Electronics > Beginners
spice simulator recommendation and questions about spice
amateur_25:
I'm thinking of purchasing a circuit simulator and I have a few questions:
1)which one do you recommend
2)Is spice a generic language i.e as long as it's written in spice any spice capable simulator would be able to read it? Or does it have to be the spice simulator from the component manufacturer?
For example right now I'm trying to simulate the lt3080 reg in dave's psu design just as learning exercise. However I've found multisim doesn't have the lt3080 in it's db. At least not the evalulation copy.
I was recommended multisim by a electronics student who works at the eletronics store I get my bits from
Neilm:
Have you tried some of the free ones that are out there? I have used LTSpice which is a free to download. Dave has used it a couple of times. It is skewed towards AD as they produce it, but if you find a spice model of a part (download from the manufacturer, find on the net etc) you can add it to the model quite easily - it is a text statement.
Spice is a reasonably generic language - but there are a few "flavours" of spice out there. LTSpice does have some very useful guides to spice that you can find. I have one at work that explains in detail how the Spice language works. It does also explain about the limitations of the Spice simulation that can trip up the unwary. Each simulation can be done as a simple text file - LTSpice, Tina-TI and the others simply provide a nice front end and an easy way of understanding it.
Neil
IanB:
In addition to being free, LTspice has a complete library of LT parts.
free_electron:
--- Quote from: amateur_25 on April 06, 2012, 08:35:12 pm --- multisim
--- End quote ---
talk about a fuming pile of 'bovine byproduct' ...
Get LT spice from Linear Technology. Free , large library of parts. Easy to use ,works really well.
Texas instruments also has one : TINA : http://www.ti.com/tool/tina-ti&DCMP=hpa_amp_general&HQS=Other+OT+tina-ti
If you want to shell out some money : Beige Bag http://www.beigebag.com/ is a really good Spice engine
Beyond that prices get very large, very quickly.
Of course , real men use soldering irons...
Bored@Work:
--- Quote from: amateur_25 on April 06, 2012, 08:35:12 pm ---I'm thinking of purchasing
--- End quote ---
Start with the free ones.
--- Quote ---1)which one do you recommend
--- End quote ---
LTSpice. Not just because it is free, but it is the only one that should have a model for the LT3080 you mention below. And that model can't be used in any other SPICE, because it is encrypted, and possibly uses proprietary internal elements, too. Which brings us to the next point
--- Quote ---2)Is spice a generic language i.e as long as it's written in spice any spice capable simulator would be able to read it? Or does it have to be the spice simulator from the component manufacturer?
--- End quote ---
SPICE is relatively generic, but all SPICE manufacturers have added their own extensions. Often, but not always, other SPICE manufacturers copied the extensions of the most popular SPICE versions.
In case of Linear Technology's LTSpice they have that propritary encryption extension (they even have two encryption extensions, but that is another issue). Use an encrypted model and you have no chance of portability.
--- Quote ---For example right now I'm trying to simulate the lt3080 reg in dave's psu design just as learning exercise. However I've found multisim doesn't have the lt3080 in it's db. At least not the evalulation copy.
--- End quote ---
See above. That model is only available encrypted for LTSpice. Most models from Linear Technology are encrypted, their OpAmps being the exception.
--- Quote ---I was recommended multisim by a electronics student who works at the eletronics store I get my bits from
--- End quote ---
Not if you want to use a Linear Technology part.
LTSpice is not the greatest SPICE ever made. It has some annoying things, and a lot of features are badly documented. But you have no alternative.
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