I'm getting back into hobbyist electronics after a very long hiatus and was wondering what the current state of circuit simulation software is. What is the industry standard for macs or PCs? What are the open-source alternatives?
Electronic – Circuit Simulation Software
designsoftware
Best Answer
LTspice is free and works well for switching power supply designs.
I also use Paul Falstad's Circuit Sim for concepts.
When it comes down to designing power supplies (which is pretty much the only thing I use circuit simulators for) I usually rely on application notes and already designed supplies. If they use LT parts, I might try and optimise the design. WEbench by National Semiconductor is quite good, but I wish it gave you more freedom.