Hi guys,
I really feel these videos deserve their own mention here. Its my single sided tutorial for diptrace; a crash course for beginners to learn how to design PCB's. It's the easiest method I know of getting started in pcb design. I would be surprised if by the end of the 3 videos you couldn't design some simple layouts on your own. I'm very pleased with how the series turned out, I think its easy to follow, encompassing, but also straight to the point.
Next upload will be the double layer for fabrication videos but you should watch these first before you start with the fabrication videos the fab videos build on the information here. I will start a different thread for those in a couple of weeks time when they are uploaded.
Hope they help!!
Paul
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Thanks Paul! I'm looking forward to checking them out. I've been wanting to start doing my own layouts.
Excellent! Hope it helps you get started! There are another 5-6 diptrace videos coming in the upload queue.
Awesome! I started with Eagle and did a few boards. It took quite a while to get an efficient workflow down. It wasn't bad, but let's say it wasn't very much fun either. Then I saw your dip trace tutorial and decided to give it a go and as of now I much prefer it to Eagle, I didn't even get through your video before I was rock in' a layout! Much more intuitive interface, easily adjust pads/traces, add pictures, 3d models, its a blast! Much more "fun" than Eagle to me. I look forward to your future videos.
Wow, this is great Paul! I will definitely be watching these in the near future!
Hey Paul, I know these tutorials take a lot of time and you do them to solely benefit other fellow builders. All I can say is you rock! Steve.
Thanks guys! I wish a quick start guide like this was around when I started with diptrace :)
Paul I gave out my thanks on YT but wanna do it here as well. Just what the doctor ordered. Awesome stuff. Thank you for the time that you've put into it and everything you're doing.
Sweet! I've been wanting to try DT but have invested so much time in Eagle I haven't made the switch. I'm looking forward to checking these out and seeing if you can convert me. Thanks!
It's great to see some love for DipTrace. Great stuff, Paul. Hands down my favorite and easiest to use layout software. Once you realize the simplicity of the program its only productivity from there. :)
Thanks for taking the time you do to make your tutorials. I hope the Diptrace videos will give me the push I need to get working in it again.
Cody
Thanks guys!
Hey Ben, the via tenting tip video is finally in the short list to be uploaded as well...from like...last year :) Thanks again for your help with that one!
Paul
Amazing videos for someone wondering about the jump from stripboard to homemade and routed pcbs. Thank you for making and posting them.
Nice. Thanks!
I'll be checking out these videos for sure. Been wanting to try DipTrace, but I always chicken out and run back to Eagle.
I'm especially interested in getting DipTrace working for schematic > PCB "tethering" the way Eagle does (for error checking, etc). That's the main reason I started with Eagle in the first place.
Quote from: culturejam on October 29, 2014, 08:26:49 PM
I'm especially interested in getting DipTrace working for schematic > PCB "tethering" the way Eagle does (for error checking, etc). That's the main reason I started with Eagle in the first place.
DipTrace schematic and PCB are not tethered as they are in Eagle. It's really not a big deal as this lets you drop parts directly on the PCB editor if you desire. To ensure the schematic matches the PCB you use the command "renew design" which makes the PCB match the schematic. If I need to change something I will do the update in the schematic and simply run the update in the PCB (takes 5 seconds).
I decided to take the non-schematic route (pun-intented) for this tutorial as it is targeted specifically for people totally new to pcb layout. I guess I could do a separate series on converting schematics to pcb's at some point, good idea.
Interesting video, Chrome :)
Kinda reinforced for me why I didn't like diptrace, though -- I love the way that Eagle has the schematic and board so tightly linked (to where if only one is currently open, a big yellow and black warning stripe is stuck on the screen.) Maybe I'm paranoid, but I can't help but think that it cuts back on potential net issues, especially with complex projects, and also makes it easier to play around with component placement if you can see the net lines.
Thanks for linking them!
Hi Alan,
To be honest I wasn't expecting a diptrace vs eagle debate to break out. Why...? It always does. But again, I will state, these videos are not intended for people that are experienced with pcb layout. Its a crash course and as such I have left out all of the schematic to pcb linking information that you would otherwise incorporate with pcb design workflow, which are as you would know, essential for advanced layouts. Diptrace does all these things just like Eagle, so if that is your concern with diptrace then it is actually unwarranted. I wouldn't judge Diptrace on these videos. I'm really not showcasing the program as such. Its just a fast get started into designing pcb's tutorial more then anything.
I just want to give a big thank you to Paul for these tutorials. I've struggled with Eagle in the past, but with Diptrace and your help (and the Madbean library!), I'm finally over the beginning hump of the learning curve.
(http://imageshack.com/a/img538/8847/8IkuRt.png)
Eternity Burst pcb that I will sleep on before sending off to OSH
Excellent! Thanks for the feedback mitre I'm glad the videos helped mate. Good luck with the burst!
Paul