Circuit Simulation Calypso

[Musicmanager]

Sorry about the thread title - It's just for Nigel G !!

I'm very much a novice trying to learn the art of electronics.
I want a circuit simulator to use for experimenting and trying out components and circuits.

Before anybody says it - I've looked at LT Spice and decided it's not for me, too complicated and having to convert my components to LT equivalents is just another calculation to get wrong as far as I'm concerned.

What I would like to know however - I've seen some software from Maplins called Livewire Standard and Livewire Pro which I've tried and seems to fit the bill perfectly - has anybody here used it - uses it - would make a recommendation for it ?

Thanks

S

 

[ericgibbs]

hi,
You could try the demo version of Live wire.
E
https://www.new-wave-concepts.com/lw_dl_pr.html

 

[Ian Rogers]

Crocodile clips... https://www.yenka.com/en/Yenka_Technology/

I used to run this before I got a copy of EWB 5.0.... I have since used Proteus and never looked back.. ( EWB is of course now multisim!!)

Virtual Breadboard is another candidate... For a small fee you can add pic and arduino simulation

 

[atferrari]

Before anybody says it - I've looked at LT Spice and decided it's not for me, too complicated and having to convert my components to LT equivalents is just another calculation to get wrong as far as I'm concerned.


S

"Conversion" means they are now exactly what?

 

[Musicmanager]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the information .. ..

Ian - I'll give that a try, hadn't seen it.

Eric - I tried the demo as far as I could but there is a bit of a problem with it- the pre-loaded demos self destruct after 45 secs - not too helpful !

AT - From what I can see the default library is based on LT products. I know there are ways of loading alternatives - there's a yahoo website I know about, and there are probably others, but I want to use a tool to learn about electronics not a computer to learn about a tool, if you know what I mean. As a complete novice looking for a dual rail, 14 pin quad inverting op amp instead of an LM324 is likely to be another mistake I make. When I get more experienced, something more comprehensive is probably essential.

Thank you all

S

 

[atferrari]

I you are interested I could send you all parts I collected.
Learning it, is a never ending ladder but after some time you could be simulating lot of things with little hassle.

/EDIT to add:

The "conversion" you say, takes no more than seconds if you know what to do. And you do it just for those components that you actually need. The biggest problem (which is not) is to know how to do it. Nothing I could consider a problem.

EDIT/

 

[Musicmanager]

Hi Atf

Thank you for that kind offer.

My problem is that when it comes to learning, I'm a bit of an aged pragmatic. I have bought books of theory and practical exercise recommended by the guys on here and I read as much as I can as often as I can but it doesn't stay put ! What I need to do is to in some way create the exampled explanation and play with it, change it around and watch the results to get a proper understanding that stays with me. To do that on the bench means buying examples of each component which is likely to prove expensive so a simulator would be an obvious solution. I'm finding it very difficult to assimilate a full picture in my mind and my view is that LT Spice will add another dimension to that problem at the moment so I'm looking for something simpler that I can use more or less immediately to support my learning of electronics.

Of course, if I'm successful in developing my understanding there will come a time when I conclude that the simpler version is no longer adequate and that will be the time to develop LT Spice for me.

I'm very grateful for your kindness, Thank you

S

 

[Tony Stewart]

http://www.circuitlab.com/

http://www.falstad.com/circuit/e-index.html << I use this a lot for show n yell... I mean tell.
eg

http://www.falstad.com/circuit/e-filt-hipass-af.html
http://www.falstad.com/circuit/e-logconvert.html
edit with rt. mouse. add scope probes, parts , wires. etc, edit values.


http://qucs.sourceforge.net/screenshots.html
**broken link removed**
http://sourceforge.net/projects/qucs/

**broken link removed** create a BOM or order list too very good but no examples
**broken link removed**

http://nl5.sidelinesoft.com/index.php?page=screenshots&lang=en

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en-CA&biw=1398&bih=954&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=lIn9VJ_IDoeaNsCygsAN&ved=0CDwQsAQ&q=circuit simulator veroboard


http://fritzing.org/download/
http://fritzing.org/projects/
http://fritzing.org/learning/get-started/project-view/

 

[atferrari]

Hi Atf

Thank you for that kind offer.

My problem is that when it comes to learning, I'm a bit of an aged pragmatic. I have bought books of theory and practical exercise recommended by the guys on here and I read as much as I can as often as I can but it doesn't stay put ! What I need to do is to in some way create the exampled explanation and play with it, change it around and watch the results to get a proper understanding that stays with me. To do that on the bench means buying examples of each component which is likely to prove expensive so a simulator would be an obvious solution. I'm finding it very difficult to assimilate a full picture in my mind and my view is that LT Spice will add another dimension to that problem at the moment so I'm looking for something simpler that I can use more or less immediately to support my learning of electronics.

Of course, if I'm successful in developing my understanding there will come a time when I conclude that the simpler version is no longer adequate and that will be the time to develop LT Spice for me.

I'm very grateful for your kindness, Thank you

S

I will wait. Rest assured.