PCB design software for High speed design

[suryakant]

Hi all,

which PCB design software i should prefer of the following:
Protel, orcad, allegro or PADS.

EMI/EMC, high speed design and new component libraries availibilty are my issues of concern

Thanx.

 

[mkbs]

I think that PADS is the best choise !!
You can draw all kind of PCB you want (from monoface to multilayer) and Blaze route, now, is quite similar to Mentor Expedition route (very easy and powerful), but
I heared that the price for full suite is VERY hi.
... have you never seen Zuken Cadstar ?

MKBS

 

[suryakant]

hi MKBS,
Does zuken cadstar supports online new component libraries?
what is major difference between OrCAD and Allegro....though both are from Cadence.

 

[hock]

even wirh layout plus you can not do high speed designs.
you will need spectra and spectra quest SI for routing and si analysis.

both pads and spectra are very costly tools.
protel is shit shit and shit............
it is a west of your money. you can not use it for high speed design.
learning curve is too steep. interface is poor.
hock

 

[mkbs]

I don't know what you means with "supports online new component libraries"
but you can find a particular component on Zuken web page and download it.
Moreover, you can create your library in many kind of database or spreadsheet format (e.g. Excel) ,however like PADS (I don't know about Protel or Allegro).
To complete the last answer, about SI, CadStar offers some difference product...

Top : Route 2000HS with Cadstar SI (Hi cost!...but complete suite)
Medium: Route 2000S with Cadstar EMI (Daisy Chain, trace length...)
Low : Route 2000 (no handle HS) with EMI (a good value for money!!)

mkbs

 

[Uky]

Dont judge the system after available libraries. Theese are often goofed up and useless. There is also a belief that that full libraries are necessary in order to start design work. Wrong. Create the parts as you go along and choose a system that will fit your needs (and your budget). As soon as high speed signal integrity is a concern, then prices are high.

 

[Mazz]

hi MKBS,
what is major difference between OrCAD and Allegro....though both are from Cadence.

Orcad is the very basic one. For school is OK. A lot of companies uses it but, if you need to make mass production is not ok. Very easy.

Allegro is the professional solution. A team can use it. It's not so easy, but powerful.
I prefer PADS and Expedition PCB.

I hope it can help.
Mazz

 

[ezpcb]

To the opnion of the leader of our design team, allegro is the most professional and powerful PCB design software, but is difficult to use.

I like Protel, it's easy to handle and is enough for most designs of mine

mike

-----------------------------------------------
www.ezpcb.com

 

[concat]

Hi All,

Follow my experience and my opinion: Cadence PSD is The best for High-End PCB Design. I have some designs for Laptop Mother Board P4 with 24 Layers and a lot of constrains ( area Rules, Daisy Chains, Match Length, Macth impedances,.... A lot lot lot rules). The Electrical Contrains rule of Allegro is the Best. If have no it, I think we can't manage the design.

The Second is Pads Power PCB 2005. Now it is power full ( More easier than Expedition PCB, the Features are near the Same with Expedition 2004), but it still not good about setup constrain for a very Complex Design as Cadence PSD. It is easy to use and have already a lot of FootPrints have updated continuously by PCBExpress and others. U can use OrCad Capture to draw and synthesize with Pads by PCBNavigator 5.

These are 2 software I always use in Design. I know a little about Zuken Cadstar, but It also realy power full soft for Complex PCB Design ( The 3D and Signals Advisor really a usefull)

I agree that Protel is shit shit!!!!!!

Regards

 

[Tahar]

Hello guys,


Can I know why u hate so much Protel DXP ?

(sorry if the answer of this question is obvious)


Regards,

Tahar

 

[skywalker]

Hi all,

for high speed board design, it's important a front-end schematic with simulation support, and high speed rules manage capability (critical lengh, rise time, stub lengh, impedance, diferrential pairs and others) to pass in PCB.

For PCB Layout, if are not easy or simple to use, it's not important element, but need powerfull for manage large board and manage any h-speed rule. Another important element it's a High-Speed simulator, for Pre-Route and Post-Route analysis.

For this reasons i know only few system with support well High Speed rules: Expedition, Allegro, PADS. Expedition and especially Allegro are expensive but very Powerfull !

PADS are not expensive and need Hyperlynx for simulation, i think it's a very good start choice.
Cadstar are expensive like PADS, but hard to manage h-speed board, it's only my opinion off course.

I agree with Concat for many arguments, Skywalker.

 

[jdhar]

I do'nt see what's hard about using rules with Protel... you can manage many net classes, and control all the parameters mentioned. Of course, I haven't done real high-speed design, so I'm merely asking why is it that everyone hates it?

 

[opt]

allegro

 

[Budda]

I do'nt see what's hard about using rules with P*otel... you can manage many net classes, and control all the parameters mentioned. Of course, I haven't done real high-speed design, so I'm merely asking why is it that everyone hates it?

but what would you consider high speed??

 

[prd]

The thing to do in High Speed Design before you get actual pcb, you required Pre-layout and Post-layout simultion. Or you may be stuck in debug hardware loop, in repairing one net result in disturb other net.

If you are new in design I think Hyperlynx is the easy way to start, You can try hyperlynx demo version from www.mentor.com

I may familiar with pads software. But I ever try start with allegro si it very complex to setup than hyperlynx

 

[amjad]

Cadence allegro is the best choice for HSD , as its has a very effective constraint manager & also it has Specctra Quest for simulation

 

[nami]

salam,,,
noone has mentioned ARES of labcenter proteus, is it not so popular or what ?

i've used protel and this ares in some simple designs(u may call)

 

[snake]

and how about pcad ??? from accel eda ?????

 

[pvskt]

For high speed designs PADS is a very economical and efficient tool.
Expedition PCB, though costly is a real cool tool to use...but cost would be the major constraint in buying the tool. Allegro Expert series will help layouting high speed designs. You will have to use Expert will Specctraquest for achieving a good high speed design.

Well..every tool has its own capabilities and usage. Cadstar is also another powerful and easy to use tool. the recent release incorporates many high speed constraint driven definitions and also SI.

Overall in my experience, economy and efficiency and percentage of dfeature utilizzation factors should be considered before zeroing in on any tool.

 

[zxfeng]

I prefer allegro 620 series