Program for PCB layout and schematic capture

Thread Starter

tom66

Joined May 9, 2009
2,595
Just curious, what do people use for schematic capture and PCB layout?

I use gEDA's gschem and "PCB", which are both excellent pieces of free open source software, but they only run on Linux. (Luckily, I use Linux all the time.)
 

nerdegutta

Joined Dec 15, 2009
2,684
I'm a Linux dude too. :D

When I started with this, I used QCad for the PCBs, then moved to KiCad. Basically because the 3D function. Then I learned about Eagle and Pov-Ray. This meets my needs. I'm using the freeware version, but I've checked the price for standard version, and it is not too frightening.

I want to try DipTrace. Once I saw a video and it looked like it had some kind of auto-place and aout-route feature. That could be nice to try, but this is Windows-ware...:(

Some comany in my work building is using a program called CadInt. I've never tried it and guess I never will.
 

mjhilger

Joined Feb 28, 2011
118
Use the same programs (upgrading occasionally along the way) for 20+ years, Orcad for schematic capture and PADS PCB for layout. Gone through several iterations of each. Now both have packages that cover the others territory, but I still use them the way indicated. I'm behind on maintenance and PADS (Mentor Graphics now) has offered an attractive price to upgrade to an all inclusive package (capture, sim, layout, autoroute etc.)

Should point out the the first use of these programs were on 386 running DOS. A 4 layer microchannel card for an IBM PS/2 caused the autorouter to run for 6 days straight to route the board to about 98%. Now it would take about 30 minutes and complete.
 

lespaul

Joined Jan 30, 2008
49
was going to start a thread for schematic capture and PCB. I used to use Orcad long ago, but now that I am on my own I need an economical solution for schematic/PCB. Lots of folks use Eagle with great success. I may take a trip to their site...
 

Robert.Adams

Joined Feb 16, 2010
112
I'm a Linux dude too. :D

When I started with this, I used QCad for the PCBs, then moved to KiCad. Basically because the 3D function. Then I learned about Eagle and Pov-Ray. This meets my needs. I'm using the freeware version, but I've checked the price for standard version, and it is not too frightening.

I want to try DipTrace. Once I saw a video and it looked like it had some kind of auto-place and aout-route feature. That could be nice to try, but this is Windows-ware...:(

Some comany in my work building is using a program called CadInt. I've never tried it and guess I never will.
Did the video indicate that its autoplace was any better than KiCADs? I've given up on using the autoplace feature since it is largely useless. Autoroute is quite nice though.
 

nerdegutta

Joined Dec 15, 2009
2,684
I found that KiCads autoplace also was useless. In the video, http://www.diptrace.com/tour/ , you see that the operator places and locks a few components, and DipTrace does the rest. At a glance it looked OK, but I've never tried it.

Now I'm trying to get an auto-place script for Eagle. I do think that manual placement is the best way to place components, but I think I might learn something...:)
 
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