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Billy
United Kingdom
2 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 13:15:53
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An awful lot of open source PCB projects use Eagle PCB because they do a good free version so you can post the Eagle files on-line for others to download and see/use (for example the Arduino microcontrollers and Sparkfun.com). I'm working on products like this but I hate Eagle - Easy PC is MUCH better. I would still like to be able to offer PCB design files in a format that others can open using free software.
One way would be for EasyPC to offer an Eagle export option so I can just output my designs in that format.
An even better option would be for EasyPC to offer their own cut-down free version, perhaps limited in the same way that Eagle is - I think this would also be a good business strategy. Plenty of people start projects using the free version of Eagle and then pay to upgrade when (or if) they start to make money from their designs or they need better features. If EasyPC came in a free version these people might well use it instead (because it is much better!) and then upgrade to a more complete version when they need to.
You might just end up capturing a bigger share of the market. |
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Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1015 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 17:36:32
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PCB Artist and DesignSpark are free cut down versions. However I am not sure if the files are compatible .... if they are not it I would think it should quite straightforward to make them compatible or do a conversion app.
iain
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KevL
United Kingdom
78 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 18:35:50
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Iain,
Have you experience of conversion apps for EPC libs and files?
I have looked at the binary format EPC files and have been tempted to try to decypher the format.
Is this something you have tried or had success with?
Kev
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Edited by - KevL on 19 Aug 2010 18:36:47 |
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Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1015 Posts |
Posted - 19 Aug 2010 : 19:47:30
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Kev,
I was meaning easy for EPC to offer this as its all their own IP.
Also I know that it is already been done for PCB Artist ... however it is "tied" to Applied Circuits, they will convert to EPC if you buy a copy of EPC from them.
Also since there is an Eagle import surely means an eagle export would be a straightforward possibility.
Iain
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Billy
United Kingdom
2 Posts |
Posted - 24 Aug 2010 : 12:22:57
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quote:
Originally posted by Iain Wilkie
PCB Artist and DesignSpark are free cut down versions. However I am not sure if the files are compatible .... if they are not it I would think it should quite straightforward to make them compatible or do a conversion app.
iain
So I looked at DesignSpark and thought 'that looks familiar' and it turns out that it was made by Number One Systems - so I guess it is a free version of EasyPC |
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remi
United Kingdom
101 Posts |
Posted - 26 Aug 2010 : 14:31:34
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Is "number one system" just a resaler of Pulsonic?
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Edited by - remi on 26 Aug 2010 14:36:43 |
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Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1015 Posts |
Posted - 26 Aug 2010 : 16:21:15
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THink they are the developers ....
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remi
United Kingdom
101 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2010 : 13:36:20
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Ah ok you r right
Pulsonic is developped by Westdev Ltd which seems to the same as numberone |
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shadders
United Kingdom
224 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2010 : 14:23:45
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Hi,
Does anyone know what the main differences are between Easy-PC and Pulsonix ?. {without going through the datasheets}
Is the library any better in Pulsonix than it is in Easy-PC ?
Would it be more beneficial dfor WestDev to merge Easy-PC into Pulsonix, so there is a single program suite, but features of Pulsonix are removed to provide the same cost option as Easy-PC ?
Regards,
Richard. |
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remi
United Kingdom
101 Posts |
Posted - 27 Aug 2010 : 16:56:22
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I think it is the exact same product...
It might be part of their marketing strategy (if they have any strategy) :) |
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Peter Johnson
United Kingdom
498 Posts |
Posted - 31 Aug 2010 : 09:33:46
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This isn't an official reply. Pulsonix is a later product than Easy-Pc. It IS more competent and offers more features. It's also rather better structured in several ways (aka 'learning from mistakes'!). However, it's licenced and priced in a way that the corporate market expects. Users who really do have to have the extra features are usually willing to pay the premium. Both products are written and maintained by Westdev.
IMHO, Easy-PC is better value for money than Pulsonix.
I'll have to check to be certain, but I believe that Design Spark files can be read by Easy-PC, but not the libraries. Easy-PC is significantly more competent in quite a few areas, but Design Spark is probably OK for entry level design. |
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johnt
United Kingdom
52 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2010 : 16:03:38
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> IMHO, Easy-PC is better value for money than Pulsonix.
Hmm I'd agree with that.
john |
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Benno
Netherlands
79 Posts |
Posted - 09 Nov 2010 : 20:41:43
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quote:
but not the libraries
That's a pitty. Imho the biggest flaw of EasyPC is it's very limited library. By not making libraries compatible you lock paying users out for the use of community build libraries.
That is one of the things I do like about Eagle, the active community and the wealth of libraries and templates that are shared.
Perhaps an option to add import of these libraries to EasyPC? |
Edited by - Benno on 09 Nov 2010 20:42:34 |
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Iain Wilkie
United Kingdom
1015 Posts |
Posted - 10 Nov 2010 : 09:02:16
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You can import Eagle libraries into EasyPC. Check out the help files.
Iain |
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neilh
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - 12 Nov 2015 : 18:41:13
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For V19 help says n
"Browse to the EagleULP sub folder of your Easy-PC installation. This folder contains the Eagle to Easy-PC translation programs. "
However for Win8.1 there are two Easy-PC installation -
C:\Program Files\Number One Systems\Easy-PC - NOT here
C:\Program Files (x86)\Number One Systems\Easy-PC -its here
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Feature request - Eagle Export