555 TIMER IC REINVENTED - NEW VERSIONS OF THIS LEGACY CHIP EXTEND ITS LIFE

摘要

Who hasn't used a 555 timer IC? If you are an engineer, technician, teacher, hobbyist, or an electronic whatever, chances are you have encountered the ubiquitous 555.This "ancient" chip was introduced by Signetics (then Philips, then NXP) in 1971. It was an instant hit because of its incredible versatility.That chip spawned thousands of applications circuits from simple audio oscillators to sophisticated timers, and dozens of other unique circuits. Literally, billions have been sold. Despite the widespread use of cheap single-chip microcontrollers, the 555 timer still seems to find a place in school labs and even some new products.