Help: Anyone familiar with using TINA?

[Ethan]

Is there a way to set up an AC voltage source/generator?

 

[PRR]

Use a VG source, right-click, fumble in there. Signal can be several things, including a sine.

The scroll rate here is too darn high. I took an hour answering this, right after it was posted, and already it is halfway down the page. Discuss.

 

[Ethan]

Thanks PRR, you're too kind!

I actually did that earlier and created a simple rectified power supply to try to learn the software, but I couldn't get the Multimeter to read the DC output, although it would work fine reading either an unrectified AC or just a DC voltage source...

I guess I'll give it another shot.

 

[PRR]

> a simple rectified power supply to try to learn the software, but I couldn't get the Multimeter to read the DC output, although it would work fine reading either an unrectified AC or just a DC voltage source...

This goes to the root of SPICE (the engine under all these toys). A DC analysis ignores AC. An AC analysis really only computes infinitesimal signals, not reality. You must use TRAN (transient) analysis mode. (I've seen that in TINA but didn't try it.)

That's actually one of the harder circuits to SPICE. Whydoncha start with some batteries and resistors? Your questions elsewhere suggest you don't have Ohms Law intuitively internalized. You need to be able to glance at a simple circuit and know about how the currents and voltages fall. I'm not sure SPICE will help or become a crutch.

Another good exercise is an AC source with some R, C and L, and plot frequency response. For me, this is where SPICE shines: doing the tedious complex floating math. I never believe SPICE unless it agrees with my wild-approximation guess, but if I say "about 1KHz" and SPICE says "1.26543*10^3" then SPICE is probably exactly right (for ideal theoretical parts).

 

[Ethan]

[quote author="PRR"]Ohms Law intuitively internalized...[/quote]

Yeah, that's actually the reason I wanted to use a simulator to re-check manual calculations in circuits with a few V-dividers and such. Sometimes I get confused not about ohms law but rather about how to apply it in certain situations.

 

[MikoKensington]

Anyone familiar with using TINA?

Tina Yothers?

 

[electronaut]

[quote author="PRR"]The scroll rate here is too darn high. I took an hour answering this, right after it was posted, and already it is halfway down the page. Discuss.[/quote]

What could be done about this other than creating additional forums?

 

[NewYorkDave]

We talked about separating the theory and design discussions to keep them from being buried under pages of posts about clone-building, but the idea never really went anywhere. If the theory/design forum ever became a reality, you can bet that I'd be spending at least 90% of my Lab time over there.

 

[Chuck78]

what version of TINA do you have?
Thinking about getting it.
Thanks

 

[Ethan]

[quote author="NewYorkDave"]We talked about separating the theory and design discussions to keep them from being buried under pages of posts about clone-building, but the idea never really went anywhere. If the theory/design forum ever became a reality, you can bet that I'd be spending at least 90% of my Lab time over there.[/quote]

I would like that, but I think it would cause a little confusion in determining where to post quetions that are theory related but pertains to a particular build. Perhaps if there is enough interest, we could try it for a while, and if it turns out not working very well, I could always merge it back into the lab. Discuss.

 

[CJ]

OT: Would it be possible, since we are only three forums thick, which I like, to get a Brewey button on the Lab page and a Lab button on the brewery page? This would eliminate the middleman, which is the forum index.
All in favor say aarrrhhhh!

 

[Scenaria]

how about all 3 on all 3 forums :\