Cheap/Free SPICE: Reviews and Recommendations

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around recommendations for free or inexpensive SPICE simulation software. Participants share their experiences and preferences, seeking to identify effective tools for circuit simulation without extensive trial and error.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses a need for a free or cheap SPICE tool, mentioning past experience with batch-style SPICE and the potential for post-processing results.
  • Another participant suggests LTSpice as a free option, noting its effectiveness and providing links to additional models and installation instructions.
  • A different participant shares a link to an online circuit simulator, stating it works easier than other options they have encountered.
  • Several participants express positive feedback about LTSpice, indicating it meets their needs for circuit simulation.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

There appears to be a general agreement on the usefulness of LTSpice among some participants, while other tools are also mentioned without consensus on a single best option.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference older threads on the topic, indicating a history of discussion around SPICE tools, but specific details on the effectiveness or limitations of each mentioned tool remain unresolved.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students or professionals seeking affordable circuit simulation tools, particularly those with prior experience in SPICE software.

tfr000
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Anyone using a free/cheap SPICE that they like?
I keep finding myself handicapped by not having access to one, but I would rather not have to trial-and-error a bunch of them in order to find a decent one.
I used batch-style SPICE back in the day, so I can do that if necessary, and post-process the results. Probably easier now that spreadsheets and whatnot are common.
 
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tfr000 said:
Anyone using a free/cheap SPICE that they like?
I keep finding myself handicapped by not having access to one, but I would rather not have to trial-and-error a bunch of them in order to find a decent one.
I used batch-style SPICE back in the day, so I can do that if necessary, and post-process the results. Probably easier now that spreadsheets and whatnot are common.

I thought we had several older threads about this, but only found this one with a search:

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=558549

Are you a student?
 
Thanks, that's helpful.

Student? :smile: When I said "back in the day", I was thinking the 80's...
 
LTSpice
 
LTSpice is free and work very good.



Here you can find all the additional models
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/LTspice/
and here
http://valvolodin.narod.ru/soft/extra.rar
Unpack the archive "extra.rar", using the archive RAR
Copy "extra1.rar" which is installed in the directories are LTspiceIV. Typically, this directory is "C: \ Program Files \ LTC"
Unzip "extra1.rar" which is installed in the directories are LTspiceIV
Finish
 
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