# What pcb design software would you guys recommend to get into?



## cooder (Apr 10, 2020)

I have used Eagle in the past but thinking of getting into KiCAD, what's your guys recommendations in general and do you have recommendations for which tutorial series, resources and stuff are the best to look into? I did a quick google search and there's a bunch, just thought you might have good concise recommendations. Cheers!


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## lcipher3 (Apr 10, 2020)

KiCAD.

Has some quirks but works great for me (few dozen projects).
I haven't found anything else that compares that doesn't cost $$$.
Don't have particular links for training etc - just takes a bit of time to wrap you're head around it.


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## Robert (Apr 10, 2020)

I use DipTrace, it has the most sensible interface of everything I've tried (and I've been through a few).

I wish I could adopt KiCAD, I _really_ want it to work, but it's missing some functionality that I would consider essential.


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## cooder (Apr 10, 2020)

Robert said:


> I use DipTrace, it has the most sensible interface of everything I've tried (and I've been through a few).
> 
> I wish I could adopt KiCAD, I _really_ want it to work, but it's missing some functionality that I would consider essential.


Cheers for replies!
Can you point out a little bit what functionality you are missing in KiCAD? And why would you want it or prefer it over Diptrace if it had those features?
Thanks Robert, also for the great work you're pumping out and this forum!


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## Dali (Apr 11, 2020)

Worthless question: how many pins complex pedal like Mu-Tron Bi-Phase got? My quick check makes it around 600 holes, is there even more busy than this one? I was just looking at the price per pins.

I wrote worthless because I will never buy the thing, since I'm not sure what a diode does for a living.


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## vigilante398 (Apr 12, 2020)

I'll add my vote for DipTrace, best free/low-cost tool out there. There are plenty that have similar functionality, but I love the intuitiveness of DipTrace. I never had to read a manual, never had to watch a tutorial. It was my friend from the get-go, I could get it to do what I needed it to do. Also rullywow has an excellent DipTrace library of common pedal components that makes things convenient if you don't want to generate your own libray.

That being said I started using Altium Designer for work and have gotten so comfortable I can't go back to DipTrace anymore. Altium is prohibitively expensive for hobbyists, but if you have some way of getting a license on someone else's dime it's killer software.


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## Nostradoomus (Apr 13, 2020)

I tried Eagle but quickly got overwhelmed. I have no CAD experience whatsoever...now trying EasyEDA and I’ve picked it up just fine for what I need to do in the last day or two. Diptrace looks really cool though!


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## steelplayer (Apr 16, 2020)

I've been using Eagle for a while, but I'd have to agree, the interface is pretty grueling, clunky at best --  has the vibe of DOS-based 3d programs I used years back. Diptrace is looking pretty good to me right now, especially since they haven't gone over to the subscription model yet. If the Rullywow libraries are pretty decent, this could be a real winner.  Any other stompbox centric Diptrace libraries out there worth looking at?


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## Robert (Apr 16, 2020)

Dali said:


> Worthless question: how many pins complex pedal like Mu-Tron Bi-Phase got?



Not sure about the Bi-Phase, but the Duo-Phase didn't go over the 500-pin limit...    The Royal Overdrive does though.



steelplayer said:


> Any other stompbox centric Diptrace libraries out there worth looking at?



You can easily convert the Madbean libraries (or pretty much any others) to DipTrace format.  

Creating new component footprints in DipTrace is easy enough that you can quickly knock together pretty much anything you need if it isn't already available.

I could send you mine as well.    It's a bastardization of various sources (custom, standard DipTrace, Madbean, Rully, among others), not the most organized, but it works.



vigilante398 said:


> That being said I started using Altium Designer for work and have gotten so comfortable I can't go back to DipTrace anymore. Altium is prohibitively expensive for hobbyists, but if you have some way of getting a license on someone else's dime it's killer software.



I'd _really _like to try Altium at some point but man it's a pricey leap, and I feel like it'd probably be overkill.


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## jubal81 (Apr 16, 2020)

I’m going to migrate over to Diptrace. Going to buy a little Windows machine to replace my aged hackintosh, which I can’t update and only keep around because it’s got my full version of Eagle7.

Tried KiCad and didn’t like it at all.But being able to import my Eagle materials to Diptrace makes it a nobrainer.


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## vigilante398 (Apr 16, 2020)

This is the Rullywow DipTrace library if anyone wants a starting point: https://www.dropbox.com/s/9622htc2f7ptq4d/rullywow diptrace library 3.25.15.zip?dl=1



Robert said:


> I'd _really _like to try Altium at some point but man it's a pricey leap, and I feel like it'd probably be overkill.



It's absolutely overkill for pedal stuff. In fact I think it's safe to say that for pedal stuff it has the same functionality as DipTrace and doesn't really get you anything better. I mean maybe the autoroute algorithms are better, but I doubt most people use them anyway. If you're doing things where you want to run simulations, or calculate controlled impedences, design 16-layer boards with a million pins, it's great for stuff like that. I learned it in school and use it every day at work, so it made sense for me to switch over because I'm really comfortable with the interface.

Altium looks good on a resume if you're trying to get a job as a PCB designer, but for hobbyists I 100% recommend DipTrace.


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## steelplayer (Apr 16, 2020)

Robert said:


> I could send you mine as well. It's a bastardization of various sources (custom, standard DipTrace, Madbean, Rully, among others), not the most organized, but it works.



Would love that, thanks!


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## Nostradoomus (Apr 16, 2020)

Yeah I’m in too


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## cooder (Apr 16, 2020)

I would be very interested in the DipTrace library please! Cheers


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## cooder (Apr 26, 2020)

Can I bump and nagg on about this pleeeeeeaaaase, I'm chomping at the bit for a stompbox orientated Diptrace library, that would make my day and by the soundz there a bit of other interest too!
Thanks so much!


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## phi1 (Apr 26, 2020)

I’ve been using the rullywow library and it’s got almost everything I’ve needed so far.


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## Nostradoomus (Apr 26, 2020)

Just downloaded diptrace and the rullywow library, this is totally my jam!


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## Grubb (Feb 7, 2021)

After a morning of fighting with Eagle I've managed to quickly surpass what I could there within an hour of installing Diptrace. It's a shame as I qualify for a free educator license for Autodesk products. Diptrace free should be more than enough for now.

I am having one problem though, does anybody know how to rectify the "single pin in net" error I'm getting on the input and output? Should I be representing those another way?


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## phi1 (Feb 7, 2021)

It looks ok to me. Maybe try deleting the traces from in and out and rerouting them, or make sure theres not accidentally 2 of each (one hiding behind the other).
The (T) means it will be a solder pad. Don’t know if you meant to have that on the Out.


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## fig (Feb 8, 2021)

vigilante398 said:


> design 16-layer boards with a million pins, it's great for stuff like that.


Absolutely. Why, just the other day I flushed out a 16-layerer / 1.5m pin before brunch...

Seriously though, mind blown. Thanks


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