[naamanf]

I am looking for software for circuit design and PCB design that can output PCB designs to gerber files. Of course I would like something that is either free or relatively inexpensive.

 

[tomb]

Eagle - can be found here: CadSoft Online: Home of the EAGLE Layout Editor

Tangent even has video tutorials on how to use it here:
Tangent Tutorials

 

[colonelkernel8]

I kind of like Diptrace, you can get a freeware version (250 pin limit). It is an all in one package and it has a better interface than Eagle.

 

[naamanf]

Thanks guys I will give both of them a try. Hopefully I might actually be able to make something useful.

 

[Jocko Homo]

Free, here:

Free Printed Circuit Board Layout Software, PCB Artist Software.

No idea whether it is good or not.

Jocko

 

[Joshatdot]

+1 for EAGLE & Tangent's vids

 

[borisov57]

Hi,
Kicad is free open source software for windows. It looks good, but I have never used it, because I use Orcad at work.
Kicad

Have a nice day

 

[regal]

I tried eagle and I think the GUI is a joke. The database is sparse, and building a package is difficult, I think you would need a class to understand it.



PCB Express on the other hand I figured out easily, the database had every package I needed. But you are locked in to buying boards from them.

 

[naamanf]

Okay I have all the above mentioned software packages to play with now. I guess I just need to find the one I feel most comfortable with.

 

[acold7dusta]

for schematics you could always use microsoft visio 2007 (free from torrents

)

 

[colonelkernel8]

Quote:

Originally Posted by acold7dusta /img/forum/go_quote.gif for schematics you could always use microsoft visio 2007 (free from torrents )

Probably not the ideal thing to say here...

 

[Pars]

Quote:

Originally Posted by colonelkernel8 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Probably not the ideal thing to say here...

On more than one aspect! While you could do schematics in Visio, why would you want to? Unless of course, you enjoy pain...

 

[cetoole]

Man, been using LTSpice for simulation a lot lately, and had taken a reasonable break from PCB layouts in Eagle, and it seems Eagle is like what some of you guys say about BG caps, my brain needs to re-burnin. I can use Eagle pretty well once I have been using it a bit, but you woulda thunk they could have come up with a better interface.

 

[naamanf]

So if one was going to take the time to learn one program what would be the best bet? Eagle, Diptrace, Orcad, or another?

 

[Pars]

I would say Eagle, but that is mainly because it is the only one that will run on a Mac AFAIK. How expensive is Orcad? Also, I've never seen/run Diptrace.

There is a another one that I've seen some on diyhifi, etc. use called Sprint-Layout. From what I saw of it, it does not use schematics, which IMO is a downfall. Too easy to make connection mistakes without it.