Altium About To Slash Prices On Designer? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 04:28:05 am
content: Heard 2nd hand on the grape vine from someone who heard it somewhere from some bloke, so meh, but has anyone heard anything?https://youtu.be/Y-SieCU11r4?t=25s

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 04:43:55 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on August 09, 2017, 04:30:33 amThey did it back in 2009. Slashed the price "permanently" by 75%.http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1311978I was in the room when they made the announcement to staff. The CEO didn't like it and eventually quit/was pushed out.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 05:08:41 am
content: Peer got it last month for USD $4,500 as he has home projects he wants to work on, instead of staying late at work.The price was based on their year-end blowout. He didn't get a subscription, as far as I know. Not sure if the seats at his workplace are also a factor in the price.None of the engineers I know want cloud CAD software. It's extremely fragile in terms of commitment to it being around/usable in many years, and not getting screwed over and forced into costly "upgrades" etc., and security of this cloud, and being able to work offline, and... I could go on about how terrible an idea it is. The suits have no understanding.

author: lty1993
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 08:10:31 am
content: My friend got his license last month at $5300, and 1y subscription for $1900.

author: Araho
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 11:03:51 am
content: I got a call from an Altium sales representative just a couple of weeks ago. If I had heard this, I'd probably try to squeeze out a license for home project useUnfortunately, I just told them I'm not in a design position currently, so I wasn't using the software and wouldn't be for a while.

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 04:58:47 pm
content: Autodesk just released a preview of Eagle<->Fusion 360 ECAD/MCAD collaboration, which seems to be the functionally similar to the AD/SolidWorks thing that never really seemed to go anywhere. So perhaps Altium is feeling a bit of pressure there, after making so much marketing hay out of the switch to a subscription model for Eagle*.I wouldn't be at all surprised if in another couple of years Autodesk came out with a much improved Eagle replacement with the goal of doing to Altium what they've been doing to SolidWorks with Fusion 360. Sure, it will be a while before it reaches full feature parity with AD, if it ever does, but there's a lot of market share in hobbyists/entrepreneurs/small businesses that need some pro level features but can't or don't want to drop $10k on a single seat of a high-end software package if they can get something that has 60+% of the features for $30/mo--which is exactly what's made Fusion so successful.* As if Eagle's subscription was really any worse than Altium's stay-subscribed-forever-if-you-want-any-updates extortion model.

author: JamesH-AltiumOfficial
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2017, 12:44:24 am
content: Hi ajb,Our ECAD/MCAD is now OEM'd to SOLIDWORKS so the marketing/sales/support channels are all with SOLIDWORKS (a Dassault Systemes company). We provide them with the SOLIDWORKS PCB tool as well as a connector for AD - see below. Our PCB developer and Product Manager teams work with their Specification and Product Management teams, who specify requirements that are strongly focused on the perspective of the MCAD user. This relationship is working very well because it is making the collaboration much more MCAD friendly with each new release.ConnectorFor Altium Designer users, the "SOLIDWORKS PCB Connector" product may be purchased from SOLIDWORKS, to enable ECAD/MCAD collaboration between Altium Designer and their SOLIDWORKS CAD tool. Please check out solidworkspcb.com which redirects to their ELECTRONICS DESIGN page.Best regards,James HarrimanAltium

author: D3f1ant
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2017, 02:45:01 am
content: I wouldn't recommend the MCAD plugin to anyone.

author: Gibson486
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2017, 06:40:12 pm
content: I asked for a quote for a SE license (schematic only) a few days ago. My rep still has not got back to me....

author: dr.pancake.pajamas
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 01:54:21 pm
content: It is probably due to this...https://slickdeals.net/f/10447344-orcad-capture-schematic-layout-printed-circuit-board-software-430-permanent-license?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1

author: Pseudobyte
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 04:05:31 pm
content: Altium should run a deal like that, and I would buy myself a copy.

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 05:02:15 pm
content: So would I. I'm really tempted to pick up that OrCAD offer but I've never worked with their software before (for obvious reasons - I'm a hobbyist and don't have bazillions of money).

author: jc101
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 05:31:58 pm
content: Oh this is interesting, I've been using Circuit Studio for a while now but keep going to use a feature only to discover it's not in there. I can workaround most but it's just a pain. Will have to keep an eye out on this as CS sub is due fairly soon...

author: D3f1ant
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 08:20:12 pm
content: Anybody tried the Maker verison of PADS?

author: PartialDischarge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 08:37:43 pm
content: Quote from: dr.pancake.pajamas on August 11, 2017, 01:54:21 pmOuch, now that I've started learning kicad like crazy

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 08:38:07 pm
content: Quote from: asmi on August 11, 2017, 05:02:15 pm...and at $430, you don't need to have. Not that I'm bitter having paid full price for it. I can't claim I haven't had value out of it, though; I use it every day to make a living.OrCAD's learning curve is steep, there's no denying that, but when you've got to grips with it, you'll never need to learn another PCB tool. If you ever grow out of the 'PCB Designer Standard' level, you can seamlessly upgrade to the 'Professional' tier, and then on to full-blown Allegro.I'm amazed OrCAD doesn't get more coverage. Even the most basic version is unrestricted in terms of board size, net list size and layer count, and even without the offer, it costs no more than a good quality TV or laptop.

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 09:41:51 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on August 11, 2017, 08:38:07 pmI'm hobbyist and I know for fact that I won't ever make a dime out of it. I too have no problems throwing big bucks on tools that I use professionally because I know I will get a return on that investment. But PCB tool - however good it is - is not the tool I will be using professionally.Quote from: AndyC_772 on August 11, 2017, 08:38:07 pmI don't care about learning curve. I've recently learnt KiCAD so OrCad can't be much worse than that.Quote from: AndyC_772 on August 11, 2017, 08:38:07 pmMy problem is that is seems that I've already grown out of it. I design boards with FPGAs so I need to have "highspeed" features like differential traces routing, length matching, phase tuning, interactive routing and so on which from my cursory glance on the comparison chart are only present in "Professional" edition. So I will have to immediately do an upgrade. I couldn't find exactly how much that's going to cost, but just comparing retail prices it seems to be in the order of $4k. Which is waaaay above and beyond what I can afford and/or willing to spend on a hobby. The reason I went into KiCAD in the first place is exactly because I needed these features, and KiCAD have them (even if they are a bit buggy and "temperamental", but they are still there), while CAD I used to use didn't. My only real gripe with KiCAD is not so much lack of features, as it is lack of "polish" and consistency, and poor usability. So if that $430 offer does not have these functions, I will not gain anything by purchasing.Quote from: AndyC_772 on August 11, 2017, 08:38:07 pmWell if you can afford to casually dump $4k+ on entertainment (which is what a hobby really is) - good for you. I can'tBut thanks for your opinion anyway! It's good to know that OrCAD is apparently good enough for professional use!

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 11, 2017, 11:53:51 pm
content: It was a month ago, when the sales rep called me, that my subscription is ending, and after repeated calls, and mails, I did not order it again at full price. Like I could convince my managers to spend 1000+ on getting updates for a year. He told me what am I going to miss. The updates, the vault,free pizza every friday... OK, you finished? It is beyond my control.If they wanted to compete with this orcad pricing, they pretty much would kill circuit studio. Not a huge loss. I could imagine a basic version, which only has SCH capture and PCB. No embedded, no FPGA, no simulation. Nobody uses them anyway.But would they go below the pricing of their subscription? And modules will cost multiple times the base software???On the other hand, stranger things have happened. I would even buy it for home at that price.

author: dr.pancake.pajamas
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 14, 2017, 12:57:17 am
content: I decided to order it on Friday; I'll keep you posted on how it goes as I have never used the layout before.I asked about ongoing maintenance and the rep told me it is optional and the same as what I am paying to buy it ($430).It comes with training (manuals are being mailed to me) and then I log into an online course.Also a subscription to a supposed 12 million part library...ultra librarian? Capture symbols, allegro fps, and step...sounds too good...Capture is easy, I've heard layout portion has a steeper leaner curve, but more robust and not as buggy as Altium. I need stability - sick of using free, unpredictable software - not looking for more of the same.I have a Windows 10 64 bit machine; was told there would be no issues.Will let you know how this ends up.

author: PartialDischarge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2017, 12:45:18 pm
content: Let us know how the manuals and training are. I did use Orcad in the early 2000 but have forgotten most of it

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2017, 12:56:49 pm
content: I've requested a trial version of this package to evaluate if it will work for me. Hopefully I will try it out in the coming days.Quote from: MasterTech on August 14, 2017, 12:45:18 pmI watched few tutorial videos on YouTube, and it doesn't seem too bad, except for PCB footprints creation, which is over complicated IMHO with the concept of padstacks as a separate entity, but otherwise OK.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 14, 2017, 04:22:52 pm
content: The CAD lifecycle:Little CAD co. makes good CAD softwareMr. Big corporation buys little CAD co.Crank up the priceSpam it by adding half-assed featuresBugs and complexity go upCrank up the priceAdd useless featuresCrank up the priceCustomers flee to other productCrank up the priceLower the priceMr. Big corporation abandons that CAD development and supportCrank up the priceMr. Big corporation sells off Little CAD co. lineRepeat

author: trevwhite
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2017, 09:07:36 am
content: Shame this is only available in North AmericaQuote from: dr.pancake.pajamas on August 11, 2017, 01:54:21 pm

author: dr.pancake.pajamas
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 07:38:12 pm
content: In the middle of a project so not a lot of time, but I wanted to circle back and at least state that i'm glad I pulled the trigger on the deal. Capture is easy to use. The PCB tool is not as intuitive but I get the sense that is because I am new to it and that there is a lot of depth to it. I would be struggling if the package didn't include the training manuals, but it did and that is what I am using. Once I have more time I will add to this, but that's all i've got for now.

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 07:54:31 pm
content: Quote from: dr.pancake.pajamas on August 24, 2017, 07:38:12 pmI agree. Once you get over initial hump, it all suddenly starts making a lot of senseI also would like to note that their support is also extremely good. After I migrated from Std version to Pro, there were some issues with not all tools picking up on this change, but a working solution has been offered in mere minutes. FE is quick and helpful. The only negative so far is that I had few crashes of both PCB Editor and Capture, but that might be on me as I was doing something stupidI'm still trying to come up with some sort of way to organise all those symbols/padstacks/footprints/3d models in a way that would make senseI use free version of PCB Library Expert for creating footprints and 3D models right now.

author: dr.pancake.pajamas
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 08:54:02 pm
content: asmi: it's funny you brought up sym/fp/3d for parts...I JUST used something called ultralibrarian for orcad - the orcad came wiith a free sub to it and I just used it for a part I needed - pretty awesome. when I first talked to the sales girl I asked about organizing parts and she ssaid theres something called cip to do that. I dont have enough parts yet for it to be a problem

author: asmi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 10:40:36 pm
content: Quote from: dr.pancake.pajamas on August 24, 2017, 08:54:02 pmYea, I know about that, but I'm still on a trial version, so I don't yet have access to UL. Still, their "Create part from spreadsheet" is very good - it allows to create a table in Excel, and then just copy-paste it there.But I meant mostly organizing physical files with padstacks/footprints/3d models, as each one of them is a separate file, so just dumping them into single folder will quickly create unmanageable mess.Quote from: dr.pancake.pajamas on August 24, 2017, 08:54:02 pmYou should've asked her how much is it

author: tszaboo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2017, 09:02:14 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on August 24, 2017, 11:35:23 pmThat is OK, but unlike students, engineers have deadlines. I have so many libraries, that I can roll out simple PCB design in a day if necessary.Any news of the price drop?

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2017, 09:57:01 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on August 24, 2017, 11:35:23 pmYikes.

author: ajb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2017, 05:18:25 pm
content: Well, so much for that rumor.Quote from: Altium Account ManagerSubscriptions are going up by about a hundred bucks. Not sure on the license pricing.