[SI-LIST] Re: Difference between Protel, Mentor Graphics and Cadence
- From: "Mitch S. Morey" <cadpro2k@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 15 Oct 2004 10:26:23 -0700 (PDT)
Even more Gary,
You start by mentioning a comparison between Protel, Mentor and Cadence.
Protel is a single package tool, right?
With Mentor you have Boardstation (high-end), Enterprise (Expedition PCB
and Design Capture schematic) for a more user friendly high end, then
PADS PowerPCB for the more mid-to-lower end (cost effective designs).
With Cadence you have Allegro Designer Expert for the more top-end
(complex designs), Allegro Designer for the mid-range designs, and the
more cost effective "Studio" line that is costed more towards the PADS or
Protel products.
These might all work well for you, but when picking Mentor or Cadence you
have to keep in mind, much more than Protel, what design applications you
are after. If your designs are highly complex you'll need to look at one
application of each tool. If your designs are not that complex, surely
you can get away with Protel, PADS or Cadence's "Studio" line.
Another VERY important issue will be schematic interface. I'm guessing
Protel interfaces as a 3rd party with Viewlogic or Orcad Capture. I don't
know if they have their own schematic capture tool. Mentor has DxDesigner
and Enterprise Design Capture, as well as interfacing 3rd party with
Viewlogic and Orcad Capture. Cadence now owns Orcad and has integrated the
Capture package into it's interface. Cadence also has it's inherent
Concept schematic package, as well as interfacing 3rd party with Viewlogic
or DxDesigner (or text based netlists).
This should give you a little more to think about.
Good day.
Mitch
>
> Gary,
>
> There are many differences between Protel and Cadence. Keep in mind
> that I am first and foremost a Cadence Allegro user, therefore biased.
> Accel also has P-CAD. I think it is a better choice than Protel
> considering your other two candidates. I have not used Mentor
> Graphics so I will not hazard a guess as to its difference from the
> others.
> One difference between your choices is price. Another difference is
> how things are done. Still another is that not any one of them do
> everything. "You get what you pay for" is rarely so true than with
> PCB layout and/or simulation packages.
> I suggest subscribing to all of the user forums for the packages that
> you are interested in and watching the traffic while paying attention
> to the topics. Actually reading the messages in some of the forums
> will prove to consume most of your research time.
>
> There is much more I could tell you. Most of it is opinion. This is
> not the place to do it.
>
> Cheers!
> Drew
>
> Andrew W. Riley III
> PCB Design Consultant - looking to get back in the industry.
> drew3rdof3@xxxxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Gary Tay" <ttecksoo@xxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <si-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2004 6:00 PM
> Subject: [SI-LIST] Difference between Protel, Mentor Graphics and
> Cadence
>
>
>> Hi Guru,
>> I'm currently evaluating PCB tools package between Protel, Mentor
> Graphics and Cadence.
>>
>> Could anybody let me know the difference between Protel, Mentor
> Graphics and Cadence since there is a price difference among them.
>>
>> Thanks and Regards
>> Gary Tay
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------
>> To unsubscribe from si-list:
>> si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject
> field
>>
>> or to administer your membership from a web page, go to:
>> //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list
>>
>> For help:
>> si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field
>>
>> List FAQ wiki page is located at:
>> http://si-list.org/wiki/wiki.pl?Si-List_FAQ
>>
>> List technical documents are available at:
>> http://www.si-list.org
>>
>> List archives are viewable at:
>> //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list
>> or at our remote archives:
>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list/messages
>> Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at:
>> http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu
>>
>>
>>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------
> To unsubscribe from si-list:
> si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field
>
> or to administer your membership from a web page, go to:
> //www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list
>
> For help:
> si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field
>
> List FAQ wiki page is located at:
> http://si-list.org/wiki/wiki.pl?Si-List_FAQ
>
> List technical documents are available at:
> http://www.si-list.org
>
> List archives are viewable at:
> //www.freelists.org/archives/si-list
> or at our remote archives:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list/messages
> Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at:
> http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu
>
>
>
-----------------------------------------
Stay ahead of the information curve.
Receive PCB news and jobs on your desktop daily.
Subscribe today to the PCB CafeNews newsletter.
[ http://www10.pcbcafe.com/nl/newsletter_subscribe.php ]
It's informative and essential.
------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe from si-list:
si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field
or to administer your membership from a web page, go to:
//www.freelists.org/webpage/si-list
For help:
si-list-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 'help' in the Subject field
List FAQ wiki page is located at:
http://si-list.org/wiki/wiki.pl?Si-List_FAQ
List technical documents are available at:
http://www.si-list.org
List archives are viewable at:
//www.freelists.org/archives/si-list
or at our remote archives:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/si-list/messages
Old (prior to June 6, 2001) list archives are viewable at:
http://www.qsl.net/wb6tpu
Other related posts:
