Freeware or low cost schematic software?
Melissa
that's good?
--
Yours In Liberty, Melissa - Colorado, U.S.A.
http://melissasliberty.blogspot.com/
The last best hope for liberty, to give the world its first Bill of
Rights: http://www.UPAlliance.org/billofrights.htm
Robert Baer
> Hey, is there any decent freeware or low cost schematic software out there
> that's good?
>
>
Express PCB has a free schematic and PCB layout software.
The PCB layout software generates a file you send them for making of
boards; pricing is given in advance.
Robert
"Melissa" <mel...@colorado.xxx> wrote in message
news:AeednQIS154...@forethought.net...
> Hey, is there any decent freeware or low cost schematic software out there
> that's good?
>
>
Switcher CAD. There's a Yahoo group to help with any issues and the bug
fixes come very fast.
www.linear.com/company/software.jsp
Orcad has a limited version of PSpice with <Jim> Spit! </Jim> a Schematic
capture front end called "Capture".
http://www.orcad.com/download.orcaddemo.aspx
And Terry Pinnel has a page listing low cost or free CAD packages available.
http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/terrypin/ECADList.html
Robert
CWatters
"Melissa" <mel...@colorado.xxx> wrote in message
news:AeednQIS154...@forethought.net...
> that's good?
Target3001 schematic package works for me....
The following PCB fab company has a free version of Target3001 that you can
download...
http://www.pcb-pool.com/
specifically..
http://www.pcb-pool.com/ppuk/service_downloads_target_request.html
The reason it's free is that the PCB layout side of the free version is
linked to their PCB fabrication service - so if you want other companies to
be able to fab your PCBs you need the paid version from the above.
Colin
Roger Lascelles
news:AeednQIS154...@forethought.net...
> that's good?
I have thrown out Protel schematic at work and now use TinyCAD - a freeware
schematic editor which I reckon is heaps superior. TinyCAD exports a
netlist which I suck into Protel to do the PCB.
TinyCAD is easy to learn, with Windows standard controls, so you don't have
to remember how to drive it. The schematics look good when printed. It can
do big jobs with many sheets, so it won't run out of grunt.
It loads and runs fast on Windows, so you can use it for a quick diagram.
You can copy and post bits of schematic from it, which is great for
documentation or email.
My only warning is : look at but don't use any of the supplied libraries.
They are donated bits and pieces, sometimes gotesquely mismatched, and with
pins off grid may not actually connect when you expect. Start your own
library with pins nicely on grid and all will be well.
Roger
Roger Lascelles
"Roger Lascelles" <inva...@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:3a7kr0F...@individual.net...
Forgot to give the TinyCAD link : http://tinycad.sourceforge.net
Jim Thompson
>
>"Melissa" <mel...@colorado.xxx> wrote in message
>news:AeednQIS154...@forethought.net...
>> Hey, is there any decent freeware or low cost schematic software out there
>> that's good?
>>
>>
>Linear Technology offers a free Schematic Capture and Spice Engine called
>Switcher CAD. There's a Yahoo group to help with any issues and the bug
>fixes come very fast.
>www.linear.com/company/software.jsp
>
>Orcad has a limited version of PSpice with <Jim> Spit! </Jim> a Schematic
>capture front end called "Capture".
>http://www.orcad.com/download.orcaddemo.aspx
Some of us are smart enough to use "Custom Installation" and choose
the venerable old MicroSim style schematic capture ;-)
Although... I just remembered... this year you must download it
separately.
>
>And Terry Pinnel has a page listing low cost or free CAD packages available.
>http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/terrypin/ECADList.html
>
>Robert
>
...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 |
I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.
dlharmon
I use gschem. It is part of the gEDA package. I have had no problems
with it. It only runs on UNIX like operating systems such as
GNU/Linux, BSB and MacOS X. I may also run using cygwin in MS Windows.
It is good enough that it is worth insalling one of the Linux distros
to use. It is free software (GPL).
You can download it at http://geda.seul.org
One thing to consider in schematic software is the possibility of
making decent looking output. gschem will create postscript files
which can be converted to PDF with ps2pdf. I have seen some ugly
pixelated schematics from other packages.
Darrell Harmon
http://dlharmon.com
Melissa
>
> "Melissa" <mel...@colorado.xxx> wrote in message
> news:AeednQIS154...@forethought.net...
>> Hey, is there any decent freeware or low cost schematic software out
>> there that's good?
>>
>>
> Linear Technology offers a free Schematic Capture and Spice Engine
> called Switcher CAD. There's a Yahoo group to help with any issues and
> the bug fixes come very fast.
> www.linear.com/company/software.jsp
Is it free or shareware?
> Orcad has a limited version of PSpice with <Jim> Spit! </Jim> a
> Schematic capture front end called "Capture".
> http://www.orcad.com/download.orcaddemo.aspx
Is it a timed demo? I shudder to remember the prices Orcad used to charge,
when I last worked in electronics ( early 90's ).
> And Terry Pinnel has a page listing low cost or free CAD packages
> available. http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/terrypin/ECADList.html
Thanks Robert!
Melissa
Robert
"Melissa" <mel...@colorado.xxx> wrote in message
news:yLOdnak8zed...@forethought.net...
> "Robert" <Rob...@yahoo.com> wrote :
>
>>
>> "Melissa" <mel...@colorado.xxx> wrote in message
>> news:AeednQIS154...@forethought.net...
>>> Hey, is there any decent freeware or low cost schematic software out
>>> there that's good?
>>>
>>>
>> Linear Technology offers a free Schematic Capture and Spice Engine
>> called Switcher CAD. There's a Yahoo group to help with any issues and
>> the bug fixes come very fast.
>> www.linear.com/company/software.jsp
>
> Is it free or shareware?
Free. And the download page has other software that may be useful.
>> Orcad has a limited version of PSpice with <Jim> Spit! </Jim> a
>> Schematic capture front end called "Capture".
>> http://www.orcad.com/download.orcaddemo.aspx
>
> Is it a timed demo? I shudder to remember the prices Orcad used to charge,
> when I last worked in electronics ( early 90's ).
Restricted to 10 transistors per page (last time I heard) but you can make
subcircuits for more. No time limitation.
>> And Terry Pinnel has a page listing low cost or free CAD packages
>> available. http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/terrypin/ECADList.html
>
> Thanks Robert!
You're welcome.
Robert
Robert
"Jim Thompson" <thegr...@example.com> wrote in message
news:qipt31poghvfhofnq...@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 21 Mar 2005 08:19:40 GMT, "Robert" <Rob...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>"Melissa" <mel...@colorado.xxx> wrote in message
>>news:AeednQIS154...@forethought.net...
>>> Hey, is there any decent freeware or low cost schematic software out
>>> there
>>> that's good?
>>>
>>>
>>Linear Technology offers a free Schematic Capture and Spice Engine called
>>Switcher CAD. There's a Yahoo group to help with any issues and the bug
>>fixes come very fast.
>>www.linear.com/company/software.jsp
>>
>>Orcad has a limited version of PSpice with <Jim> Spit! </Jim> a Schematic
>>capture front end called "Capture".
>>http://www.orcad.com/download.orcaddemo.aspx
>
> Some of us are smart enough to use "Custom Installation" and choose
> the venerable old MicroSim style schematic capture ;-)
>
> Although... I just remembered... this year you must download it
> separately.
I'd heard that wasn't available in the later (after 9?) demo versions.
Perhaps it was just the separate download that made me think so. Glad to
hear I was mistaken.
Robert
Melissa
>
> "Melissa" <mel...@colorado.xxx> wrote in message
> news:AeednQIS154...@forethought.net...
>> Hey, is there any decent freeware or low cost schematic software out
>> there that's good?
>>
>>
> Linear Technology offers a free Schematic Capture and Spice Engine
> called Switcher CAD. There's a Yahoo group to help with any issues and
> the bug fixes come very fast.
> www.linear.com/company/software.jsp
I guess when you get something for "free", you get what you pay for. I
downloaded it because I wanted to try out this spice stuff, never have
before. I was thinking of looking at a crystal diode detector circuit and
seeing how it modeled it, but they don't have any germanium diodes in
there. Darn.
Yes, I actually have some germanium diodes, after all these years, in my
lab drawers somewhere, brand new. :)
richard
version.
..richard
Ken Smith
Melissa <mel...@colorado.xxx> wrote:
[....]
>I guess when you get something for "free", you get what you pay for. I
>downloaded it because I wanted to try out this spice stuff, never have
>before. I was thinking of looking at a crystal diode detector circuit and
>seeing how it modeled it, but they don't have any germanium diodes in
>there. Darn.
Linear doesn't make germanium parts. Remember that LTSpice is a sales
tool. Linear will put in the models that they see as being in their best
interest to put in. They also make an effort to make their models
represent what their parts really do.[1]
[1] The LT1246 model is/was not really right. When asked about it they
said basically "oops".
The spice engine and schematic capture are very good and fairly good[2]
respectively and you can add your own stuff it. It is not a closed
system. I often use it to model TL072 circuits and it does not explode
when I do so. Having it does bias me towards using a Linear part where
two roughtly equal parts exist. As a result, you will see a lot of LT
parts in a design I do today.
[2] Mike: I'm not refering to the problem with the ATI driver here. Even
under Windows (or on a none ATI system), the scrolling and zooming in the
schematic capture get it wrong. It is a slight bother. The center point
moves semi randomly when you zoom and the scrolling won't let you scroll
far enough off the edge of the existing circuit. The work around is to
stick down a couple of texts.
The fact that it runs under Windows is becoming less important to me than
the fact that it runs under "wine" on my Linux systems.
--
--
kens...@rahul.net forging knowledge
Guillaume
Yep.
Open the file 'standard.dio', which is located in the lib\cmp
subdirectory of the installation directory, as a text file.
Then just add the following line (copy and paste) at the end
of this file (on a single line):
.MODEL 1N34A D(IS=2.6u RS=6.5 N=1.6 CJO=0.0p EG=0.67 BV=25 IBV=0.003
type=Germanium)
Save it and restart LTSpice/SwCAD III.
Now when you pick a diode you should be able to select the 1N34A,
which is a germanium diode that should fit your needs.
I haven't thoroughly tested this spice model but it seems to be
working fairly well.
Guillaume
>>Linear Technology offers a free Schematic Capture and Spice Engine
>>called Switcher CAD. There's a Yahoo group to help with any issues and
>>the bug fixes come very fast.
>>www.linear.com/company/software.jsp
>
> I guess when you get something for "free", you get what you pay for. I
> downloaded it because I wanted to try out this spice stuff, never have
> before. I was thinking of looking at a crystal diode detector circuit and
> seeing how it modeled it, but they don't have any germanium diodes in
> there. Darn.
LTSpice/SwitchCAD doesn't have a lot of parts apart from their own, but
that's perfectly understandable given that it's free and that it's the
whole point of releasing it in the first place.
It's compatible with any (almost) Spice model you will throw at it, and
creating new parts is very easy. So just look for a Spice model for your
diodes, read the online help, create your diode parts and start
simulating - simple as that. I've created a few parts (INA163, OPA134,
OPA137, TLC272, various JFET and MOSFET transistors, etc) and it works
very well for me.
Melissa
Can you create a germanium diode with a .3V forward voltage drop?
Melissa
>> Can you create a germanium diode with a .3V forward voltage drop?
Why thank you sir. :)
John Woodgate
wrote (in <q-ydnRvvEPg...@forethought.net>) about 'Freeware or
low cost schematic software?', on Tue, 22 Mar 2005:
>Can you create a germanium diode with a .3V forward voltage drop?
Yes, but to understand how the model works, you first need to understand
that diodes don't actually have a 'threshold voltage' of 0.3 V for
germanium or 0.6 V for silicon. The relationship between current and
voltage is exponential (plus the effect of some series resistance), so
it looks the same whatever scale you look at it on. The 0.3 V and 0.6 V
come from the fact that those voltages apply for smallish practical
currents, e.g. 1 mA to 10 mA. The models, however, use the 'exponential
voltage-controlled current source in series with a resistor'
interpretation.
--
Regards, John Woodgate, OOO - Own Opinions Only.
There are two sides to every question, except
'What is a Moebius strip?'
http://www.jmwa.demon.co.uk Also see http://www.isce.org.uk
Melissa
> I read in sci.electronics.design that Melissa <mel...@colorado.xxx>
> wrote (in <q-ydnRvvEPg...@forethought.net>) about 'Freeware or
> low cost schematic software?', on Tue, 22 Mar 2005:
>
>>Can you create a germanium diode with a .3V forward voltage drop?
>
> Yes, but to understand how the model works, you first need to understand
> that diodes don't actually have a 'threshold voltage' of 0.3 V for
> germanium or 0.6 V for silicon. The relationship between current and
> voltage is exponential (plus the effect of some series resistance), so
> it looks the same whatever scale you look at it on. The 0.3 V and 0.6 V
> come from the fact that those voltages apply for smallish practical
> currents, e.g. 1 mA to 10 mA. The models, however, use the 'exponential
> voltage-controlled current source in series with a resistor'
> interpretation.
Here's why I'm asking. When I heard the software could do SPICE, I thought
it would be fun to model a crystal radio detector, using a germanium diode.
So I'd need to model a radio signal source, which I'm not sure how to do
with this, and a loop antenna, which I'm not sure how to do, then put that
into the diode and feed the cathode down into a resistor with a small
capacitor to detect it into audio. I don't get the impression that this
kind of software is made for that.
John Woodgate
low cost schematic software?', on Wed, 23 Mar 2005:
>So I'd need to model a radio signal source, which I'm not sure how to
>do with this,
Just a sine-wave voltage source of, say 1 mV, frequency 1 MHz
> and a loop antenna, which I'm not sure how to do,
If it's untuned, a 100 uH or so inductor in series with the voltage
generator. If it's tuned, you need to know the L and C values, and put
that parallel-tuned circuit in series with your voltage generator. You
need to add some resistance in series with the inductor, otherwise
Splice will barf at the infinite Q. The resistance wants to be about
1/100th of the inductive reactance.
>then put that into the diode and feed the cathode down into a resistor
>with a small capacitor to detect it into audio. I don't get the
>impression that this kind of software is made for that.
>
Yes, it will do that quite well, but with a sine-wave input you will
only get DC out, of course. To get modulation, you need to read the
application documentation to find out how to model an
amplitude-modulated voltage generator by using a voltage generator at
modulation frequency (such as 1 kHz) feeding a voltage-controlled
voltage source (VCVS) running at 1 MHz.
Terry Pinnell
>John Woodgate <j...@jmwa.demon.contraspam.yuk> wrote :
>
>> I read in sci.electronics.design that Melissa <mel...@colorado.xxx>
>> wrote (in <q-ydnRvvEPg...@forethought.net>) about 'Freeware or
>> low cost schematic software?', on Tue, 22 Mar 2005:
>>
>>>Can you create a germanium diode with a .3V forward voltage drop?
>>
>> Yes, but to understand how the model works, you first need to understand
>> that diodes don't actually have a 'threshold voltage' of 0.3 V for
>> germanium or 0.6 V for silicon. The relationship between current and
>> voltage is exponential (plus the effect of some series resistance), so
>> it looks the same whatever scale you look at it on. The 0.3 V and 0.6 V
>> come from the fact that those voltages apply for smallish practical
>> currents, e.g. 1 mA to 10 mA. The models, however, use the 'exponential
>> voltage-controlled current source in series with a resistor'
>> interpretation.
>
>
>Here's why I'm asking. When I heard the software could do SPICE, I thought
>it would be fun to model a crystal radio detector, using a germanium diode.
>
>So I'd need to model a radio signal source, which I'm not sure how to do
>with this, and a loop antenna, which I'm not sure how to do, then put that
>into the diode and feed the cathode down into a resistor with a small
>capacitor to detect it into audio. I don't get the impression that this
>kind of software is made for that.
You could try something along these lines:
http://www.terrypin.dial.pipex.com/Images/AMRFSignal.gif
In CircuitMaker I used two sine waves,one of 1 kHz and the other (to
keep simulation times short) of 100 kHz. I'm sure others will suggest
a better way of 'combining' them, but that somewhat arbitrary choice
of mine seems to work. Amplitudes and RF frequency could of course be
altered to suit your crystal circuit simulation.
--
Terry Pinnell
Hobbyist, West Sussex, UK
Melissa
> I read in sci.electronics.design that Melissa <mel...@colorado.xxx>
> wrote (in <9eSdndI5LIl...@forethought.net>) about 'Freeware or
> low cost schematic software?', on Wed, 23 Mar 2005:
>
>>So I'd need to model a radio signal source, which I'm not sure how to
>>do with this,
>
> Just a sine-wave voltage source of, say 1 mV, frequency 1 MHz
>
>> and a loop antenna, which I'm not sure how to do,
>
> If it's untuned, a 100 uH or so inductor in series with the voltage
> generator. If it's tuned, you need to know the L and C values, and put
> that parallel-tuned circuit in series with your voltage generator. You
> need to add some resistance in series with the inductor, otherwise
> Splice will barf at the infinite Q. The resistance wants to be about
> 1/100th of the inductive reactance.
>
>>then put that into the diode and feed the cathode down into a resistor
>>with a small capacitor to detect it into audio. I don't get the
>>impression that this kind of software is made for that.
>>
> Yes, it will do that quite well, but with a sine-wave input you will
> only get DC out, of course. To get modulation, you need to read the
> application documentation to find out how to model an
> amplitude-modulated voltage generator by using a voltage generator at
> modulation frequency (such as 1 kHz) feeding a voltage-controlled
> voltage source (VCVS) running at 1 MHz.
Sounds too complicated for me to mess with.
It's probably best just to do T&E breadboarding with this.
What I'd actually like to do, is set up a loop and tune it to 60 Hz and see
if I can get enough local power line energy to run an LED with it. We have
high lines about a block away, and power lines running around the house too,
so I suspect I can.
John Woodgate
low cost schematic software?', on Thu, 24 Mar 2005:
>What I'd actually like to do, is set up a loop and tune it to 60 Hz
That would have to be a loop with LOT of turns, even if you resonate it
with a farad.