[sdiy] First PCB....

[David Ingebretsen]

Mark Rivera wrote:

~~ Of all the softwares I've tried for PCBs, I've been happiest with
~~ FreePCB. Really surprised to hear that someone would charge you for
~~ gerber files!!


It's how express PCB encourages you to use their services and keeps their
PCB software from being used for "free". While it's a nice PCB layout
program, it really does lock you into using Express PCB.

For me, after trying many free and inexpensive programs, I ended up buying a
copy of "Target 3000!" I got the medium version, 1000 pins/pads, double
sided, simulation up to 60 signals, way more than any synth module should
ever need. The most complicated layout I've done, a quad VCA, only had 427
pins/pads and it packed a Frac sized PCB.

http://ibfriedrich.dyndns.org/wiki/ibfwikien/index.php?title=Main_Page

It can save/export Gerber, Eagle, DXF, PDF and a couple of others as well as
it's own format, it has a huge library of components, adding/editing
components is very easy, it has several versions at different price points,
and if you are willing to tie yourself to a PCB vendor, PCB-Pool 

www.PCB-Pool.com (they have very competitive pricing and are available in
Europe and the US/Canada)

has a full featured, unlocked version for free (downside is it then won't
import/export any compatible file type, like Express PCB and the others like
it).

I've done a half dozen PCB's with it already and have been very happy with
the results. I used PCB-Pool for the boards and they are high quality and
have had no complaints.

On a different note, the "first" time PCB's look great. I would also
recommend a book from Small Bear Electronics. It was a great help to me my
first go around. It had a lot of very useful information and is geared
towards audio effect modules.

Http://www.smallbearelec.com/Detail.bok?no=679

R.G. Keen did a good job.

David

David M. Ingebretsen M.S., M.E.
Collision Forensics & Engineering, Inc.
2469 East Fort Union Blvd. STE 114
Salt Lake City, UT 84121
www.CFandE.com

801 733-5458 Office
801 842-5451 Cell

dingebre at CFandE.com
dingebre at 3dphysics.net



~~ -----Original Message-----
~~ From: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl [mailto:synth-diy-
~~ bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl] On Behalf Of Mark Rivera
~~ Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 2:03 PM
~~ To: synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
~~ Subject: Re: [sdiy] First PCB....
~~ 
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