555 Timer Operation

Following the last post concerning the 555 Timer IC circuits, I added a new page to cover the functional operation of the 555 Timer. This page is written a bit different then the previous pages and tries to explain how the 555 IC functions. Although it does use the circuit setup of a Monostable Multivibrator to explain how a 555 functions, the page is written from a different perspective then the existing 555 Monostable listing.

It does use some of the same text as the Monostable 555 circuit, so I still need to re-read it to fix the text flow; but I did up-load the page today regardless. A few of the same 555 graphic files are reused as well, in addition to a new 555 schematic picture. I have two more 555 circuit graphics, so I plan to generate two more pages today, and I'll be sure to update the page as I add those new links.

At first I was going to have the new page act as a top level topic for the 555, it turned out that the current 555 circuit pages were only listed in passing. Currently the only page listing that references how a 555 functions is the page covering Functional IC Schematics [Internal IC Schematics]. Or not, I just added the link to the other three 555 circuit pages.

Now I've been going to design reviews for 25 years and don't recall ever seeing a 555 IC in any review. That's not to say there any thing wrong with the 555, but it does deserve a mention. So I may generate a page to cover that opinion, regardless of the fact that 100,000's are sold each year. The 555 functional page is already to long, so it's a new topic anyway and gets a new page.

Graphic; IC Multivibrator Block Diagram.