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I would reccomend Allegro, although it was not one of your options. I tried to work also with Orcad, but Allegro is much better. Never tried Eagle though...
I would recommed Eagle.I think it is little powerful than Orcad .I think u could get an evaluation version from **broken link removed** (A small info Companies like TI Germany use it)
i've tried both and i would use eagle, it's easyer but the orcad pcb is more powerfull (i guess). i've followed the tutorial and i understood it but i never figured out how to start a board from scratch ans with eagle is straight forward
I am both using Orcad and Eagle in my daily work. At "work work" i am using Orcad, but for my home made projects I am using Eagle i.e. "home work", thus I am familiar with both. So wath do i prefer? no doubt - its Eagle.
Yes, I do feel that while using Orcad I have somewath a more professional tool among my fingers, but that is wath it is too, a feeling. Orcad is a professional tool and price is rated thereafter. It is the graphical user interface that gives the professional look, and it has been discussed som times in the eagle usergroups if Cadsoft shouldnt give eagle a face lift but after using eagle for a while, I cant say it bother me much. The only thing I realy dont like aboute Eagle is the double-key keyboard commands used in stead of single-key keyboard commands as used by Orcad, but this has to do with the autocad-similar command line feature that eagle has which orcad doesn't have and which I miss in Orcad.
Note! there is some other +'es with Eagle
1* Eagle has a better and more easy way to create your own libs than Orcad
2* Cadsoft offer an free non commersial version of Eagle with all features enabled, but limited to 2 layers and 10*8 boards.
3* Price is better
4* Support is muho better. (I do not think Orcad even know wath the word support means)
5* Eagle has an very active news group / user chat group that solves any problems you have within short time
6* Inside cadsoft website you will find lots of user libs and scripts
7* Eagle supports scripting (very usefull)
8* more powerfull commands
9* lower entrance threshold for new users
Orc@d versions 10.x with $pecctra included seems a very good product, I haved done a layout with fine pitch bga packages and the result was very good. The price of this product probably is high.
Xirix:
I do not know if you asked me in particular, but I'll answer anyway
I do not use Specctra autorouter module, i guess you are reffering to this, with Orcad since we always ports our designs to a "layout-house" using cadsoft to do the boaring layouts, so I cant say wath I think aboute Orcad with specctra included, but!! As far as I know there is certain user language script that can be used with Eagle to port Eagle layouts to Specctra/Electra formats. I have not tried this my self so I cant realy tell how accurate they are, but atleast using the Orcad Specctra support as an argument wont work for me if I had to choose between Eagle and Orcad. However, My opinion is to never use any autorouter as they can never be better than your own brain. (atleast for som people).
When you talk about OrCAD you gotta make a distinction...
"OrCAD Capture CIS" is a great tool (It's the best capture tool I've ever used) but OrCAD Layout really sucks... libraries are very prolific, placement is decent, but handrouting paradigm is definitely bizarre, what turns the layout package into a crap. I'd rather use a mix of OrCAD + Allegro + Specctra.
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Hi amok
What do you want to design? is it analog or Digital?
are u using very High speed clocks etc?
Eagle is Good if you want to do manual designing of powe supplies, small digital circuits, PIC based projects etc.. the auto router is grid based and does not give very good results.
i have used both of them...orcad is very professional tool..
really much for an amateur and a professional who is not drawing pcb not than 4 layer.....
and eagle (very very)cheaper if you need to buy...
it's not hard to use both of them...so i highly recommend the eagle...
eagle is not flexible as orcad but as i said it is enough for most design....
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