PCB Design Software for Tube Amps?

[s2]

Has anyone gone there yet? I'm looking for some good, tube amp ready, PCB design software, and I'm willing to pay for it. Does anyone have any experience with the good stuff (no Express PCB). I want Gerber files for output, not some sort of proprietery thing.

[gahult]

Look at:

Alibre Design

Forget the price lots of $$$$ IIRC.

Gary

[s2]

Hey, thanks for the suggestion, but they appear to be all about 2D and 3D CAD software. I don't see any PCB stuff unless I'm missing something.

[gahult]

There are several options electrical, electronic, metal working (chassis), woodworking etc.

I used it in the trial version for electronic and chassis. Ah, it expired so haven't been back in it for a while. It's all there though. Should be a free trail version good for 30 days or better.

Gary

[FYL]

Has anyone gone there yet? I'm looking for some good, tube amp ready, PCB design software, and I'm willing to pay for it. Does anyone have any experience with the good stuff (no Express PCB). I want Gerber files for output, not some sort of proprietery thing.

Have a look at Cadsoft Eagle.

http://www.cadsoftusa.com/

[Structo]

What about PC Express?

[drz400]

Has anyone gone there yet? I'm looking for some good, tube amp ready, PCB design software, and I'm willing to pay for it. Does anyone have any experience with the good stuff (no Express PCB). I want Gerber files for output, not some sort of proprietery thing.

I'll second
WWW.CADSOFTUSA.COM
(Eagle)
Library editor takes some time to get used to but it is a great product, excellent free support.

There is a free version limited by board size only

[FunkyE9th]

Check out http://www.diptrace.com/

[s2]

I downloaded the free version of Eagle and quickly drew up a 5f2 Princeton schematic and board. This looks like it might be a winner at the low, low price of $1500 for the full version.

I'm going to have a couple of these boards made and see how they turn out (and how much I have to learn).

Anywho, this looks like the best bang-for-the-buck that isn't proprietary. Thanks for the tips, guys!

[FYL]

I'm going to have a couple of these boards made and see how they turn out (and how much I have to learn).

A few tips :

- Configure your own DRC with sensible values (default is 8 mils, OK for LV apps but way too small for HV - use 100 mils, even if your boards will be varnished or coated), save your board in ratsnest form, do a first autorouter run using the HV DRC, reroute all problematic HV components or traces (you can forget all non HV related errors), load a production DRC and run it (the default one is OK but you should fine tune it depending on the specifics of your target board). You can always delete the routed board and get back to the ratsnest if the layo becomes too messy.

- Drop the mounting pads on the schematic - you can't back-annotate them from the layout.

- When in component browse mode, uncheck the SMDs button at the bottom of the dialog, this will greatly shorten the list and allow for faster navigation.

- If you click on the "Drop" button in component browse mode, the highlighted category will disappear from the list. You can reload it thru the file menu.

Now the bad news: the component editor has a very steep learning curve and designing your own components will initially be a royal pain.

[DonMoose]

I've been using KiCAD for about 2 years - it's FREE.
There are ECC82/83 and a couple of octals in the library, and adding stuff is pretty easy.

http://kicad.sourceforge.net/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

[s2]

Cool about KiCAD. I'll check that out too before I plunk down the $$ for Eagle.

[drz400]

I downloaded the free version of Eagle and quickly drew up a 5f2 Princeton schematic and board. This looks like it might be a winner at the low, low price of $1500 for the full version.

I'm going to have a couple of these boards made and see how they turn out (and how much I have to learn).

Anywho, this looks like the best bang-for-the-buck that isn't proprietary. Thanks for the tips, guys!

You dont need the autorouter so I believe it is more around $950
Includes excellent free support as well as a user group that is very active
You can also drag and copy library parts easy and change the specs on pads, The layers have presets now, the new version is very good

[s2]

I'm going to have a couple of these boards made and see how they turn out (and how much I have to learn).

A few tips :

- Configure your own DRC with sensible values (default is 8 mils, OK for LV apps but way too small for HV - use 100 mils, even if your boards will be varnished or coated), save your board in ratsnest form, do a first autorouter run using the HV DRC, reroute all problematic HV components or traces (you can forget all non HV related errors), load a production DRC and run it (the default one is OK but you should fine tune it depending on the specifics of your target board). You can always delete the routed board and get back to the ratsnest if the layo becomes too messy.

- Drop the mounting pads on the schematic - you can't back-annotate them from the layout.

- When in component browse mode, uncheck the SMDs button at the bottom of the dialog, this will greatly shorten the list and allow for faster navigation.

- If you click on the "Drop" button in component browse mode, the highlighted category will disappear from the list. You can reload it thru the file menu.

Now the bad news: the component editor has a very steep learning curve and designing your own components will initially be a royal pain.

Thanks for the tips, FYL. I finally got CADSoft to take my money, so I'm all set with Eagle.

Perchance can you email me some sample files of an amp layout to give me an idea of how it's done?

[chief mushroom cloud]

swingin dicks use Mentor Graphics PowerPCB.....none of that sissy OrCad bullshit.....Expedition is for brainless Hughs jocks...fuck those morons over at Grumman, too

Altium is for big dicks on a budget