Tool/software: TINA-TI or Spice Models
In my TINA simulation circuits, if I have nodes of interest, I attach a meter.
If that net couples to a series of subcircuits. I use the following convention:
A node of interest will have a METER as well as a JUMPER attached.
In all cases, the Jumper has a matching connection elsewhere in the circuit under simulation.
In all cases, the I/O STATE of both jumper and meter are OUTPUT.
The naming convention I use, to avoid confusion, is to prefix the METER NAME with a "V" in front of the JUMPER NAME.
With the Save All Analysis Results enabled in Analysis->Options, I request a Bode Plot (Analysis->AC Analysis->AC Transfer Characteristics...).
I call the Trace Editor (View->Show/Hide Traces in the diagram window), and I observe the following available traces in the trace list, with all trace filters checked:
- An internal TINA named-trace, called JUMPER NAME prefixed with a "VP_" (effectively the net was named by my named JUMPER)
- This trace toggles its checkbox when I select the net's wire junction itself
- My named METER name also appears as an available trace
For years, I had assumed that selecting the meter name was just as good as the internally named net, especially since I deliberately place a meter on nodes of interest.
But in this more complicated design, I now notice that I have different gains and phase shifts between the TINA internally named (VP_ prefixed net) trace and the meter's named trace.
Note that the the TINA NET NAME TRACE reveals what I would expect from the circuit design, whereas the METER-NAMED TRACE consistently does not.
These differences are significant and I do not know why they exist. Though I understand that the internal TINA traces saved for optional viewing are expected to be correct, why would a user meter ever display completely different AC characteristics when attached to the same net?
Happy holidays, and thank you for clarifying this unexpected result.
