Group's favourite SPICE software

[Jim Thompson]

On Wed, 09 Apr 2008 20:35:07 GMT, Joerg
<notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:
On Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:40:05 GMT, Joerg
notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

qrk wrote:
On Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:51:50 GMT, Joerg
notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:
On Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:56:20 GMT, qrk <SpamTrap@spam.net> wrote:

On Mon, 7 Apr 2008 11:34:59 -0400, "Francis Elers"
franciselers@earthlink.net> wrote:

Hello group,

I'm looking for SPICE software recommendations, both freeware and for
purchase. Whose programs do you use, and why?

Thanks,

Francis.

I'll put my vote in for LTspice. Free, works well, PSpice compatible
syntax, and if there's a bug, Mike E. fixes it pronto. I've seen him
fix bugs in a matter of hours! Mike will also add user recommended
features when he sees fit. I find myself using LTspice over PSpice for
most small tasks since it is easy to use.

I like PSpice for the graphing capabilities, the one thing where
LTspice doesn't shine.
The only thing keeping me from switching.

What don't you like about LTSpice's graphing?

You should see the graphing of my DSO when you use its math functions.
Nice Taiwanese bonbon colors. But luckily it has an Excel interface and
there you can customize everything.
LTspice graphing dislikes:
1. Can't lock the scaling. This is my number one gripe about LTspice
graphing. The workaround is a few button clicks to recall saved graph
setup parameters.

2. Can't separate the graphing window from the main app window (nice
for dual monitor setup, schematic on one monitor, graph on second
monitor).

3. Doesn't have the equivalent of PSpice's Performance Analysis which
is handy for parametric runs.

4. A few years ago, didn't support cartesian coordinate display in AC
analysis. However, Mike added that feature which sidelined PSpice.

Ok, I can see that. Mostly I use SPICE just for "what-if" quick checks
where most of this didn't matter and I don't have a dual monitor setup
at the big PC (yet).

Here's my set-up...

Newsgroups: alt.binaries.schematics.electronic
Subject: From S.E.Cad: Group's favourite SPICE software -
DualMonitors.jpg
Message-ID: <ra8qv39mkuca6tei3c68o4r1jofaqv1j2b@4ax.com


Those links don't work for me, no idea why.

It links to a post.message on alt.binaries.schematics.electronic. In
Agent, double-clicking on the Message-ID takes you there.

I couldn't live now without dual monitors... makes probing _so_ nice!!


I'd do that as well but it would become quite cramped in here. The
office desk is huge but the corner location is occupied by a laptop and
the other desk space is needed for paper.

An office laptop is essential. Like this morning when the electricity
was gone. The utility was amazing, 1/2h later jack hammers were heard
and another hour later power was back on.

BTW, did your nfilter catch any gmail junk in the last couple of hours?
I just wedged a blanket-filter for gmail into Thunderbird and it's
awfully quiet now.

I no longer specifically filter on gmail. Since I added
"googlegroups", "aioe", "uar" and "remailer" to nfilter I'm seeing(*)
NO spam.

(*) Actually I'm still watching the filter action to separate out the
"good guys", but that test seems about over... very few "good guys"
use googlegroups.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

America: Land of the Free, Because of the Brave

 

[James Beck]

In article <r09qv3dsq1dbaetp1rfi7cv768afh4rom6@4ax.com>, To-Email-Use-
The-Envelope-Icon@My-Web-Site.com says...

On Wed, 09 Apr 2008 19:40:05 GMT, Joerg
notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

qrk wrote:
On Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:51:50 GMT, Joerg
notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote:

Jim Thompson wrote:
On Mon, 07 Apr 2008 19:56:20 GMT, qrk <SpamTrap@spam.net> wrote:

On Mon, 7 Apr 2008 11:34:59 -0400, "Francis Elers"
franciselers@earthlink.net> wrote:

Hello group,

I'm looking for SPICE software recommendations, both freeware and for
purchase. Whose programs do you use, and why?

Thanks,

Francis.

I'll put my vote in for LTspice. Free, works well, PSpice compatible
syntax, and if there's a bug, Mike E. fixes it pronto. I've seen him
fix bugs in a matter of hours! Mike will also add user recommended
features when he sees fit. I find myself using LTspice over PSpice for
most small tasks since it is easy to use.

I like PSpice for the graphing capabilities, the one thing where
LTspice doesn't shine.
The only thing keeping me from switching.

What don't you like about LTSpice's graphing?

You should see the graphing of my DSO when you use its math functions.
Nice Taiwanese bonbon colors. But luckily it has an Excel interface and
there you can customize everything.

LTspice graphing dislikes:
1. Can't lock the scaling. This is my number one gripe about LTspice
graphing. The workaround is a few button clicks to recall saved graph
setup parameters.

2. Can't separate the graphing window from the main app window (nice
for dual monitor setup, schematic on one monitor, graph on second
monitor).

3. Doesn't have the equivalent of PSpice's Performance Analysis which
is handy for parametric runs.

4. A few years ago, didn't support cartesian coordinate display in AC
analysis. However, Mike added that feature which sidelined PSpice.


Ok, I can see that. Mostly I use SPICE just for "what-if" quick checks
where most of this didn't matter and I don't have a dual monitor setup
at the big PC (yet).

Here's my set-up...

Newsgroups: alt.binaries.schematics.electronic
Subject: From S.E.Cad: Group's favourite SPICE software -
DualMonitors.jpg
Message-ID: <ra8qv39mkuca6tei3c68o4r1jofaqv1j2b@4ax.com

I couldn't live now without dual monitors... makes probing _so_ nice!!

...Jim Thompson

Me either.

Once I went to duals it was like a whole new world.

 

[Joerg]

Joel Koltner wrote:

"Joerg" <notthisjoergsch@removethispacbell.net> wrote in message
news:%L9Lj.535$7Z2.428@newssvr12.news.prodigy.net...
An office laptop is essential.

I'm just about to switch at home to using a 17" LCD (1920x1200) laptop as the
"main" computer (with a second monitor, though ) -- I'd rather haul a
large laptop around every now and again than always having to be vigilant
about taking every last file I worked on at home back to the office or out of
town.

17" is ok but does get old when you have to do 10-12 hour CAD marathons.
At least once you've passed the black balloon festival and the eyes
aren't as good anymore as they used to be.

Since I run the biz from here the files are in a central repository and
always backed up. So which PC I use doesn't really matter. When I go to
clients I spool their files onto a color-coded USB stick and hop in the
car or on a plane.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

"gmail" domain blocked because of excessive spam.
Use another domain or send PM.

 

[Fred Bartoli]

Joel Koltner a écrit :

"Kevin Aylward" <none@none.com> wrote in message
news:x60Mj.57533$kN5.47544@newsfe1-gui.ntli.net...
I use it because, as I wrote it, it costs me nothing, and er..
additionally...has all the features I need that ain't in LTSpice.

SuperSpice also seems to have been one of the first (and still one of the few)
SPICE front ends where you could drop graphs onto the schematic itself rather
than always having them in a separate window.

And Kevin is smart enough to not buy it from himself for $20 on ebay


--
Thanks,
Fred.

 

[Leon]

On 7 Apr, 17:40, "Joel Koltner" <zapwireDASHgro...@yahoo.com> wrote:

"Chuck Harris" <cf-NO-SPAM-har...@erols.com> wrote in message

news:SKednfTIw6rI22fanZ2dnUVZ_rjinZ2d@rcn.net...

It is free, and is probably the fastest, most likely to converge, and all
around
best spice package available.

It seems to be one of the few free SPICE packages out there that's "actively"
maintained and improved upon these days... Linear Tech made one smart choice
in having Mike Engelhardt write them LTspice from scratch -- his skills
definitely seem to be on the level of the folks who once worked on PSpice, and
if it were a team of people rather than just Mike himself, I have no doubt
that LTspice would rapidly start having the much fancier graphing and
scripting abilities that, e.g., PSpice does.

For commercial packages John Warner's SI-Metrix is pretty nice.  Last I heard
he was maintaining SI-Metrix with just a couple of other people, and was
looking to hire more if he could find appropriately talented individuals.

---Joel

Altium has just started supplying it with their PCB software. Pulsonix
has been supplying it for years.

Leon

 

[JeffM]

Kevin Aylward wrote:
SuperSpice[...]where you could drop graphs onto the schematic itself

Fred Bartoli wrote:
And Kevin is smart enough to not buy it from himself for $20 on ebay


Kevin Aylward wrote:
I don't know.. you might be surprised how daft I can be sometime.

The reference was to the resident astroturfing spammer.
http://groups.google.com/groups/search?&q=author:Marra+on-ebay+OR+off-ebay+ingroup:sci.electronics.cad

 

[JeffM]

Kevin Aylward wrote:
SuperSpice[...]where you could drop graphs onto the schematic itself

Fred Bartoli wrote:
And Kevin is smart enough to not buy it from himself for $20 on ebay


Kevin Aylward wrote:
I don't know.. you might be surprised how daft I can be sometime.

The reference was to the resident astroturfing spammer.
http://groups.google.com/groups/search?&q=author:Marra+on-ebay+OR+off-ebay+ingroup:sci.electronics.cad