The 555 and How It Got That Way • Hacker News Board

Re: The 555 and How It Got That Way

#21

Post by yitchelle » Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 5:50 AM UTC

mrob wrote: post #13

fipple wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What’s the alternative? Is the Ne555 or is there better?

Dave Jones' EEVBlog recently posted a video on cheap microcontrollers ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYhAGnsnO7w Replacing a 555 timer is a very common job for this type of part. It will typically have an internal oscillator, so it won't need the additional components the 555 needs, reducing cost further. Even if you use something more expensive like an ATtiny (cut down version of the microcontroller found in Ardu…

Hmm. The argument for using a microcontroller to replace a 555 is the increase complexity, and risk. There is code to be written, programming process install at manufacture etc. So it is not necessary cheaper if you at a level higher than the BOM cost.

Re: The 555 and How It Got That Way

#22

Post by scarecrowbob » Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 5:52 AM UTC

Stratoscope wrote: post #5

If you're interested in these classic chips and know how to solder, you owe it to yourself to build a Three Fives Kit: https://shop.evilmadscientist.com/productsmenu/652

That seems totally useless. I gotta get one. Thanks for sharing that link.

Re: The 555 and How It Got That Way

#23

Post by okket » Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 6:04 AM UTC

Stratoscope wrote: post #5

If you're interested in these classic chips and know how to solder, you owe it to yourself to build a Three Fives Kit: https://shop.evilmadscientist.com/productsmenu/652

Don't miss the #555 Episode of EEVBlog where Dave Jones solders this kit and talks a lot about how the 555 works its history:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6qZPx4uD0g

Re: The 555 and How It Got That Way

#24

Post by baybal2 » Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 6:44 AM UTC

Hard to admit: people like Bob Pease and Hans Camenzind would not find any much employment in today's industry even if they were back in their prime.

Work culture in America has changed since sixties.

Re: The 555 and How It Got That Way

#25

Post by peter_retief » Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 6:53 AM UTC

THe very first circuit I built as a hobbyist was with the 555 and even managed to sell a fake car alarm, I think that was round 1990?

Re: The 555 and How It Got That Way

#26

Post by int0x80 » Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 8:24 AM UTC

baybal2 wrote: post #24

Hard to admit: people like Bob Pease and Hans Camenzind would not find any much employment in today's industry even if they were back in their prime. Work culture in America has changed since sixties.

why is that?

Re: The 555 and How It Got That Way

#27

Post by baybal2 » Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 9:13 AM UTC

int0x80 wrote: post #26

baybal2 wrote: post #24

Hard to admit: people like Bob Pease and Hans Camenzind would not find any much employment in today's industry even if they were back in their prime. Work culture in America has changed since sixties.

why is that?

A paradigm shift. How it was: "make the chip, sell it later." How it is now: "sell the chip first, find out how to make it later if you did."

Companies now trust marketing/sales boys to know the market better than the very people who made that industry.

In sixties, a CEO comes to an engineer and asks what will be the "next bug thing" in one year term.

Today, a CEO comes to an engineer and tells him what will be the "next bug thing" in one year term.

Re: The 555 and How It Got That Way

#28

Post by hazeii » Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 9:16 AM UTC

baybal2 wrote: post #24

Hard to admit: people like Bob Pease and Hans Camenzind would not find any much employment in today's industry even if they were back in their prime. Work culture in America has changed since sixties.

Yes, and Bob Widlar too. That was the early days of integrated circuits though, and in the early days of any field it's often the mavericks and non-conformists who make the most progress.

Re: The 555 and How It Got That Way

#29

Post by hazeii » Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 9:22 AM UTC

captain_perl wrote: post #2

Anybody know if he got any royalties from Signetics?

You'll find some details in 'Camenzind Oral History'[0] around page 4 (seems he got paid and it was a good arrangement, but there was no patent on the 555).

*[0] http://www.semiconductormuseum.com/Transistors/LectureHall/C...

Re: The 555 and How It Got That Way

#30

Post by gaius » Fri, Oct 12, 2018, 9:48 AM UTC

baybal2 wrote: post #27

int0x80 wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why is that?

A paradigm shift. How it was: "make the chip, sell it later." How it is now: "sell the chip first, find out how to make it later if you did." Companies now trust marketing/sales boys to know the market better than the very people who made that industry. In sixties, a CEO comes to an engineer and asks what will be the "next bug thing" in one year term. Today, a CEO comes to an engineer and tells him what will be the "…

How it is now: "sell the chip first, find out how to make it later if you did."

Taken to its logical extreme you get Theranos. Will lessons be learned? I’m not holding my breath.