Favorite free PCB design tool  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2015, 09:38:57 pm
content: just to see which is most popular.I use most of them but mainly Diptrace.The only one I don't use is EAGLE and KiCad.Poll sorted in to what I think is best.Circuit might be the best but as it is cloud reliant I don't think so, but it is very good.In case you never heard of AutoTRAX DEX or TARGET 3001! here is the website:http://kov.com/ibfriedrich.comAutoTRAX DEX only cost £30.92! for the unlimited version.can any one beat that for such a good program?I got it for £20 at a offer they had on Christmas.TARGET 3001!: £2630.95EAGLE £1490.53Diptrace: £564.87

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2015, 10:09:13 pm
content: Where is Altium Designer? Frankly, I never used any of those on the list.

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2015, 10:11:30 pm
content: Quote from: M4trix on June 17, 2015, 10:09:13 pmAltium Designer is free?

author: M4trix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2015, 10:15:44 pm
content: Oops! I missed the free in the topic!Sorry.* M4trix embarrassed...

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2015, 10:37:37 pm
content: Quote from: M4trix on June 17, 2015, 10:09:13 pmAltium Designer is not free

author: Tandy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2015, 11:00:39 pm
content: I try and use KiCAD even though it is a bit quirky because I like the idea of an open system. Not only is it free for hobbyists to use but the open source nature of it means that it is possible to modify the software itself.I would like to see KiCAD gain more acceptance and wish it had a good funding model like RedHat and other open source projects that can afford to have a dedicated paid team to work on it.

author: briselec
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2015, 11:49:59 pm
content: what about gEDA?

author: c4757p
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 17, 2015, 11:56:52 pm
content: gEDA has what, three users?

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 02:46:28 am
content: Quote from: briselec on June 17, 2015, 11:49:59 pmgEDA only works on Linux and MAC OS X.

author: Mike Warren
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 02:59:44 am
content: Quote from: M4trix on June 17, 2015, 10:15:44 pmSo did I.I made a post about the tool I use and the noticed the "free" in the poll title. However, it doesn't say free in the topic title.So don't feel embarrassed.

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 03:08:28 am
content: Quote from: Mike Warren on June 18, 2015, 02:59:44 amare you embarrassed now?

author: Mike Warren
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 03:12:27 am
content: Quote from: abdullahseba on June 18, 2015, 03:08:28 amNo. I deleted my post since it wasn't what the OP was interested in.

author: Mr.B
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 04:03:51 am
content: I used Eagle free version for years, so that was my vote.I currently have a paid license for Eagle because I needed to make a board that was bigger than their 80mm free version limit.I know there are much better packages out there... It is an often argued subject on this forum.The biggest issue for me is the learning curve for another package, so I just stick with Eagle - warts n all...

author: leppie
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 04:35:48 am
content: What about DesignSpark?

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 05:28:28 am
content: Quote from: leppie on June 18, 2015, 04:35:48 amI have added it.I forgot about it as I have used it a few times only.I don't really like the GUI.It is at the bottom of the poll as I can't rearrange it otherwise I would put it after TARGET 3001!.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 06:04:21 am
content: if it needs ot be free ... i'd use easytrax ( Altiums great great great granddaddy ). it may be almost 30 years old but at least it is something that works right. and you can run it on a 386 with a simple VGA adapter in 1024x768 under dos 5.0 and it'll blow the socks off any windows or unix based program in terms of speed and usability. (don't look at dave's 'emulated' dos environment in his video on the old logic analyser he made. that doesn't do it justice as the dos emulator is crap. run it on a real pc under dos without all the emulation junk in the way. it is very fast. i made many boards with it back in the days . )

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 06:13:27 am
content: Quote from: free_electron on June 18, 2015, 06:04:21 amhttp://www.lupinesystems.com/easytrax/

author: Karel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 06:32:49 am
content: Quote from: abdullahseba on June 18, 2015, 02:46:28 amSo?? Some other packages work only on one platform. At least gEDA works on two platforms.

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 06:39:15 am
content: Quote from: Karel on June 18, 2015, 06:32:49 amTrue but It still isn't main stream and I haven't fully tried it yet

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 07:18:20 pm
content: No one used TARGET3001! ?

author: Tandy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 07:38:23 pm
content: I can honestly say I had never even heard of TARGET3001 let alone used it until you mentioned it.I would argue that a community around a free package is among the most important reasons people choose it. A free package doesn't come with support so the user has to rely on asking other users for help. Eagle has a big user base by virtue of the fact that there has been a free version for a long time. KiCAD has a growing user base due to it being fully open source.Most people would be hard pressed to find the amount of resources such as tutorials, libraries, projects etc as you get for those two packages. As a result you would have to have a good reason to choose something else. It could be that you have used a commercial version of the package but now for your personal use have the free version as you are very familiar with it. It could be some killer feature that you just must have, but otherwise most people are going to go with the crowd in the knowledge that if they get stuck there is probably someone who can help them out.

author: Sigmoid
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 08:36:17 pm
content: You should add Fritzing too. It's a very entry-level tool (as in focused on children and artists), and a bit buggy, but it definitely exists, supported quite heavily in the Arduino space, and is definitely free.Quote from: Karel on June 18, 2015, 06:32:49 amIt's not that. gEDA is quite thoroughly stuck in the 80s. It may be great if you are the sort of person who doesn't flinch at that - some may even see it as an advantage... but really, it still follows the "UX" design principles of the days of CP/M and the first Unixes.I once tried wrapping my head around it, and it just didn't feel worth it. Not with KiCAD around, now capable of doing controlled impedance tracks and other high-end stuff like that.

author: tom66
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 09:49:39 pm
content: I do a lot of work in gEDA. It's pretty powerful if you can work out its quirks.TBH I've not used KiCAD so can't compare. If it's anything like Eagle though I'll hate it.

author: timofonic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 10:01:59 pm
content: Quote from: tom66 on June 18, 2015, 09:49:39 pmTry it. It's free!I would like to know the feedback about KiCad from a long time gEDA user.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 18, 2015, 10:37:08 pm
content: I have used gEDA and PCB for some projects about a decade ago but it is extremely tedious to work with.

author: ResR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2015, 03:58:44 pm
content: I have used ExpressPCB for years to practice PCB routing.

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2015, 04:07:36 pm
content: Quote from: ResR on June 19, 2015, 03:58:44 pmisn't ExpressPCB tied to a specific manufacture?

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2015, 04:30:02 pm
content: Quote from: Tandy on June 18, 2015, 07:38:23 pmWill you try it?

author: ResR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 19, 2015, 04:32:30 pm
content: Quote from: abdullahseba on June 19, 2015, 04:07:36 pmMaybe, it does make a .pcb file that seems to be used by multiple CAD softwares like Altium P-Cad and Cadstar, I'm unsure about the compatibility though, haven't tried one file on another program.

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 22, 2015, 11:01:49 am
content: Quote from: ResR on June 19, 2015, 04:32:30 pm

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2015, 03:58:18 am
content: Has any one tried AutoDesk Circuits?https://123d.circuits.io

author: Josephine85
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2015, 12:30:51 pm
content: i voted for eagle. for me, as hobbyist, its the perfect piece of free software. and btw they win prices over prices:http://blog.cadsoftusa.com/2015/03/eagle-won/

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2015, 11:12:35 pm
content: Quote from: Josephine85 on June 24, 2015, 12:30:51 pmIt must be a lot better then last time I used it.I think the prices are far far to high for what it gives you.AutoTrax DEX is 100x better for free or $49.All the other programs mentioned above are cheaper and better.Even circuit studio is cheaper.Aultium Designer might even be cheaper?My avatar was made in Target 3001!

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 12:22:35 am
content: I only use Altium Designer.I do not know of anyone who is sufficiently experienced to have used all the packages listed along with Altium designer and Orcad. I don't know of any good website that compares the features, ease-of-use, flexibility, bugs, cost, performance and available libraries between each of the packages.It would take a month of Sundays for any one person to evaluated all of them and to keep the data up to date. So collaboratively, there would be only somewhat biased opinions.

author: timofonic
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 03:04:54 am
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on June 27, 2015, 12:22:35 amThat could be a very nice crowdfunding project for Dave or other. Add an UX expert in the equation and it can be amazing to see.

author: VK3DRB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 08:03:55 am
content: Quote from: Circuiteromalaguito on June 27, 2015, 03:04:54 amVery interesting point. You'd want about $30K to do it properly just for the labour alone (ie: 300 hours at $100 per hour), because there would be many hours involved learning everything about each and every package. Or do it all out of love for the electronics community. Altium, for example, is not very intuitive and some of the features like the Vault are rarely used. Also, as few if any people use non core features like the FPGA stuff in Altium, so you'd probably want to limit the scope. Also, there are some nice tips and hints in Altium that are not obvious. You'd have to research all those. Demo packages are the go... Altium is roughly $10K to buy.It could be done and you'd want to do it well. I'd consider it if I was offered $30K plus $10k per annum to keep it up to date, not including subscription costs plus website costs.Anyone else maybe?

author: abdullahseba
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 27, 2015, 11:56:48 pm
content: Quote from: VK3DRB on June 27, 2015, 12:22:35 amhere is a few basic comparison:http://pcbshopper.com/cad/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_EDA_softwareDo you know why a Eagle is more expensive then Altium Designer?