Spice newbee - need book suggestion

[Anton]

I'm a spice newbee. Going to use gschem (in the gEDA suite) to generate
netlist and LTSpice for the simulation. I really need a book about
Spice, not to superficial but rather in depth with illustrative
examples. I've a MSc in Applied physics and Electrical engineering, spec
applied mathematics.

/Thanks in advance

Anton

 

[Jim Thompson]

I'm a spice newbee. Going to use gschem (in the gEDA suite) to generate
netlist and LTSpice for the simulation. I really need a book about
Spice, not to superficial but rather in depth with illustrative
examples. I've a MSc in Applied physics and Electrical engineering, spec
applied mathematics.

/Thanks in advance

Anton

The classic...

SPICE: a Guide to Circuit Simulation
Author: Tuinenga, Paul
Paperback
3rd Edition Published: March 1995
Pearson Higher Education
ISBN: 0134337808

Out-of-print, and expensive at re-sellers, but written by one of the
original MicroSim guys... very good.

But I'm sure there are other good texts around.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Jim Thompson]

The classic...

SPICE: a Guide to Circuit Simulation
Author: Tuinenga, Paul
Paperback
3rd Edition Published: March 1995
Pearson Higher Education
ISBN: 0134337808

Out-of-print, and expensive at re-sellers, but written by one of the
original MicroSim guys... very good.

But I'm sure there are other good texts around.

...Jim Thompson

I should have pointed out that I was a circuit designer for nearly 20
years BEFORE I ever laid my hands on a simulator, so I had no problems
dropping right into simulator mode.

If you are novice to circuit design, might I suggest a year or so of
math-only designing, THEN add simulators to your repertoire.

...Jim Thompson

 

[Anton]

Thanks for your reply. I've done circuit design for several years now...

/Anton

 

[Kevin Aylward]

I should have pointed out that I was a circuit designer for nearly 20
years BEFORE I ever laid my hands on a simulator, so I had no problems
dropping right into simulator mode.
Exactly.


If you are novice to circuit design, might I suggest a year or so of
math-only designing, THEN add simulators to your repertoire.

Quite frankly, I'm absolutely staggered. We have a dude with an *MSc in
Applied Physics and Electrical Engineering*, and he is having trouble
running a modern Spice simulation tool? A task that should take around 5
minutes if one actually has the electronic background. Sure, a raw
amateur without V=IR can be expected to have an initial learning curve,
but if someone has an MSc as described, and needs anything more then the
standard spice manual (http://www.anasoft.co.uk/Spice3F5Manual.html), he
should give it up and take up Law instead.

Kevin Aylward
[email protected]
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

 

[Anton]

Thank you for your reply. The UI is not a wonder of user friendlines. To
refer to a manual with just the commands listed is not userfriendly. Its
like listing all the commands with no breadtext for a new computer
language. This might be acceptable for some but not for others. Actually
I was looking for som nice book with som background and illustrative
examples, niecly written and thereby actually more readable giving a
reading pleasure. I find your answer your answer interesting. Maybe
this is how the company Anasoft treats its customers as well?

Again, thank you for your answer.

Anton

 

[Anton]

Thank you for your reply.
Actually, I don't _need_ a book I just want one, that's quite a
difference. I've never stated that I _need_ one in order to learn to use
Spice. To refer to a manual with just the commands listed is, in my
opion, not userfriendly. Its like listing all the commands with no
breadtext for a new computer language. This might be acceptable for some
but not for others. Actually I was looking for som nice book with som
background and illustrative examples, niecely written and thereby
actually more readable and giving a reading pleasure. I find your
answer your answer quite interesting. Maybe this is how the company
Anasoft treats its customers as well?

Again, thank you for your answer.

Anton

 

[Kevin Aylward]

Thank you for your reply.
Actually, I don't _need_ a book I just want one, that's quite a
difference.

Oh?

Quote:

"I really need a book about Spice, not to superficial but rather in
depth with illustrative examples."

I've never stated that I _need_ one in order to learn to
use Spice.

See above.

To refer to a manual with just the commands listed is, in
my opion, not userfriendly. Its like listing all the commands with no
breadtext for a new computer language. This might be acceptable for
some but not for others. Actually I was looking for som nice book
with som background and illustrative examples, niecely written and
thereby actually more readable and giving a reading pleasure. I find
your answer your answer quite interesting. Maybe this is how the
company Anasoft treats its customers as well?

I am speaking as an individual.

The truth hurts mate. Don't blame the messenger.

What your asking is equivalent to a writer asking how to use MS word to
type his story.

This is how it is, sure, the Spice program itself is a very complicated
bit of stuff. 100k lines of complex code, requiring extensive research
and ability to understand it. However, *using* spice is piss easy if you
know the *basics* of electronic engineering. Its set up such that you
only need to know a bare minimum to get it to run. Look, you say you
have an MSc in Physics/EE. I find this incredible. *Any* competent
individual with a BS degree in an EE related subject should be able to
effectively use Spice, as a tool, within minutes. The only reason why
this should not be the case, imo, if the individual is better suited to
less electronically related professions.

You may well disagree, but this is a NG, designed for peoples opinions.
I am giving mine. If you cant get by with
http://www.anasoft.co.uk/Spice3F5Manual.html, then I suggest you give up
electronics. Seriously.

Kevin Aylward
[email protected]
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

 

[Anton]

Thank you! Gives an starting point to learning Spice. Much appreciated.

/Anton

 

[xray]

Here's a some others:

Computer-Aided Circuit Analysis Using Pspice
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...f=sr_1_1/104-8032541-7775143?v=glance&s=books

Inside Spice
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0079137121/103-0441928-5859019

semiconductor device modeling with spice
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...=lpr_g_1/104-8032541-7775143?v=glance&s=books


The first is a basic into, similar to Tuinenga.

The 2nd talks a lot about how things can go wrong.

The 3rd talks about the standard models.

 

[qrk]

I'm a spice newbee. Going to use gschem (in the gEDA suite) to generate
netlist and LTSpice for the simulation. I really need a book about
Spice, not to superficial but rather in depth with illustrative
examples. I've a MSc in Applied physics and Electrical engineering, spec
applied mathematics.

/Thanks in advance

Anton

The PSpice reference is quite handy. LTspice is pretty compatible with
PSpice syntax. A copy of version 9.x can be found at:

http://ece-www.colorado.edu/~ecen5807/course_material/pspice/PSPCREF.pdf

Mark

 

[Anton]

Thanks!

Much appriciated. I've orded some books from the library.

/Anton

 

[Anton]

That solves one thing, importance of the documentation of PSpice - ie
when using LTSpice.

/Anton

 

[Anton]

Thanks!

Much appriciated. I'll get some books from the library.

/Anton

 

[Charles Schuler]

One who diminishes others often has an ego problem.

 

[Kevin Aylward]

One who diminishes others often has an ego problem.

Sure, if that evaluation isn't based on objective facts.

Often, those that can't accept objective facts, have an ego problem.

Kevin Aylward
[email protected]
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

 

[Charles Schuler]

Sure, if that evaluation isn't based on objective facts.

Often, those that can't accept objective facts, have an ego problem.

Kevin the great wrote "... he should give it up and take up Law instead."
Now, that's hardly objective, hardly helpful, and is simply rude behavior
patently intended to diminish the perceived worth of another.

 

[Kevin Aylward]

Kevin the great wrote "... he should give it up and take up Law
instead." Now, that's hardly objective, hardly helpful, and is simply
rude behavior patently intended to diminish the perceived worth of
another.

Nope it wasn't. Of course it was objective and was not personal in any
way. The issue here is that *any* negative comments are usually taken by
people as personal. Lets suppose someone *is* completely clueless about
something. How do you really propose to point that out without it
sounding personal? In reality, it can't be done. What makes it a
personal comment is how people perceive it. Those that cant take
criticism, and claim that *all* such criticism are personal insults,
have an ego problem. It was very helpful, sometimes people need a kick
up the arse to knock some sense into them. Many are in profession that
they are not suited to, and simply don't realise it.

Next, you sniped the full quote:

"...but if someone has an MSc as described, and needs anything more then
the
standard spice manual (http://www.anasoft.co.uk/Spice3F5Manual.html), he
should give it up and take up Law instead..."

Which, obscures the correct meaning of my statement, and to all intents
and purposes makes you a liar. There are qualifiers there, and I stand
by the statement. Spice is to an electronics engineer as MS Word is to a
writer. Knowledge of Spice details, for the most part, in any modern
spice is simply not required. What seems to be the case is that the
poster may not know electronics well enough and is mistaking this lack
of electronics knowledge for lack of spice knowledge. *If* this is the
case, and the poster has an MSc with significant electronics content,
then clearly there is a problem. We are not talking about a tech with a
year of college. Its an M.Sc. dude!!!. If the guy was a 1st year
student, then things would be way different.

Kevin Aylward
[email protected]
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.

 

[Charles Schuler]

Kevin the great wrote " ... and to all intents and purposes makes you a
liar."

You just don't get it, do you?

A friendly suggestion: if you feel that others are stupid, just ignore
them. Buy yourself a punching bag.

 

[Kevin Aylward]

Kevin the great wrote " ... and to all intents and purposes makes you
a liar."

You just don't get it, do you?

Apparently, neither do you.

A friendly suggestion: if you feel that others are stupid, just
ignore them. Buy yourself a punching bag.

You make this up as you go along don't you? Where did I say anyone was
stupid? We all have different abilities suitable for different tasks.
For example, some are more suitable for science (deriving results from
text) some are more suitable for law (processing lots of text). Clearly
you believe that all lawyers are stupid, I don't.


Kevin Aylward
[email protected]
http://www.anasoft.co.uk
SuperSpice, a very affordable Mixed-Mode
Windows Simulator with Schematic Capture,
Waveform Display, FFT's and Filter Design.