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A Navajo weaving of an integrated circuit: the 555 timer

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356 points defrost | 1 comments | 06 Sep 25 20:57 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source
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charcircuit ◴[07 Sep 25 00:09 UTC] No.45154051[source]▶
The continued popularity of this chip confuses me. I don't understand why it didn't get forgotten decades ago as microcontrollers became common place. Though compared to the Pentium talking on older designs is likely faster to make, so I wonder if he markets himself to an older audience who is nostalgic for these ancient chips.
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1. snickerbockers ◴[07 Sep 25 00:57 UTC] No.45154317[source]▶
Well even if we assume there's a suitable 8-pin microcontroller which doesn't cost more than the 555, merely loading the firmware onto the microcontroller is going to add significant cost and complexity to the manufacturing stage. Also the microcontroller would be far more sensitive to power supply inadequacies because its state consists of much more than a capacitor and a flipflop.