What PCB Layout Software Do You Use?

[cockpitbob]

It's about time I got going on being able to do my own board layouts. I'm willing to sink up to maybe $200 into it if necessary (Eagle CAD, etc) but there are so many free options too. DigiKey, Mouser, PCBExpress, Sunstone Circuits and many others. I think most or all that are associated with the quick-turn, cheap PCB houses have their software rigged so you have trouble buying boards you designed with their free SW from someone else.

So, what would you recommend?

 

[Snora]

What size boards are you making? EAGLE is free for projects under a certain size and very reasonably priced for the commercial options.

 

[cockpitbob]

What size boards are you making? EAGLE is free for projects under a certain size and very reasonably priced for the commercial options.

Nothing big. Eagle's 4" x 6" would be more than enough. Since I don't have to hand wire things I would be using mostly surface mount parts.

I think learning curve is a big deal for me. Unless I use a design tool fairly regularly I forget how it works.

 

[Snora]

Gotta pay for 4"x6", I"m sure the pricing is on their site. Great software though.

 

[pastera]

Altium but you're not going to get it for $200

Sent from my C6530 using Tapatalk

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Brings back memories. Back in the day, it was Scientific Calculations on a Prime or a Vax with a Vector General graphics tube - software rented for a few thousand a month. I wrote a lot of Fortran IV code for them.

Then Cadence, Omnicad (defunct), PadsPCB (I think this was a Gene Marsh operation) and Cadnetix to name a few.

 

[McReef]

Eagle is the way to go IME. Easy to learn, and it is widely used, so there are tutorials and free component libraries in abundance. It is pretty much the standard for anyone without a corporate budget. Don't bother with the "free" stuff offered by board houses, your just tying your own hands with vendors, and if you want to switch to someone else, you're back at the bottom of that learning curve again.

I started with the free Eagle version, and ended up buying a higher version, and don't regret the $.

 

[blindfire]

Jebus...this brings back memories too. My roommate in college was a EE major.

He used OrCAD. He had the student version obviously. I can only imagine the cost of the full blow one.

http://www.orcad.com/products/orcad-pcb-designer/overview

Looks like they have a lite version for free.

http://www.orcad.com/products/orcad-lite-overview

 

[cockpitbob]

I actually use OrCad schematic capture for work. It hadn't occurred to me to look at their free stuff. I think the limit of 60 parts and especially 75 nets is a deal killer. Also, given what I know about OrCad schematics, the learning curve for their other stuff is probably quite steep.

Thanks for all the inputs. I'm starting to lean towards EagleCad. Free at first, then pay the $169 if I get serious and want 4 layers and bigger boards.

Any other opinions?

 

[Skysoldier]

cockpitbob.......check your PM's!

 

[Goliathan]

I use an ancient version of OrCAD for capture, and a slightly less ancient version of PADS Layout for PCB work.