more with critical timing requirements.
Leon
joelotz:
I agree, solid information solodex! Thanks!!This thread has run it’s course, so let’s call it good. :lol:
At the risk of ruining a perfectly good thread…
Leon, do you have any experience with Easy-PC? I understand that shares some DNA with Pulsonix.
I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a copy of EAGLE schematic+layout modules - high end software like Pulsonix is more than I need, and out of my budget. But for Eagle, v5 has been released, and their prices have jumped 30%, putting it head to head with the entry level Easy-PC.
That said, I’ve gotten pretty decent with EAGLE, though some things still bug me, like not being able to bring up properties of a track in the layout editor and be able to type in corrected values. I wonder if they’ve added that in the latest version.
I used EasyPC for 20 years until Pulsonix came along. It is very easy to use, with excellent support. They are both produced by Westdev, EasyPC is more for hobbyists and educational users, whilst Pulsonix is a full professional package. They share many features.
Leon
Lucien:
joelotz:
I agree, solid information solodex! Thanks!!This thread has run it’s course, so let’s call it good. :lol:
At the risk of ruining a perfectly good thread…
Leon, do you have any experience with Easy-PC? I understand that shares some DNA with Pulsonix.
I’ve been toying with the idea of getting a copy of EAGLE schematic+layout modules - high end software like Pulsonix is more than I need, and out of my budget. But for Eagle, v5 has been released, and their prices have jumped 30%, putting it head to head with the entry level Easy-PC.
That said, I’ve gotten pretty decent with EAGLE, though some things still bug me, like not being able to bring up properties of a track in the layout editor and be able to type in corrected values. I wonder if they’ve added that in the latest version.
I think the simple rule here is that you can’t expect a whole lot for free! Over the last couple of years I have had to deal with Eagle, Pulsonix, Altium Designer, OrCad (the real OrCad at about 9.2 and the ‘new’ one at v16 or some such), PADS and a couple of others. My employer has just started the conversion from OrCad to PADS - and I find that PADS and it associated products is way way too expensive for what you get - and far too clunky in many ways.
OrCad schematic capture is still alive but OrCad PCB is being phased out. The popular and easily obtainable 9.1 or 9.2 is getting a bit old now and lacks many necessary features for newer board layouts.
Eagle is fine is you are doing a few very simple boards, but others have already mentioned just a few of its shortcomings.
Things like Altium-Designer, Pulsonix, Cadence Allegro are the best, but expensive. But sometimes licences for older versions had be had pretty cheaply on eBay and even something 5 or 6 years old form them is a much easier to use package then Eagle.
The Geek
DipTrace
Free for non-profit use, 250 pin limit
PCB Layout with manual routing tools, auto-router and auto-placer.
Schematic — Schematic Capture and export to PCB or Spice.
Pattern Editor and Component Editor
PCB maker Advanced Circuits has their free PCB Artist software. They offer $33 “Student Special” boards.
The student special has to ship to a university address. If you aren’t a student, there is the $33 deal but you have to order 4 or more which makes it $132. For less than that price, I can get a panel done by GP.
They don't seem to check. I have friends who have long since graduated who use their university e-mails and have zero problems getting the university discount.Philba:
The student special has to ship to a university address. If you aren’t a student, there is the $33 deal but you have to order 4 or more which makes it $132. For less than that price, I can get a panel done by GP.