Current best Schematic/PCB Software in the $2,000 USD and under range

[alvaius]

Hello everyone,

I am looking for suggestions on what anyone would consider the best under $2,000 pcb/schematic software. I have used a lot of the semi-expensive stuff, Altium/Mentor PADS, but have a need of my own LEGAL copy for some stuff I am doing.

I can not use something like PCB Express as I need portability between where I sent my files out and may have some requirements that PCB Express can not meet.

It looks like Eagly may be one of the few real options for Professional s/w in this range. Any other ideas?

Alvaius

[rhysh]

Eagle all the way.

[BrianL]

The TINA version at roughly $1k has a PCB layout package included. I've used the SPICE portion but have not yet tried the PCB portion.

www.tina.com

[Pjotr]

If you are used to Protel (now Altium) then a good alternative is Proteus from Labcenter: http://www.labcenter.co.uk/products/pcblayout.cfm Cost is a fraction of Protel and is quite powerfull.

Eagle is also a good choice but I favour Proteus as an alternative for Protel.

[bwaslo]

Try WinQCad. I've layed out and fabbed several boards with it, never had a problem. If you have to do any autorouting, WinQCad is amazing, beats the snot out of PADS on that.http://www.winqcad.com/

[Pjotr]

Originally posted by bwaslo
Try WinQCad. I've layed out and fabbed several boards with it, never had a problem. If you have to do any autorouting, WinQCad is amazing, beats the snot out of PADS on that.http://www.winqcad.com/

Interesting, never seen that software before. It looks good for that price. How does this package handle polygons? My main core is power electronics and good polygon handling is mandatory then. IMHO on the edge of polygons DXP2004 (Protel) stays unsurpassed, not easy to manage though.

[alvaius]

One of my concerns with EAGLE is not being able to export the designs later if I move to likely Mentor/PADS when funds suffice. Any thoughts?

[bwaslo]

How does this package handle polygons?

You can draw polygon shapes, not sure what other functions like that might exist in it or other packages. I didn't use much polygon, just ground flooding (which it does quite well).

Best way to check is to download package, it's free to try (up to some # of pins)

[hifimaker]

Have you seen Multisim from National Instruments?

Integrated SPICE, schematic capture, and board design. Highly renowned product.

http://www.ni.com/multisim/

-David

[lineup]

I recently changed my harddrive.
This meant a new copy of Windows XP and I had to install a lot of software again.
I had run MultiSim 9 at my old harddrive.
I decided to 'upgrade' to Multisim 10 now.

So I did a search for MultiSim10 torrent and selected the most promised cracked version for download.
Went well and I could install this pirated shared version easily. By instructions.

Now, I could convert my old collection SPICE SIM models from MultSim 9 library and add them to my new MultiSim database.
There is a conversion function to use.

MultiSim 10 has more transistor models than MultiSim 9. Evenso there are many usual audio transistors you have to search (this forum) and add using the Component Wizard.

Some softwares has got more audio transistor models. Some less.
The issue for audio works in special, I have found is not to find good working Spice software,
but to find useful transistor models to run and get good and fairly valid results from your simulations.

Lineup Regards