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Circuit design software?

H

hctimo787

n00b
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Messages
41
Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions for software to design circuits with (like the ones we see and talk about here)? And I'm not referring to a graphics program, I mean, software which understands circuitry. TIA
 
Circuitmaker works well. You can download the educational version for free but it's horrible. The full version is much better.
 
I use Orcad Capture 9.2, and have access to Multisim 7, but the SPICE-based Orcad is very intuitive and well-documented.

This is for simulation purposes, I assume?

Otherwise, if I want pretty circuits for printing, I use Microsoft Visio 2003.
 
goto www.linear.com and download "Switchercad III", you have to register with the site now but it's completely FREE, and switchercad is completely FREE. it's a great little SPICE simulator that's relatively easy to use, and the parts library is constantly updated.


i prefer it over Orcad Capture 9.2, as do most people i know that have used both programs extensively. Multisim/circuitmaker... meh. Switchercad III is just as good if not better then both these programs, plus it's completely FREE and constantly updated.


xonik, you should defiantly check it out, small download and install too... like 15mb so you can stick it on a pen drive. the simulation is... awesome. the information it gives... just awesome.
 
Sounds promising. I'll download it and give it a shot.

edit: Come to think of it, I've heard lots of praise about its alternate name, LTSpice. There are some serious SMPS guys at DIYAudio.com who use it extensively. Well, I didn't have to register but I still might because of the update notifications.
 
Not only is LTSpice/SwCADIII a good program, but the support is amazing. When I reported a bug a few months back they had an update available the next day.
 
xonik said:
Sounds promising. I'll download it and give it a shot.

edit: Come to think of it, I've heard lots of praise about its alternate name, LTSpice. There are some serious SMPS guys at DIYAudio.com who use it extensively. Well, I didn't have to register but I still might because of the update notifications.
Click to expand...

program checks for updates and morph's automatically if i recall correctly... so i guess you don't have to register.

for a long time you could dl it directly off the site, for a short time it wanted you to register, now it looks like it's back to dling it directly off the site.

the Parts are constantly updated... which switchercad automatically dls the new ones and adds them directly to it's libraries. very nice little feature


as for Eaglecad... that's used for PCB layout.
 
I've found gEDA to be kinda sketchy in the past. Some friends of mine swear up and down by MultiSIM, but I'm personally a straight SPICE fan. Writing the netlist by hand gives me comfort :D
 
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