good analog simualtor

[Junus2012]

Hello

Please I would like to ask you about which is the best circuit simulator among these

1. OrCad
2. Multsim
3. LT Spice

I would like to use the best in the lab application for simulating analog circuit

 

[crutschow]

If you have money I would pick Multisim. If not, LTspice is a good, free simulator.

 

[Junus2012]

what about Orcad ?

If you have money I would pick Multisim. If not, LTspice is a good, free simulator.

 

[crutschow]

The Orcad analog simulator is PSpice I believe, which is widely used and also a very good simulator.

I like Multisim because it has a very close interface between the schematic and the simulation. It uses the virtual benchtop idea well, even having instruments, such as oscilloscopes, that look and behave as the real instruments would. Another handy thing is that you can control schematic switches or potentiometers from the keyboard while the simulation is running.

 

[Junus2012]

you talk about money for the multisim, any way most of the electronic books provide it for free.

My second question , is the multisim is industry depended ?? I read that in their website but is it so true?? I mean how much you believe in the results you got from it??

The Orcad is Pspice simulator as you said, and you know it comes from Cadence which is the leader company in EDA.

Thank you in advance

 

[crutschow]

you talk about money for the multisim, any way most of the electronic books provide it for free.

My second question , is the multisim is industry depended ?? I read that in their website but is it so true?? I mean how much you believe in the results you got from it??

........................

If you need to buy a textbook and it has a free copy of Multisim (likely the Student Version), then go for it. The rest of us have to pay for it.

Don't understand you question "is the multisim is industry depended?" What does "industry depended" mean? The results form Multisim are likely to be as good as any other Spice simulator. I've used the old Electronic Workbench version of it for many years without a significant problem. Why do you think it wouldn't give good results?

 

[xpress_embedo]

Multisim is good for analog simulation, i too using Multisim for my Simulation Purpose without any problem.

The equipments like watt-meter, oscilloscope etc are really great.

 

[Junus2012]

I mean do the industries use multisim for simulating the circuits ?????? or it is only limited for the limited simple education stuff ???

I widely see the industries use the Pspice simulator


in any case, Iwould like to provide a lab for a students and I have both last versions of Multisim and Orcad, and this is why I am a little wary to choose which one to be used for the student projects

Thank you very much

If you need to buy a textbook and it has a free copy of Multisim (likely the Student Version), then go for it. The rest of us have to pay for it.

Don't understand you question "is the multisim is industry depended?" What does "industry depended" mean? The results form Multisim are likely to be as good as any other Spice simulator. I've used the old Electronic Workbench version of it for many years without a significant problem. Why do you think it wouldn't give good results?

 

[albbg]

Multisim, OrCAD, LTSpice, Microcap and many others are based on the original Spice developed by Berkley University. Something has been modified to improve convergence and, I think, to add/improve some component model.
Then I expect they all behave more or less the same from the point of view of the simulation results.

Different are instead the graphical interfaces and the built-in tools to visualize and analyze the signal. I personally (in the industry I'm working for) use Microcap and I find it user-friendly, but I think any other that is confortable to you can be OK. Many of them can be downloaded as lite or student version (with limited capabilities mainly in terms of number of components and nodes). I suggest you to try some of them and then decide what is the simulator that better fits your requirements.

 

[spudboy488]

I would also recommend Multisim if you are setting up a lab for students but it would depend on what you are trying to teach. Multisim is the easiest to use and provides an environment similar to an actual lab (test equipment, power supplies, etc.). I think there is even an option to simulate using a proto board using 3D components. Orcad is not as easy to use but, I believe, lets you get into more of the nut and bolts of the simulation. There may be more options to it then Multisim.

Personally, I do my schematic capture and PCB layout in OrCad. When I am coming up with a new design, I'll use Multisim to simulate aspects of it that I'm not sure of.

 

[torbai]

I think OrCAD is the best among them. If you want to try something free and open source, try gEDA and Qucs