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Registered Member #2838
Joined: Fri Apr 30 2010, 07:55PM
Location: tehachapi, CA
Posts: 333
Hello, everyone!
I have been using a few free PCB programs. Although they seems to be reasonably acceptable for my needs, I thought that maybe I should get a general consensus of what everyone preferred...
Here is what I am looking for. (For all who would like to participate.)
1) What do you consider to be the best free PCB software? 2) What do you consider to be the best low cost PCB software? 3) What do you consider to be the best overall PCB software? (Regardless of price.)
I was considering purchasing software and this will definitely help me make a decision which program to choose. Thank you all in advance!
Registered Member #1403
Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 06:05PM
Location: Denmark, Odense C
Posts: 1968
I use the free ExpressPCB that comes with both schematic and pcb layout program.
I tried Eagle for a week befoer returning to ExpressPCB, making new components is a drag if you cant find them, need to know everything about it for the automatic pcb layout rutine to work, its easier to just draw a box in ExpressPCB... We all got different needs, mine are often easy to handle and speed of rutines.
Registered Member #2648
Joined: Sun Jan 24 2010, 12:45PM
Location: Australia
Posts: 291
for free PCB software I prefer EAGLE because it is commonly used and very functional. It is a steep learning curve but once I mastered it I found it much easier to use than ExpressPCB.
I use EAGLE. It is pretty daunting in the begining, but once you get used to the libraries it is very easy and fast to use. There are a tons of additional libaries on-line. There was a great introductional video to EAGLE on YouTube
Registered Member #30
Joined: Fri Feb 03 2006, 10:52AM
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Posts: 6706
I guess I have to vote for Eagle too.
On the downside, the free version is limited in board size and number of layers, and some people find the limitations frustrating. There are low-cost and educational licenses with fewer limitations.
Also, the user interface can be annoying. Eagle didn't start out on Windows, and is also available on Linux and Mac, so it doesn't follow the Windows GUI style (how exactly do copy and paste work?!) and there are some quirks in the library system.
But overall I think it offers great value for money at its price point, especially when you consider that your license works across platforms (I run it on Windows and Mac) and with any new versions that come out. Many people here use Eagle, and you'll find lots of discussion on it if you search the forum. I've used it commercially for years.
PS: Whatever you do don't use the autorouter! It's not just Eagle, most other autorouters behave in a forehead-slapping fashion unless you spend a lot of time setting up net classes and so on. According to our PCB layout guy (who's trying to persuade us to change to Altium) it's usually quicker to just route the board by hand.
Having said that, I heard the new version of Eagle has "Follow me" routing, a compromise between hand routing and full auto.
Registered Member #1334
Joined: Tue Feb 19 2008, 04:37PM
Location: Nr. London, UK
Posts: 615
Oidium45 wrote ...
Thank you everyone! I will look into eagle. But I would still appreciate feedback from anyone else who would like to comment.
I use Eagle professional - The free version allows you to do a Eurocard (100mm x 160mm) in double sided and is not cripple-ware, i.e. it is fully functional.
On my web site i've a few simple designs using it, e.g. & - It can do quite nice stuff...
Libraries are a bit tricky to get started, but once you have the hang of them, you can generate any part not in a standard library in a few minutes (unless its some loony huge BGA etc.).
Registered Member #311
Joined: Sun Mar 12 2006, 08:28PM
Location:
Posts: 253
Totally agree about autorouters - waste of time unless you have layers to burn.
Another thing that some people take a long time to figure out : Placement is everything. Time spent figuring out the best placement is more than repaid by time saved during routing.
Registered Member #1334
Joined: Tue Feb 19 2008, 04:37PM
Location: Nr. London, UK
Posts: 615
mikeselectricstuff wrote ...
Totally agree about autorouters - waste of time unless you have layers to burn.
Another thing that some people take a long time to figure out : Placement is everything. Time spent figuring out the best placement is more than repaid by time saved during routing.
I know I'm not a practising professional EE any more like some of you guys, but a decent autorouter can save a lot of time, and if you take the trouble to learn how to set it up, you can get very acceptable results. As to having "layers to burn", generally, you simply constrain the router's available layers to the max number you wish to use (typically 1,2,4 etc.).
I also use Electra, a shape-based router which interfaces with Eagle (and others) - complex to use, but very fast and gives good results. Eagle now also has a "follow me" router which is a hybrid of manual & automatic routing.
Its easy to be purist about all this, but for a lot of non-critical stuff (e.g. non-RF) autorouters, when used correctly, have their place (maybe with a bit of manual finishing).
Having said all that, placement really is absolutely everything - if you start out with a badly laid out board, everything falls apart from there on in.
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PCB Software ???
It's not just Eagle, most other autorouters behave in a forehead-slapping fashion unless you spend a lot of time setting up net classes and so on. According to our PCB layout guy (who's trying to persuade us to change to Altium) it's usually quicker to just route the board by hand.
