How to open boardview files (.brd, .bdv, .fz, .cad, .tvw)

A boardview is a map of the physical motherboard: every component outline, every pin and every test point, with net names. It lets you click on PU1 from the schematic and see exactly where it is on the board. The problem is that there are many formats.

Formats and programs

Extension	What it usually is	Open with
.brd	Several different boardview formats share this extension (and Cadence Allegro uses it too)	OpenBoardView, FlexBV; real Allegro files — Allegro Free Physical Viewer
.bdv	Honhan BoardViewer format	OpenBoardView, FlexBV
.fz	Asus boardview (compressed)	OpenBoardView, FlexBV
.asc	ASUS TSICT text format	OpenBoardView, FlexBV
.cad	GenCAD / test-fixture CAD	OpenBoardView, FlexBV
.tvw	Tebo-ICT view format (common for Gigabyte)	Tebo-ICT viewer, FlexBV
.bv, .bvr	Boardview (various tools)	OpenBoardView, FlexBV
.pdf	Schematic	Any PDF reader — use search (Ctrl+F) for net names

Which one to install

OpenBoardView is free and open-source and opens the majority of files you'll find here. Start with it. FlexBV is a paid program that opens nearly every format, links a schematic PDF to the board and is popular with professional repair shops. For .tvw files without FlexBV, use the Tebo-ICT viewer.

Tips

• Files arrive as .rar or .zip — unpack first (7-Zip opens both).
• Search by net name (for example +3VALW or VCORE) to highlight every point on that rail — perfect for finding where to measure.
• Use the schematic to understand what should be there and the boardview to find where it is. See schematic vs boardview.
• If a .brd won't open in one program, try the other — the extension alone doesn't tell you the real format.