Please see comments below.
Dick
-----Original Message-----
From: Bruce Lane <kyrrin_at_bluefeathertech.com>
To: classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org <classiccmp_at_classiccmp.org>
Date: Tuesday, February 08, 2000 8:02 PM
Subject: Re: Schematic capture/PCB design software
>At 17:11 08-02-2000 -0000, you wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
>>Anyway, what came of that discussion and what were the recommendations for
a
>>good free package?
>
> <snip again>
>
> Unfortunately (for my needs at least) most of the "free" packages have too
>many limitations to be useful. I had an old DOS version of OrCAD/SDT once,
>and it did serve me well for some years. Thanks to having it, I was able to
>do a "competitive upgrade" to Micro Code Engineering's CircuitMaker Pro and
>TraxMaker Pro (about USD $700 or so for the pair).
>
> So far, it has proven to be a good investment. The digital simulation
>functions saw me through some tough problems in one of my classes, and
>produced output that had both my instructors raising their eyebrows.
>
> I'll be happy to answer any questions if you want to know more.
>
I've got a sample package of CIrcuitMaker and TraxMaker and found it
wanting, particularly in simulation models and device symbols.
When I got OrCAD in the mid-'80's they covered over 90% of the TTL and CMOS
devices available. By comparison, I'd say I found these two to be lacking
about 90%. It's really not a problem with their libraries, but with how
they're managed. They build a symbol for 7400, say, but there's no
guarantee there's a corresponding symbol for the 74HC00 or 74S37, which
would use the same package and symbol. They had nearly no AC or ACT parts
represented, nor did they have BCT or F library components. Since you're
paying for a simulator, there ought to be correct models for 7400, 74L00,
74H00, 74C00, 74S00, 74LS00, 74AC00, 74ACT00, 74AHCT00, 74ACT00, 74AHCTLS00,
and so on. There ought also to be plenty of models for CMOS parts starting
with 40xx, 44xx, 45xx, and a goodly number of 7300 and 7600 series parts.
OrCAD had all that back in the mid-80's. They no longer offer that much
coverage, owning to the increased knowledge of the user community, which
would merely point out all their errors.
Have you found otherwise?
>
>-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
>Bruce Lane, Owner and head honcho, Blue Feather Technologies
>http://www.bluefeathertech.com // E-mail: kyrrin_at_bluefeathertech.com
>Amateur Radio: WD6EOS since Dec. '77
>"Our science can only describe an object, event, or living thing in our
>own human terms. It cannot, in any way, define any of them..."
Received on Wed Feb 09 2000 - 00:36:59 GMT