I have been using the free LT Spice/switcherCAD III software for over a year and found its schematic drawing tool very handy, especially since it can also simulate whatever scematic is entered. This software is intended for SS but there are Spice models that represent vacuum tubes at several sites on the Internet and most of them work with LT Spice.
It doesn't have the functionality to include controls like potentiometers and switches, though, because those devices have no meaning to a simulator. Its worst feature is its HELP file, which is poorly constructed and leaves many questions unanswered.
It doesn't have the functionality to include controls like potentiometers and switches, though, because those devices have no meaning to a simulator. Its worst feature is its HELP file, which is poorly constructed and leaves many questions unanswered.
LowRedMoon said:
The cute thing about Eagle is that it's dead easy to create your own library parts. There are numerous tutorials available, and once you get used to it you can create any part pretty much (except something really horrid like a large FPGA etc.) in 10 minutes or less. I have wriiten a tube footprint generator for Eagle here
There are excellent peer-to-peer support newsgroups on Cadsoft's own servers at news://news.cadsoft.de - yo will want the eagle.userchat.eng & eagle.support.eng groups (there are *.ger groups in German too, if you want).
this may be veering slightly away from the original question, but with regard to LTSpice, and other spices as well,
Actually there is a Pot device, found in the misc symbols section. You can also make your own sort of DIY variable resistors using parameters like this {Rvalue} etc.
Also there are the standard spice switches SW for voltage controlled switch, and CSW for current controlled switch. These can be put together to form relays, and anything else you can imagine.
I do agree that the LTSpice help file is not great. I think LTSpice help file was written for people who already know spice, which is OK for me, but may not suit everyone.
When it comes to transformers I think it is every man for himself, you pretty well have to make your own models.
Actually there is a Pot device, found in the misc symbols section. You can also make your own sort of DIY variable resistors using parameters like this {Rvalue} etc.
Also there are the standard spice switches SW for voltage controlled switch, and CSW for current controlled switch. These can be put together to form relays, and anything else you can imagine.
I do agree that the LTSpice help file is not great. I think LTSpice help file was written for people who already know spice, which is OK for me, but may not suit everyone.
When it comes to transformers I think it is every man for himself, you pretty well have to make your own models.
ray_moth said:
As stated elsewhere, it does support switches & pots, and pretty much everything that Pspice does & more.
It's also not fair to say that it's intended for SS - it's a spice engine - it'll take any model you throw at it...
As far as help goes, the Yahoo!!! LTspice groups is very active and full of knowledgable engineers, including the author of LTspice...
LTspice is fast, highly reliable, and FREE!
I'm thinking of trying an app called xcircuit, it's free and runs on both Linux & windows. If any of you try this, or have tried this, let me know what you think. I'll have to wait for a few days off to try it.
You may have to get external libraries (see the libraries section), for example the one called valves.
http://opencircuitdesign.com/xcircuit/
You may have to get external libraries (see the libraries section), for example the one called valves.
http://opencircuitdesign.com/xcircuit/
I have yet to find a schematic cad program that will draw a really good quality schematic, most of them are too busy trying to be all things to all people... generating netlists and spice files and board layouts.. I just want a simple cad program that will draw a nice looking schematic, nothing else.
So far the best thing I've found is using Joel Tunnah's symbol libraries in a generic graphics program. What they lack in ease of use they make up for in style.
Check my Maggie thread for an example if you haven't seen it yet (the pic there is about 1/2 original size).
So far the best thing I've found is using Joel Tunnah's symbol libraries in a generic graphics program. What they lack in ease of use they make up for in style.
Check my Maggie thread for an example if you haven't seen it yet (the pic there is about 1/2 original size).
I got them from their web site.
http://www.cadsoft.de/cgi-bin/downl...download.htm.en&dir=eagle/userfiles/libraries
Scroll down to tubes.lbr The octal part has two package variations. Be sure to use the one that matches your sockets if you intend to to PC board design.
I have created my own library (starting from the one above) that I have used for all Tubelab PC boards. The PC board pads have been enlarged for easy soldering. There are only a few specific tubes, but I have included it here.
I have also used LT spice to create tube schematics, but these were used for simulations, so I didn't bother to make them look good. I have the SimpleSE amp simulation running (ideal OPT) in order to develop some cool new circuits.
There's another one called DIA, it's quite simple and does come with some circuit symbols in the toolbox, plus it will let you import small pictures as objects, and it's quite versatile. I've used this before, but not for schematics, more for floor plans,etc.
http://www.gnome.org/projects/dia/
http://www.gnome.org/projects/dia/
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