pcb development

[zab]

anyone know of a pcb layout program i can download other than diy layout creator

[Seljer]

Eagle: http://www.cadsoftusa.com/

Works pretty well, though I usually end up touching up the circuit board in photoshop before actually printing it for the transfer

[John Lyons]

ExpressPCB works well as does ExpressSCH. You will have to hit "print screen" on your keyboard and paste it into a graphics program from expressPCB. then size your layout.

John

[David]

ExpressPCB works well as does ExpressSCH. You will have to hit "print screen" on your keyboard and paste it into a graphics program from expressPCB. then size your layout.

John

I print right from Express PCB without any trouble or graphics middlemen.

[Peter Snowberg]

http://www.expresspcb.com/ 

[Gilles C]

http://www.vutrax.co.uk/

http://www.freepcb.com/

And just in case you want to try more

http://eeshop.unl.edu/cad.html

http://www.epanorama.net/links/software.html

http://www.eed.usv.ro/misc/mirrors/cc/links_soft.htm

[Thomas P.]

...though I usually end up touching up the circuit board in photoshop before actually printing it for the transfer

Why would you do that?


Anyway, for the long run I woud recommend EAGLE since it's free but very versatile. Unfortunately many people report problems with the usage, so it seems a bit hard to get used to it. Myself I'm using it for years now and find it very handy!

...and if you've got povray installed you can use eagle3d and create 3D renderings of your boards!
(they don't pay me, really - unfortunately, I guess)

[John Lyons]

ExpressPCB works well as does ExpressSCH. You will have to hit "print screen" on your keyboard and paste it into a graphics program from expressPCB. then size your layout.

John

I print right from Express PCB without any trouble or graphics middlemen.

Hmmm...Wel maybe Expresspcb has resolved that issue and now lets you print from the program. I did notice that when I tried to import something today it said that there was a newer version and that my version did not support the import...I'll have to update!

John

[gaussmarkov]

Eagle: http://www.cadsoftusa.com/

Works pretty well, though I usually end up touching up the circuit board in photoshop before actually printing it for the transfer

if you try eagle, which i also recommend, you may find my eagle component libraries helpful.  follow the links in my banner. 

[Dave_B]

Anyway, for the long run I woud recommend EAGLE since it's free but very versatile. Unfortunately many people report problems with the usage, so it seems a bit hard to get used to it. Myself I'm using it for years now and find it very handy!

For me the biggest thing about Eagle was reading the instructions and using their free tech support newsserver.  When I was just messing around with it, I didn't get very far.  Once I decided to actually learn how to use it, everything fell into place.  I still have trouble connecting parts on the schematic side of the program, but I've gotten used to it.

[Seljer]

if you try eagle, which i also recommend, you may find my eagle component libraries helpful.  follow the links in my banner. 

ooh nice, thanks for that. Espescially for the JFETs (curse those various pinouts) and the jacks (I once spent a day making a model for a PCB mount audio jack but I lost it when I formatted my harddrive)

you think you could add a wah inductor as well?

[RaceDriver205]

One more vote for ExpressPCB. Very simple, very good. My ExPCB layouts all work first time. ExpressPCB rules!

[zab]

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions i am working on my first pcb with expresspcb will post later to let you know how i'm doing cheers Zab