Target 3001! discover Reviews

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There are 2 reviews with an average rating of 3.  

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Target 3001! discover
Average rating:  
 2 reviews
 by Volker Forster

I am working with Target 3001 since about 8 years, and I updated a couple of times. I got stuck with V17, and I am not able to spend just 1 cent in their moneymaking updates. I tried V18, and I tried the new V19. The software team is only doing a good job with keeping their cash flow going, but not with supporting the software. Target 3001 has many many issues I would allow a free software to have, but as soon it comes to the paid version (which I am using), it is not acceptable to carry the same super stupid problems from version to version. They never fix just one real issue, but integrate some more or less useful functions with every version. You pay for an update in hope to get a new version with the issues fixed, because they do not fix issues within the same version number. If you are lucky, something works better for you with the next version. For me, nothing ever changed. Same thing since I started with Target. The integrated autorouter is so terrible (not updated since maybe 10 years), and the included demo version of the slightly better working Electra router is limited to 250 pins - means it is almost useless for my full version of Target 3001. If you import bitmap graphics for a logo for example, you can't use the 3D preview anymore. Rendering a small BMP for the 3D preview can easily take 30 min. or 2 hours - regardless your 3GHz i7 processor. My advice to everyone who wants to start with a new software: Do NOT take Target 3001. Go with a far more professional product like KiCad or CircuitMaker. A little harder to learn, but worth the effort.

 by Whitham D. Reeve
Very Good CAD Software and Support

Until recently I had only used Eagle CAD but had to learn Target 3001 to modify an existing board that originally used a 10 year old version of Target 3001 Light. The Light version is a paid version but inexpensive.



In spite of the age of the original design, I had very little problem using it in the latest version (v18). Target 3001 technical support (discussed below) helped me find one component that kept giving me trouble and the fix was easy.



I am not a daily PCB designer but based on my experience I think Target 3001 is an excellent tool. The fact that it has a Gerber output driver is a big +. To my knowledge PCB-Pool is the only fab that accepts native Target 3001 files, and they have become too expensive for me. Having Gerbers allows me to shop around for a PCB fab and pay less than 1/3 the price of PCB-Pool..



Target 3001 Help is entirely online. I found that the online descriptions and tutorials have gaps that really made it difficult for me to figure out how to do certain things. What makes up for that is the excellent and responsive technical support.. All of my emailed questions were answered quickly, patiently and thoroughly. To me that high level of support is as important as any other aspect of a software tool. I work with many companies who do a really poor job of technical support, making Target 3001 really stand out as top of the line.



Target 3001 has a very large parts library and many other parts can be found in the online Componiverse, which is seamlessly integrated with Target 3001. I found that making components and packages from scratch took a little getting used to. For the most part, I used existing parts to make new ones and that sped things up.