best circuit design software out?

[ppe1700]

does anyone know the name of the most up to date electronic circuit simulation software out?
i have tina 6 but its crap. it let me build a circui with a 24v power supply, a switch and a 5v LED with no resistor with no problems. the LED lit up as normal. ive done this in real life and the LED exploded.

i need to create a circuit but ive not done it since school so im basically a n00b.. anyone actually at school that knows of the software? so at least i got a name to go by?
cheers!

[ppe1700]

someone must know?!

[bing]

Ok, since you said the "best" , imo, HERE (http://www.cadence.com/products/orcad/pspice_a_d/index.aspx). :D

[Malpine Walis]

OK, PSPICE is really good for what you want. However, that link does not list a price but it does invite you to give contact info after which someone should contact you. That sounds like it could get expensive.

Keep an eye out for SPICE packages in general though. They are as close to the standard solutions as you are going to get and some of them are free downloads. That being said, there is no guarantee that any of them will stop you from putting 24v through a component that can't handle it.

The best tool for avoiding that is practical experience and possibly going back to school for another class or two. That also will greatly help with the cost if you do decided to move to a paid solution as the stuff that you need for your class(es) will come to you as part of the package or at the very least at a steep discount.

[ppe1700]

yea i looked on that website and did some google searching and couldnt find a demo or anything.
imho the whole idea of a simulation program is so that if you overlook a mistake, its outcome is simulated so you can rectify.
i guess ill just use tina until something better comes my way

[BenF]

I don't know of a good simulation program but I definately agree that if it is supposed to be a simulation it should point out mistakes in your circuit

[Super Nade]

Are you looking for circuit design or PCB Layout/Schematic software? World of difference between the two.

If you are looking for PCB design stuff, I'd go with EAGLE (free) or ExpressPCB (free but propritary output. No Gerber or DFX support).

[ppe1700]

naa, im looking to plop a LED on a page, with a capacitor, resistor, variable resistor all connected up to a temperature sensor, so that when a certain temp is reached then the LED flashes.
i did want to then expand on this so that the higher the temp got, the faster the LED flashed until a critical temp was reached and the led flashed very quick or just stayed on.
i dont need a pcb designer - i was going to use a universal one to make a mock up of this circuit

[ppe1700]

oh so that would be circuit design. im not 100% how i would make what i have described so it will be some trial error

[Gunlance]

pspice, multisim, agilent vee. All do that.

[bing]

After hearing your statements, imho, you should stick to Tina, sounds like it is the best for your requirement. ;)














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[ppe1700]

ok thank you :) knew someone would know

[Roofles]

If you want a free one try picking up Switcher Cad from Linear Technologies. (otherwise known as LTSpice).

I went to a lunch thing where they demoed the software and it was pretty cool. It looks to be a powerful tool and it has the ability to model REAL components (ie esr and stuff) and can use any of their IC's that have been modeled by them as well as other components.