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Getting into Spice

I

Ignoramus22652

Jan 1, 1970
0
I want to make a little control circuit, nothing major, things should
happen in sequence with timings, etc. I would like to simulate a
schematic in Spice. So... Are there any easy tutorials for Spice that
would show hot to create similations like this, preferably with some
visualizable breadboard layouts. I never tried Spice and it was on my
todo list, and now seems like a good time to learn a little bit.

I am planning on doing it under linux, by the way.

i
 
T

Thomas Gallenkamp

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ignoramus22652 said:
I want to make a little control circuit, nothing major, things should
happen in sequence with timings, etc. I would like to simulate a
schematic in Spice. So... Are there any easy tutorials for Spice that
would show hot to create similations like this, preferably with some
visualizable breadboard layouts. I never tried Spice and it was on my
todo list, and now seems like a good time to learn a little bit.

I am planning on doing it under linux, by the way.

i

If you skip the Linux idea, "Switcher CAD III", a Spice simulator, available
for free at the Linear Technology website is a good starting point, There
are a few example circuits using the LT SMPS chips. But you can equally
well use the software for simulating your discrete circuits. Give it a try,
it is really fun using it.

Regards

Thomas
 
H

Homer.Simpson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thomas Gallenkamp said
If you skip the Linux idea, "Switcher CAD III", a Spice
simulator, available for free at the Linear Technology website is
a good starting point, There are a few example circuits using the
LT SMPS chips. But you can equally well use the software for
simulating your discrete circuits. Give it a try, it is really
fun using it.

There's also a great Yahoo group too.
(Wish is was an NNTP newsgroup tho')

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LTspice/
 
J

John Devereux

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thomas Gallenkamp said:
If you skip the Linux idea, "Switcher CAD III", a Spice simulator, available
for free at the Linear Technology website is a good starting point, There
are a few example circuits using the LT SMPS chips. But you can equally
well use the software for simulating your discrete circuits. Give it a try,
it is really fun using it.

No need to "skip the linux idea"; Switchercad runs fine under wine (in
linux).
 
I

Ignoramus22652

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thanks guys, I will try running Wine at some point today.

I have a pretty up to date Fedora Core 5 and installed Wine. It would
probably need a DOS partition, which I do not have, but I can probably
do something.

The last time I looked into Wine was about 8 years ago.

i
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ignoramus22652 said:
I want to make a little control circuit, nothing major, things should
happen in sequence with timings, etc. I would like to simulate a
schematic in Spice. So... Are there any easy tutorials for Spice that
would show hot to create similations like this, preferably with some
visualizable breadboard layouts. I never tried Spice and it was on my
todo list, and now seems like a good time to learn a little bit.

If this contains analog elements in conjunction with logic models don't
get your hopes up too much. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's less time
consuming to built a real prototype instead before spending hours to try
to figure out why it won't converge.

Regards, Joerg
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
If this contains analog elements in conjunction with logic models don't
get your hopes up too much. Sometimes it works, sometimes it's less time
consuming to built a real prototype instead before spending hours to try
to figure out why it won't converge.

Regards, Joerg

Any Spice is only as good as the models. I do quite well using the
built-in 'HC' models in PSpice.

The trick is the logic models must also include an analog interface
when they are used in mixed-signal situations.

Convergence issues are almost always cockpit error ;-)

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

Old Latin teachers never die...they just decline
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello Jim,
Any Spice is only as good as the models. I do quite well using the
built-in 'HC' models in PSpice.

The trick is the logic models must also include an analog interface
when they are used in mixed-signal situations.

Which is why I went from Spice to Weller. Before I go looking for better
models I have it whipped up in the lab. Which reminds me, after the
Weller I've got to fire up the Weber.

Convergence issues are almost always cockpit error ;-)

Yes, I know. But I tried wiggling all levers and breakers and we are
still losing altitude :-(

Regards, Joerg
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello Jim,
Any Spice is only as good as the models. I do quite well using the
built-in 'HC' models in PSpice.

It was the models. Using the 74HC14 from Helmut Sennewald did it, now
the oscillator runneth with normal reltol settings. They are on the
Yahoo LTSpice group file section.

The trick is the logic models must also include an analog interface
when they are used in mixed-signal situations.

IIRC they still don't but it converges.

Regards, Joerg
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello Jim,


It was the models. Using the 74HC14 from Helmut Sennewald did it, now
the oscillator runneth with normal reltol settings. They are on the
Yahoo LTSpice group file section.



IIRC they still don't but it converges.

Regards, Joerg

I would imagine that a 74HC14 model by Helmut would be device level,
NOT behavioral.

PSpice logic models are behavioral so that, in logic-analysis-only
mode, they are screamingly fast. However, they are cleverly designed
such that attaching an analog device to them activates an analog
interface... which I suspect is your problem.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

Old Latin teachers never die...they just decline
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello Jim,
I would imagine that a 74HC14 model by Helmut would be device level,
NOT behavioral.

PSpice logic models are behavioral so that, in logic-analysis-only
mode, they are screamingly fast. However, they are cleverly designed
such that attaching an analog device to them activates an analog
interface... which I suspect is your problem.

That is a neat trick. In my case I almost never use them as pure logic
and if I do there is not need to simulate. I'll need the full circuit
including substrate diodes. Because often I am, ahem, using these in
some unorthodox fashion.

Regards, Joerg
 
J

Jim Thompson

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello Jim,


That is a neat trick. In my case I almost never use them as pure logic
and if I do there is not need to simulate. I'll need the full circuit
including substrate diodes. Because often I am, ahem, using these in
some unorthodox fashion.

Regards, Joerg

It's possible that I have device-level models for what you need.

Contact me privately and I'll see what I can provide to you.

...Jim Thompson
--
| James E.Thompson, P.E. | mens |
| Analog Innovations, Inc. | et |
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems | manus |
| Phoenix, Arizona Voice:(480)460-2350 | |
| E-mail Address at Website Fax:(480)460-2142 | Brass Rat |
| http://www.analog-innovations.com | 1962 |

Old Latin teachers never die...they just decline
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hello Jim,
It's possible that I have device-level models for what you need.

Contact me privately and I'll see what I can provide to you.

Thanks, did that via the email link on your site. We just came back from
Black Angus. Had a roasted French dip sandwich, along with a Guinness.

Regards, Joerg
 
J

Joerg

Jan 1, 1970
0
Bonjour Fred,
Huh. What's that?

Thinly sliced roast on a baguette (which they call french roll), with
herbs, spices and a sauce to dip it into. The sauce is almost the best
part. Then there are french fries. I know, I know, according to Asterix
they were invented in Belgium when the Romans wanted to invade ;-)

http://www.blackangus.com/menu/lunch/sandwiche.htm
(4th item on that menu page)

Regards, Joerg
 
J

joseph2k

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thomas said:
If you skip the Linux idea, "Switcher CAD III", a Spice simulator, available
for free at the Linear Technology website is a good starting point, There
are a few example circuits using the LT SMPS chips. But you can equally
well use the software for simulating your discrete circuits. Give it a try,
it is really fun using it.

Regards

Thomas

Nonsense, it is known to be very happy running in wine. It is perhaps the
best behaved program for testing wine. (It may work even if nothing else
does.)
 
J

joseph2k

Jan 1, 1970
0
John said:
No need to "skip the linux idea"; Switchercad runs fine under wine (in
linux).

That's not all, there is Geda and friends (GAF) a true GNU / Linux
implementation of a full electronic EDA suite.
 

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