Looking for good cheap (or free) analog circuit design & simulation software

[[email protected]]

There seem to be a lot of circuit design & simulation programs out
there based on Spice that are cheap or free but most of them either
have a very limited library, have extreme limits on the number of
components that you can include in a circuit or they just plain suck.

Has anyone run across an analog simulation/design package that they
are really happy with that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

 

[Joerg]

There seem to be a lot of circuit design & simulation programs out
there based on Spice that are cheap or free but most of them either
have a very limited library, have extreme limits on the number of
components that you can include in a circuit or they just plain suck.

Has anyone run across an analog simulation/design package that they
are really happy with that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

LTSpice.

Cost: Zilch.

Download: from Linear Technology

 

[[email protected]]

There seem to be a lot of circuit design & simulation programs out
there based on Spice that are cheap or free but most of them either
have a very limited library, have extreme limits on the number of
components that you can include in a circuit or they just plain suck.

Has anyone run across an analog simulation/design package that they
are really happy with that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

LT-Spice is _GREAT_. And here's a nice start on an extended
"library":

http://homepages.which.net/~paul.hills/Circuits/Spice/ModelIndex.html

There's also a first-rate support forum, for LT-Spice, at http://www.yahoogroups.com
..

- Tom Gootee

http://www.fullnet.com/~tomg/index.html

-

 

[Helmut Sennewald]

LT-Spice is _GREAT_. And here's a nice start on an extended
"library":

http://homepages.which.net/~paul.hills/Circuits/Spice/ModelIndex.html

There's also a first-rate support forum, for LT-Spice, at
http://www.yahoogroups.com
.

- Tom Gootee

http://www.fullnet.com/~tomg/index.html

Hello "bladeww",

The corerct naming is LTspice. It's also sometimes named switcherCAD.
Below are the direct links to the program and the user group.
You can also try Google for even more links.
Google: ltspice

I want to mention also that SPICE is a smulation tool. It does
not design a circuit for you.


LTspice
http://www.linear.com/designtools/software/switchercad.jsp

Yahoo user goup
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/LTspice/

Best regards,
Helmut

 

[Wimpie]

There seem to be a lot of circuit design & simulation programs out
there based on Spice that are cheap or free but most of them either
have a very limited library, have extreme limits on the number of
components that you can include in a circuit or they just plain suck.

Has anyone run across an analog simulation/design package that they
are really happy with that doesn't cost an arm and a leg?

Hello,

"Beige Bag" has also a good low priced package with extensive
component database, www.beigebag.com

I do not have any relation with Beige Bag, I just use their software
(for many years). A few times I needed support from them, and it was
good support.

Best regards,

Wim
PA3DJS

 

[joseph2k]

LTSpice.

Cost: Zilch.

Download: from Linear Technology

Yup, even runs dandy in wine (under Linux/Unix), the native tool for
Linux/Unix is gEDA. Just a google away.