EEVblog episode 1746 pays tribute to the 555 timer and its creator Hans Camenzind on the chip’s 55th anniversary.
Key Takeaways
The 555 timer was designed by Hans Camenzind; he documented its origin in his free book Designing Analog Chips at designinganalogchips.com.
Original design required 9 pins and a 14-pin package; a late epiphany reduced it to the 8-pin DIP familiar today.
The video was released May 5th at 5:55pm, coinciding with International 555 Timer Day.
The 555 appeared in production hardware including the Apple II disk controller and game paddle interface.
Hacker News Comment Review
Commenters converged on the chip’s surprising versatility: one noted it is “really a kit of parts from which you happen to be able to build a timer,” explaining its longevity across wildly different applications.
The Apple II connection surfaced twice with concrete detail: the 555 drove the disk controller and used a potentiometer to vary pulse width for analog paddle position sensing.
Nostalgia ran deep, with multiple builders citing formative projects, Forrest Mims III Radio Shack mini-notebooks, and Atari Punk Consoles as entry points into electronics.
Notable Comments
@PhaseLockk: Confirms the 9-pin-to-8-pin reduction story and links Camenzind’s free book as primary source.
@JKCalhoun: Evil Mad Scientist sells a discrete 26-transistor through-hole kit recreation of the 555 die.
