Re: Making PCB, best software
I took Mackrackit's suggestiona and went with KiCAD... I tried eagle and diptrace without much success.
There is a pretty active discussion group on ... http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/kicad-users
It really boils down to which ever program you choose, you are going to have to invest a few hours working through several tutorials and learn the software.
KiCAD seems to be quite capable. It has a link to an external router that is amazing (and fun to watch). The built in router required several vias on a double sided board. But the external router got rid of them all. KiCAD maintains separate schematic and PCB Pad libraries. So, for example, you can just choose a SPDT switch for your schematic. Then when you layout the board you choose (or build your own) the correct PCB pad layout for your specific physical switch dimentions. I myself like that. Which ever one you choose, you should google "KiCAD Tutorial" or "Dip Trace Tutorial", etc. etc. They all have tutorials available. Also check YouTube for video tutorials.
Good Luck
Dwight
These PIC's are like intricate puzzles just waiting for one to discover their secrets and MASTER their capabilities.
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