1. Analog Basics Workshop Getting started with Tina-TI
Rev 0.2

2. Tina-TI is a powerful Analog and SMPS circuit simulation tool
Screenshot of TinaTM output graphics
Texas Instruments teamed up with DesignSoft™ to provide our customers Tina-TI, a powerful circuit simulation tool well suited for simulating your analog and switch-mode power supply (SMPS) circuits. The tool may be employed to help you design and perfect your circuit ideas, or for troubleshooting circuits that don’t quite work as well as you would like.
Texas Instruments selected the Tina simulation software over other SPICE based simulators for its combination of powerful analysis capabilities, simple and intuitive graphics based interface, and ease of use; which allows you be to up and running in minimal time. If you have familiarity with another Spice simulator, adapting to Tina-TI should require a minimum of effort.
DesignSoft™ was founded in 1992 with a mission to develop high-tech engineering and educational software including electronics, physics, architectural design, multimedia and 3D-graphics. Please see their website for more information about the company and their products:
Although Tina-TI is a limited version of DesignSoft’s more powerful, for purchase, simulation products, it will easily handle surprisingly complex circuits, without any node or number of device limitations.

3. Tina-TI schematic editor
Circuit Space
Top row:
Operations associated with files, types of analysis,
test & measurement options, and help
Second row:
File operations, text, hide and
wiring feature selection, etc.
Third & fourth rows:
Third row buttons select component type
Forth row tabs select component group
Tina-TI can be downloaded from the Tina-TI webpage. Simply access the site and enter “Tina” in the name search. This will bring up a listing of Tina references. Selecting the first listing will take you to the Tina-TI webpage. Contained within the page are several click-on points that initiate the program download. Just follow the easy instruction from there!
Once you have Tina-TI loaded, select the program or click on the Tina-TI icon - if you had it installed. The first screen will appear as shown in the accompanying slide.
This is the schematic editor screen. The empty space on the sheet is where you will build your circuit. Above that space and below the Schematic Editor title is a line of operational selections; such as file operations, analytical operations, test and measurement equipment selection, etc. And just below that is a row of radio buttons associated with file and TINA tasks.
The next lower row of radio buttons allows you to select a particular component within a component group. The tabs below the buttons allow you to select the component group such as basic passive components, semiconductors and even sophisticated device macromodels. These components will be accessed to build your circuit schematic.

4. Building a circuit in Tina-TI
Wein-bridge 1kHz oscillator
Select the “Spice Macros” tab.
Click on the op-amp symbol.
The op-amp list opens. Select OPA743.
U1 – OPA743 symbol appears. Drag symbol into position.
Other op-amp models may be selected using insert > macro… 5 2 1 3 4
The easiest way to illustrate how easy Tina-TI is to use, is to build an analog circuit and then demonstrate some the circuit analysis capabilities.
For this exercise, a high output, 1kHz sine wave oscillator circuit has been selected. A search through an circuit application handbook provides a number of op-amp based designs. A Wein-bridge oscillator with amplitude stabilization is decided upon. It will be “built” in Tina-TI and simulated.
A Texas Instruments OPA743 12V CMOS op-amp is selected for the circuit application. This amplifier is well suited for this application providing good DC and AC performance. It is usable with supplies of 3.5 to 12V, and will be simulated here with a ±5V (10V) applied.
The OPA743 macromodel is readily obtained by clicking on the Spice Macros tab. When the list of op-amp models appears scroll down and click on the highlighted OPA743. Then click on “ok.” The op-amp symbol now appears on the circuit space. Move the mouse until the symbol is in position. It is locked into position on the circuit space by a click of the left mouse button.
Passive and active components
are selected from symbols and lists

5. Building a circuit in Tina-TI
Adding passive and
active components
Select the “Basic” tab
Click on the desired passive component, source, jumper, generator, ground, etc.
Drag the selection into place. Click to set in position.
Double click on the selected component. An information table appears.
Enter the value and set the parameters as needed. 2 1 5
Component selection is accomplished by clicking on a selection from the lower row of labels, identifiable by the words; Basic, Switches, Meters, etc. Within these tabs a variety of passive components, sources, meters, relays, semiconductors and the previously mentioned circuit macros are provided.
Selection is as simple as clicking on the schematic symbol for a particular component and dragging it into position. A left mouse button click locks it into place.
A resistor is selected from the “Basic” tab and positioned by the op-amp symbol. Tina-TI assigns and designates this resistor as “R1.” The initial value is 1kΩ, but can be changed as needed. A double click with the left mouse button on the R1 symbol produces the associated component table.
The resistor value and other characteristics may be altered by selecting the individual parameter boxes and changes the values using a keyboard entry. Once finished setting the parameters click ‘ok” to close the table. Similar parameter tables are available for passive components, sources, semiconductors, etc.
A handy component listed along the Basic bar is the Jumper. It looks like a sideways letter “T.” The jumper may be used to connect like-connected circuit functions such as V+, V- or any other circuit point that has multiple connections. Its use reduces wiring clutter. Common jumpers must be labeled with the same label name for Tina-TI to connect them together. 4 3
Jumpers are used to connect common
circuit points without adding wires

6. Building a circuit in Tina-TI
Arrange and wiring components
Arrange the components by clicking on the symbol and dragging them into position.
Start wiring components together by placing the pointer over the end node (small red “x”).
Click on the end node and a wire is drawn as the mouse is moved.
Release the mouse button to end a wire at another node.
Wiring function may be activated using “Insert” > wire, or the radio button pencil symbol. 5 2
Once all components are selected and placed in position they then can be wired as necessary. Each component has node connections where circuit connections are required. Tina displays these node connections with a small red “x.” The “x” appears more like two small lines at the wiring node.
Wiring components to each other is easily accomplished by placing the mouse pointer over a node connection and holding the left mouse button down. A wire will be drawn as the mouse is moved along the circuit space grid. Release the mouse button when the wire reaches the intended end connection point.
The wiring function also may be accessed from the “Insert” function, or the radio button that appears as a small pencil. These work in conjunction with the mouse operations.

7. Analysis Capabilities: DC
Performing a DC analysis
Click on “Analysis.”
Highlight and click on “DC Analysis.”
Click on “Calculate nodal voltages.”
The Voltages/Currents are displayed at meters/probes.
The mouse pointer becomes a probe used to probe the circuit nodes.
The probed node and measured value are shown in red, in the table. 1 2
When the circuit schematic entry is complete the circuit may be ready for simulation. The first listing under the Analysis function is an Error Rules Check (ERC). Selecting this feature will run this check on the circuit and a window will list any problems. If a wiring error is listed in the window, clicking on that error line will highlight the error point in the schematic. The error window will also list other types of circuit errors. Even if the ERC check isn’t selected Tina will automatically perform one at the start of a simulation.
The analysis process is begun by selecting “Analysis” from the function list. A list of different types of analyses such as AC, DC, transient, noise, etc. will then list. Highlighting any one of these analyses will bring additional selections. Upon selecting one, another window appears displaying settings selections associated with that particular analysis. Initially nominal settings are provided, but these may be set as needed for the desired output. Once all of the selections are made simply click “ok” and the analysis is underway.
Often the first analysis performed on a circuit is a DC analysis. This provides a “reality check” so that normal DC operating conditions can be verified. Tina’s DC analysis can be set to calculate nodal voltages, provide a table of DC voltage and current results, provide a DC sweep of the circuit, or perform a temperature analysis. The temperature analysis works in combination with the Analysis > Mode > temperature stepping selections.

8. Analysis Capabilities: Transient
Transient Analysis example 1 2 5 3
Sophisticated AC frequency and time domain simulations may be performed. Again the Analysis function is selected to gain access to the different choices. A traditional AC transfer characteristic plot of gain and phase vs. frequency may be selected, as well as transient, Fourier or noise analyses.
The slide example shown is a transient analysis performed on the Wein-bridge oscillator circuit. In the upper right-hand side of the slide is the simulation’s transient analysis result can be seen. It shows the Wein-bridge oscillator start up and steady-state performance. The display in the actual window may be edited with axis labeling, scales, background grid color, etc, all being set as needed. 4
Click on “Analysis”
Highlight and click on “Transient”
Set start and end times, etc.
Click “ok”
Transient analysis from simulation.

9. Analysis Capabilities: AC Transfer Characteristics1 2 3
Click on “Analysis> Transient”
Set freq range, etc. Click “ok”
Transient analysis from simulation.

10. Where to find Tina-TI Help
Help contents, searches, etc
Many of Tina’s component
and Analysis Windows
provide a Help button
Help sheet
on subject
Tina-TI has many more features that have not been presented in this brief, quick start guide. However, as you become more experienced with Tina-TI you’ll want to be able to exploit them to more rapidly build circuits, perform more sophisticated simulations and optimize the output information. Passing the mouse pointer over the radio buttons and viewing the contents of the different subject categories will reveal the many capabilities of the program.
Should you need assistance with a particular analysis, or in setting the active component parameters, Tina provides detailed Help documentation. The Help is accessed by clicking on the ?Help radio button associated with analysis, active component, etc.
Good luck and good circuit simulating with Tina-TI. We at Texas Instruments hope that you find this tool truly useful for you analog and SMPS applications.
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