do you have a favourite ic - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: siliconmix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 09:21:55 pm
content: http://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/processors/25-microchips-that-shook-the-world/0or do you despise one ?

author: PStevenson
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 09:29:31 pm
content: I think there was a similar post to this a while back however my current favourite is the ICL7107CPLZ which is one of those old "solution" IC's like the LM3914 - this one is basically a voltmeter made up of an ADC with a built in 7 segment display driver, and you can get an LCD version too (7106)

author: siliconmix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 09:49:34 pm
content: sounds good i'll have to look it up.anything you didn't like ?

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 09:56:58 pm
content: The LM324, because it's cheap, readily available from multiple manufacturers, widely used and its output goes down to GND.

author: siliconmix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 10:01:19 pm
content: i like that chip.my all time favourate is the 4093.but i always have a few 324's at hand

author: siliconmix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 10:04:35 pm
content: whats it like living in the domincan republic ?

author: MarkS
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 10:16:24 pm
content: The 68000. My first computer was a Mac 512KE. This was the first computer I learned programming on and the only processor that I learned how to write assembly for. In fact, I am working on the schematic for a 68000-based computer as I type this.

author: siliconmix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 10:26:52 pm
content: cool is it easier than pic assembly coz that might as well be hyroglifics to me.

author: deephaven
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 10:39:48 pm
content: 6809 microprocessor - brilliant instruction set.And more recently Altera EP2C5Q208 you can do so much with it.

author: G7PSK
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 10:43:34 pm
content: My favorite has to be the 555 Its the first one I ever used and I still use it.

author: Chet T16
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 10:48:42 pm
content: Quote from: PStevenson on January 31, 2012, 09:29:31 pmHa, having suspected issues with a 7106 at the minute so not my favourite

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 31, 2012, 11:35:46 pm
content: Quote from: siliconmix on January 31, 2012, 10:04:35 pmIt's nice. The weather is great most of the time, as long as you get used to it. Huricanes are not big deal if you have a concrete home like most people do in the city. Telecommunications are quite advanced compared to other Latin American countries with similar economies. As for neighboring countries, Haiti is not as bad as it is know for in here (people don't trust them, although they are very hard-working). Many Cubans come here, most of them are professionals in their fields (usually medicine and education).As for tourism, the industry is very advanced and there's lots of stuff too see everywhere, from beaches to mountains. It's not utopian either, as most developing countries, we still lack basic healthcare services in many places and there's a huge gap between public and private services, specially in healthcare and education. The traffic is a mess, but its messiness depends on the areas you drive on. Anyway I've seen tourists moving here, many in touristic areas, for some reason. They say we are very welcoming and warm towards other people. My opinion is that it varies from person to person, but surely someone's gonna help you out. I have noticed people from the smaller towns are more willing to help.And finally, for electronics, there are many businesses tat can receive a package in Miami, Fl and ship it here. Then they call you and you get your Digi-Key order. There's also a big market of electronics parts in a street not far away from my home. There are a lot of stores around, possibly 50 or even more. They are sorta like this, just less organized.You'll be able to find any part made by more than one manufacturer easily. If they are used on repairable electronics, you've got a higher chance. If they are used on power inverters, you'll find them for sure because power inverters are a big business here because of blackouts!

author: PStevenson
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 12:01:00 am
content: Quote from: Chet T16 on January 31, 2012, 10:48:42 pmwhat issues are you getting, I've never tried the 7106 version but I was thinking of doing so because I found a couple in the old shitbinI used the OSC out ports as a dirty function generator once when I had nothing else to hand but a vero'd up 7107 voltmeter

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 12:14:51 am
content: From the appearance, I know this sounds strange, my favourite is any ics that have the exposed die with those little window for UV, like those eprom or old school dsp chip.Don't know why, always love to stare at that little piece of finely crafted sand in there.

author: Chet T16
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 12:27:04 am
content: My Atten power supply uses 4 smd ones and the current display on one channel is a bit dodgy. The voltage displays fine (its on the same lcd) and poking around at the chip can get it working but I'm not sure what steps to take now as I've no smd experience

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 04:27:15 am
content: 555!

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 04:57:16 am
content: The 4017--because it is a DECIMAL divider!VK6ZGO

author: JuKu
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 06:15:07 am
content: Quote from: BravoV on February 01, 2012, 12:14:51 am:lol: This brings out some memories (pun intended). You never knew which of those had code in it, which didn't. I was told that if you look at them with a microscope in UV light, you could see the programming going on. I once put a chip into a programmer wrong way up, and for once, I could see the programming going on (I saw flames in window) and afterwards, I could tell it was truly programmed!On the subject: Motorola 56xxx series DSP. Nice chip to program, and also the chip I've made the most money with.

author: siliconmix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 10:34:43 am
content: Quote from: ivan747 on January 31, 2012, 11:35:46 pmthanks for the picture you painted there ivan.i could read about the dominican republic on the internet but is nice to have insight from someone who lives there.

author: siliconmix
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 10:43:33 am
content: Quote from: deephaven on January 31, 2012, 10:39:48 pmthe 6809 is fetching a fair price on ebay

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 10:54:29 am
content: Zilog Z80. Simple and relatively powerful.

author: SoftwareSamurai
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 03:15:19 pm
content: Quote from: amyk on February 01, 2012, 10:54:29 amI agree. Wonderful little CPU!

author: ciccio
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 04:20:21 pm
content: In the list I'll choose the NE555, but I have another couple of favorites:Signetics NE5534 (single) and NE5532 (dual) low noise op-amps (circa 1979, if my memory is good).They allowed the design of audio equipment (mixing consoles etc.) with fair performance, without costly and bulky discrete op-amp.Best regards

author: smackaay
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 01, 2012, 07:21:48 pm
content: I think my favorite is the PIC10F200. They're cheap, effective, simple and more useful than people might think for an MCU with 256 Bytes of ROM and 16 Bytes of RAM. I've done a few peojects with them in the past (mostly for fun) but I have used them in more serious roles like timers and debouncers etc...I have afew of the projects on my site @http://smackaay.comburied in various posts on my site.

author: im_a_human
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2012, 12:31:43 pm
content: The Z80 CPU. Ive been using them for twenty years now! Brilliant instruction set simple to use.

author: Gall
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2012, 06:19:05 pm
content: For analog circuits - TL074 for sure! Also TL072.Some time ago due to limited stock I used to use Russian K561LA7 (equiv. 4011) and K561LN2 (equiv. 4049) even in some analog circuits. Not doing so anymore since better parts are available.No favorite IC for digitals - lot of different ones, mostly AVRs. I hate PICs. ATmega8 maybe.

author: Sal Ammoniac
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 02, 2012, 06:30:28 pm
content: For vintage ICs it would have to be the 68000 for me. I wrote hundreds of thousands of lines of firmware in assembly code for that little bugger back in the day. Some of those products are still being sold even today.For modern chips, the ARM Cortex-M3.

author: kiyotewolf
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 03, 2012, 01:31:17 am
content: I love the little 741, I did tons of work in audio growing up, so I would make little audio mixers out of that chip, from various line level sources.The 6502 chip is my favorite processor, because I know that chip intimately. I am super comfortable hand assembling / hand coding 6502 code, and the Commodore 64 is where I did the most ASM, but the Apple ][e, I did some ASM too.~PaulOther components, I like rectangular bi-color LED's, and those little 6V lamps in a pack of three from Radio Shack.